October 30, 1998

A detail of two police officers reported to Main Street the morning of October 23, where they focused on motorists’ violations of the state law requiring drivers to yield to pedestrians who are in crosswalks. Plainclothes Officer Joseph Joudy repeatedly crossed Main Street in the crosswalk near Edmond Town Hall, testing whether oncoming motorists would yield for him. Many motorists stopped. Some did not. Those who did not stop were pursued by officers waiting in unmarked cars to enforce the crosswalk violations. … The stepped-up enforcement program comes following the recent death of a 78-year-old Newtown man who was struck by a 1993 Cadillac DeVille traveling north on Main Street around 9:10 pm October 15. The resident received extensive injuries and died the next morning at Danbury Hospital. While the man was reportedly not in the crosswalk while crossing the street, Police Chief James E. Lysaght Jr said Wednesday he will seek Police Commission support for a series of recommendations intended to promote pedestrian safety along Main Street between Edmond Town Hall and Booth Library.

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The tables were nearly all filled at the Fireside Inn Tuesday night with people hungry for some pizza and a little bit of good, clean politics. Newtown was not the place to be if you were looking for finger pointing and name calling. This week’s Pizza & Politics didn’t inspire much contention. For the most part, candidates gave parallel answers to straight-forward questions. Comments and ideas were far-reaching, ranging from the rights of patients vs HMOs to overweight cops and their inability to do the job.

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Dozens of ghouls and goblins showed up at Dickinson Park Tuesday afternoon for the Parks & Recreation Department’s annual Halloween party. Youngsters, dressed in everything from gorilla suits to Madeline outfits, used the event to give their costumes a trial run before their official use October 31. It was hard to tell who had more fun — the kids or mom and dad.

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There has been plenty of excitement surrounding a Newtown High School hockey team of late. But after Monday’s 3-0 win at Masuk in Monroe, things got down right electric. The Nighthawks are heading to the state tournament for the first time in 17 years.

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Three adult tennis players were honored and a new slate of officers was elected at the recent annual meeting of the Newtown Tennis Association at Beaver Brook Tennis Club. And then there was tennis until midnight. Marion Kreider was recipient of the Distinguished Service Award for years of dedication to the sport and the organization in Newtown. … Carol Lipnick, NTA secretary for the past year and winner of the Women’s Singles Championship of the Newtown Open in 1997 and 1998, was named Tennis Lady of the Year. Alex Aitchison was named Tennis Man of the Year. … The new slate of officers, presented by out-going president Roger Gioradno, are Bill Meier, president; Curt Logan, vice president; Marge Aitchison, treasurer; and Carol Lipnick, secretary.

October 26, 1973

Due recognition was given to Herbert H. Cutler by the Exchange Club of Newtown at a well-attended dinner held Saturday evening at the Hawley Manor Inn. The occasion was lighted by the presentation of the Club’s first Book of Golden Deeds Award and its second annual Citizen of the Year Award to Mr Cutler, both well deserved for his long years of service to the town and many of its organizations.

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A raging fire which could be seen throughout the entire Taunton District completely leveled the barn at Morning Star Farm on Great Hill Road early in the morning of October 23. Ironically, the first person to notice the blaze was Steve Pelletier, son of Newtown Hook and Ladder Fire Company No. 1’s Chief Kenneth Pelletier. The Pelletier home is on Fox Run Lane off Great Hill, and as soon as the alarm went into the companies, Chief Pelletier rushed to the house next to the barn and rousted the occupants and evacuated them.

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Newtown’s Committee on Aging got down to work at its first formal meeting October 18, with the election of permanent officers and some basic decisions on what to do first. Miss Asenath Johnson, who acted as temporary chairman in the formative stages of the committee, was elected permanent chairman; F. Willard Johnson was elected vice chairman, and Mrs Alfred T. Parrella, secretary.

