Friday, November 21, 1997

The effects of last week’s ice and snow storm proved to be more enduring than most would have thought at the time. With temperatures dropping into the 20s, much of the snow remained on the ground this week, providing a preview of what many people fear will be a harsh winter. When the storm hit last Friday morning, it turned roads into sheets of ice, including Sugar Street, where a car slammed into a telephone pole, snapping it in half.

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The energetic cub scouts of Pack 70 put on an exciting pack meeting Tuesday night at Hawley School. This month’s theme was the rodeo, focusing on the need to develop fundamental skills as cowboys have done for generations, to build a productive future. Bear Den Six, led by Paulette Calderone and Eileen Dunseith presented a heartwarming stage skit, reminding the Pack that “there’s no place like the ranch for Thanksgiving.” Each scout shared his own reason for feeling thankful this year.

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Workmen used heavy equipment Wednesday at the Mile Hill Road main entrance to Fairfield Hills to install stormwater drainage pipes for the long-planned bypass road. The $4 million state-funded bypass road will improve east-west traffic flow through town, providing a modern connector between Route 25, Interstate 84, and Route 34 via the Fairfield Hills campus.

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Longtime Newtown coach Jack Shpunt was recognized for his services on Sunday evening at the Newtown Nighthawks Pop Warner Football banquet at the Fireside Inn.

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Fireside Inn proprietor Donald Pulieri rounded up the usual list of suspects on Friday night, November 14, and drew a good-sized crowd of first-timers for another of his regular cigar dinners. Cigar lovers from all over the state of Connecticut braved the icy conditions outside and were rewarded with what the Fireside dubs “a night to remember.” Each of the six dozen patrons who attended the event received a sample of cigars which included the likes of Hoyo De Monterrey, Havana Classico, Celestino Vega, Signature Collection, and Arturo Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8, Maduro.

November 17, 1972

Homecoming was scheduled for Saturday, November 11, but rain put a damper on all activities, so the festivities took place after school on Monday. Included was the Indians football game, which saw the home team beating a tough Masuk opponent. The victory put the Indians into a tie for first place in the WCC along with Joel Barlow. The seniors of the victorious Indian squad that afternoon, led by Captain Bill Cavanaugh, included John Dellamonica, Brad Johnson, Jeff Kocet, Jim Reel, Mike Tabor, and Mike Trosan.

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The Ancient Lawes and Customs of the State and Commonwealth of Connecticutt (as it was styled in 1650) were subjected to the careful scrutiny of above two-score members and guests of the Newtown Historical Society at their monthly meeting in the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, November 13, and it was the consensus of those present that if any such laws are still on the books it is high time they were removed. The matter remained unresolved, however, in spite of the efforts of Frank L. Johnson, the erudite and witty interlocutor of the evening, to organize a panel of lawyers to explore it. There seemed to be a prima facie case for rejecting as obsolete and of no present force or effect all the laws he read out from his 1836 edition of “The Code of 1650,” but the determination of whether all have been superseded or repealed would involve an extravagance of research beyond the resources of the society.

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On Monday afternoon, November 13, Newtown teachers voted by secret ballot to choose a group to represent them within the school system. The Newtown Federation of Teachers was the winner over the present group representing the teachers, The Education Association of Newtown. The election was conducted by a representative of the Young Arbitration Association. Voting was as follows: NFT, 137; EAN, 88; neither, 10; total, 235. Approximately 260 teachers were eligible to vote.

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At a town meeting on November 9 in the Middle School auditorium, over 200 Newtown residents unanimously passed three resolutions regarding the Lake Lillinonah and Lake Zoar Authorities, and by a vote of 104 to 70 approved the Community Development Action Plan (CDAP).

