* * *

There were some anxious moments at Edmond Town Hall when a fire alarm sounded at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, August 16. Nearly 200 employees and War Games moviegoers spent 20 minutes outside while the alarm was investigated, but no apparent reason has been found. Many of the people in the movie reported hearing a loud metallic crash just before the call for evacuation.

* * *

There is a need for a permanent shooting range for the Newtown Police Department, said Auxiliary Police Captain Lorenz Ertl after learning that First Selectman Jack Rosenthal would not recommend a proposal to use a part of the Newtown landfill for the purpose. After receiving an advisory letter from Highway Superintendent James Murphy which stated that he would not recommend the landfill site as a firing range because neighbors would complain about the noise, Mr Rosenthal decided against it.

* * *

The staff shortage problem at the town Communications Department took a turn for the worse early on the morning of August 17 when full-time dispatcher Elizabeth Vaudreuil slipped as she was getting up to answer a call and injured her lower back. After falling at about 5:15 am, Mrs Vaudreuil dispatched an ambulance call to substitute dispatcher, Marion Mead, who promptly responded, along with emergency medical technicians and the Newtown Ambulance Corps, which took Mrs Vaudreuil to Danbury Hospital.

* * *

A hundredth birthday really deserves a special day and it was, for both participants and observers. Over 30 units took part in the tribute to Newtown Hook and Ladder’s Centennial Celebration. First Selectman Jack Rosenthal and State Representative Mae Schmidle both on the reviewing stand with other notables, local and statewide, presented proclamations to Chief Millard Goodsell in honor of the occasion. The one-and-on-half-hour parade drew crowds not only from Newtown, but from out of town as well.

* * *

Commission on Aging members were advised Monday night to concentrate their efforts on outreach programs for the elderly rather than on elaborate health screening programs. The recommendation was made by the town’s health director, Dr Thomas Draper who came to COA’s regularly scheduled meeting on August 15 to discuss the possibility of expanding health-screening services at the Senior Center. Dr Draper said that elderly people need to develop a system of self-care and mutual help rather than be subjected to elaborate laboratory work.

* * *

The Board of Selectman August 12 approved base pay raises, from $3.91 to $4.13 an hour, for the three part-time dispatchers in the town Communications Department, which handles fire and ambulance calls and the switchboard for town operations Marge LaRoche, the department supervisor, had asked the selectmen to increase the part-time employees’ base pay to $4.75 per hour. She said she faces an “emergency situation” because she has difficulty retaining dispatchers and hiring experienced people.

 

August 22, 1958

At its meeting on Monday evening, the Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission adopted the comprehensive zoning plan and zoning maps which were presented at a public hearing held last Thursday evening by the commission at Edmond Town Hall. This final action by the Planning and Zoning Commission gives the town its first set of zoning regulations and marks a definite milestone in the long campaign which has stretched over several years to provide planning and zoning for the town.

* * *

The bathing beach at Dickinson Memorial Park was improved considerably early this week with the addition of over 200 yards of fresh, sharp sand. In keeping with the community feeling toward the park, which has resulted in many generous gifts in the park’s short history, one half of the sand was donated by Loma Sand and Gravel, Inc of Turkey Hill Road, Newtown.

* * *

Upon receipt of complaint last Thursday from a rural patron that literature was being distributed in mail boxes around town, Postmaster Albert H. Nichols called Resident State Policeman James Costello, who found two Danbury men, Harry Hawkes and John Simpson, distributing literature of anti-Catholic nature. Mr Nichols explained the practice violates postal regulations which deny access to a mailbox to anyone but the carrier and the family receiving the mail.

* * *

Early in 1959 most of the Girl Scout councils in Fairfield County will merge and begin working as a new, large, area council. The five present councils of Stamford, Norwalk, Aspetuck, Ridgefield and Danbury will make up the new area council. Georgetown and Redding, which at present have lone troops, and Newtown which comes under the Bridgeport Council, will be included in the new structure.

* * *

Mrs Charles W. Platt of South Main Street had the misfortune to fall in the A&P Store last Friday morning. She injured her right arm at the elbow and was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, where she was a patient until Wednesday. She is now at home, wearing a cast.

