October 27, 1995

Town land use officials have rejected a proposal to build a large exhibition hall in Hawleyville, a concept which had drawn strong organized opposition from Hawleyville area residents during recent weeks. Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members October 19 unanimously rejected two requested zoning amendments that would have laid the groundwork for an exhibition hall intended for trade shows and public events... P&Z member mentioned traffic congestion as a prime reason a hall shouldn’t be built.

***

It took less than an hour at a special town meeting October 25 for residents to approve $4.1 million for the expansion and renovation of the Cyrenius Booth Library. After a brief period of debate, the meeting voted overwhelmingly, 222 to 38, to support the project. Main Street resident Edwin Baumer, however, promised he would gather enough signatures on petitions to require a referendum.

***

Ann McNulty Doyle, director of music at Newtown High School, has been named director of the Newtown Choral Society. The decision was announced by Bonita Cartoun, president of the NCS. The choir’s first concert under the direction of Ms Doyle will be December 9 at the Newtown Meeting House.

***

Things began to unravel for the Newtown High School girls’ soccer team when it dropped an early season game to New Fairfield... But last week the blue and gold yarn that once wove the Lady Indians into the most dominant team in WCC history came off the spool altogether. The NHS girls’ soccer team, who played in every Western Connecticut Conference championship game since the league began in 1984, will be sitting this one out as the new South-West Conference begins its first playoff tournament on October 31.

***

Sandy Hook School has gotten new playground equipment for third through fifth graders. Parents installed the bright blue, red, and green equipment over the summer so the new monkey bars, the glider, and a ten-station fitness center would greet children on the first day of school... Parents Linda Rogers and Jan Huot need to sell more license plates in order to finish the playground project. They hope to buy equipment for the younger children at the school.

***

Considering that he built up the music department at the high school from scratch, Joseph Grasso had a difficult time retiring in 1992, but he certainly did not feel unappreciated. The former high school music instructor was feted, toasted and roasted, and by all means, given a kingly send off. He did not expect that much hoopla, so he was surprised by the farewell encore on Friday. At the annual Newtown High School Marching Band Invitational field show, the event was given a new name: The Joseph P. Grasso Invitational.

October 23, 1970

Sidewalk engineers are guaranteed stiff necks if they watch the work progress on the Trinity Church bell tower for very long. The monster crane that is now parked in the front yard of the church is there as part of the dismantling work that has to be done to repair the tower, and it’s 150 feet to the top of it! Traffic was literally stopped as the big piece of equipment was put into position in front of the church tower where it now hovers like a giant erector set.

***

The League of Women Voters of Newtown is sponsoring a double-barrelled political evening Tuesday, October 27, at 8 pm in Trinity Church Undercroft at the annual “Candidates Night.” Brief talks by the candidates will be followed by a lively panel discussion of the 18-year-old vote.

***

The United Fire Company of Botsford is expecting the delivery of a new truck sometime in the spring of 1971, and preparations to house the truck started in June of this year when members of the fire company lowered the garage floor of the fire house one foot. The work is almost completed now, and on Friday about ten Botsford firemen took time out from work to help lay the asphalt in front of the tanker bay area, around the side, and in back of the firehouse.

***

Parents in Newtown concerned about the prospect of a Family Life and Sex Education program in the Newtown schools formed a group called Newtown Concerned Parents as a result of the open meetings of the Family Life and Sex Education Committee last spring... The Family Life and Sex Education Committee is made up of teachers and residents who are for and against such a program in the school system, and is divided into four groups: one planning a high school curriculum; one a middle school program; one for elementary level; and a fourth that is opposed to a school program.

***

The fall sale of articles made by the patients at Fairfield Hills Hospital will be on Friday, November 6, from 9:30 am to 3 pm, in the gymnasium of Plymouth Hall on the hospital grounds. Included in the sale will be knitted and crocheted articles, leather goods, rugs, paintings and bakery goods.

***

Newtown’s youngsters will be out again this Hallowe’en collecting not only candy and “goodies,” but also pennies and nickels for their UNICEF boxes. Boxes are being distributed at Scout meetings and at Sunday School classes of the churches on the Sunday before Hallowe’en and will be collected at the following troop meeting and/or class.

