September 5, 1997

Wastewater cleansed at the town’s new sewage treatment plant is now being discharged into the Pootatuck River. Workmen opened valves Tuesday diverting wastewater from Garner Correctional Institution, Nunnawauk Meadows and the Fairfield Hills campus to the new plant at the end of Commerce Road. The sewage from those facilities formerly was treated at Fairfield Hills’ old wastewater facility. The sewage discharged from the more than 800 addresses in the town’s sewer district will drain to the new sewage plant for processing.

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The state issued 871 new housing permits in July, a rise of 14 percent from the same month a year ago, and Newtown issued more permits than any other town in the state. Newtown led all Connecticut communities with 26 units, followed by Milford with 22 and Monroe and Shelton both with 20. The year-to-date permits through July increased to 5,487, a 29 percent increase when compared with 4,245 through July 1996, the state Department of Economic and Community Development said Friday.

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The rain stopped, the skies cleared, and the 36th annual Labor Day Parade stepped off as scheduled at 10 am Monday to the delight of the thousands of people who lined the parade route. More than 100 units, approximately 2,000 marchers, celebrated the theme “Newtown — Our Town.” Ginny Lathrop, founder and director of The Lathrop School of Dance, was this year’s grand marshal.

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On the day before opening their 22nd Annual Book Sale to raise funds for this year and next, the Friends of the C. H. Booth Library were definitely looking ahead. Not just to the five-day sale that would bring in funds to help the library through the next year. And not even to the long-awaited but imminent completion date of the new library addition project to be followed by moving in and a grand opening. Actually they were looking ahead to 100 years. That’s why at 4 pm August 27, 1997, the Friends buried a time capsule with the year 2097 in mind. They did it for library patrons not yet born who might someday want to know what life was like in this town at the end of the 20th Century.

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A total of 96 golfers in 48 groups teed it up over Labor Day weekend as Newtown Country Club held its largest tournament of the year, the 1997 Three Day Member/Guest. After playing 27 holes on the final day, it was the team of Scooch Dunleavy and Don Borkowski who came away with the tournament championship, having beaten Joe Lombardi and Art Haddad 2-and-1 when Dunleavy dropped a birdie putt on the par-3 eighth hole.

September 8, 1972

Newtown residents who decided to stay at home during the Labor Day week-end certainly had plenty to do without going very far from their own backyards, and it was a weekend for people of all ages to enjoy together. There were softball games, a tennis tournament, a parade, golf tournaments, picnics, an open house, and of course, the last few days of swimming at the pond at Dickinson Park. All the festivities, including the swimming, ended on Labor Day, which proved to be an exciting Monday beginning with one of the best parades the town has ever seen.

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Kevin Cragin won the annual Caddies Tournament at Newtown Country Club on Tuesday, September 5, for the third year in a row, and runner up was Kip Bowers. The tournament was played in two classes, A and B, and Class B winner was Richard Blood with Mike Sikorski as runner-up. The trophy for the most improved player went to Kevin Booker.

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Mr and Mrs Harold Bassett of Juniper Road celebrated their 30th anniversary with a lawn party at their home on September 3, given in their honor by their children, Gail, Sharon and Skipper. The Bassetts’ anniversary was actually on August 24. There were 65 guests at the party, many from Lake Mohegan, Mass., and Hastings-on-Hudson and Yonkers, N.Y. Also in attendance were two of Mrs Bassett’s bridesmaids, her sister, Mrs Emily Hodgson from Bethel and her cousin, Mrs John Ostach from Hastings-on-Hudson.

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The tenth class to graduate from Danbury Hospital’s School of Radiologic Technology received diplomas at graduation ceremonies in the hospital’s Radiology Conference Room on September 1. Among the six graduates of the two-year training program was Jacqueline O’Bymachow of Sandy Hook, who received the Squibb Award for Highest Scholastic Achievement. Miss O’Bymachow will remain at Danbury Hospital as a staff technologist in the radiology department.

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Newtown’s Third Selectman Sidney Seligmann died Friday, September 1, in Danbury Hospital after an illness of several months. He was 65 years old. He was born in New York City on November 9, 1906, to Sigmund and Bertha Dryfus Seligmann. He retired in 1964 after a career with Eagle, to do private tax work and also served as a substitute teacher in the Newtown Schools. The following year he joined the faculty of Post Junior College in Waterbury, teaching corporate finance. He was involved with multiple groups including Connecticut Association of Manufacturers, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Newtown Lions Club, Newtown Board of Fire Commissioners, Small Business Association, Congregation Adath Israel, and B’nai Brith. Newtown’s flags flew at half staff until services were concluded on Sunday at the Honan Funeral Home with Rabbi Jerome Malino of Danbury officiating. Friends from a wide area came to Newtown to honor Mr Seligmann.

September 5, 1947

On Sunday, August 31, the Reverend and Mrs Benjamin S. Winchester celebrated the 50th anniversary of their marriage at their home on Currituck road, Newtown. They were married on August 31, 1897, on Beacon Hill in Seattle, Washington. Dr Winchester had just returned from two years of fellowship study at the University of Halle in Germany. A native of Vermont, he was a graduate of Williams College in the class of 1889 and of Chicago Theological Seminary in 1895, and had taught at Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington. Mrs Winchester, the former Pearl Adair Gunn, was a native of Illinois. She had grown up in Walla Walla, attended Whitman College, and graduated from Smith college in 1895. The couple has lived in Newtown since 1938. Their golden anniversary was celebrated by a family reunion, at which all of their five children and five of their six grandchildren were present. The one grandson unable to be present cabled his greetings from Oxford, England, and other congratulatory messages have been received by Doctor and Mrs Winchester from relatives and friends in all parts of this country.

