Bob Mathias, two-time Olympic decathlon winner, will travel to Newtown from his California home to be guest speaker at the Bruce Jenner tribute scheduled for the evening of September 24, at Newtown High School. (Jenner, former Newtown resident and a 1968 NHS graduate, won the decathlon event in the 1976 Olympiad in Montreal this summer, setting a new world record in the process.)

***

The Boards of Selectmen of Newtown, Southbury, and Woodbury will meet at Southbury Town Hall Thursday, September 9, at 7:30 pm to discuss a regional pollution control study. The discussion, which involves updating a sewer report the Town of Newtown prepared in 1967, could determine whether the three communities will join in a study of pollution and drainage. One hundred percent state and federal funding would be available for such a study.

***

First Selectman Jack Rosenthal said Wednesday that after four months of negotiations on the highway department employees’ new union contract, a tentative agreement has been reached.

***

A transistor radio blaring Elton John, the squish of wet mops, hums of mowers, rasping of sandpaper, and the whirring of waxers are the sounds which have been filling the child-empty corridors and classrooms of the Newtown schools this past summer as custodial and maintenance crews worked full weeks getting the buildings ready for a new school year.

***

Back in February, then-Highway Superintendent Frank Kayfus made a prediction which apparently came true Wednesday for the man who replaced him. “I will state again that an engineer cannot do the job of highway superintendent and town engineer. But they’ll learn this as time goes on,” he remarked to The Bee.

***

The Newtown police union local has filed a prohibitive practices charge against the town and the Board of Police Commissioners in objection to a ruling which the commissioners made at an August 13 meeting which required any man out sick from duty for more than three consecutive days to submit a doctor’s report to the chief to be turned over to the police board. And, although police commissioners say they rescinded their action of August 13 at their August 31 meeting, the charge still stands, at least until some apparent confusion about the August 31 meeting is cleared up.

***

Wednesday night the Legislative Council moved to approve the purchase of Bridgeport Hydraulic Company land on Huntingtown Road at $60,000 and recommend that a town meeting appropriate the monies to be financed on five-year notes. The vote was a decisive one, with 13 council members approving the motion, James Knapp opposing, and Robert Hall abstaining.

SEPTEMBER 7, 1951

Close to 300 party members attended last Friday night’s Republican caucus held in the gymnasium of the Edmond Town Hall. Several contests deveveloped in selecting the ticket for the town election on October 1, highlighted by the heavy support given First Selectman A. Fenn Dickinson, Democrat, whose name was offered for endorsement by Bayard C. Hoppin. Ben Day Smith, however, carrying the endorsement of the Republican Town Committee, received the nomination over Mr Dickinson by a ballot count of 167-119.

***

The Newtown Lions Club will resume its regular semi-monthly gatherings with a meeting at the Sallie Chase Restaurant next Wednesday evening at 7 o’clock. Elected president of the club last June, Alvin B. Coger will preside at his first club meeting at that time.

***

With the number of students topping all previous records, Newtown schools opened Wednesday morning under fair skies for all pupils from the kindergarten through the 12th grade, welcomed by a teaching staff of more than 30 members. According to Superintendent of Schools Carl A. LeGrow, the first day’s enrollments totaled 746 students, as against 709 on the first day a year ago and 653 in 1949.

***

The SAC baseballers chalked up two shut-out games in the Roger Park League last week. On Tuesday the club boys broke the winning streak of the league leading Squires with a decisive victory. Scoring two runs in the first inning, four in the second, and two in the fifth, the Sackers pushed over eight runs while first Trimpert and then McMahon held the Squire batters in check, allowing only three hits between them. Milot, Carroll, Maye, and Kearns connected for two hits each. Final score: SAC 8, Squires 0. Sunday the SAC boys were pitted against the Danbury Wildcats, although for a time it looked as though rain would prevent the contest.

***

Mrs Ellis Gladwin and Mrs Frederick Herring, chairmen of the Visiting Nurse Association Annual Drive, report that at the end of the second week of the drive some of the canvassers have already completed their work and have collected $496.50.

***

Rehearsals are going along in earnest for Town Players’ production of Harvey scheduled to be given September 26 and 27 at Edmond Town Hall. This Mary Chase comedy has with its witty dialogue and its appealing psychological story line the amazing power of seeming fresh and new each time it is seen.

***

The Raymond L. Pease Post 163, American Legion, and its Auxiliary will hold joint installation ceremonies for their new officers in the Congregational Church House, ground floor, next Tuesday night at 8 o’clock. The public, and particularly all veterans, are cordially invited to witness the installations… Officers to be installed for the Legion Post are: William A. Honan, Jr, commander; Louis J. Taenzo, senior vice commander; Hubert M. Roswell, junior vice commander; Robert H. Gleason, adjutant; Frederick Harris, chaplain; Oswald Peck, treasurer; Joseph Tani, sergeant-at-arms; and C. Sidney Haight, historian. To be installed as members of the Post 163 Auxiliary are Mrs Frederick L. Harris, president; Mrs Alexander Liskin, vice president; Mrs Robert Gleason, secretary; Mrs George L. May, treasurer; and Mrs Belle Lockwood, chaplain.

SEPTEMBER 3, 1926

William T. Cole is driving a new Cadillac sedan, as bought of John A. Carlson, the local dealer.

***

The White Elephant sale has come to be one of the regular events of the summer season in Newtown. This year’s sale will take place at the library on Saturday of this week, September 4, beginning at 3 o’clock daylight time.

***

Mrs Bertha Ferris has bought a house at Long Hill, and expects to go there soon to make her home. Her many friends in Newtown regret that she is to leave here.

***

One of the most pleasing events of the season, both socially and financially, was the Calico Ball, held on Saturday evening at the Town Hall, for the benefit of the Newtown Library. Over 200 people attended, with over two-thirds of those attending in costume. Many of the costumes worn by the ladies were particularly attractive. The ball opened with the Grand March led by Mr and Mrs O.W. Mills.

SEPTEMBER 6, 1901

From Editorial Ink Drops: The premium list for the 32nd annual Danbury Fair has been laid upon our desk, from the press of the Danbury News. It comes in jaunty covers of red and as the Danbury Fair is rather “hot stuff,” all things considered, the color is very appropriate.

***

The enterprising Marshall S. Otis, although 70 years and over, is busy placing roofs on his residence on Fair Avenue.

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Miss Edith M. Peck has taken a position as bookkeeper with the E.C. Platt Company.

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The condition of certain sections of the sidewalks in Newtown Street is very bad. If the owners of the property in question could hear the uncomplimentary remarks made by our summer visitors, and residents, too, they would hasten to make the needed repairs. A word to the wise is sufficient.

***

E.G. Lake has bought of Miss Lillian Fairman nine acres of land, located west of the Hanover road. Some time in the future Mr Lake has the ambition to erect a house there.