October 24, 1997

The Planning & Zoning Commission has approved Riverview Condominiums, a 49-unit housing complex planned to contain 13 units of “affordable housing” on the section of Washbrook Road behind Sand Hill Plaza. P&Z members unanimously approved using R&G Riverview Associates, LLC, a special exception to the zoning regulation on a 16.5-acre section of the 18.7-acre site at an October 16 session.

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The Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) results from sophomores tested in May 1997 shows that Newtown students have done well. Twenty-four percent of Newtown High School students achieved certification in all four subject areas tested, compared to the statewide level of just less than 14 percent meeting the standard in all areas. Newtown also compares favorably with other towns with similar demographics and has shown a significant improvement in test scores over the last three years. NHS Assistant Principal Marilyn Capizzano said, “It’s a very challenging test, but we are really pleased with our results. We are showing improvement in all areas. We have put a lot of emphasis on ‘response to literature,’ and are extremely pleased with our improvement.”

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K. Michael Snyder of Allstate Insurance presented the officers of each volunteer fire company with 20 copies of a video on fire safety for distribution to families in their districts.

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Work is continuing in earnest on the Fairfield Hills bypass road, an east-west connector planned to link Route 25 to Interstate 84 and to Route 34 to alleviate heavy truck traffic in the town center. Excavators this week mined large amounts of fill near the intersection of Mile Hill Road and Oakview Road to improve the sight lines for motorists exiting Oakview Road. Workmen have cleared and excavated a swath of land extending from the main entrance of Fairfield Hills to the Pootatuck River in preparation for constructing the bypass.

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Marilyn Alexander entertained fellow Newtown Woman’s Club members at their Thursday luncheon, held October 16, with a hilarious recounting of the highs and lows of her recent trip to China. Her two-week stay was spent not on a tour bus, she said, but on the streets and in the homes of Beijing and Shanghai, while she visited her son and mixed with the local residents. “To survive in China, remember these three rules,” Mrs Alexander said. “They love to be first; saving face is more important than anything else; and you’ve got to be willing to haggle.” She concluded her talk by saying, “They are lovely people, always wanting to help you any way they can.”

October 20, 1972

All the seats had been sold for the 1972-73 Arts Festival, and in one of them sat a very small girl, age nine, who had just started ballet lessons. She saw the curtain open on a lively young group of professionals who perhaps someday will achieve great names for themselves in ballet. She listened to lovely music by Franz Schubert (recorded, but sounding beautiful to her), and she watched the troupe go through a delightful array of variations, exercises in ballet, which she hopes to do as well some day. She saw costumes of muted pastels which seemed perfect for the lightness of the entire span on dancing. And at the end of this, she told her mother she thought the dancers of Harkness Ballet all did their plies quite well.

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Newtown teachers ratified their new contract at a special meeting following school on Wednesday, October 18. The ratification vote was a close one; 124-120. Because of a change in the Education Association of Newtown’s bylaws, all the teachers in the school system were able to vote.

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Mr and Mrs E. John Minderman of Port Clinton, Ohio, were in Newtown for a visit last week during which time they attended a meeting of the Historical Society with Frank Johnson of Main Street, and dropped in for a visit at The Bee. Many of Mrs Minderman’s ancestors were from Newtown, one of the most famous ones being Ezra Levan Johnson, the author of Newtown’s history.

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Chief of Police Louis D. Marchese has just established a traffic bureau within the Newtown Department, and named Sgt Raymond Thompkins as its head. The chief purpose of the bureau will be to work as a liaison with the town garage or any other agency which would deal with traffic. There will also be stricter enforcement of traffic violations since accidents appear to be on the increase in town.

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Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company was host for the annual fireman’s ball at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Saturday evening, October 14. Volunteers from all five Newtown companies joined in the fun.

October 17, 1947

Frederick H. Parr, a newcomer this year to the Newtown school faculty, teaches the seventh grade class at Hawley school. He leads the class formerly taught by Miss Evelyn Krakow, who has transferred to the third grade teaching position this year to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Miss Elizabeth Mulvaney. Mr Parr’s home town is Winthrop, N.Y., where he has taught for seven years. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Potsdam State Teachers College, Potsdam, N.Y., and has done graduate work at St Lawrence University. His college major was in elementary education.

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Close to one thousand people crowded themselves into the gymnasium of the Edmond Town Hall last Friday evening to attend the largest, and so far as we know, the longest town meeting in the history of Newtown. The meeting had been called by petition to the Selectmen, to act upon the town’s withdrawal from Regional High School District No 3, and the erection of a separate school building to be located within the town of Newtown. When the smoke of argument (and tobacco) had rolled away, at 11:45 p.m., the meeting had consumed almost four hours of everyone’s time and by a slim 27-vote margin had voted to withdraw from the Regional District and spend up to $700,000 for a separate school building in town, no designation being made in the final resolution as to the purpose or exact grades to be taught in the new school.

