The Newtown Arts Festival will open its sixth season on Friday, September 26, with the hit musical 1776. The prize-winning celebration of America’s Bicentennial features Don Perkins as John Adams and Sam Kressen as Benjamin Franklin. The play, with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and book by Peter Stone, captures both the wit and the seriousness of the Founding Fathers and centers on the events of the sweltering summer of 1776 during which a wrangling body of men in Philadelphia forged a new nation out of 13 separate colonies, and by compromise and cajolery convinced their compatriots to accept the ideas in the Declaration of Independence.

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 Joseph Gell, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, has accepted the recommendations of his Water Resources Unit hearing examiner, and granted a wetlands permit to the Department of Transportation for the Southbury- Newtown bridge project. The DEP permit was the last hurdle for the project to clear before DOT could advertise for bids to build the second, westbound, span of the Rochambeau bridge over Lake Zoar.

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There has been a change in the Wheeler Shopping Center. Joe and Martha Spiriti, longtime owners of the Center Luncheonette, have sold their business to Vera Grieve of Riverside Road in Sandy Hook. The luncheonette was closed for one week while it underwent a complete face lift with bright attractive wall papering, new paneling, a completely new floor and carpet, and a rearrangement of tables and booths. On Monday, August 25, at 6 am it reopened under the new name of “Vera’s Luncheonette,” and will cater to customers six days a week.

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The one-room school, facing the Middle Gate School, which belongs to the Newtown Historical Society, is looking quite trim these days with its new coat of appropriate barn red paint. The painting was started by the Middle Gate fifth grade boys under the supervision of their teacher, Raymond G. Shupenis, but school closed for the summer before the job was completed. Joseph Samperi, who lives close by, is completing the job on a voluntary basis and the Historical Society is very grateful to him.

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The Newtown Summer Festival’s second annual block party in the Wheeler Shopping Center on Saturday night, August 23, was a huge success, drawing twice the crowds it did last year. There were movies and games for the children, refreshments of all kinds to suit the throngs, music for everyone, square dancing to the calls of Chip Hendrickson, booths selling jewelry, leather, and unusual items, and politicians moving about shaking hands and getting acquainted.

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Students returning to Sandy Hook Elementary School next Wednesday will find a new feature at the school’s playground, thanks to the effort of the Sandy Hook PTA. Mrs Patricia Llodra, chairman of the PTA’s playground committee, says there have been several incidents when children ran into the road which the school’s playground borders, chasing balls and playing. In the interest of the youngsters’ safety, the PTA has been working for the past year to install a fence.

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Friday, August 22, members of the Newtown Amrican Field Service Chapter celebrated at The Newtown Inn the arrival of Dorota Szewczyk from Sweden. Dorota will be spending the next year in Newtown in the home of Mr and Mrs Lawrence Newquist on Phyllis Lane. Dorota’s host sister is Lynne Newquist. The Newtown AFS Chapter announces its officers for the 1975-76 year. Mrs Michael Smith and Mrs Robert Cox will serve as co-presidents; Mrs Helen Smith, treasurer; Mrs Bonni Raynor, Americans Abroad coordinator; Mrs Mary Ellen Macdonald, student and family coordinator; John Vorous, student liaison; Mrs Paul Arneth, publicity; Dr and Mrs Eugene Marks, fund raising chairmen.

 

SEPTEMBER 1, 1950

Miss Adelaide Barrett, the nurse whose services have recently been engaged by the Newtown Visiting Nurse Association, will take up her work here this Friday, September 1. Miss Barrett will give her full time to the general nursing needs of the community while Miss Martha Kline, until now shared by the VNA and the school, will be wholly occupied with the school nursing program, the two services continuing, of course, in their independent relationship.

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At the closing exercises of Camp McKay, Danbury, on August 24, Miss Ruth Berglund, who has helped, shared, and given her services to Newtown’s Camp Fire program since its inception seven years ago, qualified for the Torch Bearer in Social Leadership award, after completing five Camp Fire ranks and being a Blue Bird Leader in Sandy Hook for one year.

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Sometime during the month, Newtown’s new sub-station, located south of town, will go into operation. Thus will culminate a project the Danbury and Bethel Gas and Electric Light Company has had in mind since 1947, an idea conceived toward providing for Newtown’s future expansion.

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First Selectman A. Fenn Dickinson, who was nominated at the Democratic caucus on August 22 as the candidate for representative from the First District, has withdrawn as candidate. A meeting of the Democratic Town Committee is called for Tuesday evening, September 5, at the Edmond Town Hall at 8 o’clock to fill the vacancy.

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The first annual dog show of the Newtown Kennel Club, Inc., attracted nearly 2,000 persons to the Newtown Country Club on Saturday, where more than 600 dogs were entered in one of the largest events of its kind ever to be staged here.

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With a net score of 72, Bobby Hayden took the championship in the Caddie Tournament played at the Newtown Country club on Tuesday of this week. Runner up, with a score of 73, was George Kingman, and in third place, Bob Kingman, with a score of 87.

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More than 250 4-H Club members entered over 1,000 exhibits in the eighth annual Fairfield County 4-H Fair held last Friday and Saturday on the Monroe School grounds. Future farmers and homemakers displayed the results of their efforts of past months, in some cases more than a year, either under flag-decorated tents, in the school building for homemaking projects, or in the open for the horse and dog shows. Crowds estimated at more than 2,000 for the two days, from surrounding farms and communities and from 4-H organizations in other counties, attended the fair.

 

AUGUST 28, 1925

Local Grange members, who went to Lake Quassapaug Monday afternoon to hear Worthy Master L.J. Taber of the National Grange speak at Excelsior Pomona Field Day meet, were Mr and Mrs Wallace N. Mitchell, Mrs Herbert T. Coger, Miss Anna Murphy, and W. John Murphy.

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Rev Father Kennedy is having a double garage built on St Rose Church property. Contractor Thomas F. Brew is doing the work.

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The Hawleyville state road was given a coating of oil and sand, Monday.

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Sanford Mead is driving a new Chevrolet touring car bought of Henry G. Carlson of the Liberty Garage.

AUGUST 31, 1900

The School Board was in session at the North Center school building on Saturday. Miss Frances Case was given a certificate to teach at the Middle Gate school, Miss Julia Field for Gregory’s Orchard, and Miss Katie Bradley for Half Way River. Miss B.C. Keane also tried the examination and passed successfully.

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Simon Cory is the happy owner of a new surrey, bought of A.M. Briscoe and Son. John L. Sanford also has a new surrey, bought of the same firm.

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Members of the Newtown Driving Club met at Taylor’s Hotel Wednesday night and voted to make the organization permanent.