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THE WAY WE WERE

AUGUST 10, 1973

The Board of Selectmen took the first step this week toward determining how to

use the $332,991 of revenue sharing funds promised to Newtown for the fiscal

year 1973-74 and agreed upon six broadly defined needs on which the money

could be spent. These included Education ($51,500 to pay off the 1974

installment of the notes by which improvements to the high school ventilating

system are being financed); Social Services ($10,000, the equivalent of almost

a full year's salary for the new social worker); Dog Pound ($30,000 for a new

facility at the landfill site); Public Safety ($50,000 for police and fire

department equipment); Town Garage ($75,000 toward the estimated cost of

$300,000 for a new highway department garage); Multi-purpose and general

government ($116,941 of which 50 percent would be for equipment, 25 percent

for land acquisition and 25 percent for debt retirement). The final decision

will be made by town meeting on the recommendation of the Board of Finance.

Newtown is being represented by Troop 370 of Sandy Hook at the National Boy

Scout Jamboree in Moraine State Park in western Pennsylvania. The boys and

their leaders include Phil Blake, Frank Treadwell, Robert Forcht, George

Palmer, John Aragones, Jim Aragones, Mark Paloian, Greg Poulin, Dave McDonald,

Scott Wheeler, Jerry Hunihan, Mark Rostao, Glen Lawton, Bill Riebe, Peter

Goebel, Jeff Poulin, Tim Stefanko, Tad Wheeler, Bill Thomas, Pete Smith,

Darryl Palmer, Bob Bradley, assistant scoutmasters Ed Rees and Gordon Palmer,

and Scoutmaster Nick Smith. While at the jamboree, the scouts will be able to

participate in hiking, golf, sailing, canoeing, archery, riflery, running

obstacle courses, and many camping activities. The opening program was

highlighted by an appearance by entertainer Danny Thomas followed by a giant

fireworks display entitled "Galaxy 73."

Bumper stickers with the message "Slow Down in Newtown" are becoming a

familiar sight in town and police are making a concerted effort to ticket

speeders. On Tuesday, August 7, between the hours of 2:30 and 4:30 pm, 12

tickets were issued to motorists who were caught running the red light at the

intersections of Routes 25 and 202 (now 302). Later in the day, between the

hours of 5 and 7:30 pm, the radar went up and 44 vehicles were stopped. There

were 25 warnings issued for vehicles going 44 to 48 mph, and seven tickets for

speeders doing 50 to 58 mph. All were going through a posted 30 mph zone.

Police Chief Louis Marchese said the checks will continue. On Saturday,

residents of Main Street and their children distributed 1,500 black and white

bumper stickers which now appear not only on cars but also on mailboxes, the

front doors of business establishments, and on trucks owned by local

establishments.

A party was held by The Bee this week at the home of Editor and Mrs Paul S.

Smith on Currituck Road to honor Mrs Anna Connors Winkle for her 50 years on

The Bee staff. Mrs Winkle started her years at the newspaper in 1923 and left

earlier this year when a fractured ankle convinced her that it was time for

her to retire. She started as the bookkeeper at a time when one person could

do the accounting work that it now takes six persons to do. The Bee keeps

expanding. Recently a new one-story addition was created at the rear of the

building as a storage area for newsprint. Another addition is planned this

fall at the front of the building, where the loading dock is presently

situated, and will more than double the editorial space. And probably one of

the most important changes is taking place now as The Bee begins to mail the

"Antiques and The Arts Weekly" section of the newspaper to all those who live

out of state and request only this part of the paper.

The Bee has received news that an architect has been secured for the proposed

K-4 elementary school on the Boyle property on Boggs Hill Road. Harry

Greenman, chairman of the Boyle Site Building Committee, said the

architectural firm is Butterfield Associates of Hartford. The firm was

selected from a group of nearly 60 applicants. Mr Greenman stressed that there

is no financial obligation to the town at this point and that the architect

was merely secured in case the school is built. The litigation over the Boyle

property is still going on and the town cannot proceed with the school until a

decision is reached.

A proposed ordinance creating a Committee on Aging was approved by the Board

of Selectmen Tuesday evening for presentation to a public hearing on August 20

at Edmond Town Hall. The nine-member committee would be responsible for

studying the needs of elderly and aging residents of Newtown, coordinating

programs for the assistance, and making sure they get the full benefit of the

various state and federal programs related to their needs.