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The Newtown Bees faced “Buddy” Luckner and his mates of the Stepney ball team in an unsuccessful attempt to win the title in the Pomperaug Valley League in a closely played game on Sunday afternoon on the Stepney field. “Buddy” was in top form, striking out eighteen Newtown batters and allowing only three scattered hits. “Bill” Brown, on the mound for Newtown, also pitched a good game, with ten strike-outs and allowing only three hits, which Stepney, however, converted into two runs. The defeat of Newtown by Stepney placed the two teams in a three-way tie with Bethany for the League title.

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Mr and Mrs Richard Hibbard and daughters, Carol and Ruth, returned to their home on Main street after having spent the month of August with Mrs Hibbard’s sister and her family at Lovewell Pond, Fryeberg, Me.

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Continuing its five-day schedule, which has been in effect during the summer months, The Bee office will be closed on Saturday mornings during September. Those with business to be transacted at our office are asked to keep this fact in mind, in order to avoid useless Saturday morning stops at our front door. Business as usual — Monday through Friday. —Paul S. Smith, Editor

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Judith Cutler celebrated her sixth birthday Sunday, August 31. The following friends attended the party in her honor: Susan Desmond, Susan Fox, Darcy Halstead, Janet Matiuk, Beverly Miller, Susan Parker, Gay Parker, Susan and Martha Rohleder, Cheryl and Donna Smith, and Susan Storrs. Judith’s grandmother, Mrs Gladys Wilder of Hartford, was visiting at her parents’ home, Mr and Mrs William Cutler, over the week-end.

September 1, 1922

The second annual reunion of alumni of Newtown Community School took place on Saturday, August 26. The festivities commenced with a banquet at the Parker House. Miss Koster gave a very interesting talk on the spirit of Community. Remarks were made by Miss Bradley, Miss Hopkins and Mr Schoch. Mr Mitchell read an original poem by E.W. Smith which caused much laughter, for each member of the alumni was remembered by an appropriate verse. After the banquet they adjourned to the Trinity Guild room to dance. About thirty old students and friends of the Community were present and all had a most enjoyable evening. A Southford orchestra furnished an excellent program and it was with deepest regret that they had to part at twelve o’clock. The reunion was declared a decided success for which the committee is very thankful.

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Frank Ambrose of Bridgeport was arrested by Deputy Sheriff M.D. Beers, Sunday, after he had figured in an automobile accident on the state road at Botsford. Ambrose with another man was coming north near the Middle Gate school and H.G. Thompson of Trumbull was going south. Ambrose’s car was traveling at a pretty fast rate and just before passing Thompson, he seemed to lose control. The car dashed diagonally across the road striking the rear end of the Thompson car, causing considerable damage. Ambrose was arraigned before Justice P.H. McCarthy, Monday evening, on two counts, operating while intoxicated and reckless driving. None of the witnesses were willing to go on record as saying that Ambrose was intoxicated, but they all thought he was driving pretty fast. Justice McCarthy nolled the charge of driving while intoxicated and fined him $25 and costs for reckless driving. Ambrose was not sure whether he would take an appeal and asked for a continuance of one week which was granted.

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Frank Di Lalla, the new shoemaker, opened for business in the Troy building, at Sandy Hook, Tuesday. He has put in up-to-date machinery and is picking up a good bunch of work.

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Mrs A.P. Smith has been on the sick list. This week, under the care of Dr W.H. Kiernan.

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E.M. Carmody of Bridgeport passed Sunday with his brother, John J. Carmody.

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Master Winiford Carmody returned from Naugatuck, Tuesday, after a week’s sojourn.

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Rev E.J. Egan of New Jersey is passing a week with his sister, Mrs W.H. Driscoll.

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Miss Lucetta Koster, formerly a popular teacher at the Community school in Newtown, has been the guest for a week of Mrs Seaman N. Mead of South Center. Miss Koster will teach the coming school year at the Packer Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y.

September 10, 1897

DODGINGTOWN NOTES: Mrs Frederick Dikeman is entertaining friends from New York. | Miss Nellie Whitehead has been engaged to teach at the Elmwood school. | Mrs Orrin Hamlin and daughter of Brookfield spent Saturday with her sister, Mrs Laura Ferry. | Mrs R.D. Shepard is entertaining relatives from Bridgeport. | Mr and Mrs Peters and children of Brooklyn are spending a few days at J.W. Behn’s. | The Flat Swamp school opened, September 7, with Miss Emma L. Ferry as teacher.

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Rev J.W. Lee preached in the great auditorium at Ocean Grove last week Thursday evening, taking his text from the first epistle of John, 3:1. The speaker held his audience amazed with his recital of the wondrous love of the Heavenly Father. Rev Mr Lee is a cousin of Mrs Dr Betts, whose mother formerly lived in Sandy Hook. He is a very popular young minister.

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Through the courtesy of John B. Goodsell the service on Sunday afternoon in Hopewell district was held on the pleasant lawn at his house. The number gathered could not get into the little schoolhouse, and the comfortable place provided at Mr Goodsell’s was appreciated. A solo was sung by Arthur Reynolds and a duet by Mr and Mrs Arthur J. Smith. Brief addresses were made by Messrs A.J. and A.P. Smith and Rev O.W. Barker.

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.