***

Effects of additional traffic on Alberts Hill and Walnut Tree Hill roads, ability of Alberts Hill to handle more traffic, and harmony of the proposal for the area were among issues dwelt on in the second part of the hearing on Eagle Hill last week by the Planning & Zoning Commission September 25. Excepting the three Walnut Tree Hill Road residents who hired an attorney to fight the proposal, Julia Wasserman, John Graham, and Harriet G. Schultz, the public expressed favor for plans for the intermediate care nursing home proposed for the rehabilitative therapy of alcoholics for 22.668 acres of land off Alberts Hill Road.

***

 The annual Town Meeting of the Town of Newtown is Monday, October 6, starting at 8 pm in the gymnasium of Edmond Town Hall. Voters will be asked to consider and act on the adoption of the proposed Code of Ethics, drafted originally by the Board of Ethics. Among other items, voters also will consider a special appropriation of $3,500 as approved by the Board of Finance, to be added to the zoning enforcement capital account to be used for the purchase of an automobile for the zoning enforcement officer. Funds would be from unexpended federal revenue sharing.

***

Legal notice for invitation to bid on the housing project for elderly persons planned for 20 acres of land off Nunnawauk Road by Newtown Housing for the Elderly Inc. is expected to be published soon in an area daily. Bids will be opened and read aloud on October 28 at 10:30 am in the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, according to Gordon Williams, publicity director for NHE Inc.

***

The Republican Town Committee conducted an open public hearing on Wednesday evening in Edmond Town Hall in order to gather ideas for the Republican Platform statement which will be used for this November’s election.

***

Boy Scout Troop 470 started the 1975-76 year off with the first meeting on September 11, at the Newtown United Methodist Church. At present, the troop has 17 active scouts and plans to grow. Scoutmaster George Grosner, with the help of two assistants, William Hudder and Charles Nanvaty, Jr, assistant scoutmasters, will carry out the Scout program for this year.

***

The data is all in: each gravestone in Newtown before 1850 has been catalogued. All that’s left is analyzing the data to find out what it tells us about our town a century ago.

***

One hundred and five years of experience will be wrapped into a ten-day package beginning Saturday, October 4, when the Great Danbury State Fair opens its gates for the 106th year of pageantry and entertainment for young and old. Both Fred G. Fearn, president and general manager, and John H. Stetson, vice president and superintendent of rentals, say: “We’re ready for the 350,000 to 400,000 patrons expected to pass through the turnstiles from Saturday, October 4, through Columbus Day, Monday, October 13.”

OCTOBER 6, 1950

More than 250 taxpayers and voters gathered in the gymnasium of the Edmond Town Hall on Monday night for the annual town meeting of the Town of Newtown. W.W. Holcombe was chosen chairman, with Town Clerk Miss May E. Sullivan acting as clerk, assisted by Mrs Anne Winkle, assistant town clerk. The business of the meeting was conducted in less than an hour and without argument, which surprised many of those in attendance because of the tenor of an anonymous letter which had been circulated throughout the town previous to the meeting, calling for slashes in the recommended appropriation in order to obtain a reduced tax rate.

***

An organizational meeting for Newtown’s observance of UN Day on Tuesday, October 24, was held last Friday evening at the home of Col C. Sidney Haight. As previously announced, this occasion will mark the end of UN Week, and is planned as a community event in line with thousands of similar celebrations in every part of the free world.

***

With the weather on unbelievably good behavior, the Danbury Fair opened its gates to nearly 50,000 spectators last weekend. Under an Indian Summer sun and blue skies, the record-breaking crowds thronged the grounds of the 77-year-old fair to look at its colorful midway, big three-ring circus, and free attractions. Billed the “Festival of Progress,” the autumnal event continues through this Sunday, October 8.

***

The response made to the Newtown Toy Clinic has been very encouraging this week. Mrs Milton Hull has offered to dress dolls and Mrs Shellion Honan will take over the secretarial work. Anybody with toys, dolls, and children’s books to donate will please contact anyone of the following committee: Mrs H. Cranston Brewer, Mrs Edmund Neary, Mrs Northey Jones, Mrs Raymond Trimpert, or Mrs Morton Baker.

***

 US Senator William Benton arrived in Newtown by helicopter last Saturday afternoon, landing on the Knibloe-Holian property at the rear of the Maryland Grill on Church Hill Road. He was met by Judge John F. Holian, chairman of the Newtown Democratic Town Committee, and was greeted by about 100 voters of both major parties and other residents of the town. Senator Benton arrived in Newtown after attending the Danbury Fair, where he opened a booth showing Communist propaganda issued to North Koreans, villifying Americans and representing the United States as a warmongering and imperialistic nation.

***

James N. Greene of the Taunton District was named this week to head the industrial employees division of the Danbury Community Chest campaign by Bernard J. Dolan, campaign manager. Mr Greene is a member of the Community Chest board of directors and has served as chairman of the industrial division before.

***

A joint meeting of the Newtown High School Building Committee and members of the Board of Education took place in Hawley School last Thursday evening, when plans for the proposed new building, the school’s requirements, and curriculum were subjects of discussion, according to an announcement by Raymond J. Trimpert, secretary of the building committee.

 

OCTOBER 2, 1925

Miss Virginia B. Gesner left town on Monday to take up her work as head of the kindergarten department in the Pelham Manor day school at Pelham Manor, N.Y.

***

 Thomas F. Brew, the popular contractor, has a garage, 20 by 22, well under way for Rev Father Kennedy in the rear of St Rose’s rectory.

***

Newtown Hook and Ladder Company, Inc., are giving, Friday and Saturday nights of this week, October 1 and 2, at the Newtown Inn, their first annual carnival. Among the attractions will be candy, ice cream, soda, hotdogs, chowder, a large number of wheels with a collection of splendid quality goods, no cheap stuff allowed.

OCTOBER 5, 1900

An interested and appreciative audience gathered at the Methodist Church, Sandy Hook, on Tuesday evening, September 25, to attend the last of a series of meetings held in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the dedication of that church.

 

***

Rev F.A. Holden will give his lecture “From Plymouth Rock to the Golden Gate” Thursday evening, October 11, in the Chapel at Hawleyville.

***

At the Democratic caucus to nominate town officers, held on Friday evening, W.J. Brew was chosen chairman and town clerk M.J. Houlihan, secretary. On the first ballot for first selectman, John F. Houlihan received 110 votes, S.A. Blackman 88, and W.H. Glover, 23. The second ballot gave Houlihan 133 and S.A. Blackman 82 votes, and the former was declared the nominee.