Road Superintendent Ed Napier is still pressing First Selectman Frank DeLucia

for more adequate office space than the 6x12-foot corner of the town garage he

now occupies,and last week Mr DeLucia went down to the garage for a personal

inspection. Mr Napier's request for an office trailer floundered last June

when the Board of Finance refused to authorize the transfer of funds on which

he and Mr DeLucia relied for the $3,600 investment. Both men agreed that

spending money on the town garage would be poor economy since the building is

in such poor shape that it may soon have to be pulled down, if it doesn't fall

down. For the time being a desk has been assigned to Mr Napier in the

selectmen's outer office.

AUGUST 13, 1948

A special town meeting will be held on Saturday in the gymnasium of Edmond

Town Hall for a vote, by ballot, on the question of whether Newtown should

continue in the agreement with Southbury, Woodbury, and Bethlehem, to build a

regional high school at a cost to the district of not more than $1.5 million.

Reportedly, the results of the vote will not be legally binding; rather, it

will merely give an expression of public opinion in Newtown and will not in

any way dissolve the Regional District No 3. Dissolution of the district can

be only accomplished through legislation passed in the State Legislature. The

regional board already has spent more than $100,000 for site plans and other

work. Newtown's share of the cost, about $50,000, will have to be paid no

matter what the outcome.

The 1948 Invitation Men's Doubles Tennis Tournament for the Honegger Cup took

place Saturday and Sunday on the court of Mr and Mrs H.C. Honegger on Walnut

Tree Hill, and as in previous years, proved a most pleasant occasion for both

participants and spectators. Play began Saturday morning and continued

throughout the day, leaving the final match for Sunday afternoon. The winners

were Walter Kreuger and John Wilson, in close finals matches with runners-up

Dr William Buker and H.C. Honegger.

Judge and Mrs Paul V. Cavanaugh and daughter are enjoying his vacation from

the Probate Court, spending some time at their Blarneystone Valley cottage in

the Hanover district.

With rehearsals for Highway well under way, members of the Town Players are

getting ready to present a genuine, pre-Broadway showing of a new play, a

long-dreamed of achievement which will mark another milestone in the history

of the little theatre group. Miss Sophie Treadwell, the well-known author and

playwright, has written a simple but penetrating comedy about the Texas oil

country. She is directing the play herself and will stage it in New York in

the fall. The play has not yet been cast but it is known that Mrs Harrie Wood

will serve as both producer and play secretary; David Wood is assistant

producer; Kathryn Kirby in charge of hand props; Mrs Nelson Curtis, costumes;

Julian Drew, stage manager; Gilbert Aiken, stage properties; Ed Davis is

working on the light plot with Harrie Wood who has already designed the set

and made the preliminary sketches.

Classified Ad: "Useless horses wanted. Must be alive and standing. Call Morris

D. Clark, Hotchkissville District, Woodbury, Tel Woodbury 176-3.

Roy Everett of Newtown captured the best in match award with his Airdale

terrier "Dell of Newtown" at the 15th AKC sanctioned match show of the Newtown

Kennel Club held in the Edmond Town Hall gymnasium last Thursday evening. This

was the club's first show designated by the American Kennel Club as "Plan A,"

two of which must be conducted before a licensed show, at which championship

points can be awarded, may be arranged. Entries last Thursday were limited to

AKC-registered dogs that did not have championship points.

Members of Pine Tree Patrol, Boy Scout Troop 70, have just returned from their

14th annual two-week trip into the northern Canada woods with Scoutmaster Paul

Cullens. Rev Cullens and his wife and daughter, joined by Miss Nancy Giddings,

then left Newtown to spend Mr Cullen's vacation at their camp at Francestown,

N.H. They are expected to return to Newtown in September

Austin E. Dinkler of Sandy Hook has been appointed probation officer of the

Town Court of Newtown by Judge Walter A. Reynolds and was sworn in by Judge

Raynolds Monday night at the Edmond Town Hall. Mr Dinkler succeeds H.R. Geiger

who recently tendered his resignation because of his activities with the

Newtown Taxpayers Association, whose by-laws do not permit an officer to hold

an elective or appointive office. Mr Geiger is the association's president.