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The parade, sponsored by the Newtown Summer Festival, is one of many special activities set for the weekend. Events will be kicked off on Saturday, August 31, with the Newtown Bee’s second annual 10-kilometer road race. The Cyrenius H. Booth Library will end its three-day Labor Day Booksale on Monday. The Newtown Historical Society invites the public to the Matthew Curtiss House from 9 am to 1 pm on Monday. Also scheduled is a display of historic flags, in front of the Newtown Middle School.

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As soon as darkness falls, he glides from tree to tree, until he lands on the bird feeder at the Stahl family home on Russett Road. He is a flying squirrel, who has given the Stahls no small amount of enjoyment. “We have even had neighbors over for a little squirrel-watching party,” said Jack Stahl.

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The plans for a teen-age nightclub in a party room at Newtown Health and Racquetball Club may never become more than that — plans. Richard Baldelli, the town’s zoning enforcement officer, said it is doubtful that the teens will be able to operate the nightclub out of the facility because of the town’s zoning regulations.

 

September 2, 1960

The Fairfield County Trust Company will open a banking office in Newtown about January 1, 1961. It will be the bank’s 25th office. The new trust company branch will be known as the Newtown Office and will be located on Queen Street in a new building to be constructed across from the Newtown Post Office.

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The Hawley School will open September 7, with an approximate enrollment of 560 pupils from kindergarten through grade six, with the exception of grade four and one group of grade five. Grade four and one group of grade five will be in the Sandy Hook School. Due to the large enrollments in kindergarten and in grade three at the Hawley School, some children who ordinarily attend the Hawley School will attend the Sandy Hook School.

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The appearance of The Old Grist Mill in Sandy Hook is being marred by careless and wanton destructive individuals who have been throwing stones through the windows. Such wanton destruction of property is unlawful and despicable. The town should be aroused that such occurrences are taking place. Steps should be taken that they are not allowed to continue.

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The formal dedication and open house for the new Junior High School will be held on Sunday, September 18, at 2:30 pm. The school will be open until 5 pm in order to allow townspeople and taxpayers an opportunity to inspect the new building and see how their tax money has been spent to aid in the education of Newtown’s school children.

August 30, 1935

A paper signed by over 100 names, with more to be added, is soon to be presented to the town and state authorities regarding the building of a road that will be more passable during the winter time to the Hattertown district of Newtown. As it is now, it is almost impossible to travel in any direction from the center after heavy snowfall or during the muddy time each spring.

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Arthur M. Cole of Waterbury has sold 94 acres of land to Ambrose Petrey of New York City. This tract of land is located in Walkers’ Farm district, Newtown. It has a beautiful building site, heavy timber and a very fine trout brook. Mr Petrey plans to build a summer camp on his new property.

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At a meeting of the Newtown School Board on Friday evening, it was voted to keep the Flat Swamp school in Dodgingtown district open for another year. A number of residents of that district were present at the meeting to express their opinions.

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Ellis Bates, who lives on the road to Stevenson in the Gray’s Plain district, has gained a rather unique distinction. He set a spring trap for rats at his house and the first night he caught the old mother rat. The next night, two more of her offspring came around. Mr Bates went to bed the third night well pleased, but when he looked at the trap the next day, lo and behold, he had four small rats in his one spring trap. Mr Bates also caught a skunk in the trap, but it got away, leaving the delicious odor that skunks generally do.

 

September 2, 1910

E.B. Camp caught a bass, Wednesday, weighing four and one half pounds, and F.A. Blackman caught one tipping the scales to two and one half pounds.

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J.B. Fairchild of Taunton district says that he will be on hand at the Danbury Fair with an exhibit of farm machinery that will be well worth seeing and invites inspection when the time comes.

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The entertainment for the benefit for the Zoar Library, given last Saturday night, was an unqualified success. The weather was perfect, and by eight o’clock the roadway was lined with teams and automobiles and Mr Morris’ carriage house was literally crowded to overflowing. About 225 people were present. President Hadley, in a serio-comic speech, explained that Zoar had so increased in importance that it needed an alphabet of its own.