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The Bible Baptist Church of Newtown was the scene last Tuesday, November 7, for a service of ordination when William Plenge, candidate for the Christian ministry, was publicly ordained. At a council called by the church and convened the previous week, Mr Plenge was examined by pastors and messengers from 14 Baptist churches, and recommended for ordination. The Rev Vern Spencer, pastor of the host church, extended the right hand of fellowship into the gospel for ministry as part of the formal service. The Rev Plenge, along with his wife Marianne and three girls, is a missionary working under the Fellowship of Baptists for Home Missions, engaged in pioneer work of establishing Baptist churches in towns and cities where none presently exist.

November 14, 1947

The Camp Fire Girls of Newtown presented their third annual Dinner for Dads in the parlors of St John’s church, Sandy Hook, this Monday evening at six o’clock. Seated at the tables, in addition to the Camp Fire Girls themselves, were officials of the Mid-Fairfield Camp Fire Council, a sustaining member, sponsors and representative citizens of the town interested in youth activities. The dinner is an established institution of Camp Fire life and, in addition to its usefulness in promoting unity within the community, is one of the methods by which the members attain to the advanced Trail Seekers Ranks.

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Armistice Day in Newtown, commemorating the signing of the general armistice on November 11, 1918, and the sequences of that historic event, was observed with a large and representative parade through the streets of the town and participated in by local and visiting organizations, with a full dress memorial ceremony at the Monument at the head of Main street and a brief flag-raising ceremony at the flagpole. The Raymond L. Pease Post 163, American Legion made the arrangements for the community observance. A. Fenn Dickinson served as parade marshal, and some two score organizations took part, with officials of the American Legion third district taking a leading part. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, other war veterans, the V.F.W. colors and Auxiliary formed a parade unit, and some 17 other local patriotic and civic groups took part. Business places about the town were generally closed from 10:30 a.m. until noon, some of them for the full day, and town offices were entirely closed. A large number of townspeople witnessed the parade and the ceremonies at the Monument.

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In the space of thirty minutes, some two hundred and fifty townspeople, who had gathered in the Edmond gymnasium on Wednesday evening for a special town meeting, decided, in quiet and orderly fashion, to retain the present method of naming members of the Regional School Board by appointment of the local Board of Education rather than by election at the annual town meeting. This action was taken in compliance with Special Act No. 359, passed in the 1947 session of the General Assembly, which provides a choice in the method of naming Regional Board members to each of the four towns in Regional School District No. 3. Judge Paul V. Cavanaugh acted as chairman of Wednesday night’s meeting and conducted the proceedings in strict parliamentary fashion, which met with the approval of all in attendance.

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Walter Pedicord of Walnut Tree Hill, who was operated on last Friday morning in St Raphael’s Hospital, New Haven, is progressing slowly but satisfactorily, according to Mrs Pedicord, who has remained with him since the time of the operation.

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At an informal gathering in her parents’ home on Saturday evening, November 1st, birthday celebrants for Phyllis Clair Mulford were informed of her engagement to Rodney Preston Bucklin of Utica, N.Y. Miss Mulford is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Mitchell Stockton Mulford of Great Ring road, who, this past year completed her training at the Mount Sinai Hospital School of Nursing, Manhattan, and is now a registered nurse. Mr Bucklin, the son of Mr and Mrs Rodney Bucklin of Utica, is a draftsman for the Remington Rand Company, Illion, N.Y. No date has as yet been set for the wedding.

November 10, 1922

Charles E. Beers, an esteemed and well known farmer and dairyman of Palestine district, died on Monday, aged 79 years. Mr Beers had served as selectman, member of the Board of Relief, and was a member of the well known investigating committee, which investigated the financial accounts of several Newtown officials about 20 years ago. Mr Beers was a life long republican and took an active interest in public affairs. He possessed an unusually keen mind, was a great reader and a brilliant conversationalist. His homestead was always noted for its neatness and he was a good farmer. Mr Beers is survived by his wife. The funeral was attended on Thursday afternoon, Rev Edward O. Grisbrook, pastor of the Congregational church, officiating. The burial was in the Newtown cemetery.

