December 26, 1997

Some Planning & Zoning Commission members have expressed general support of a planning study that analyzes Hawleyville’s potential for economical development through 2017, but they have questioned certain aspects of the study. The study, which was prepared for the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials by Barakos-Landino, Inc, of Hamden, finds there is an opportunity for significant economic development without adversely affecting the basic character of Hawleyville or overburdening its natural or built environment.

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To some officials, Watertown Hall is like that Christmas gift you wish you never received. The State of Connecticut handed over the former Fairfield Hills Hospital building, along with 22.6 acres and a garage, to the town last spring as part of a 1991 agreement that settled a lawsuit the town brought against the state over the construction of Garner Correctional facility. Now, the town has to figure out what to do with the building. Watertown Hall was initially looked at as a possible answer to the town’s municipal center woes. Further inspection revealed, however, that the former staff dormitory is made up of nothing more than 150 or so little cubicles, not practical for Newtown’s needs.

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OVER THE BACK FENCE: Everyone has been hurrying and shopping and wrapping and baking and doing all the special extra things that go along with Christmas. The holiday itself has just passed, but the visiting and festivities continue. Standing in a short line at the grocery store the other day I watched a scene unfold. A young boy’s mother had commented about the memories that were part of this special time, and the youngster asked, “What’s a memory?” His mother thought a minute and said, “They are times or things we do that are extra special so we remember them a long time.”

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Cyrenius H. Booth Library curator Caroline Stokes is putting an “All Call” alert to Newtowners who are published writers, editors and/or book illustrators. She is seeking signed copies, or at least an up-to-date listing, of their works, to be included in the library’s Newtown Authors Collection. “We’ve already got more than 100 authors and samples of their books dating back several decades,” she said, “but many of these authors are dead now. We need to update the collection with contemporary authors.”

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Saturday, December 20, proved to be one successful opening day for the Newtown High School indoor track team. Competing at the Yale Developmental, Newtown saw three different athletes break or equal three different school records. NHS junior Erica Massella cleared 4’10” in the high jump to tie the school’s indoor record set in 1989 by Amy Young. In the shotput event, Newtown’s thrower supreme Becky Osborne blasted Becky Young’s 1992 indoor school record with a shot of 36’9½” — eclipsing even Osborne’s previous best effort by nearly three full inches. The third NHS record to fall on Saturday came in the long jump, when Reid Warner leapt 18’6”, besting his own record of 18’1½” set last season.

December 22, 1972

Christmas carols sung by the Newtown High School Chorus under the direction of Joseph Grasso filled the night air on Monday, December 18, when the traditional tree lighting ceremony took place in front of Edmond Town Hall. The event had to be postponed from Friday because of the snow and ice storm.

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Last year 34 families, 64 adults and 146 children received food, clothes, toys and personal gifts from the Newtown Fund. Contributions came from 20 different organizations here in town plus a large number of individuals. If this sounds like the Spirit of Christmas, it is that. This year over 50 families will be included in the program if Newtowners lend their assistance. Everyone in town is asked to lend their support to help at least equal the fine spirit of Christmas last year. Each person giving some small item is assured that it will be given directly to a person in town who will be able to use the item and appreciate it.

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With thoughts of Christmas and the holiday season foremost in mind, this summer may seem far away. But as of the middle of this week, 199 townspeople have answered the plea for money for the Summer Festival and about one half of the goal has been reached. Contributions sent to the Festival Fund, care of Connecticut National Bank, Queen Street, Newtown, total $940.22 so far, and, according to Edward Sullivan, chairman, the fireworks may still remain on the schedule of events for next year. He stressed, however, that the Festival is not yet in the clear and the committee is looking forward to more donations.

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The Board of Finance assembled in full strength December 18, after the carol-singing and tree-lighting in front of the Edmond Town Hall were over, but the only action they took was approval of the minutes of the October meeting. There were no minutes for November because on that occasion there was no quorum.

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After six years in town the Newtown Montessori School Inc has found a permanent home on property owned by Louis and Jean Marshall on Route 202 and Taunton Hill Road. At the Planning and Zoning Commission’s special meeting on Tuesday night, December 19, the school’s plans, which were presented to the Commission at a December 1 public hearing, were approved. Commission members deliberated on health and safety factors offered by the building and grounds, which had formerly been a restaurant-tea room. At the earlier public hearing residents of the area had raised objections to possible noise and traffic increases which the school would cause.

December 19, 1947

Donald McCain, chairman of the combined scrap drive conducted in Newtown last Saturday, reports a cash return from the drive of slightly more than $42 from loads of paper contributed by the townspeople, which totaled 210 pounds less than five tons in weight. Those taking part in the drive included Senior and Intermediate Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls and Boy Scouts, besides local individuals who drove trucks and individuals and business organizations that donated the services of their vehicles.

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It has been announced that the Cyrenius H. Booth Library will close Wednesday, Christmas Eve, promptly at 6 o’clock, and will be closed all day Thursday, Christmas Day.

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Miss Mary Starr Smith, who is a student at Walnut Hill School, Natick, Mass., returned on Wednesday to enjoy the Christmas vacation at the home of her parents, Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith.

