November 13, 1987

November, a month that is usually known for its wind and rain, borrowed from the wardrobe of Old Man Winter this week and covered the area with freezing rain topped with snow. The worst of the weather occurred on Veterans Day, when schools, the Post Office, and many banks were closed anyway, so the impact was not as bad as it could have been. In spite of the wet snow, the only power outage in Newtown reported by Northeast Utilities was to 34 customers in the Nutmeg Lane area.

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At the request of two Newtown mothers, the Parks and Recreation Commission at its Tuesday meeting approved the formation of a committee that will try to raise money for a new playground facility at Dickinson Park. Dickinson Park has a small playground unit that was funded by a $7,000 Rotary Club donation and installed last summer. Placing the proposed unit next to that one would make for a full-fledged playground facility.

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Over 180 people attended the Policemen’s Ball on November 7 at the Fireside Inn. Festivities were enjoyed from 7:30 pm until 2 am with a buffet dinner, dancing and music. The ball was the culmination of a fundraising effort by the police union, which included selling advertising in the programs, which were handed out during the evening.

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Composer Edward Eliscu of Newtown, who created such well-known tunes as “Without a Song,” “Great Day,” and “More Than You Know,” has been named the 1987 recipient of an annual award presented jointly by the Richard Rodgers Foundation and the Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers. The award, initiated four years ago, is presented to an American who has made a major contribution to American musical theatre.

November 16, 1962

At a special meeting of the Board of Education on last Thursday evening in the high school cafeteria, attended by about 50 townspeople, the board considered at some length the need for long-range school planning in the town. Considered by many present as one of the most important meetings in recent years, this board session concentrated not only on the long-range aspect of school needs, but also on the immediacy of problems to be faced in the academic year 1963–64.

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“Nick” Comanda of Danbury, well-known member of the sales staff in Rocano’s store, and his wife went into a restaurant in Fremont, Nebraska — only to find Mr and Mrs George Clark of Newtown seated there before them. Needless to say, it was a happy surprise for all of them, and a chance to compare notes between these Connecticut travelers who were then so far from home.

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“Out of the Shadows,” a dance for the benefit of the Newtown Association for Retarded Children, was an overwhelming success last Saturday evening at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Amid a setting of fall décor created by the youngsters in the special class at Hawley School and the Junior High School, the many couples “could have danced all night” to the music of Mike Ingroa’s Orchestra.

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The annual task of wrapping Christmas gifts for the patients of the Fairfield State Hospital will get under way on Monday, November 26, in the gymnasium of Plymouth Hall. It will be greatly appreciated if those planning to help will bring Christmas wrapping paper with them.

 

November 12, 1937

At a meeting of basketball enthusiasts on Monday night at the Edmond Town Hall, a start was made in getting the team under way. The first practice is called for next Tuesday, November 16, at 7:30 pm. There was a definite feeling expressed concerning outside players and it was voted to confine the membership of the team to Newtown players. Coach Prokopy promises that every man who comes out for practice will play in the games. The dues are $1.00 initiation fee and 50 cents each month thereafter.

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Great interest continues to be shown in the Grace Leslie recital to be given under the auspices of the Newtown Orchestral Society in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall on Friday evening, November 19, the sale of tickets indicating a large audience. This will be an opportunity to hear her in a whole evening’s program of songs. The New York Times describes Grace Leslie’s voice as one “of great purity and power,” and the Boston Herald places her “in the forefront of this generation of creative artists.”

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The Newtown Branch of the American Red Cross has formulated plans for securing a dental hygienist for the benefit of the school children of the first eight grades. This same organization is also forming a class for the study of Home Hygiene and care of the sick. The purpose of the course is to teach hygiene of the individual and of the home, the care of the normal baby, preventive measures and simple procedures necessary for the care of the sick.

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The Bingo party held by the Dodgingtown Fire Department in their firehouse last Friday evening, proved quite successful, so much so that it has been decided to hold these parties each Friday evening for the next few weeks, proceeds to help pay for the company’s new equipment. Just lately, Chief Gower and his men have been able to purchase some new two and one-half inch hose from the Fabric Hose Company.

November 15, 1912

Do birds of the air ever carry messages of love and good will? Monday last was my 80th birthday. The Bee had not yet announced it the week before and yet the mail of Monday and Tuesday of this week brought a quantity of cards and letters that in numbers far excelled those of the four score years that Father Time has placed upon the milestone of my life. As gently as the snowflakes fall, thus gently come the messages of love, respect, and good will and one of the pleasant features was many of them came from the children. God bless the children! For from their ranks are to come the men and women of the future. — E.L. Johnson

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Work on the state road improvements on Church Hill is being pushed rapidly ahead. A box stone drain is being put down in the middle of the road up as far as Newtown Street. The gravel treatment is to be continued as far as the Newtown railroad station, which will give a magnificent road. Newtown teams are employed in carting the gravel, which is sensible and to the point.

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Edward E. Benedict, for about a dozen years a brakeman in the employ of the New York & New Haven railroad, met his death at Hawleyville, Wednesday, about midnight. He fell between two cars of a moving train, a half dozen of more cars passing over him. The remains were taken in charge by Funeral Directors Prindle & Morris and conveyed to their morgue. On Thursday evening the body was taken to Bantam, where the funeral and burial will take place. Mr Benedict was 35 years of age.

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LOST — On Thursday, Nov. 7, in Elmwood District, Bethel, between George Van Valkenburg’s and Dodgingtown Center, a ladies’ leather hand satchel containing Mrs H.M Smith’s cards, a dollar bill, a drinking cup, and other things. Finder will be rewarded by returning the same or notifying H.M Smith, Box 528, Newtown, Conn.