July 5, 1996

Workmen have been laboring under a hot July sun in building the sewage treatment plant that will serve the town sewer system and Fairfield Hills sewer system. Work on the $8.8 million sewage treatment plant is underway in a remote corner of the Fairfield Hills property, which the state has given to the town. The town has approved spending up to $34.3 million on its sewer system, which is planed to be completed by 1997.

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A lawyer representing 15 of about two dozen state workers still living in dormitories at Fairfield Hills is seeking a court order to force the state to follow proper eviction procedures in having the tenants move out of their quarters, rather than threatening them with firings and a cut-off of utilities unless they move... If a restraining order is not granted, the plaintiffs will suffer irreparable harm and their safety and security will be in jeopardy, according to the lawyer.

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On June 28, legislators, friends, and residents of Nunnawauk Meadows celebrated 20 years of affordable housing for the elderly in Newtown. The Berkshire Band provided the music, and residents baked goodies for the event. Edward Osterman, president of Newtown Housing for the Elderly, spoke of the dream that was realized through caring citizens.

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Little League Championship: Only one week earlier, Lexington Gardens had been a mediocre baseball team plodding along at a five-hundred clip and struggling for its playoff life in the Majors Division of the Newtown Little League. But oh what a difference a week can make. On Friday night, June 28, Lexington Gardens pulled off one of the league’s all-time championship upsets when it concluded an unlikely four game winning streak with a 3-2 victory over the Police Union in the league final in front of a screaming crowd at Fairfield Hills.

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It might have been the fifth annual golf tournament to benefit the Newtown High School football program, but there were a couple of firsts being recorded. Not only did the tournament enjoy its highest turnout, but the winning team also turned in the best score of all — 10 under par.

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Since 1987, third graders at the overcrowded Hawley Elementary School have been attending class in the “annex,” the portable building behind the Church Hill Road school. But this most recent group of third graders will go down in history as the last class to pass through the “annex”: the structure will be torn down next week. In its place will stand a $4 million, 22,000 square-foot addition, which is expected to be completed by the fall of 1997.

July 2, 1971

On Friday, July 9, volunteers from Newtown and Southbury will seed Lake Zoar with copper sulfate to battle the algae that makes the lake green, murky, and uninviting. The copper sulfate will be delivered to Dickinson Park where it will be rebagged into burlap sacks... the bags will be dragged behind boats to disperse the chemical through the water.

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The 125th anniversary of Curtis & Son Inc of Sandy Hook and Cheshire was the subject of the cover and a three-page story in the February issue of Connecticut Industry, one of Connecticut’s leading industry journals. The Curtis company is one of the oldest in the state and one of the few that has remained under the principal ownership and management of a single family.

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As The Bee was ready to go to press it was learned that there was a fire at the Hobby Horse Gift Shop, which is also the Hull residence on Main Street... the town switchboard indicated that a room in the house was damaged. However, the occupants were able to get out safely.

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Residents are reminded that there is an informational meeting on the second phase of the Route I-84 widening. Phase two of the widening will complete the change in I-84 to a four-lane highway and as a result of a public hearing on March 30, the state has changed its reconstruction plans... eliminating a diamond shaped interchange to permit access to the throughway for local traffic. The new plan calls for an overpass at Loftis Lane... The changed plan will save about 39 homes which the first proposal would have taken.

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The Newtown Cub Scouts had their annual Olympic Day at the Town Park on Saturday, June 26. Over 75 boys and their families turned out to participate in athletic events and the town championship Pinewood Derby Races. First, second, and third place winners of the athletic events won gold, silver, and bronze medals. The tug-o-war and Derby winners received trophies.

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As of Wednesday evening, the count on whether or not to spray against linden and gypsy moths next spring was 373 in favor of spraying and 14 opposed.

June 28, 1946

Graduation exercises for the 15 members of the Senior class of Hawley High School was held before an audience of parents, friends, and other well-wishers who filled the Edmond Town Hall auditorium last Thursday evening. The invocation was given by Rev John W. Mutton, rector of St John’s and Trinity Episcopal churches. Hon John T. Cullinan, judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the State of Connecticut, at Bridgeport, delivered the commencement address.

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Albert Van Akelyen, the younger of the two Belgian boys whose support was provided by Newtown during the war years, has sent to Mr and Mrs Roger Howson his photograph and a long letter describing the difficulties of his present life. He and his family are desperately in need of clothing. Packages of used clothing may be sent duty free to Belgium. Cannot some of us still find a few usable garments to help them out?

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The Misses Barbara and Nancy Baxter have been engaged by the Board of Education to supervise and manage the playgrounds during the coming season. Miss Barbara Baxter will have charge of the Taylor Field grounds, except when she is acting as American Red Cross swimming instructor. Miss Nancy Baxter will take over the newly planned grounds at Sandy Hook School. Coach DeGroat expects to install the teeters and baseball facilities at once, but the installation of the six swings depends on delivery from the American Fence Company, which has been affected by the strikes prevailing in the country.

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Newtown Visiting Nurse Association: During Infantile Paralysis Prevention Week, June 2-9, approximately 500 bulletins concerning this disease were mailed to homes. The bulletin describes the onset of the disease and precautions to be observed to prevent possibly contracting it, and stressed importance of early diagnosis and treatment.

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A mobile X-ray unit operated by the State of Connecticut Department of Tuberculosis Control arrived in Danbury this week to make chest x-rays of telephone employees. The x-ray equipment is carried in a large motor bus. Telephone employees from Newtown, Redding and Ridgefield will also be x-rayed while the unit is in Danbury. The Southern New England Telephone Company is cooperating with the state agency to make chest x-rays available without charge to all its employees.

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The opening of the First Annual Firemen’s Carnival will be ballyhooed next Monday evening by a visit of most of its fire apparatus to all sections of the town. The engines will leave the Edmond Town Hall punctually at five o’clock Monday evening, complete their tours of the town and then join the Drum Corps on Main street for the Grand Parade to Taylor Field at 6:45 pm. The carnival will continue every night throughout the week.

June 17, 1921

On Sunday, June 5, John W. Dayton motored to the Berkshire cemetery to fix up his father’s grave and plant some flowers. While at work, he took off a new sweater and placed it on the monument. When he started for home he went away without the sweater. On discovering the loss, he returned to Berkshire but some one had taken the sweater. Several parties entered the yard after Mr Dayton and some one appropriated the sweater. The party who took it will find it to their interest to return the garment at once. It was a mean, low-down trick, at the best.

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Anyone who will be interested in making the repairs at the district schools is asked to communicate with the Secretary of the School Board, Charles A. Peale, or the Supervisor, F.H. Johnston.

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On Saturday evening a severe electrical storm caused slight damage about town. The house of John M. Beers of Hopewell was damaged slightly by a bolt of lightning entering the house by means of the telephone wire. F.W. Platt suffered in a similar manner. The barn of E.M. Peck in Huntingtown was damaged slightly and one cow was struck by lightning.

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Thursday evening, June 23, the Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Co No 1 will give one of their popular lawn parties and dances at the Fire House. There will be games, amusements, attractions of various kinds and dancing. A cordial invitation is extended to the public and a good time is assured by all who attend.

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There will be a dance the Town hall on Fourth of July night. Seymour’s four-piece novelty orchestra will furnish music. The admission will be 50 cents including war tax.

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Rev John Conway, who has been attached to St Patrick’s church in New Haven for four years, has been appointed by the Bishop Nilan to the pastorate of St Rose’s church, succeeding Rev George T. Sinnott.

Your memories are the ones we want to share! Do you have photographs of people or places in towns 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.