August 8, 1997

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — TAKING ON LITTERERS: Last spring, volunteers collected more than 10 tons of litter from Newtown’s roadways. Every day, more trash takes its place, much of it cast from windows of moving motor vehicles by people whose minds are so skewed that they think it is better to mess up the world than the interior of their car. There are, however, even more sinister litterers, who load up their trunks, trucks, or vans with garbage, take it to a remote spot, and dump it on the landscape. Fortunately, the problem has caught the attention of the ordinance committee of Newtown’s Legislative Council. The panel is currently working on a local ordinance that would increase fines for illegal dumping above and beyond the current state levy of $110, as well as provide a mechanism for the town to clean up debris and trash from a property that is being neglected by its owner. … Those who trash Newtown should have to pay dearly.

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Firefighters responded to a 1:17 pm call from a home on Irvin Lane Tuesday and found a blazing 19th Century house that had accidentally been set on fire. Workmen removing old paint from the building with heat guns caused the fire, according to Fire Marshal George Lockwood. The fire caused approximately $130,000 in property damage and related costs, Mr Lockwood said. The attic and second story received extensive damage.

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Newtown Savings Bank has gained Borough Zoning Commission approval to expand its bank at 39 Main Street. Commission members July 31 unanimously approved the bank’s site redevelopment plans which are intended to expand bank facilities while preserving the historic character of Main Street. After the commission’s approval, John Martocci, bank president, said the bank is scheduled to be in its expanded quarters by late fall 1998. The bank has a budget of up to $3 million for design and construction, he said.

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The gardens were being planted at the Mary Hawley Inn on Main Street this week in preparation for the restaurant’s long awaited opening, expected early next month. Jane Vouros was busy planting hosta in front of the restaurant after having dug up the plants from the yard of her home on Taunton Hill Road. Her garden needed thinning, she explained. Nearby, a butterfly flitted through the flowers in the inn’s side yard, where a Rose of Sharon, lilies, black-eyed Susans and other plants are in bloom. Inside the building, workmen were putting up sheetrock, taping the seams, and getting the rooms ready to be repainted.

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Visitors to the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard’s Open house last Sunday were treated to demonstrations of military horsemanship and enjoyed the troop’s hospitality at its headquarters on the Fairfield Hills campus. The day was hot and humid, but the Horse Guard, which is a ceremonial cavalry unit, and its guest, the Jersey Light Horse Brigade, rose with enthusiasm in a military drill competition. In addition, Horse Guard troopers performed a colorful musical ride and gave a jumping exhibition.

August 11, 1972

The Charter Revision Commission got some support and some opposition at the public hearing August 9 on its proposed changes in the Newtown Charter. About 30 of Newtown’s citizens were there. There are presently 16,000 residents with over 7,000 of them qualified voters. The suggested changes which brought on major discussion were the restriction of the number of consecutive terms anyone may serve on the same board or commission; the establishment of a centralized maintenance department “to be responsible for the exterior maintenance of all town lands and buildings”; and the establishment of a finance department headed by a finance officer.

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After a delay of almost six weeks because of bad weather, the business of pouring cement for the foundation of the United Methodist Church in Sandy Hook finally got under way on August 8. Weather acted up again on the evening before the pouring, and heavy rains caused muddy water to run down into the excavation beneath the church. Thanks to the help of the Sandy Hook Fire Company, Chief Herb Lewis and Deputy Fire Marshal George Lockwood, the water was pumped out and work started. Thomas Watkins, a member of the church building committee, is arranging for the subcontractors to work on the church. Bobby Morlock of Brookfield is doing the pouring, and when that is finished another phase of the work will begin to see that the church is firmly placed on its new location.

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The complaints of two years regarding acoustical difficulties in the high school auditorium are legitimate ones, and problems do exist. This information was presented to the Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday evening, August 8, by Ralph H. Gibson Jr of the architectural firm of Russell, Gibson and Von Dohlen in West Hartford. Mr Gibson visited the high school and studied the auditorium before coming before the Board of Education. He told the Board on Tuesday evening that the only way the problems could be solved 100 per cent would be by ripping everything apart and starting over with a steel structured shell. Mr Gibson noted this would be impractical and impossible, and he therefore felt that the problems of feedbacks, dead spots and poor articulation could be improved to a degree so that they would be within acceptable design criterion.

