October 14, 1994

Here we are a fortnight into October, and only now has it come to our attention that October is National Pork Month, and Car Care Month. Normally we deliver this kind of news straight to the recycling box without bothering our readers with it, but as we were feeding the gaping jaws of this box recently, we noticed a single white sheet of stationary with the simple, yet impressive letterhead: “The White House, Washington.” Sure enough, President Bill Clinton had sent us a warm greeting on the occasion of National Newspaper Week, October 9–15. We read quickly through sentences like, “I commend the print media for its ongoing efforts to facilitate greater communication and understanding among the people of our nation …” not feeling quite as flattered as we were intended to be. Still, we accepted the president’s “Best wishes for a memorable week,” and let it slip back into the recycling so it may realize its future as a cereal box. We are used to celebrating Newspaper Week every week here at The Bee, but we thank the president for reminding us that we now have an excuse to share with our readers just why it is such a celebration for us. Every week it is our privilege to tell the stories of a remarkable community of people who work hard and play hard, who care about others, who have definite opinions and ask hard questions, who have great talents and a great appreciation for talent in others, who achieve great things, and sometimes make mistakes. Our job is to chronicle the full range of the human condition in a small patch of western Connecticut. It is a great job and worth celebrating. We invite our readers to celebrate with us. It’s easy. Just turn the page.

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The pumpkins are out at the roadside stand at Cherry Grove Farm on Platts Hill Road, and late Wednesday Jackie Ratzin, 6, and her sister Jennifer, 9, stopped by to pick out their pumpkins with the help of George Mayer, III. The 140-acre farm has been in the Mayer family for more than 100 years. The pumpkins and mums for sale this season are all grown on the property.

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BOO. Bet you think we didn’t have it in us, did you? Well, we do! And lots more for all you trick or treaters: pumpkin carving kits and big pumpkin lawn bags, candles and flashlights too. So come see our selection. And for all you moms and dads, we sell mailboxes too! Newtown Hardware, 6 Queen Street, Newtown Shopping Center.

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If you own any tiny, useless parcels of land, don’t try to donate them to the town. The Legislative Council agreed last week to take no action on a request by Ann McGlinchy Grandy to donate two small slivers of land near exit 11 of I 84 to the town. “If we accept the land, it will set a precedent so we will have to accept tiny parcels all over town.” Council vice chairman Melissa Pilchard said. The town doesn’t want the liability of owning land for which there is no possible use, council members agreed. Members agreed that the best course of action would be to offer the land to the state, which owns the adjacent property.

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Top Of The Mountain. Well, I hope you were able to find me without too much trouble this week. The geniuses in the front offices decided to do a little page reorganization in this section of the paper and informed me I was moving. I suggested that the front page was a more suitable place for my weekly words of wisdom. “Just bump that boring editorial off the page and put some real pizzazz on the front,” I told the boss. Well, you can see where that suggestion got me (page 7). Anyway, here I am with a new look. I hope you like it. I wasn’t the only cat in a shuffle who got his tail caught in the door recently. Those cool cats, the organizers of the Congregational Church Harvest Fair tag sale, found out that two weddings were scheduled at the church during the fair (October 14, 15) so they postponed the tag sale until the following weekend. Then they realized they didn’t have enough volunteers to carry it off. So, there will be NO tag sale.

October 3, 1969

The Welcome Wagon club of Newtown will have a luncheon meeting at the Oxford House in Oxford on October 9 at 12:30 pm. First Selectman Timothy Treadwell will be the guest speaker. All newcomers to Newtown are invited to attend.

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It’s better to be safe than sorry, the adage has it, and with that in mind Lou Pelletier, Newtown Fire Prevention Officer, has planned a series of demonstrations and displays for Fire Prevention Week, with the help of Millard Goodsell, former Fire Marshal. Equipment will be taken to each of Newtown’s schools where kindergarteners through to second graders will have the chance to see it at a close range and grades 3 through 8 will see a Walt Disney film on fire prevention. Unfortunately, the double sessions at the high school will rule out special programs for the higher grades. For all, the need to survey fire prevention in one’s own home will be stressed along with the need for individual plans for what each family member should do in case of fire.

