May 5, 1995

After a lengthy investigation, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut has deposed the former rector of Newtown’s Trinity Church, G. Gregory Carlson-Bancroft. The pastor came to Newtown from Minnesota, and served for nine months before resigning last June... A letter sent by the church wardens to “Trinity Friends” immediately after the resignation last June said the resignation occurred because a “relationship grew between [Gregory Bancroft] and an adult woman, which progressed beyond the bounds of appropriate behavior for an ordained person.”

***

DGR Contracting and Demolition, Inc quickly reduced The White Birch Inn to rubble at 8 am on Thursday. The once-popular restaurant-cum-biker-bar was gutted by fire in 1987 and had stood as a boarded up eyesore on the corner of Church Hill Road and Queen Street since that time. Sue Nielson... stood on the corner of Church Hill Road and Queen Street... watching the demolition... A bartender at the White Birch Inn before it was damaged by fire in 1987, Ms Nielson soon was joined by Pat Anzellotti... Her husband, Rudy Anzellotti, Jr, also was a bartender at The White Birch Inn... The Aesthetics Committee, popularly known as the “Eyesore Committee,” has been working for two years to get the ramshackle building removed.

***

The Connecticut State Historical Commission has awarded the Newtown Historical Society a $6,550 matching grant to do a survey of the historic buildings in Newtown. “I’m delighted to get that news,” said Sallie Meffert, president of the Newtown Historical Society. “This project benefits the entire town because we’ll be doing houses all over town that were built prior to 1825.”

***

Some residents on the east side of Main Street, upset over the town’s plans to install sewer mains through their backyards, are petitioning the Water Pollution Control Authority to instead install the mains beneath the street. The location of sewer lines to serve the east side of Main Street has been a hotly contested issue during the past year. In submitting their petition to the WPCA, the Main Street residents seek to have the WPCA seek legislative and gubernatorial overrides of the DOT’s objections to installing sewers beneath the street. WPCA members made extensive efforts to satisfy the concerns of Main Street residents, [WPCA chairman Peter Alagna] said... He said he doesn’t expect the sewer placement issue to disappear.

***

Newtown author Justin Scott and others will engage and entertain those who attend “Celebrate Cyrenius” on May 12, from 8 pm to midnight at the library. The gala event is a tribute to the grandfather of Mary Hawley, for whom the library was named. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the library.

***

Ben Ramirez works in one of the most progressive states for Native American issues: Minnesota. He said the state recently passed legislation prohibiting the use of the word “squaw” from state names because it is a derogatory name white men gave Indian women. Most high schools have also stopped using Native Americans as mascots for their schools. He strongly suggests schools ask Connecticut tribes what to do. This year, a group of Newtown High School students researched the mascot issue and asked a group of Connecticut Native Americans to respond to the use of Indians as mascots. Rebecca Cooney, the Mohegan Tribal Council chairman, said she does not see using the name “Indian” for a mascot as wrong. Moon Face Bear of the Golden Hill Paugussetts objects. Even though schools say they will handle the mascot respectfully, Moon Face Bear said they do not.

May 1, 1970

Poet Louis Untermeyer, who first spotted the poems of an unknown Robert Frost in a London quarterly in 1913 and began a friendship that was to endure for half a century, will read his friend’s poetry in the Newtown Choral Society’s spring concert on May 17, in the Middle School Auditorium. Mr Untermeyer will read from Robert Frost’s “Frostiana,” a series of seven country songs set to music by Randall Thompson.

***

The Planning and Zoning Commission hearing on Friday evening, April 24, started off with real fireworks. As Arthur Spector, chairman, plugged in a tape recorder, there was a three-foot flash of flame, a loud noise, and all of the lights in half of the town hall gym went out. Fortunately, Mr Spector was not hurt. (He’s an ex-member of the Boston Celtics in their basketball heyday, and plenty quick on his feet.)

***

A unit for the treatment of drug dependents is being established at Fairfield Hills Hospital. The new unit will be under the direction of Leonard Suchotliff, PhD, clinical psychologist, and will be located in Litchfield House. Dr Suchotliff stated that the goal of the drug unit program will be to help the addict reintegrate himself back into the community. He also stated that the program will stress the establishment of a therapeutic community at Litchfield House in which principles of responsibility and self help will be emphasized.

***

The Housing Committee for Elderly in Newtown has sent out questionnaires to residents over the age of 60, which are to provide data for the Committee and the Planning and Zoning Commission to determine the needs for senior housing. After the questionnaires are returned, the Committee which is made up of a voluntary Inter-Church group working on behalf of the elderly in Newtown, will be able to further their plans for senior housing.

***

The St Rose Home-School Association invites members of the parish and friends of Sister Margaret M. Kane to a reception in her honor. Sister Margaret is celebrating 25 years in the convent. She entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Nemurs Novitiate in 1945 at Waltham, Mass. She later came to Connecticut where she spent 13 years teaching in East Hartford, New Britain, Norwalk, and Newtown, where she is now the Mother Superior of St Rose Convent.

***

A large number of acres were burned as a result of a brush fire on Pocono Road. Wednesday, April 29. Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company with its main line pumper and brush truck responded to the call that went out at 2:50 pm, along with Engine 1 and State trucks from the Conservation Commission. Engine 1 remained on the scene for two hours, and Hawleyville stayed until after 6 pm.

April 27, 1945

Chairman George M. Stuart of the Newtown National Clothing Collection reports that the town is “over the top.” On Saturday, April 21st, a town-wide collection was made by truck, and the many items contributed by townspeople in all sections of the town were moved into the gymnasium of Edmond Town Hall. From there, the clothing will be sorted, packed, and eventually shipped overseas. It is estimated that over 3 tons of clothing and bedding have already been contributed.

***

Friends will rejoice with Mr and Mrs Harold S. DeGroat to know that they received a post card last Thursday from their son, Lieutenant Robert DeGroat, written on February 4, from a German prison camp, Offstalig 3, at Lukenwald, which is some 30 miles south of Berlin. He wrote that he was a prisoner because he had had a little hard luck, but he was getting along well, considering... It is hoped that by this time he has been liberated by the advancing allied armies.

***

One of the best amateur performances by high school students to be seen in Newtown in recent years was given at the Edmond Town Hall theater last Thursday evening when the Senior Class of Hawley High School presented Robert St Clair’s lively comedy, “He Couldn’t Marry Five,” the story of a wealthy young man, Donald Regan, who has just recuperated from a nervous breakdown brought about by an overindulgence in sports.

***

“Scuddy” Smith, son of Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith, on Saturday became the proud master of a Shetland pony, named “Silver Belle,” which has become a member of the Smith household for the next two months.

***

Last Friday evening’s meeting of the Newtown Board of Education was devoted to the discussion of the survey of the school situation in Newtown, made by the State Department of Education and recently publish in The Bee. The Board voted to hold a public meeting on Thursday, May 10, at 8 o’ clock, in the theater of the Edmond Town Hall for open discussion... Any person in Newtown or surrounding towns interested in the subject of education and the improvement of school facilities is welcome to attend.

***

F. Joseph Budd of Currituck Road had the misfortune to fall and break a leg on Saturday. He was taken to the Bridgeport Hospital, where he remained a patient, returning to his home on Wednesday.

April 23, 1920

The microfilm containing 1920 Newtown Bee editions is kept at the C.H. Booth Library, which is temporarily closed due to coronavirus health precautions.

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