November 13, 1998

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Art Bennett.

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David Merrill stood on a rung near the top of the ladder and patiently painted the letters in the name of a Newtown notable. It was one of the last days he expected to spend in Edmond Town Hall, completing the murals he began more than a decade ago. “I’m sure there must be names I missed but there’s room here to add more,” the artist said, gesturing at a spot on the last section of mural on the wall across from the Alexandria Room, next to a theater door.

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Town officials appear to be giving serious consideration to the construction of a new municipal building in their efforts to relieve the town’s municipal office space problems. “A lot of people do feel a municipal building would be the best way to go,” said Municipal Space Needs Committee Chairman Bill Brimmer. The building could be as big as 32,000 square feet and would house almost all of the town’s offices, including those of the first selectman, town clerk and Board of Education. An early site preference for the building would be along the lower portion of Queen Street near the intersection with Mile Hill Road. The town is expected to purchase that property from the state by the end of the year.

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A group of six veterinarians specializing in horse care has received a zoning amendment from the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) which allows a veterinary hospital as a permitted land use in M-1 industrial zone. The approval allows the veterinarians, doing business as Fairfield Equine Associates, to continue developing their plans for an equestrian hospital for land off Barnabas Road in Hawleyville, adjacent to the Connecticut Light and Power Company’s Newtown Service Center. The zoning amendment granted to the veterinarians defines a veterinary hospital as a facility for the diagnosis, treatment, care, and confinement of animals.

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A 12-year-old resident of Main Street was struck by an auto while crossing Queen Street about 3:45 pm November 6, police said. A northbound school bus, which was in the outer northbound lane, had stopped to allow the boy to cross the street. At the time, a 44-year-old female motorist, also of Newtown, who was driving a 1992 Nissan Maxima in the inner northbound lane, didn’t see the boy until it was too late to stop, went into a skid, and struck the boy. He experienced neck, shoulder and knee pain, police said. Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported the boy to Danbury Hospital, where he was treated and released, according to a hospital spokesperson. The accident is under investigation, police said.

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The sun finally shone through the clouds at 11 o’clock Wednesday morning, just in time for the start of the annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Soldiers & Sailors monument on Main Street. Don Monckton, past commander of Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) Post 308, welcomed those who attended. The ceremony was put on by members of VFW Post 308 and the American Legion Post 202, both of Newtown. Also on hand were the ladies auxiliary for both organizations. About two dozen residents also assembled at the 40-foot monument, the town’s focus of remembrance of those who served in all wars.

November 9, 1973

An approaching crisis in the disposal of Newtown’s septic waste, similar to that already faced by New Milford, was disclosed by First Selectman Frank DeLucia at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting Tuesday evening. Mr DeLucia said there is at present no site in Newtown for the treatment of disposal of the waste pumped from septic tanks, and in the past the town has depended on facilities in neighboring towns for the purpose. However, some of these out-of-town facilities have recently been closed to Newtown because the burden on them became too great. Other facilities have been found, but there is no guarantee they will continue to accept Newtown’s waste indefinitely.

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At the invitation of the Board of Education, about 150 residents came to the High School on November 5, to hear a status report on the Boyle site for the proposed elementary school and also reports on why a new school is needed in town. Moderating the meeting was Dr Russell Strasburger, chairman of the Board of Education, and those participating in the Board’s presentation were Edward Sullivan, a member of the committee which searched for the school site; Robert Hall, Town Counsel; Frederick Wheeler, a member of the Zoar-Berkshire Site Committee, a group looking for school land in that area of town; Robert Franklin of the Public Expenditures Council; and Dr Albert Brinkman, Superintendent of Schools.

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A special appropriation of $2,400 to pay for tying Newtown into the new state-wide computerized system was approved by the town meeting Wednesday evening, only after an angry debate between Jack Rosenthal, vice chairman of the Board of Finance, and George McLachlan, chairman of the Police Commission, over the way the appropriation had been handled. Mr Rosenthal contended that the Police Commission had exceeded its authority in allowing State Police to begin installing the terminals before the expenditure was approved. Whoever was responsible could be held personally liable for the cost if the town meeting didn’t approve the action, he said.

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The Town and Country Garden Club was treated to an especially interesting talk by Edmund Briggs, director of the Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury. He explained, with the use of slides and several insects and animals, the balance of nature, the migratory habits of birds, geese and ducks, and many interesting thoughts on the wetlands and marshes. The Committee Chairwomen were named by Mrs Gary McMahon, president. They are: Civic, Mrs Dennis Kyle; Conservation, Mrs Earl Smith; Exhibits, Mrs John Accashian; Historian and Publicity, Mrs Howard Gorham; Horticulture, Mrs William Mannix; Hospitality, Mrs Raymond Pilewski; Library and Properties, Mrs John Colangelo; Membership, Mrs Eugue Gerety; Photography, Mrs Michael Chrissanthis; Sunshine, Mrs James Goachee; Telephone, Mrs Peter Duhamel; Ways and Means, Mrs Raymond Doyle. Mrs Charles O’Connor is Vice President; Mrs Barry Sainsbury-Carter is Recording Secretary; Mrs James Goachee is Corresponding Secretary and Mrs Robert O’Neil is Treasurer.

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First Selectman Frank DeLucia carried the town hall to the people on Tuesday, spending six hours in the back room of the Botsford United Fire Company building on Route 25 to meet and chat with Botsford residents. He found it a very worthwhile experience, an informal give-and-take in which he was able to learn more about what Newtown residents are interested in, as well as helping those who brought their problems to him. There were a couple of road complaints to be referred to the Road Superintendent, a housing problem to be taken up with the Planning and Zoning Commission, some discussion of the reactivation of the Historic District Commission, a number of suggestions for better road signs, and some personal problems too.