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The Men’s Social and Literary club of Newtown street opened its 502nd meeting at Hawley Manor at 7 o’clock on Wednesday evening of last week. With “Chief” W.M. McKenzie as host, following a steak dinner at which 49 members, their wives and invited guests sat down, the meeting was brought to order by Herman R. Geiger in the absence of the president C. Walter Bounty. Mr Geiger made a few remarks regarding the past history of the club, following which he requested a minute of silence as an evidence of respect to the memory of charter member John J. Northrop, whose death had occurred only a few days prior to the meeting. The speaker of the evening, Mortimer B. Smith, who with his family has recently returned from one of several trips to Norway, drew intimate word pictures of Norway, its people and their way of life.

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Mr and Mrs Oscar Johnson of Oolitic, Indiana, have arrived in town to spend the holidays with their daughter and family, Mr and Mrs George W. Blake of Berkshire district, and with Mrs Johnson’s mother, Mrs Anna Sperry, also of Berkshire.

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On Monday afternoon, Newtown, through the selectmen, accepted delivery of a new Marmon-Herrington snow fighter, four-wheel-drive truck, equipped with hydraulically-operated plow and adjustable wings. Delivery was made by Frank E. Bushy of the Construction Equipment Company of Hartford, representative of the firm whose plant is located elsewhere in Connecticut. Mr Bushy, who sells only to towns, cities and states, not to private owners, said that approximately 500 of the new-type combination truck and snow fighters were in use throughout Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts. Because the snow fighter was on order before a price change went into effect, the cost to the Town of Newtown was $6,795. The current all-inclusive price for the unit is $7,286.

December 15, 1922

While driving through Berkshire on Friday last, the large touring car belonging to Ambrose Conger skidded on the ice into the ditch. Fortunately the car was not damaged. The Conger Wrecking crew were quickly on the job and pulled “Brose” back into the road.

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Rev E.O. Grisbrook called on Dea R.D. Smith at the Danbury hospital, Monday.

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Willis Arndt of Taunton called on Dea R.D. Smith at the Danbury hospital, Tuesday.

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Raymond Carroll, the popular jitney man of Sandy Hook, died on Thursday morning. He was of a very genial nature and well liked. The funeral will take place on Saturday morning from St Charles church in Bridgeport at 9 a.m. Mr Carroll is a son of Mr and Mrs John Carroll, and when well, was always full of energy and good cheer.

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The following has been received by John J. Northrop, Fuel Administrator for Newtown and Oxford, and will explain itself: If you have not already done so I request that you immediately notify your dealers that every delivery of domestic anthracite coal must contain not less than 20 per cent of substitutes such as buckwheat or bituminous if dealers have any. If you think advisable suggest you request your Mayor to issue statement to public confirming necessity of such substitution. Connecticut Fuel Commission, T.W. Russell, State Fuel Administrator.

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Miss Mary Murphy and William Murphy of Waterbury passed Sunday with their mother in Berkshire.

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For Christmas gifts, Corbett & Crowe call attention to Universal and Premier Electric Vacuum cleaners, Indian Head wool bed blankets, soft lined comfortables, men’s sport coats, ladies’ four buckle arctics in black and gray, a nice assortment ladies’ wool hose.—{adv.

December 24, 1897

The closing of the Newtown Academy for the holiday vacation of two weeks was fittingly celebrated in the assembly room of the Academy building on Friday afternoon of last week, with interesting and highly commendable exercises by the scholars of the institution. Prof W.H. Hoyt and his assistants, Miss Hall, Miss Collier and Mrs C.S. Platt, arranged the program, which was largely devoted to the poet Whittier, it being the anniversary of his birthday.

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Rev O.W. Barker, pastor of the Congregational church in Newtown, preached in the First church in Danbury, Sunday, in exchange with Rev A.F. Pierce. Mr Barker preached to a large audience, and his sermon was a very eloquent and thoughtful one, on the topic of life and the judgement. His text was a familiar one, but was treated in an original manner, and many new thoughts were brought out. It was from Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement.”

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H.B. Coger has put in a mill for grinding bone at his Huntingtown mill. Other improvements under way are a new grist mill. Mr Coger is selling lots of feed at his stores in Huntingtown and Hawleyville.

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District Deputy J.H. Blakeman visited Pootatuck Grange, Tuesday night. After the election of officers, supper was served. The following officers were elected: Master, E.F. Northrop; Overseer, S.J. Botsford; Lecturer, O.O. Wright; Steward, Edwin B. Camp; Assistant Steward, W.B. Glover; Chaplain, C.M. Beresford; Treasurer, Walter H. Glover; Secretary, L.A. Botsford; Gatekeeper, Frank H. Mitchell; Ceres, Mrs L.A. Baldwin; Flora, Mrs Charles E. Beers; Lady Steward, Miss Helen M. Beers; member of executive committee, S.J. Botsford, three years; pianist, C.G. Peck.

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Dr J. W. Gordon and his wife left, last Wednesday, for a three weeks’ visit to New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburg. They will return on or about January 10, and will bring back with them their little daughter Doretta, who has been visiting in Pittsburg for the past three months. The doctor’s practice will be looked after during his absence by Dr E.M. Smith of Newtown.

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Abstract of report of the treasurer of the Newtown Library Association, December 6, 1897: Dr: To amount received from subscriptions fines and loads during the year, $75.09; to proceeds of entertainments $68.20; to interest on deposit in the Newtown savings bank, $4.42; total. $147.71. Cr: By Librarian’s salary for the year, $65.00; by cash for periodicals and incidentals, $15.67; by cash for new books, $49.25; balance for the year, $17.79; total, $147.71. Balance in Mechanics’ and Farmers’ savings bank of Bridgeport, $208.02. Balance in Newtown savings bank, $163.43.

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.