August 13, 1982

Lightning from Monday’s storm struck three buildings in Newtown, and caused a barn on Kenan Road to burn to the ground. Also hit were Newtown Middle School on Queen Street and a house on Baldwin Road near Route 302. Feliks Kraweicki called the switchboard at 8:30 Monday night to report that the barn behind his house was burning, “It was fully in flame by the time we got there,” said Hawleyville Fire Chief Frank Johnson. At 9:30 am Monday morning Hook and Ladder responded to the middle school when lightning knocked some transformers off the roof and shorted the alarm system. Mr and Mrs Joseph Komornik of Baldwin Road said the lightning struck a tree beside their house at 9:40 am and traveled along a fence before going through one end of the house and out the roof, blowing out some shingles.

 

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Newtown will try once again to revise its town charter, after the ill-fated efforts of the Charter Revision Commission, which sat from 1980-81, were wiped out April 6 when a freak blizzard prevented any possibility of enough voters going to the polls to pass any of the charter proposals. Possible charges for the commission to consider are heavily weighted toward improving the town budget approval process, including the possibility of eliminating the town meeting, and going to a direct referendum vote once the council produces a budget proposal.

 

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Superintendent of Schools Dr John Reed has proposed the creation of a newsletter to be sent to Newtown citizens during the coming school year. The communication would bring about an awareness and understanding of education today. Dr Reed estimates that the publication would cost approximately $2,800 for the year based on 8,500 to 9,000 copies per issue.

 

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A proposal to allow the vacant former Fabric Fire Hose Company factory on Glen Road, Sandy Hook, to be converted into office condominiums will be aired by the Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission at a public hearing Thursday, August 19, at 8 pm, at Town Hall South. The limited partnership that owns the Victorian-era 60,000 square foot mill, Newtown Mill Associates, Ltd, based in Greenwich, is seeking a special exception under the zoning regulations for the use.

 

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On a bike, 83 miles a day is really pushing the pedals. It’s cycling several hours each day and putting up with sore muscles, blisters, and assorted other aches and pains. But it’s worth it, say Stuart Smith and his daughter, Nancy. The Sandy Hook residents flew to Seattle, Wash., with their bikes on May 28 and began the trek back to Sandy Hook the following day. Their route took them through Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts. They arrived home July 5.

 

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The 25th anniversary of Sandy Hook School was just the beginning of an ongoing dream which the PTA and friends hope, with the approval of the Newtown Board of Education, will become a reality in the near future. Charlotte Hamilton, a teacher at Sandy Hook School from its beginning, presented the school with the gift of a plan for the upgrading of the playgrounds — a plan designed by her daughter, Alice Farley, a former Sandy Hook student and presently a landscape architect in Philadelphia. Mrs Farley has designed many playgrounds as part of her work.

 

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The decision to close Fairfield House, the home of the alcoholism rehabilitation program at Fairfield Hills Hospital, remains a distinct possibility, despite resistance from hospital staff concerned that the move would curtail services. Several options were being considered. One of them, moving the drug detoxification patients to Cochran House, was discarded because Cochran houses primarily the elderly.

August 16, 1957

Quiet Valley Farm on Poverty Hollow Road, Hopewell District, was stricken Sunday when fire broke out in the large dairy barn, destroying the building and consuming 300 tons of ensilage and 90 tons of baled hay. The cattle, one of the country’s top herds of purebred Ayrshires, were removed from the blazing building in time by Alexander Meek, the farm superintendent who discovered the fire. Several buildings near the barn were saved, but the barn was leveled to the lower part of the main section and two silos were gutted.

 

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A speeding car on Botsford Hill Road killed a fox terrier belonging to Mr and Mrs Joseph F. Wiser, Sr last Friday night. The Wisers and the Robert Mounts have both had a number of dogs killed by automobiles over a period of time and feel strongly that something should be done to make travel safer than it is at present over Botsford Hill.

 

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In view of the fact that there has been no opposition to any of the candidates endorsed by the Republican and Democratic parties of Newtown in this year’s election, there will be no primary elections in Newtown this year. Closing date for filing petitions for the Republican party was August 5 and for the Democratic party August 7. Election day is October 7.