* * *

The Newtown Board of Education will entertain school personnel at a picnic at the home of Mr and Mrs James M. Osborne, Jr on September 4, where old acquaintances will be renewed and new members of the staff will be welcomed. New teachers who will assume their duties on September 3 are Edward J. Hulecki, Mrs Flora Keller, Mrs Margaret B. Hyde, Miss Davetta McComb, Miss Nina Grecenko, Richard J. Reilly, and Mrs Nancy Jones.

 

August 18, 1933

There was quite a game of baseball down at Pine Grove park when the Mallory Hat team of Danbury crossed bats with “Doc” Corrigan’s Yankees. The Yankees said before the game that they would win and the score proved the assertion. 16 to 3 let them off for a fine victory.

* * *

There was a rather serious accident, Monday night, at the intersection of Main street, Glover avenue and Bethel road, about 6 o’clock, when a car operated by John George Frick, of Bridgeport, collided with a car operated by Frederick W. Mitchell, of Southbury. William Gruman, who was riding with Frick, was thrown against the windshield and received deep lacerations about the face and head. Both cars were considerably damaged. Mr Mitchell is a brother of Senator Robert N. Mitchell.

* * *

One of the big successes of the season was the entertainment and dance given by the Pennsylvania Red Cap orchestra and the Pennsylvania quartet at St Rose’s Casino, Friday night. The entertainers were brought to Newtown through the courtesy of William H. Egan, general station master of the Pennsylvania system. The members of the orchestra and the quartet were generously entertained at dinner at the Parker house during the evening by Mr Parker.

* * *

The response to the second showing of the “Resurrection Minstrels” has been very pleasing to the committee in charge. It should be clear in the minds of the purchasers of these tickets that 100 percent of their money is to go to the men who were injured in the Village Barn fire. The cast are giving their services free of charge. New material in the way of jokes, songs, and laughs are being rehearsed.

* * *

A hearing on the Hawleyville fire, which caused the death of Lewis Durgy, was held by Coroner Phelan at Hawleyville, Tuesday afternoon, a number of prominent men and experts being present. Walter Glover, chief of the Newtown Fire department, told of the location of the men at the time of the explosion. Mr Glover stated it was his belief that it was the barrel of kerosene that exploded and caused the burns.

* * *

The lawn carnival held on the large lawn just north of Barnum Brothers store in Dodgingtown, last week, Thursday, August 13, was a grand success in every way and netted about $45. The proceeds were for the repairs and improvements on the schoolhouse and grounds in Dodgingtown. There were over 300 people present at the carnival and the booths where candy, ice cream, Merry Widow punch and fancy articles were for sale were all generously patronized. Last but not least, the Wild Man in the side show tent was one of the wonders of the age. Fortunately he did not escape from his pen but many of the children who went to see him were badly frightened.

 

August 21, 1908

The camp of the NHS boys on the Housatonic was broken on last Monday, after a very enjoyable week’s outing. Many friends of the campers visited them during the week which added to boating, fishing, bathing and excursions over the surrounding hills made the life under canvas complete.

* * *

An entertainment to assist the Men’s Literary club in furnishing to pupils of the High School subscriptions to the Newtown Library and in promoting several splendid projects for the improvement of the town, will be given at the Town hall, September 4. The first part of the program will be made up of musical numbers and two vaudeville sketches. The second part will consist of a cantata entitled “Ye Old Folks Concert.”

* * *

That well-liked bachelor, Michael Kilbride, is improving his residence by having a veranda erected on two sides. Do these improvements suggest a coming event in the career of the genial and popular ex-coal man? The boys hint so.

* * *

W.W. Wakeley, the genial manager of the Sandy Hook garage, was demonstrating in town, Wednesday, with a new Knox car. Get your harnesses, robes and blankets at the Brick store. A big stock at economical prices. Old Newtown cigars; the men are wild over ‘em. Even the mayor took a box along when he went on his automobile trip to Niagara Falls. R.H. Beers & Co sell them.

* * *

William Ryan, who lived near Botsford Depot and was section boss on the railroad there, has been transferred to the Danbury division and began his work there last Monday. He will soon move his family. John Aheran takes Mr Ryan’s place on the Botsford section.