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Third and fourth graders at the Sandy Hook School celebrated UN Day October 24 by giving speeches and planting flags of all the member nations. The classes which took part in the observance were The Castaways, with teachers Mr Stockwell, Mr Sharkis and Miss Wilson, and the Curiosity Shop, with teachers Mrs Estes, Mrs Decker and Mr Toomey.

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Cub Scout Pack 470 put in a long day’s work October 20 collecting old newspapers and trucking them to the S. Curtis & Son Inc box factory, where they were baled in quantities of about 1,100 pounds and loaded into a trailer for delivery to a recycling plant. Altogether the 30 boys and 20 parents involved handled almost 60,000 pounds of paper, according to Robert Altenhof, chairman of this year’s drive, and some of the parents were working until midnight to get the job finished. The paper drive is the Pack’s only fund-raising campaign of the year.

October 22, 1948

The first well-child conference of the season was held in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall on Tuesday, October 19th, under the auspices of the State Board of Health and conducted by the Newtown Visiting Nurse Association and the Parent-Teacher Association. Fourteen children were examined at that time by Dr J. Benton Egee, Gerda Anderson, State nurse, and Martha N. Kline, Newtown visiting nurse.

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Mr and Mrs Donald Smith, who have been occupying the Barnard house in Dodgingtown, have moved to an apartment in the Gausman property, the former Canfield home, on the Boulevard.

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The Huntington and Hawleyville sixth grade six-man football teams met Wednesday afternoon on Taylor Field for their second game. Huntington, captained by Teddy Smith, won, 12-0. The first game was a 14-12 victory for “Pudgy” Lockwood’s Hawleyville aggregation. The third game in the season is being arranged and gives promise of being a real contest. Millard Goodsell again served as referee, assisted by Dwight Johnson.

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At the regular meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners, which consists of one member from each of the four fire departments and one civilian, Walter Glover was reelected chairman and fire marshal. Henry Wachsmuth was elected to fill the position of secretary and deputy fire marshal, and W.W. Holcombe, civilian, was reelected for another term. Members of the board are Walter Glover, Henry Wachsmuth, John Sedor, Hiram Hanlon and W.W. Holcombe.

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Mr and Mrs Charles Berls of Taunton had as their guest last week his uncle, August Lemke, of Tampa, Florida, formerly of the Stony Hill district, Bethel and Dodgingtown, Newtown. Mr Lemke is a Spanish-American War veteran and served with Admiral Dewey at Manila Bay and also served in the Navy during World War I. He is a member of the Danbury Spanish — American War Veterans camp. While north he visited the grave of his wife in the Woodlawn cemetery, New York City. Mrs Lemke died last May.

October 19, 1923

Quite a few changes are under way in the block of the Atchison Co. The Leonard Insurance Agency will move from upstairs to the former Savings bank room. An apartment for the barber shop of Edward S. Pitzschler will be fitted up next to the office of the Leonard Insurance Agency, take part of the store room now occupied by John [illegible]. Two apartments will be fitted up on the second floor, one of which will be occupied by the family of John Meunich. Frederick Crouch is now engaged on the carpenter work required. William J. and Percy Atchison of Sherman have also been in town for several days.

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Secretary of the State, Hartford, Conn. Dear Sir: In reply to your letter of October 11, will see that the US Geographic Board in Washington, DC, named the lake formed by the Housatonic River, “Lake Humphreys.” At an adjourned annual town meeting held at Newtown, March 11, 1922, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: “Resolved: That the lake formed by the Housatonic River by the dam of the Connecticut Light & Power Company at Zoar Bridge, be officially known as Lake Zoar.” It does seem to me that the people who live along said lake should have something to say about naming the same, especially the inhabitants of Newtown, as the whole length of it on the westerly side is in the town, and by the people here [illegible] the lake will be known as Lake Zoar no matter what the US Geographic Board name [illegible]. Very truly yours, Oscar Pitzschler, Town Clerk of Newtown.