 

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Plans are progressing nicely for Greater Newtown Sales Days, the sales event sponsored for the second year by the Newtown Chamber of Commerce for its merchant members. The two days are Friday and Saturday, August 23 and 24, and according to Robert Schoonmaker, chairman of the Chamber’s Merchants Committee, all members are cooperating by arranging for outstanding bargains. It is planned to award special prizes, with coupons to be issued for every $1 purchase.

 

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Miss Nancy Stewart, daughter of Mr and Mrs J. Norton Stewart of Castle Hill Road, was taken to Danbury Hospital last Saturday and treated for bruises which she sustained when the horse she was riding around their property bolted and catapulted her over a stone fence. Following treatment, Miss Stewart returned home.

 

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In defeating the Yankees by a score of 11 to 3 last Friday evening, the Dodgers emerged as the 1957 champions of the Newtown Little League, thus bringing their total number of wins to 15 out of 17 games played during the entire season. The team will be honored at a testimonial dinner in the near future.

 

August 12, 1932

What promises to be the biggest attraction for baseball fans this season and the most crucial game of the league’s schedule will take place this Sunday coming, when Brookfield, the first half pennant winners, engages the Giants at Pine Grove Park. Sandy Hook has won four straight with no losses and is making a desperate bid to capture second half honors.

 

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A new play, headed for Broadway will be given its first production on any stage, at Newtown tonight. It is called The Island and is the work of Sophie Treadwell, who wrote Machinal, and who has a summer home in Newtown.

 

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A lawn fete will be held at the residence of Mr and Mrs Louis T. Briscoe, Sandy Hook, Tuesday afternoon and evening, August 16, for the benefit of St John’s church. There will be several tables devoted to the sale of food, homemade candy, novelty articles, ice cream and lemonade. The young men are in charge of the “grill” and will disperse “all hots.”

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Miss Florence Andersen of Mt Pleasant, while attending the union picnic of the Congregational and Trinity Sunday schools at Lakeside, Southbury, on Tuesday, was overcome with heat on the bathing beach and fainting, fell to the sands. She was carried to the pavilion by Rev Paul Cullens, where kindly ladies ministered to her. After a half hour’s rest she was able to get up and move about, apparently none the worse for the heat seizure.

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On Wednesday evening, J. William Hayes, local baritone singer, was heard in a pleasing song and piano recital at the studio of Mrs Jennie Cree-Gregory, at Danbury. Mr Hayes was accompanied on the piano by Donald Griscom, organist and choirmaster of Trinity church, Newtown.

 

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J. Russell Wheeler of Elizabeth, N.J., was stricken with Infantile paralysis, last week, and is reported in quite serious condition. Mr Wheeler is the son of Postmaster H.W. Wheeler of Newtown and was in Newtown with his family at the time of the George Washington Bicentennial celebration in July.

 

August 16, 1907

Why don’t the Selectmen see to it that the stones are raked up along the roads? It would make driving and riding much pleasanter and be appreciated by the owners of automobiles and horses.

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In arranging a summer’s outfit, the girl of to-day gives more time and thought to her various outing costumes than to her full-dress attire; although in view of the exquisite lingerie and lace dresses that grace evening entertainments, it cannot be said that the latter is neglected. In this gay sojourn yachting suits are of the first importance, and sensible styles predominate; plaited skirts, with tight fitting or cutaway jackets, or else box coats, trimmings being an individual matter. The cardinal point is, that the yachting suit should be white.

 

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Goldsmith’s celebrated play She Stoops to Conquer will be presented at the Town hall, Friday evening, the 23, by a company of High school pupils, under the direction of Prof Ross Jewell. The young people have been faithfully rehearsing since the close of school in Glover’s hall. The entertainment promises to be a notable success.

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The law passed by the Legislature will make it necessary for the hunter of birds and quadrupeds to take out a license. If the hunter is a “bona fide resident” of the state he will have to pay $1 as a license fee and 10 cents for a recording fee, while every citizen not a resident of the state must pay $10 plus 25 cents. In Newtown the licenses are to be obtained of Town Clerk M.J. Houlihan.

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A MAMMOTH BASS CAUGHT IN TAUNTON LAKE. Austin Schoonmaker of Taunton captured a five and three-quarter pound bass in Taunton lake, last week Wednesday.