At The Beginning Of The Century

 The Little Things Of Life Made Bigger News

By Jan Howard

A 1911 Newtown Bee, yellowed and fragile, that was placed in a trunk many years ago in the home of Charles G. Blakeman in Monroe eventually found its way to the home of Kenneth Canfield in Southbury.

Mr Canfield found the trunk in the attic of his grandfather’s home and moved it to a barn on his property years ago.

Why this particular issue of November 24, 1911, was saved by Mr Blakeman is unknown, but it was one of several newspapers found at that time, and it might have contained some special meaning for him.

 “I inherited the old house and everything in it,” Mr Canfield said recently. “I saved the newspapers. I happened to open the trunk that had been in the barn and found the papers.”

He recently presented the 1911 paper to The Newtown Bee. He noted his now adult daughter once took the newspapers to school for a show and tell session.

The Bee once covered most of the western Connecticut communities so there are tidbits of information from towns other than Newtown in the 1911 newspaper, such as Stepney, South Britain, Roxbury, Brookfield, Bethel, Marble Dale, New Fairfield, and others.

It contained happy news, such as events and outings, and sad news, such as illnesses and death, all intermingled throughout with small advertisements and tidbits of other information.

The front page offered information about Thanksgiving and Sunday services of local churches, the Thanksgiving menu at the Newtown Inn, a Boy Scout meeting, and a play at the high school to benefit the athletic association, among other topics.

A separate item read: “Bring your mother, father, sweetheart, brother, aunt, etc, etc, to the play, December 1 to be given by the high school pupils for the benefit of their Athletic Association, Bentley’s orchestra will furnish music for the dancing at the close of the play. Come and have a good time.”

The Newtown Inn’s Thanksgiving dinner, which cost $1, consisted of oyster cocktail, celery, salted almonds, Queen olives, broiled bluefish, maitre de Hotel, chicken, en croustade, a la Terrapin, Roman punch, stuffed Rhode Island Turkey, cranberry sauce, baked sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, creamed onions, mashed turnips, lettuce and tomato, plum pudding with hard and brandy sauce, green apple pie, pumpkin pie, nuts and raisins, assorted cakes, wine jelly, vanilla ice cream, Roquefort cheese, toasted crackers, and demi tasse.

A story about a concert by Elizabeth Gaffney of New Haven at town hall, in which she would interpret Irish ballads and songs, described her as one of the finest soprano soloists in the state. She had been engaged by the Rev George T. Sinnott as the chief attraction for a benefit for St Rose Church.

Riley Phillips, a well-known New Haven basso, would also sing solos. Bentley’s orchestra was to play for the dancing, and Miss Grace Kennedy would play Irish melodies on the piano. Tickets for the concert were 50 cents.

A short story served as a promo for an upcoming sale and supper sponsored by the women of Trinity Guild. “Don’t forget the annual sale and supper to be given by the ladies of Trinity Guild on Wednesday evening, December 6. They will have a display of aprons, fancy articles, etc. Some of the Y.G.H. club will also have on sale some of their own hand work in arts and crafts. The supper will be ready at half past five.”

There were tidbits about Newtown citizens enjoying auto rides to nearby cities or buying new farm equipment. One noted that Fred Bresson had a new farm wagon, which he had purchased of A.M. Briscoe & Son. Mrs Arthur Beard passed the previous Friday in Bridgeport, and Mr and Mrs H.G. Warner passed Monday in New York City.

An advertisement for the Hotel Green in Danbury noted, “Motoring parties from Newtown, Brookfield and New Milford and other places will find the Dinner and Lunch Service perfect.”

Obituaries and stories of illnesses suffered by residents also were reported on the front page. The November 24 paper reported the death of Mrs Michael Scanlon, who, the obituary noted, had been in failing health for two years. Oscar Pitzschler was laid up, the paper reported, having strained the ligaments of his back because of a fall down his cellar stairs.

Visitors to town residents and residents’ visits to relatives and friends in other towns were duly noted. Engagements and weddings, complete with well wishes, were reported. “The engagement has been announced of Miss Florence Wakelee and George Ruffells, Jr, both of Bridgeport. Mr Ruffells is a son of Dea and Mrs George Ruffells of Hawleyville and his many friends here extend congratulations.”

Intermingled among all this news were ads for work clothes, farm equipment, pickles, and products, such as leather goods and blankets. Others highlighted gasoline engines, Red Seal Baking Powder sold by H.J. McCarthy in South Britain, and winter hats.

One noted that it was “Hog killing time and you can get your pork barrels and rock salt at Taylor, Curtis & Co.” A thoroughbred pig sold for $2.

Inside the paper were advertisements for men’s fall suits from $10 to $15, gold watches for $12, boys’ suits from $3 to $12, and men’s and women’s shoes from $3.35 to $5.85. Ads for furs at D.M. Read Company promised “to counter November’s icy blasts.” Howland’s in Bridgeport announced the opening of its Christmas store.

An ad by Jacob Block of Newtown claimed he could sell a farm in 30 days, and there were several area farms up for sale in 1911. An ad by M.D. Beers of Sandy Hook noted there were 100 “inexpensive, accessible farms,” from $600 to $15,000. One 50-acre farm with an 11-room house and fruit trees was advertised for $8,000. For $20,000, a farmer could buy 400 acres with “a fine lake,” and large buildings. A 65-acre farm with good buildings was for sale for $5,500.

In one short news items, the selectmen requested that all persons having bills against the town should state plainly what the bill is for, with day and date, and in case of work done on roads, naming the section of road and in what school district it was located.

Another story noted that the selectmen and town treasurer would meet at the Brick building that Saturday for payment of the current bills against the town.

The paper’s front page contained a report on the State Conference of Congregational Churches that was held in conjunction with the First Church of Danbury. It included reports of the nominating committee for various committees and highlights of Rev Sherrod Soule’s address and those by other ministers.

“But the great spiritual treat of the convention was the service at 8 o’clock,” The Bee reported, “when Rev Charles R. Brown, dean of Yale Divinity School, gave a great address.”

The early papers of The Newtown Bee contained only a little of what we would consider hard news today, but to the residents of Newtown in 1911 the stories in the paper were part of their daily life in a rural community that during warm months transformed itself into a tourist haven.

The Bee of 1911 told the stories about what was happening to the families who lived here. It reported on their travels, their visitors, and important news of births, engagements, marriages, and deaths. It told about people who were hurt or ill. It told them about changes in land ownership when farms were sold and who eventually purchased them. It told them of job opportunities and when businesses were moving in or out of town.

The Bee provided the social news of the day — what was going on in the churches and local clubs and organizations, much like today, but perhaps in a more personal way.

Hard news? Maybe not as we know it today, what with all the modern issues that face what has become a growing, suburban community. But the newspaper was just as important to the people who resided in Newtown and area towns in 1911 as it is today. It brought them closer to each other and what was happening in their lives and in their community.