* * *

Newtown’s oldest public school celebrated a birthday this week and, as one student said in a prize-winning essay, “It looks good for 60 years old.” In special ceremonies on Wednesday, November 10, the auditorium was filled with students, teachers, and parents who gathered to hear about the school’s history, see an exhibit of student’s drawings, and hear 12 students read essays on “What Hawley School Means To Me.”

* * *

Paul S. Smith, Editor of The Newtown Bee from 1932 to 1972, was honored by the Newtown Chamber of Commerce Inc as the annual recipient of its Community Achievement Award in recognition of his professional and personal community involvement. Mr Smith, 79, has contributed widely to the community in addition to his 40-year editorship of the local paper, and has served in local government since retiring as editor.

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Efforts to designate the area along Main Street as an historic district continued Monday evening as noted historian, Alice Winchester, spoke about some of the town’s outstanding landmarks to members of the Newtown Historical Society at the Booth Library. Seventy-five percent of the property owners living in the proposed district must vote in favor of such action and the Board of Burgesses of the Borough (the government body) must also approve any proposals made.

* * *

Newtown’s zoning, wetlands and health enforcement officials mobilized earlier this week to have an illegal dump that was discovered last Friday at a sand and gravel mining site on Route 6 removed, and by Tuesday Zoning Enforcement Officer Richard Baldelli said he was confident the problem would be resolved by Wednesday, November 17. Mr Baldelli said the dumping area is remote from the mining area and he’d never been on that section of the property before.

* * *

The Bridgeport Hydraulic company in the wake of Newtown’s decision not to pursue the purchase of Morgan Pond while litigation continues over the Department of Environmental Protection’s order to repair or remove the pond’s dam, is discussing sale of the property with several groups of potential purchasers.

* * *

The Town of Newtown’s try for a $300,000 Small Cities Block Grant for 1982 has been unsuccessful, Grants Administrator Zita McMahon was informed by the state Department of Housing, state administrator of the federally funded program. Newtown had sought the Small Cities funding for several projects, including a continuation of a program of low-interest loans for housing rehabilitation begun under a previous Small Cities grant.

 

November 15, 1957

Three evenings were required to complete discussion on the proposed zoning regulations in the hearing called by the Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission. At the close of the final session on Tuesday evening Commission Chairman George W. Northrop thanked all who attended the hearings and said, “We will not adopt any regulations without a future hearing.”

* * *

An unusual accident interrupted electrical service to Newtown on Tuesday when a construction dynamite blast blew one of the detonating wires high enough to make contact between at 69,000 volt transmission line and a 4,800 volt feeder line located some distance below it. The resulting short circuit blew the fuses at the Newtown substation. The original blast was set off by construction workers who were blasting rock in order to set a new pole on the high tension right of way near Point O’ Rocks Road.

* * *

The edge of a little used roadway near Fairfield Hills Hospital began to give way Friday as a fully-loaded cement mixing truck was backing across. Despite the efforts of the driver, the heavy truck kept rolling and plunged down an embankment, turning over twice and coming to rest on its side. The driver was only slightly injured in the mishap. The problem of getting the truck back up on the road was increased when the cement hardened. On Saturday, workmen removed the mixer and hauled the truck up.

* * *

A group of Japanese visitors who are conducting a small business consultant study stopped in Newtown Monday to inspect the W.N. deSherbinin Products Company plant in Hawleyville. The group is on tour from San Francisco to Boston under the auspices of the International Cooperation Administration and is composed of business research and Japanese government workers.

* * *

Mrs Vesta R. Milnes, director of volunteer services at the Fairfield State Hospital, has announced that entertainments and large group activities have been discontinued for the next two weeks as a precautionary measure because of the current incidence of upper respiratory and influenza type of infections at the hospital and in neighboring communities.

* * *

As has been its custom for many years, the Women’s Federation of the Newtown Congregational Church will again make and fill stockings for the children of the Southbury Training School. All members are asked to contribute four inexpensive gifts for the stockings. Care should be taken that none of the articles have any sharp edges.

 

November 11, 1932

The Farm Bureau ladies will hold an exhibition and sale of home made food stuffs, fancy work, and art crafts on the afternoon and evenings of November 17 and 18 at St John’s church, Sandy Hook. They will also serve the famous Upham’s tea, ice cream and cake. Admission free. Tickets for cream and cake are now on sale.

* * *

W.A. Upham has changed the former Upham indoor miniature golf links located in one of the large buildings at Hawleyville, into a dancing hall, which he has christened “the Studio Club.” Select dances are held every Saturday night, with music by the Studio Club Harmony Boys of Bridgeport, who appear in full evening dress. A dancing floor has been put down and this will be enlarged if business warrants.

* * *

Among the winners at the select show, held Sunday, November 6, in the Waterbury Hotel, Waterbury, Ct, by the Boston Terrier Club of Connecticut were two local dogs, shown by Edith Parker. One only four months old named Kentakas Merrymaker, and the other two years old, Katinka Going Up. These dogs are from the now famous Katinka line that has recently been winning all through the country.

* * *

One of the most successful community parish suppers that St John’s people have put on in recent months was the one held last Thursday evening. Over 200 people were fed, and when the expenses have been paid about $75 will be the profit. Because of the success of the supper, the Vestry will be able to pay some current bills, and hence the work of the church will be able to go on with renewed vigor.

* * *

In Tuesday’s election Mr Roosevelt swept the country in a National landslide, winning 42 states, with only six states for President Hoover. The returns Wednesday afternoon indicated that the new Congress will be wet in addition to being Democratic. Senator Hattie Caraway of Arkansas was the only outright dry to be elected in the Senate, all the other candidates being either in favor of repeal, submission, or non-committal.

* * *

The election in Newtown brought out the largest vote of any election in the history of the town. More than 1,500 votes were cast. Hoover carried the town by 61. Rodney P. Shepard for state senator was high man on the ticket, receiving a great local endorsement, carrying the town by 161 votes.

 

November 15, 1907

The committee appointed by the Men’s club to secure a new topmast and to repair the Liberty pole in Newtown street, submitted the following brief financial report. The amount expended was as follows: For new topmast, $9.50; freight on topmast from Mystic, $1.20; raising mast and repairing pole, $30.00; rope, paint, and repairing the flag, $8.48. Balance in treasury, seven cents.

* * *

The Fabric Fire Hose Co shut down their factory, last week Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, while a force of men from Waterbury were making repairs on the large smoke stack.

* * *

BY REQUEST: MANY OF OUR CITIZENS SPEAK WELL OF THE HOME PRESCRIPTION. Mix the following by shaking well in a bottle, and take in teaspoonful doses after meals and at bedtime: Fluid Extract Dandelion, one-half ounce; Compound Kargon, one ounce; Compound Syrup Sarsaparilla, three ounces. A local druggist is the authority that these simple, harmless ingredients can be obtained at nominal cost from our home druggists. The mixture is said to cleanse and strengthen the clogged and inactive Kidneys, overcoming Backache, Bladder weakness and Urinary trouble of all kinds, if taken before the stage of Bright’s disease.

* * *

The High school committee, after a conference with Principal Cook, have changed the hour of opening school from 9 to 10:10. This was caused by the taking off of the 8:05 am, south bound train, on which the Hawleyville and Brookfield scholars journeyed. The session will close at 3:30 pm, each day, with a half hour for dinner.

* * *

Philip Schnabel has built a large corn crib for M.J. Schaff of Dodgingtown. Mr Schnabel is now building an addition to the barn of Mr Schaff, 30 x 25.