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Between 80 and 100 men attended the one-day retreat for the men of St Rose parish, believed to be the first such retreat ever held in the parish, last Sunday. It opened with the 11 o’clock Mass, which was celebrated by the Rev John F. Culliton. At the close of the Mass, the Very Rev Anthony Lechner, CSSp, of Ferndale, conducted the first of a series of four conferences. The large group of men of the parish were joined by men from St Mary’s parish, Bethel, and other parishes.

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Miss Annette Healy of the Parker House left Thursday morning on a trip which will take her to California where she plans to spend the winter. After a stay in Dayton, Ohio, she will go on to the coast and return to Newtown in the spring.

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Staff Sergeant Wallace E. Lane, stationed for the last year and one-half in Germany, returned to this country September 28th on a 45-day furlough from active duty. He proceeded at once to the distribution point at Camp Kilmer, where he has been receiving treatment at the hospital. He is expected home this week-end.

October 13, 1922

EDITORIAL INK DROPS: We desire to publicly acknowledge and thank E.J. Pearson, president of the New York & New Haven road, for his response to the appeal of the editor of this paper on behalf of the people of Gaylordsville. The evening passenger train south will now make a stop at Gaylordsville on flag. More moves of this nature toward a better accommodation of the public will win the road popular approval and help fill their depleted treasury.

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That highly esteemed and popular citizen, Hon Arthur T. Hadley, a director of the New York and New Haven railroad, passed three hours recently at the inviting Botsford station waiting for one of those prompt and on-time trains the New Haven road runs. We wonder if the Hon ATH will have anything to say the next time the directors of the road have a meeting?

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E.S. Pitzschler is riding out in a new Ford Sedan.

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Mrs E.L. Johnson was taken very seriously ill, Wednesday, morning. Mrs Johnson is the author of the very complete History of Newtown, published two years ago.

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Rubber boots, children’s school rubbers, and everything that goes to make up the line of footwear, school shoes, etc.—[H.G. Warner & Co., Adv.

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Sweaters for men and boys, men’s flannel work shirts in blue, gray and tan. New stock of men’s and boys’ dress and work shoes.—[Corbett & Crow., Adv.

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Allison P. Smith was in Middletown, Wednesday, attending the quarterly meeting of Connecticut State Hospital. A few facts concerning this great institution may interest the general public. Average number of patients to each ward employee, 10. Average number of patients to each physician, 280. Average number of patients present during quarter: men, 1,359, women 1,438, total 2,797.

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Among those who sailed on Saturday, September 30, from New York on the Red Star liner Lapland for Plymouth, Cherbourg and Antwerp are Philip Ward and Mrs J.H. Ward of Newtown.

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Mrs Julia C. Hawley, H.G. Curtis and Miss Caroline George returned from a trip, Saturday, to Lake Placid and Lake George.

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HATTERTOWN PERSONAL NOTES: Mrs Ada Parmelee, Miss Lizzie Wakeman and Richard Bevans motored to New York City, Saturday, remaining with relatives over Sunday. | Thomas Perkins has purchased a horse of Benjamin Rosenberg. | Harold Corey of New York is spending a few weeks at Mrs Ada Parmelee’s. | Edgar C. Northrop of this place and Clarence Burr of Monroe have been enjoying an auto trip through this state and western Massachusetts. | Miss Angie Wakeman of Norwalk was a week end guest of Mrs Ada Parmelee.

October 22, 1897

Robert N. Peck, who has recently returned from an extended tour through the West and North, joined his family, who have been summering at “Elmshade,” and after spending a fortnight there, has returned with them, to his home in New Britain.

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Charles R. Knight, artist for the Century and other periodicals, who has been for many years a summer guest at Elmshade, is spending some time there now, sketching rare bits from nature and gathering material for his future work.

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Joiner Butler of South Britain and Mason Shepard of Zoar, have made much needed improvements on the upper story of Martin Keane’s house on Gas street.

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Mrs Candee has returned to her New Haven home, after an extended visit at J.L. James’; her two daughters were there, last week. Mrs Rachel Canfield and Mrs Daniel Wildman have also been at Mr James’ pleasant home.

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Newtown Hook and Ladder Co, No. 1, voted to give one of their sociables on Friday evening, October 29. Anyone wishing a pleasant time should not fail to attend.

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.