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THE WAY WE WERE

JUNE 21, 1974

"I didn't think we'd get it that fast," said Stanley Main, president of

Newtown Housing for the Elderly Inc, when he got a pledge of a $750,000

Farmer's Home Administration loan the same day that he asked for it. Meeting

with FHA representative Lawrence Radcliffe on Thursday, June 13, Mr Main

submitted a preliminary proposal for construction of 40 low and medium rent

apartments for the elderly on 20 acres of Fairfield Hills Hospital land.

On Thursday, June 13, Judge Robert Berdon, Superior Court, Bridgeport, denied

a motion for a summary judgment which would have recognized as conclusive the

town's April 1 referendum vote to retain the former Boyle property on Boggs

Hill Road as a site for the new elementary school. The summary judgment motion

had been submitted by Atty Paul Pollock, who is representing the town in the

case. The April 1 referendum was called to rescind previous votes on the Boyle

site and asked whether or not the town should return the property to the

former owners. The voters opted to keep the property for the town.

Girl Scout Troop 150 of Sandy Hook honored four "first class" Scouts at a

garden party held at Mr and Mrs Howard Hollerans' house on Serenity Lane. The

Scouts and mothers came in long dresses, father and brothers came in dress

slacks and ties. The garden party began with the traditional presentation of

the colors and candle lighting ceremony. The first class award is the

highlight of their Brownie, Junior and Cadette years combined. It is the

highest award of Cadette Scouting. Receiving this award were Susan Fronette of

Buttonball Drive, earning a total of 12 Cadette badges and four challenge

pins, and Peggy Egan of Maple Drive, earning a total of 16 badges and four

challenge pins. Receiving this award earlier this year were Nancy Slocum of

Toddy Hill Road, earning a total of 16 Cadette badges and five challenge pins,

and Pat Doherty of Sunnyview Terrace earning a total of 17 badges and four

challenge pins.

On Wednesday, June 12, Girl Scout Troop 590 held a court of awards at the

Middle School. Most of the girls in the troop earned this cyclist badge, which

was a troop project. Those girls who have earned cumulative awards this year

were: Sign of the Arrow, Elaine Clark, Dawn McFarquhar, Claire Melville, Kelly

Morlock, and Linda Reed. Sign of the Star, Jennifer Brown, Elaine Clark,

Stephanie Heth, Claire Melville, and Linda Reed. Sharon Sabre and Kelly

Morlock won prizes for perfect attendance. The awards were presented by troop

leader Mrs Sandra Brown and co-leader Mrs Marion Morlock.

The Board of Burgesses on June 17 appointed Daniel Shea of Queen Street to

fill a vacancy on the Board, reappointed all officers, and called a special

meeting to prepare for a general Borough meeting on July 8. The burgesses this

week appointed James Crick as an alternate to the Borough Zoning Board of

Appeals. He is employed in the US Post Office in Newtown.

Preserving the beauty of Main Street and safeguarding its historical

significance is the purpose of a small committee which has been functioning

quietly and regularly in recent months. The Historic District Study Committee

was appointed in March by the burgesses at a Borough meeting. Ben Blanchard, a

Main Street resident and Newtown's Judge of Probate, is chairman. Working with

him are William Hare, Bernal Hertberg, William Lavery, and John Loudon, all

residents of Main Street. Mrs Hertberg is secretary and will do publicity.

William Lavery is serving as attorney.

At the Democratic Town Committee's monthly meeting on June 13, a speaker from

the National Organization for Women urged the members to take a stance on an

equal rights amendment now being considered for the national Constitution.

Joan Leonard, formerly of Newtown, who is a legislative representative for the

Danbury chapter of NOW, said the amendment would be a first step in limiting

the economic, political and professional restraints now placed on the American

woman by law or custom.

The Town of Newtown has withdrawn its objections to an election to determine

whether or not the police civilian employees, dispatchers and secretaries want

to form a union. The election has been set by Jack Kingston of the State Labor

Relations Board for Tuesday, June 25, in the Town Hall.

JUNE 24, 1949

As a result of a petition signed by 37 qualified voters, a special town

meeting has been called by the Board of Selectmen for this Friday, June 24, at

the Edmond Town Hall at 8 pm. As called for in the petition, the meeting will

determine whether the following resolutions, or some resolutions of like

import, shall be adopted. RESOLVED that the Board of Education be and is

hereby requested to demand the resignations of Messrs Robert J. Clark and

William K. Daniells from the Board of Regional High School District No. 3 and

to replace them with appointees who will truly represent the will of the

majority in Newtown as expressed in the referendum held August 14, 1948, and

in this meeting. RESOLVED, that the Board of Selectmen be and are hereby

authorized and directed to use every means in their power, both legal and

otherwise, to prevent Regional Board No. 3 from signing a contract or

contracts after June 30, 1949, issuing bonds in the name of Regional District

No. 3 or otherwise committing the District to any capital expenditure.

With a goal for visits by 4,500 children from Cape Cod to the Shenandoah

Valley, from the eastern shore to the Thousand Islands, the Herald-Tribune

Fresh Air Fund has met with indifferent success in Newtown. This project, now

in its 72nd year, offers vacations to the children of New York's tenements,

most of whom have never known or even glimpsed the joys of country life.

In its first public concert last Thursday evening in the Edmond Town Hall

theatre, the Community Chorus, of which William R. Jones is musical mentor and

director, shared a program with Leonard Seeber, young Hartford concert

pianist, who was playing a return engagement in Newtown. Both chorus and

soloist delighted their audience.

School closed this Thursday for some 640 Newtown students, with commencement

exercises scheduled for this Thursday evening in the Edmond Town Hall. In the

school year just ended there have been 182 school days, and, after 75 days of

vacation, classes will resume in Newtown on Wednesday, September 7.

There will be a special parish meeting in the Guild Room of Trinity Episcopal

church next Monday evening, June 27th, at 8 o'clock to act upon the

resignation of Rev John W. Mutton, rector of Trinity Episcopal church,

Newtown, and St John's Episcopal church, Sandy Hook. Mr Mutton has tendered

his resignation to accept a call to become rector of Trinity Episcopal church,

Norwich. He has been rector of the two churches for the past 11 years, and for

several years has served as chairman of the Town Troop Committee of Boy

Scouts, as neighborhood commissioner of the Scouts, and has been active in

both local and nationally-originated welfare projects.

Mrs Henrietta Metcalf of North Main street was hostess at tea on Tuesday, June

21st, to the Newtown friends of the Planned Parenthood League.

JUNE 20, 1924

Among those from Newtown who were present at the Yale-Harvard baseball game at

New Haven this week were Mrs Fannie May Edwards, J.C. Beers, Herbert Beers,

Rodney Shepard, Raymond Hall, Miss Mary Hawley.

There was quite a serious forest fire east of John Stefanco's place on Tuesday

morning, when about 30 acres of land were burned over. Villeroy Hard, Jr, and

a big corps of helpers worked nearly all day in putting it out. The workers

saved the house and barn of Paul Marco from destruction by timely effort. Mr

Stefanko lost about 28 cords of seasoned wood, which cost him $2.50 a cord to

get out.

Charles Milot, the enterprising Sandy Hook market man, has put out a large and

neat sign over his market, which he designed, built and lettered himself.

Mrs Nellie E. Tucker received her appointment as postmaster of Sandy Hook on

June 5. Mrs Tucker has been the acting postmaster since the resignation of Mr

Cutler some months ago.