October 23, 1998

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Russell Strasberger.

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While police held back traffic for a few minutes, town and state officials quickly stretched a blue ribbon across the Fairfield Hills bypass road Friday afternoon and just as quickly snipped it in half with oversized scissors. The $4 million State Route 490 was officially opened. … State Rep Julia Wasserman served as master of ceremonies at the ribbon cutting, and she thanked everyone involved in the event. The road was opened to traffic six months ahead of schedule. Mrs Wasserman was instrumental in getting the job done, and earlier this month, the Board of Selectmen voted to name the bypass Wasserman Way in her honor.

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More than 45 people showed up last Saturday when the Knights of Columbus, Virgilius Council 185, asked for volunteers to help a family in need in Newtown. The Knights coordinated a project to replace a deteriorated roof, paint, install new lighting, replace a floor, remove trash, pull weeds, and generally spruce up the property. “When you think about it, it takes a tremendous amount of volunteer labor and donations to make something like this work,” said Mark Dennen, co-coordinator of the project. … Volunteer Bill O’Neil marveled at how much was accomplished. “It’s amazing what 50 people can do in such a short period of time,” he said. “You can see how the Egyptians managed to build the pyramids.”

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Members of Cub Scout Pack 170, Den 6 visited the offices of The Bee Publishing Co last week. The Scouts were in the newspaper office to learn where reporters find their story ideas, the editing process of a newspaper, and how the stories go from computer files to the words and images that appear in newsprint every week. The tour was one of the requirements for the Scouts to earn their Communicator badge.

October 19, 1973

The Hawley Family staged its 50th Reunion Friday and Saturday, October 12-13, with a dinner dance at Stratford and all-day bus tour of eastern Fairfield County, and a luncheon in Newtown. Being favored with exceptionally fine weather, the program met with a most enthusiastic response, especially from those visiting the area for the first time. The gathering attracted some 70 members from New England, neighboring states, Georgia, Florida, Washington, Illinois, Maryland, and elsewhere.

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Newtown will have three voting districts in the 1974 elections, instead of the five required in 1972, as a result of changes drawn up by the Registrars of Voters and submitted October 16 to the Board of Selectmen. If approved by a town meeting, the arrangement will also be followed at future town meetings. Newtown voters will not go to the polls this year, since municipal elections took place in May and there are no state or national elections in 1973. However, town meeting approval of the new districts will be necessary in order for them to be effective in the elections next March of town committees and delegates to the June conventions.

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The last time The Bee visited the site where the new distribution center of Barclay Knitwear is to be located, early in September, the land was in the process of being cleared off by the construction crew. This week at the property, located off the Boulevard, pouring of the floor is well in progress and a vast stretch of concrete stretches across a once-wooded area. It won’t be long before the walls go up on the building, which will be completed sometime next summer.

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Newtown’s Police Department will soon be linked to a nationwide computerized police information system to replace the current teletype network, the Board of Selectmen disclosed October 16. As explained by First Selectman Frank DeLucia, the decision to bring Newtown into the system was made by the state, and the time allowed to install the new equipment is fast running out. The old system is to be shut down, and Newtown has no choice but to join the new, he said.

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Petty Officer 3-C Mathew W. Harris, US Navy, son of Mr and Mrs Frederick L. Harris of Queen Street, is now on deployment in the Mediterranean. Petty Officer Harris received his basic training in Orlando, Fla., and he spent the past year at fleet sonar school in Key West, Fla., graduating third out of a class of 32 men. He is a 1970 graduate of Newtown High School and attended California State College in Pennsylvania.

October 15, 1948

Word has been received in Newtown that Mr and Mrs Walter Pedicord, formerly of Walnut Tree Hill and now of Arlington, Texas, are the parents of a baby girl born September 21st. The young lady has been named Jo Anne Taylor. Mr Pedicord is with Chance-Vought and was among the first of those from Connecticut to be transferred to the plant’s new location.

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The Board of Trustees of the Newtown Ambulance Association met last Friday evening at the Edmond Town Hall when the following officers were elected: E.F. Dickinson, president; Dr Richmond Stephens, vice-president; Fred Buermeyer, secretary; Mrs Ralph Knibloe, treasurer.

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Mrs Robert D. Smith is quite seriously ill at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Mr and Mrs Ben D. Smith of Dodgingtown district.

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Two sixth-grade football teams, representing the Hawleyville and Huntingtown schools, played an exciting game on Taylor Field Wednesday afternoon, ending in a 14-12 victory for the Hawleyville six-man team. The victors were captained by “Pudgy” Lockwood and the losers by Teddy Smith. Millard Goodsell did the duties of referee. A return game is scheduled for next Wednesday.

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DRUM CORPS SPOTLIGHTS: The Drum Corps had an extra hard practice this week, as we have two important engagements this month. The first is the big night football game next Saturday, in which we shall take part. Our two main pieces for the night will be the “Pennsylvania Polka” which we shall play with Grassy Plain Drum Corps, and “On Wisconsin” and those from Hawley School will join in on the words. The Corps played their competition stand pieces while the two majorettes twirled for a consecutive five minutes. We then drilled until nine o’clock and then as usual the instructor asked, “Has the Auxiliary anything to say?” The firemen? The drum corps? And from their midst there was a chorus of “yes” and so to complete the evening all joined in singing to our majorette, Janet Berglund, a very “Happy Birthday. —T. Ray, Sec’y

October 21, 1898

The republican caucus called to nominate a judge of probate, at the Town hall, last Monday night, adjourned for one week without transacting any further business than the adjournment, some of the party leaders advocating that it would be better to wait until after the democratic caucus had been held, as they were the stronger party and it could be determined afterward what was the widest course for the party to pursue. C.B. Johnson was elected chairman of the meeting. The caucus is now called by the town chairman, J.B. Wheeler, for Monday night, October 24, when in addition to a judge of probate, representatives and justices of the peace will be named, as the choice of the party.

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The Academy football eleven, accompanied by Principal MacFarland, started for New Milford at 10.39 a.m. Saturday, October 15, to play its first game against the Center school. The game was called on the Fair grounds at 2 p.m., with a crowd of spectators on the side lines, in spite of the raw wind and the threatening clouds. … Final score, Center school 16, Newtown 0. Considering that nine of the Academy men had never played in a game and that some had never seen a game, the score would indicate that the Academy could do better another time.

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IS OUR “SUNDAY LAW” A DEAD LETTER? Events of an astounding character occurring in our vicinity this Sunday morning, October 16, elicits the above query. I allude to the frequent discharge of fire arms in the vicinity of “West Plain,” also in the direction of “Hog Swamp.” The writer heard four successive shots and nearly a dozen more followed within the hour. I ask in the name of humanity, and in the interest of all lovers of law and good order, of what earthly use is a law if not enforced? I beg to suggest the presence of our town officers on Sunday next, with their eyes and ears wide open which will enable them to see, and hear for themselves (should the acts be repeated) and put a stop to this nefarious business, at the same time cause them law-breakers to dance to the tune of a $25 fine. Such a line of procedure would not only bring the guilty parties to justice, but enrich the town treasury to a considerable extent, if followed up, and moreover might prove to be a Sunday sermon approximating, even one delivered by either of our good Rev Otis W. Barker, or Rev Mr Linsley and others. From one intensely interested in everything pertaining to good order and the welfare of all communities.—[D. R. French]

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.