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William H. Egan, master of the great Pennsylvania railroad station in New York City, opened his camp on Walnut Tree Hill on October 6. It is located on the Lucas property, which was the girlhood home of Mrs Peter Egan of Danbury. Mr Egan has three large army tents. One for himself, one for Charles Donnelly and “Jack,” and one for his expert chef, L.L. Smith. Mr Egan has entertained his friends (and his friends are legion) with his old time hospitality.

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A dozen or more citizens gathered in the office of the Sandy Hook hotel, Monday afternoon, and listened to the returns from the ball game of the last of the world series between the Giants and the Yankees. Every move in the game could be followed, including the cheering of the crowd.

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Mr and Mrs Albert Boyson, Mr and Mrs Richard Egan and Mr and Mrs L.W. Waterhouse have been enjoying an auto trip through New York City.

October 28, 1898

THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS: The democratic caucus to nominate a candidate for judge of probate, representatives and justices of the peace, was held at the Town hall on Saturday evening. About 300 were present. John F. Bradley was made chairman and W.J. Brew secretary. M.H. Bradley was renominated for judge of probate by acclamation. A ballot was taken for representative for the first district with the following result: John F. Keating, 3; John L. Hughes, 4; John J. Northrop, 35; John F. Houlihan, 232. The following candidates for justices of the peace were named: Charles W. Dayton, Austin B. Blakeman, M.J. Bradley, Fred B. Lake, M.J. Cavanaugh, John M. Beardsley, George W. Bradley, John F. McDermott, James Farrell.

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THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS: The adjourned republican caucus to nominate a candidate for judge of probate was held at the Town hall, Monday night. Dr Edwards M. Smith was nominated by acclamation. The republican caucus to nominate justices of the peace and representatives was held immediately following the adjournment of the judge of probate caucus, with the same officers in the chair. For justices of the peace there were nominated: Herman H. Peck, Samuel J. Botsford, H.W. Wright, Albert W. Fairchild, Charles M. Beresford, Josiah B. Downs, Henry B. Coger, Amos L. Hawley and Augustus W. Orgleman. An adjournment was then taken to Friday evening, November 4, at 8 o’clock, when representatives will be named.

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Charles J. Hughes, of the Stratford Granite Works, Bridgeport, has erected a very handsome granite tablet in the cemetery, for the Leonard and Hitch families. The name of S. Margaretta Leonard, wife of Henry A. Hitch, is engraved on one of the panels. The work is done in first-class manner and adds another to the many fine specimens of cemetery work furnished by this firm for our citizens.

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EDITORIAL NOTES: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Old fashioned words, but alas! how true! | In last week’s issue a correspondent very properly called attention to the desecration of Sunday by so-called hunters. Will not the local officers of the law give this matter their attention? | The Commercial Record of New Haven for October is especially bright and readable. This little magazine, after thorough acquaintance, becomes almost indispensable to the Connecticut businessman. | It has always been the motto of the present management of The Bee not to kick a man when he is down, believing that his own humiliation is severe enough punishment without adding the goad of a public thrashing by the editor’s pen. This stand is often taken by the public as a sign of a jelly fish backbone, but perhaps in the day of the great assizes it will not be found to have been such a wrong position after all. Sometimes it is harder to keep still than to tell the truth about another, and requires a deal more of true backbone.

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Rev Mr Linsley preached a good sermon to his people at Trinity, on Sunday last, from the text, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee.” The lesson to be learned from the subject being, that, as the prophet Elijah obeyed the voice of the Angel of God, arose and did eat, and by so doing went in the strength of that meat 40 days and 40 nights unto Horeb, the mount of God, so the Christian, by a right using of all the means of grace so abundantly provided by our Heavenly Father through his Son, Jesus Christ, will receive spiritual food to strengthen and encourage him amid all of life’s trials, temptations and perplexities, and bring him at last to that rest that remaineth for all those who love and serve our Lord Jesus Christ.

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.