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Mr and Mrs Wilbur Briscoe of Walnut Tree Hill left on Tuesday to make their home in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. They will be missed in Newtown, having lived here since 1935 and Mr Briscoe having been associated with the A&P as manager of the store on Main Street for many years. They will be living near their daughter and two sons in Ft Lauderdale.

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The second three-week session of the Newtown Recreation Department’s Day Camp ended for 364 boys and girls on August 5 with a bottle-cap carnival at the Town Park pavilion. Each child was given 20 bottle caps free of charge to use as legal tender. The caps gained admittance to play various games of chance and possibly win some candy. Highlights of the carnival were the sponge throw at the counselors, guess the number of candies in the box, and watermelon eating until seeds were coming out of everyone’s ears.

August 8, 1947

Last Thursday evening’s program by the Newtown Orchestral Society struck a most responsive chord among its listeners. The capacity house liked it. The informality of the music itself, coupled with the coatlessness of the players, made for a friendly, comfortable, although humid, evening. It was the kind of music its hearers could sit back to and enjoy, even though the musicians were unable to relax to the point of permitting their attention to stray off the page. Program-music may be easy to listen to, but it is a misconception to believe it simple to play.

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One of the best ball games played this season in the Pomperaug Valley League took place Sunday afternoon at Taylor Field, when the Newtown Bees knocked Bethany out of first place position with a 6-5 winning score. Brown pitched exceptionally well for Newtown, allowing the Bethany sluggers only four hits. Howard, on the mound for Bethany, was reached for seven hits by the Newtown batters, headed by Ken Casey who knocked a home run in the first inning to start the scoring.

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Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith spent the week-end visiting their son, Scudder, at Camp Agawam on Crescent Lake, Maine, and their daughter, Mary Starr, at Camp Kuwiyan on Lake Winnipesaukee, Meredith, N.H. Dr and Mrs A.C. DeGraff and son, Chris, of Hawleyville, also spent the week-end at Camp Agawam, visiting their son, Eric, who is in camp there. The visitors enjoyed the activities of the annual Parents’ Week-End.

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Mrs Anna Leahy returned last Friday from a two weeks’ vacation with her daughter, Emily, and her son-in-law, Ralph Perkins, at their summer camp at North Waterford, Maine. While there, Mrs Perkins and Mrs Leahy, while sitting on the front lawn were visited by a full-grown black bear. Deer are abundant in the locality and many ramble over the Perkins property.

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Among Newtown enthusiasts who attended the Hambletonian stage at Goshen, N.Y., on Wednesday were Mrs Sarah Mitchell, “Hub” Beers, Alvin B. Coger and “Bill” Stephens. One member of the party found a 60-to-1 shot very much to his liking in one of the day’s early races.

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Mrs Robert Camp, who has been a patient at the Danbury Hospital for the past six weeks recovering from a heart ailment, returned to her home on the Boulevard last Friday.

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Mr and Mrs Robert Clark of Hawleyville returned to Newtown on Thursday from a week’s trip to visit their son, Alec, who is spending the summer at Camp Kawanahee, Weld, Maine.

August 4, 1922

Mrs Sylvia M. Lake, widow of the late Lamson B. Lake of Newtown, died on August 1 at Passaic, N.J., aged 80 years. Surviving her are two daughters, Grace Elizabeth and Florence Amelia, and two step-daughters, Mrs F. A. Mallett of Monroe and Mrs W.C. Johnson of Newtown. A brother, Charles E. Beers, of Palestine, also survives her. Funeral services were held in Passaic, N.J., with a brief committal in the Newtown cemetery, Thursday, at 3.30 p.m., when Rev J.L. Lasher officiated.