October 19, 1945

With keen realization of its obligation in an educational way to the rising generation, the commonwealth of Connecticut is riding a groundswell of rising interest in regional schools. Local developments are well to the fore in this rising tide of interest... In Newtown public opinion has crystalized around the report of the Citizen’s Committee of Fifteen, vigorously sponsored by the local Parent Teacher Association. This report is the basis for action at the special town meeting to be held this Saturday evening, and voters are warned to express their will on three questions: whether they favor a regional school; whether they wish to enlarge Hawley School for use as an elementary school; and whether they favor applying for state funds toward financing the improvements at Hawley School.

***

The Newtown Committee for Child Refugees wishes to remind its friends that the demand for clothing in liberated countries has increased since the end of the war. This group is now sending garments to Norway where the need for warm clothing is desperate... A collection of garments leaving Newtown the last week in August arrived in Oslo before the end of September, in plenty of time to be of great comfort to small boys and girls during the severe winter.

***

BOWLING NOTES: On Monday night the Ducks won four points from the Buzzards. Tuesday night the Bluebirds took three points from the Crows. Wednesday night the Robins added three points to their score, and Thursday night the Eagles soared away with four points from the Swans, putting them in first place in the league again. It behooves all the good bowlers of the league to get busy and win the special prize, which our genial “Hub” Beers has offered to the one bowling 150 or better. Ask him about it.

***

The Future Champions of America teams will start their regular Saturday morning sessions next Saturday at 10 o’clock on Taylor Field. Last year, twenty to fifty Future Champions attended these sessions. New shoulder patches are ready to be issued to new members of the revived teams.

***

Clang, clang, clang — the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Department is bringing “Claudia,” the Broadway smash hit, to town for the benefit of the building fund. A gala evening is assured, as the Footlighters of Waterbury are repeating the same play which they did with such success in their home town last season. Tickets are... one dollar, tax included. The Date: November 1st. The Time: 8 pm. The Place: Edmond Town Hall Theatre, Newtown.

***

Following is the report of Mrs George Brown, Newtown’s Visiting Nurse: Thirty six visits were made to the schools during the past two weeks. Nineteen children received first injections of anti-toxins for the prevention of diptheria. Nineteen children were given the Schick test; all were negative. Examinations for pediculi, 502; excluded from school, 26; treated at school, 33; referred to a physician, 2; referred to a dentist, 1. Report of dental hygienist: examinations and cleanings, 183; examinations without cleaning, 79. Visits to homes, 46; new patients admitted, 7.

October 8, 1920

The fierce storm of last Thursday put over 100 telephone stations out of commission, but energetically did H.E. Case, the efficient repair man, do his work that by Monday night every bit of trouble was cleared up.

***

Election is over. Forget it and go to the pictures again on Saturday nights. This week will be presented one of the greatest stars on the screen, Jack Pickford, in the most fascinating story, “In Wrong.” It is called a beautiful picture. Jack Pickford needs no extra advertising. He is a great favorite and pleases everyone. Dancing as usual.

***

The Town election in Newtown, Monday, was a republican landslide, the entire republican ticket being elected. Based on the rate for registrars the average republican majority was 61. William B. Glover defeated John J. Northrop by 41 votes and Clark L. Page defeated Thomas F. Brew by 62. Rodney P. Sheperd as tax collector defeated Martin Hourigan by 78. Judge Oscar Pitzschler was the moderator.

***

Work on the new factory of S. Curtis & Company in Berkshire is being rapidly pushed by the contractors, the Pardy Construction Co, of Bridgeport. The walls for the power house will probably be finished by Saturday night.

***

James Campbell had quite a scare the other day, when William Wheeler came near snatching his record for catching the big eels. As it was, he landed a whopper, weighing four pounds, but the big six-pound eel got away from him and wiggled away in the grass and off into the brook. And then Wheeler sat down and wept copiously.

***

Mrs G.W. Coggswell and Miss Helena Botsford left this morning for their winter home in Belleview, Fla. G.W. Coggswell will follow them later, probably soon after doing his part in the electing of a President.

Your memories are the ones we want to share! 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 editor@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.