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The Town of Newtown has been charged with negligence in notice of a lawsuit filed by a minor. The claim involves an accident between the minor (a bicyclist) and a motorist on what are alleged to be defectively designed and maintained town roads.

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The Garden Club of Newtown Tuesday presented Conservation Director James Benson with the first Civic Award ever given to a town official. Mr Benson’s contribution to bettering the town’s environment included “helping to preserve our wetlands, working for open space, protecting surface and ground water, and implementing soil and erosion control.”

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Sixth graders in Gloria Montecalvo’s class have been learning about Japan, and recently enjoyed a taste of the country’s culture. Newtowner Edina Nakano and her niece Nada Nakamuta, on a visit from Japan, whipped up a Japanese luncheon for the Middle School class — complete with sushi rolls, dashi soup with buckwheat noodles, and green tea.

September 29, 1961

The annual Election Day food sale and snack bar, with coffee and sandwiches, sponsored by the afternoon branch Women of Trinity, will be held on Monday, October 2, from 10 am to 2 pm, on Mrs Stephen Budd’s lawn, 50 Main Street, opposite Edmond Town Hall. All townspeople are urged to cast their ballots at the Town Hall, and then come across the street for a sandwich and coffee and to pickup goodies to take home for the hungry youngsters. The ways and means committee is planning this sale to raise funds for the many charitable works in which the organization takes part.

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An ailing, but large, landmark was removed from Main Street this week, when one of the two maples in front of the Congregational Church was cut down. The removal of the tree makes a considerable change in the appearance of the church.

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Monday’s election will be unique. Only 20 percent of the candidates can possibly lose. For the rest, election will be almost automatic. The October 2 biennial balloting will be the first time townspeople have voted under the minority representation statute passed by the 1959 session of the General Assembly. Under this statute a certain measure of representation on boards and commissions is guaranteed by the minority party. In Newtown, several of the boards have become overwhelmingly Republican: therefore the Democratic candidates will be elected without opposition.

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WEDNESDAY NIGHT SPECIAL In addition to our regular menu: soup du jour, BAKED STUFFED SHRIMP, risotto, salad bowl, relish table, rolls & butter, Beverage: $2.95 at HAWLEY MANOR INN MAIN STREET Newtown GArden 6-4456

 

September 25, 1936

Friday night’s storm of last week was unusually severe, the wind blowing intensely from all directions. Saturday morning presented the picture of a fall day in Newtown’s Main Street, with everyone raking leaves and clearing away the broken branches. All that was lacking was the smell of burning leaves and the bright colors that will soon come with the fall frosts.

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Trinity Episcopal Church celebrated on Sunday afternoon the 204th anniversary of its founding, with the rededication of the cornerstone of St Jame’s Church, Zoar, presented to Trinity Parish by Mr and Mrs Ernest Fenn. Mrs Jerome Jackson of Zoar, who has made an extensive study of historical landmarks of Newtown, read an interesting paper telling of the history of St James. “Here in Newtown, good strong arms wielding a pick or a crowbar unearthed a carved stone. In clear well cut letters it states simply: St James Ch 1831. Plainly, it is a cornerstone. How can that church which came into Newtown’s history and so soon disappeared be explained? Several old maps of different dates show St James’ Episcopal Church on the highway to Stevenson about four miles from Sandy Hook, across a side road from Gray’s Plain school… Why in 1831 was a church built way out in Zoar? A hundred years ago, that district was not given over solely to farming… it was a populous spot… The first rector was the Rev Daniel Burhans, who resigned from Trinity, where he had been for thirty years. This severance of the connection, after so long a term with so many of his people gives cause for speculation. Tradition has it that he was so out of sympathy with some of his parishioners that they locked him out of the church and he preached from the steps…Services were continued under resident and non-resident rectors until 1860, when Zoar surrendered its organization and became a chapel of Trinity Parish… The establishment of St John’s in Sandy hook must have completed the dissolution of St James as a parish… This service commemorates the complete reunion of the two parishes after more than a century.”

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The bowling season opened Monday evening at the Edmond Town Hall alleys. Eight teams are in the league this year. Bowling will take place on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. With the interest running high, the members are looking forward to plenty of action at every game.

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On Wednesday, signs indicating a speed limit of 35 miles an hour were placed by the State Highway Commission through Newtown’s Main street and on Church Hill. So far as can be determined, local authorities were not consulted as to whether or not a speed of 35 miles an hour is considered, locally, to be the town’s best judgment in the matter.

 

September 29, 1911

The Great Danbury Fair will be with us again next week. It will be bigger and better than ever before, because the Danbury Fair is a progressive organization, and preparations are made months ahead, a large and extensive “plant” is maintained for this one week each year, and the officials are constantly studying to better each department. This year, the grounds have been greatly improved, the Midway made more of a Midway than ever before, and placed where it will not interfere with any other department of the fair. All methods of transportation will be used to reach the grounds, excursions by train and auto, teams, foot. It is a real big fair.

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A study of the town report would indicate the town was in a better condition financially than for several years. The cash on hand and in the bank is $15,578.79, against $11,162.42 on September 15, 1910. This, we understand, will enable the town to meet the payment due on the state road contract, without resorting to an increased tax.

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W.A. Canfield has the contract for painting the William Sanford residence in Newtown street. William Ackley is treating his place on Gas street to a coat of white paint. W.A. Canfield has the contract.

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The Connecticut Agricultural College at Storrs opens with 218 students, the largest enrollment in the history of the institution. All the rooms in the dormitories are filled. Herman N. Tiemann, Jr, of Newtown, is one of the new pupils at Storrs.