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Anthony W. Patch of Sandy Hook, familiarly known as “Sam” Patch, died on Monday, at the advanced age of 92 years, four months and 11 days. He is survived by a son, Ezra Patch, of Montreal, Can., and a daughter, Mrs E.A. White, with whom he made his home. In his active days Mr Patch was an expert machinist. He had worked in Danbury, New Milford, Ballston Spa, N.Y., the New York Belting & Packing Co., of Sandy Hook and S. Curtis & Son on Berkshire. A Danbury master mechanic once said of him: “He could make anything. He could take a sledge hammer and make a sewing machine.” It was perhaps an interesting coincidence that Mr Patch died in the same room in which he was born. The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon from the home of E.A. White, Rev J.L. Lasher officiating. The burial was in the Sandy Hook cemetery.

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Paul Meyer and Louis Gompper of New York motored to Dodgingtown, and were guests over the week of Mr and Mrs Gompper, who are passing the summer with Mr and Mrs J.W. Behn.

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THE HOTELS — AT THE PARKER HOUSE: Frank Hines, Lakewood, N.J. Dr and Mrs John J. Bowen, Brooklyn, N.Y. Mrs Ida Sumner, Brooklyn, N.Y. Russell E Sumner, Brooklyn, N.Y. Ralph D. Sumner, Brooklyn, N.Y. Mr and Mrs R.L. Gillespie and son, Brooklyn, N.Y. Mr and Mrs Charles E. McConnell, South Orange, N.J. Mr and Mrs H.J. Nellis, Watertown. Harold S. Horton and family, Bridgeport. Mr and Mrs John Burnett, Passaic. Miss Evelyn Burnett, Passaic, N.J. Mr and Mrs A.H. Patterson, Norwich. T.E. Bowen, Darien.

August 13, 1897

The N.Y.N.H. & H.R.R. Co. have arranged for another popular rate excursion from this section for Pleasure Beach. The train leaves Newtown at 8.47 a.m., Wednesday August 18. Round trip rate only 50¢. Pleasure Beach is an Island situated about two miles from Bridgeport, connection between the City and the Island by fast steamer “Lenoir,” making hourly trips. Here may be found facilities for salt water bathing, an elegant banquet pavilion, carousel for the children, shaded walks and groves, and other features that go to make up an attractive day sea shore resort.

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Carpenter George A. Northrop has been placing new roofs on his residence. He has also placed new roofs on the ell of E.F. Hawley’s store and made other repairs on the buildings at Printing House Square.

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Mildred K., the infant daughter of Mr and Mrs John Moore of Bridgeport, died at Sandy Hook on Sunday night. Cholera infantum was the cause. The burial was in St Rose’s cemetery.

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HATTERTOWN PERSONAL CHAT: Mrs Monroe Hawkins and child of Danbury are spending two weeks at Ralph Benedict’s. | Mrs Horace Porter of Hebron, is visiting with her daughter, Mrs H.A. Pratt. | Fred Booth of Hartford was a guest of his grandmother, Mrs A. Booth, over Sunday. | Mrs Edgar C. Northrop has been quite sick and under the care of Dr Barber. | Master Willie Lane of Easton is visiting with his brother, Reuben, at Maple Corners. | Mrs Welch and daughter of Meriden has been the guest of her uncle, G.R. Parmelee. | Mrs Mary E. Short of Bethel has been visiting with relatives and friends in this place. | Henry Morgan and son, Charles, are on Long Island for several weeks. | Harold Senior of Bethel is visiting at Charles Benedict’s. | The following have been guests of Miss Pauline Taylor: Mr and Mrs E.J. Smith, Montgomery Smith, Miss Reta Smith, Miss Maggie Devein, Messrs R. and T. Wallbridge and Miss Josephine Briscoe of Danbury. | George Crofutt and Charles L. Youngs of Orange, N.J., are enjoying a two weeks’ outing with their families in this place. | Charles M. Throp entertained company from Bridgeport, Sunday. | Dr C.M. Penny of Bridgeport was a guest of his father, J.W. Penny, over Sunday.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.