Tercentennial Panel Looks Ahead To A Few More Events

By Nancy K. Crevier

The Tercentennial Steering Committee met Wednesday, September 7, to discuss details of the remaining celebrations sponsored by the committee in honor of Newtown’s 300th anniversary.

After a busy winter, spring, and summer coordinating the tremendously successful Tercentennial Colonial Ball, Rooster Rally, Cemetery Tour, the August birthday bash and fireworks, and numerous other activities, the committee is turning its attention to the Tableaux Vivants coming up October 1 at Newtown High School. Under the direction of Amber Edwards, the Tableaux Vivants will present living scenes of four Newtown events of historical significance narrated by Town Historian Dan Cruson.

Other projects still under the auspices of the Tercentennial Committee include a coffee table book depicting scenes from Newtown’s Tercentennial year and a book of essays by Dan Cruson, which will be available for purchase in October. The profits from Mr Cruson’s book, produced by the committee, will benefit the Newtown Historical Society.

The committee reported that many of Newtown’s schools will continue to celebrate the 300th founding of the town through a variety of activities and programs, and discussion was held concerning the selection of an appropriate tangible memorial to Newtown’s Tercentennial. Suggestions of a souvenir pamphlet, a monument with brass plaque, the purchase of a seat at Edmond Town Hall Theatre, or that of a time capsule were received by the chairperson for consideration. The members were reminded that as the tercentennial year comes to a close, a decision on the memorial would need to be made at the next meeting, and that final accounting for all of the programs would be important.

Besides the Tableaux Vivants, Newtowners can look forward to a closing Tercentennial Ecumenical Service to be held in Edmond Town Hall in November. Rev Robert Weiss of St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church will organize the program in conjunction with other clergy members from Newtown.

The tree lighting on Ram Pasture the first weekend in December will mark the end of Newtown’s 300th Anniversary celebrations, and the final collaboration of the Tercentennial Steering Committee.

As the committee disbands in December, it is certain that Newtown salutes these dedicated committee members for guiding the town through a year of memories to last a lifetime and beyond.

The members of the Tercentennial Steering Committee are Dan Cruson, Mae Schmidle, Cindy Simon, John Trentacosta, Julia Wasserman, Scudder Smith, Bill Brimmer, John Martocci, Gordon Williams, Janet Woycik, Barbara Kasbarian, and Brigette Sorenson.