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Let it Bee Known that … Our fine flagpole in the center of town has been suffering not only a few auto knocks over the years, but also a few verbal and written ones of late. Just this week it was suggested by Richard Rakoczy that the pole be moved to either the front of the Rexall Drug Store or the front yard of Trinity Church. Our guess is that both places might frown on this relocation. Yet if this were accomplished it would not take a great many years before the pole would be known as the drug store’s or the church’s. In any case, he suggested a move, but did not offer a solution for the center of the street. Something has to be done there and a traffic light is certainly not the answer. Neither is a rotary. As a native of Newtown, I further disagree with his final statement that the pole is best known for its accident record. We always knew it as the center of town or the best sign post for giving a motorist directions. The pole should stay right where it is and with the proper lighting could be very effective. We have been called to the scene of many accidents at the pole and it is a wonder that some of the drivers managed to get that far, or even have enough bearings to hit the target.

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There’s only one thing nicer than buying a spanking new car her first tank of gas. Having someone else pay for it. Which is where we come in. For the next few months, Waterbury National will be giving away free gas with every auto loan. If you borrow up to $500, we’ll get you off to a flying start with 20 gallons of gas. And the more money you borrow, the more gas we give you. Don’t think we’re giving you gas money with one hand and tacking the cost onto your loan with the other. Due to some very shrewd investments, we have about $2 million hanging around not doing anything. Money we must persuade you to take off our hands. Even if it means giving you a low cost loan and free gas to do it.

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Indians invade St. Rose School. Friday’s Indian program at St Rose School culminated a week of discussion on Indian life and consisted of an assembly and talk on Indian lore in the Newtown-Southbury area given by Mrs Charles Davis. Other activities included painting, seed pictures and races. A final assembly of Indian dances, singing the Peace Pipe Song and passing the peace pipe concluded the day.

October 6, 1944

A group of seven Taunton neighbors of Mrs Roy Everett visited her recently to inspect her truly amazing display of home canning. Literally hundreds of jars were arranged neatly on the shelves, making an impressive exhibit. It is of interest to note that Mrs Everett used the cold pack method for all of her fruit and cans all meat vegetables and soups in a hot water bath. Light refreshments were served by the hostess.

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Mr and Mrs George Wiemann of Taunton district recently received word that their son, Second Lieutenant George Wiemann of the Army Air Forces, a Liberator pilot, has arrived safely in North Africa.

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Miss Constance Irwin is returning this week to New York City after spending the summer season at their home on Main Street.

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To the Editor: Coming home from last week’s meeting in the Alexandria Room, I wondered of any others felt as I did, that I wished we had organized ourselves into a permanent group to think out the knotty problem of what we want our children taught, and how we had best go about it. We seem to be at a turning point with many new possibilities before us, and it seems a time for discussion, study, and foot-work, that belong properly to us all and that should not be delegated to only six of us, grateful though we are to have them, for having loyally served us on many a night when they might well be, as Mr Clark said, already tired with their day’s work. Respectfully, Marguerite Reynolds

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When I am dead, I hope it may be said: “His sins were scarlet, but his books were read.” — Hilaire Belloc

October 3, 1919

A valuable black heifer, two years old, disappeared two weeks ago from the pasture lot of Andrew Gerag of Brookfield. Mr Gerag was in Newtown Wednesday, looking for the heifer and called at The Bee office.

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The editor of The Bee was the guest at dinner, Wednesday, at The Elms, Hanover, the summer home of William S. McLaughlan of New York. Mr McLaughlin has one of the most attractive places in Hanover section, a fine old New England mansion, high up on the bank with tall and beautiful elm trees in front. Sitting on the veranda, we looked out on the hillside, dotted with trees now clothed in colors of the autumn time, and conversed on topics literary or otherwise. Mr McLaughlin’s group of youngsters made up the circle and it was a happy occasion for all. The editor was conveyed both ways in Mr McLaughlin’s car by his son, William Lyon McLaughlin, to whom we are also indebted for many courtesies extended.

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Paul Tversky, owner of the Sunrise hotel in Botsford Hill, is enlarging his swimming pool on his farm. Mr Tversky plans to have an up-to-date hotel by next season. At present time the 400-foot concrete damn is being rebuilt, which will make a pool of water 450 square yards. Rocks are being blasted and removed from the bottom and a fine gravel beach is to be made on the west side. An air pump pushes water through a two-inch pipe 2,00 feet up to a 10,000 gallon tank near the hotel. This water is used in the hotel for washing and bathrooms; it is also piped to the barn. Directly in front of the hotel a fountain is to be built. It is also planned to have an outside dining room.

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W.H. Shepard is putting in a fireplace at the residence of W. M. Reynolds.

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Word has been received from Curnel Beard, who was at Boston Mass., that he is very much pleased with the Navy life and that he is playing in the Naval orchestra.

Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with The Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.