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Anxious Reader: No, Druggist Crowe is not suffering from dimentia [sic] precox, or the maniac depressive type of mind, just because he is keeping his “Danbury Fair” sign out all winter. He is a special friend of Hon Mortimer Rundle, treasurer and manager of the Danbury fair, and some think he is a large stockholder in that well paying institution. “Art” says the 1923 fair will soon be here and is doing all he can to build up the fair. Mr Crowe has promised to entertain the editor at dinner at the Hotel Green, provided the Danbury fair sign is not taken down within a week.

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A very pretty fall wedding was solemnized at St Rose’s church, when Miss Lena Talty became the bride of Martin McNamarra. Rev Father Regan performed the ceremony. The bride wore a suit of blue poiret twill with hat to match, with silver trimmings. Her corsage bouquet was of bride roses. The bridesmaid, May Jordan, a niece of the bride, wore brown canton crepe and hat to match with silver trimmings. Her corsage bouquet was of Ophelia roses. Paul McNamarra, brother of the groom, was best man. Immediately after the ceremony the bridal party motored to Bridgeport, where a wedding breakfast was served at the Stratfield hotel. They will be “at home” after December 15.

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Oranges, Uban, White House and Old Dutch coffees, Lipton’s and Tetley’s tea. Gold Medal buckwheat pancake flour, Grandma’s and Pillsbury’s pancake flour, maple syrup in bottles and gallon cans.—[Corbett & Crowe. Adv.

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Arrivals at the Parker House: John Griffith, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; A.B. Shaw, Boston, Mass.; Edward J. Martin and family, New York; Mrs B.W. Collins, Meriden; Miss Ruth Mitchell, Southbury; F.W. Mitchell, New Haven; Mrs H.A. Hawley, Pittsfield, Mass.; F.E. Knox, Woodbury; Alix B. Phelps, Hartford.

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Mr and Mrs John W. Behn motored to Cornwall Bridge, Sunday, where they were the guests of their son, William L. Behn, and saw their new grandson.

November 19, 1897

The platform on the south side of the Hawleyville station has been renewed during the last week.

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James W. Whitney of Brooklyn, who for several years has passed his summers in Hanover district, at the residence of Mrs Lucy Baldwin, died on October 28, aged 77. He was a native of Newtown and has always taken a deep interest in affairs pertaining to Newtown. A son, Joseph P. Whitney of Brooklyn, and a daughter, Mrs Anna M. King of Staten Island, survive him. He was buried in Leroy, N.Y. Mr Whiting was a man of benevolent instincts, and the news of his death was received with regret by all whose good fortune it was to have known him.

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That the Men’s club made a “happy hit” when it engaged Col L.F. Copeland as one of the attractions of its entertainment course was evinced at his lecture at the Town hall, last Friday evening, for everyone went away delighted, declaring they would give double money to hear the eloquent speaker again. The audience, however, was humiliatingly small, and the members of the club under whose auspices the course was given were chagrined at the apparent lack of public interest in so worthy an enterprise for the public good. His subject on Friday night was “Snobs and Snobbery,” and from the beginning to the end of his lecture he held the close attention of every auditor.

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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH NOTES: Rev and Mrs Otis W. Barker, with W.M. Reynolds, have been in attendance this week, at the General State conference of Congregational churches at the South church, Bridgeport. Next Sunday morning, November 21, Rev Mr Barker will preach a sermon appropriate to the Thanksgiving time. | Seven barrels of produce were shipped away as the result of the Harvest festival, and letters expressing deep appreciation and gratitude have come from the recipients of the vegetables. | The ladies of the church are to give a 10¢ supper of the lower room this (Friday) evening from 6 to 8 o’clock. A cordial invitation is extended to all friends of the church to join in this pleasant social occasion.

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James W. Tabb and family of New Haven are to occupy Fern cottage on Newtown street through the winter. For 17 years Mr Tabb held a responsible position with Henry Hooker & Co. of New Haven, who are among the largest carriage manufacturers in the world, and through overlook there he lost his health. He has come to Newtown to see what its wholesome quiet and invigorating air will do in restoring his bodily vigor. We wish him success in this purpose and bid him a hearty welcome among us.

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.