November 5, 1948

No mention was made of it on Tuesday’s ballot, but American Art Week competed quietly for attention this momentous week and got it. In libraries, schools and public buildings throughout the country, local artists, professional and non-professional, artists with political bias and those without, exhibited their wares in celebration of an annual institution that is rapidly coming into its own. American Art Week started on a small scale on the West Coast more than a quarter of a century ago. Here in Newtown its commemoration has resulted in one of the best exhibits ever to be held locally. Starting Monday of this week in the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, the works of local artists were assembled and will be on display through the balance of the week and possibly next.

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Dr Benton Egee, Dr Russell Strasburger, Joseph Samperi and Dr George A. Buckhout of Bridgeport returned home Wednesday after spending 12 days in Nova Scotia on a hunting trip.

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Tuesday’s national and State election brought a record number of voters to the polls in Newtown, when 2,417 votes were cast, from a total registration of 2,801 voters. The national and state candidates on the Republican ticket were given a 2-1 majority over the Democratic candidates, with Governor James Shannon receiving 55 votes less for governor than the 1569 total case for Dewey and Warren, presidential and vice-presidential candidates. … In the local campaign for state Representatives, there developed a close race which accounted for most of the split tickets, of which there were 429 in the First District and 221 in the Second District, for a total of 650. Both Republican candidates were elected, Representative Newton M. Curtis being returned to office with a high vote of 1,324, and George M. Stuart receiving 1,202 votes.

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The Newtown Board of Assessors and Board of Selectmen have signed a contract with the New England Survey Service, Inc, and E.T. Wilkins & Associates of Boston, Mass., low bidders, for a tax evaluation to be made in Newtown. The stipulated price is $22,068 and it is expected that the actual work will soon be started, so that the entire job can be completed by the middle of June, 1949. Aerial maps will first be flown and prepared by the Fairfield Aerial Surveys, Inc.

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A pretty wedding took place on Friday, October 8, at 9:30 a.m., in Chapel No. 2 at the Greenville Army Air Base, Greenville, South Carolina, when S/Sgt Wallace E. Lane of the Army Air Force took as his bride, Nelly Saad Gundersen, daughter of Mr and Mrs Alfred Saad, Sr, of Greenville, S.C. … The Rev. Reynolds C. Murdoch, chaplain at the air base, performed the double ring ceremony. The bride is well known in Danbury and Newtown, having lived in Danbury and was graduated from the Danbury High School. She was employed at Fairfield State Hospital in Newtown, as switchboard operator for some time, where her gay personality is well known by all at the hospital.

November 2, 1923

The Parker house closed for the winter, Friday, W.D. Parker going to New Milford, where he has leased Young’s hotel. Mr Parker has set an excellent table, and the public will miss his genial presence and the good service of the Parker house. He plans to reopen it in the spring.

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There was a jolly good time at the Newtown Country Club last Monday night. The celebration of Hallowe’en was the cause. The ladies decorated the rooms so they resembled all kinds of witches, with black cats and pumpkins galore. They also engineered a real supper, which was at 6.30. They had hot dogs, salads, all kinds of relishes, doughnuts, pumpkin pies and cheese and it tasted bang up.

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On October 10, Allison P. Smith attended a meeting of the trustees of the Connecticut State Hospital at Middletown. Just how crowded is this great institution will be shown by the following figures: Number at beginning of quarter, men, 1346; women, 1422; total 2768. Number admitted in quarter, men, 53; women, 67; total 120. Number present in quarter, men, 1399, women, 1489, total 2888.

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On Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock, the corporators of the Newtown Savings Bank met at the pleasant trustees room of the Bank building in Newtown Street. There were [illegible] present to hear the 26th annual report of Treasurer Arthur T. Nettleton. The report was a fine one and showed the institution to be in excellent condition, a substantial gain in deposits and earnings having been made the past year.

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Rev M.J. Regan was in Hartford, Tuesday, attending a reunion of the members of his class of Thomas seminary.

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I say, Jed Perkins, this is the last time I will ever ride behind that mule, at the Town Hall, Friday evening, November 9.

November 11, 1898

A very pleasant surprise was tendered Eugene Peck, last week Thursday night. The evening was made enjoyable with social games, interspersed with music on the mandolin and piano. At 11 p.m. all were invited to the dining room, where a table filled with a variety of good things were waiting their disposal.

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Allison P. Smith passed Sunday at Springfield, Mass., the guest of Attorney H.A. Booth. He attended a meeting of the Christian Endeavor society of the Memorial church, with which he was formerly connected, and was called out of the audience by his old time friend and pastor, Rev J.L.R. Trask, D.D., for a word of greeting to his former associates in Christian work.

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Benjamin Nichols has raised some extra fine cabbages this summer. Mr Nichols needs no instruction in raising vegetables of any kind.

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Among those from Newtown who witnessed the Academy-Gunnery football game at Washington on Saturday were Rev George T. Linsley, Principal H.B. MacFarland, L.C. Morris, W.H. Prindle, Dr Edwards M. Smith, W.A. Leonard and John Drew.

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A Hallowe’en party was held at the Walker’s Farm schoolhouse, last week Monday night, for the amusement of the children. Games were enjoyed and all had a royal time.

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Willis N. Hawley, a member of the 3rd Connecticut regiment, is in the Red Cross hospital at Philadelphia, sick with typhoid fever.

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.