February 21, 1997

A reward is being offered for information leading to the recovery of an antique cast iron school bell stolen last week from the grounds of Newtown Manufacturing Company, where it has been displayed for the past 50 years. The bell, which had been mounted on a post, apparently disappeared Tuesday or Wednesday. “It looks like someone took a chain saw and made three cuts,” said Bill Watts, vice president of Newtown Manufacturing. “The bell was at least 100 pounds. Two people had to be involved to lift it.”

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Workmen have begun initial construction work on the expansion of Newtown Shopping Center. Workers Wednesday began installing waste disposal equipment at the Queen Street site. The expanded shopping center will house a Big Y supermarket and a CVS store. The Kasper Group recently obtained financing for the long-awaited redevelopment project.

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Laurence W. Newquist, Sr, a prominent Newtown artist and founder of the Society of Creative Arts of Newtown, died February 14 at his home. He was the husband of Ruth Nolan Newquist. He had lived in Newtown since 1967. Mr Newquist studied at the Art School of Minneapolis Art Institute, the Pratt Institute, and the Art Student’s League in New York City. For many years he worked in New York City illustrating paperback covers for pocket books. He exhibited oil paintings throughout New England and won numerous awards, ranging from honorable mention to Best in Show. He was an instructor at the Famous Artist School in Westport, Fairfield University, and the Paeir College of Art.

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Andrew and Elizabeth Portnoy of Newtown, and their parents Michael and Susan, recently joined more than 800 middle and high school students and their parents for Space and Astronomy Day at Boston University. The program, sponsored by Boston University’s Center for Space Physics and the Johns Hopkins Institute for the Academic Advancement of Youth, was designed to introduce bright, talented students from throughout the country to the excitement and fun of astronomy and space physics. The day included a keynote address by Shuttle Astronaut Sam T. Durrance, various workshops for the students that explored how rockets work, why Pluto is the coldest planet on earth, and how astronomers search for extraterrestrial life.

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When deciding upon the 1996 Newtown Bee Sportsman, we looked toward the local recreational sports and school athletes. From a long list of worthy nominations, we wanted to find a candidate who excelled athletically, and, more importantly, whose character typified sportsmanship and whose presence made a positive impact on others. Anyone who knows Billy Girard, 51 — who has been playing Newtown Slo-Pitch since the program began, and has been teaching and coaching at the middle school since 1968 — knows we got our man.

February 25, 1972

A fire destroyed the home of the Treadwell family Sunday morning, February 20, and took the life of First Selectman Timothy Treadwell, 41. Sons Mead and Frank ran to the homes of neighbors to call for help. Both calls reached the switchboard at Edmond Town Hall barely a minute apart, the first at 9:55. Nearly 70 volunteer firemen fought the Zoar Road blaze, including men from Sandy Hook and Hook & Ladder, and apparatus from those companies and Botsford. Sandy Hook Chief Herb Lewis reports that when the men arrived, the front of the house was completely involved and flames were shooting out of the windows and through the roof. Mrs Anne Treadwell, the three Treadwell boys (including Albert), and the family dog were all able to escape from the home.

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Trinity Episcopal Church was filled to overflowing at the services for First Selectman Timothy Treadwell on Wednesday afternoon at 2. Latecomers of the more than 450 who came to pay him honor were seated in the choir loft. Simplicity, affection and reassurance were the keynotes — at least they were to this friend of Tim’s. Members of the Treadwell family gathered from as far away as California, town, state and federal officials from as far away as Washington, D.C., Boy Scouts were there in uniform, a delegation from the Board of the Southwestern Girl Scout Council, and many, many other friends. A Guard of Honor of Newtown Police, headed by Chief Louis Marchese, formed outside the church. Pallbearers were Selectman Thomas Goosman, Seth O.L. Brody, Philip Kopp, Timothy Loughlin, Richard Monckton and Walter Lane. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials, Danbury Mayor Gino Arconti, and First Selectmen Wesley Kennen of Brookfield, Charles J. McCollam of Bethel, Jesse Sanford of Redding, Joseph J. McLinden of Ridgefield, also First Selectmen of Housatonic area towns not yet in the Council, Lou White of New Milford, William Raacke of New Fairfield, and Kenneth Grant of Sherman.

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The two Newtown Selectmen, Thomas Goosman and Sidney Seligmann, have ordered Town offices to be closed at noon on Wednesday, February 23, as an expression of respect for the late First Selectman Timothy B. Treadwell. They also issued the following proclamation: In respect and tribute to the memory of Newtown’s First Selectman, the late Timothy B. Treadwell, we hereby proclaim a period of mourning commencing at noon, Wednesday, February 23, 1972, for 30 days therefrom.

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The Cyrenius Booth Library is now featuring a display of architectural drawings from the firm of Royal Barry Wills Associates, Boston. Royal Barry Wills was the founder of this firm which has become famous for its Early American homes, authentic in every detail and complementing the landscape and habitat of the individual. The firm is now run by Robert E. Minot and Mr Wills’ son, Richard, designing homes, churches, village shopping centers, condominiums and hospitals. Its houses have been built throughout the United States, Canada, the Tropics, Australia and England. The display will be open to the public during regular library hours through March 24.

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Last week-end’s snow storm played havoc with the planned Winter Camporee of the Treamone District at the Boy Scout Camp Grounds in South Britain. All Boy Scout Troops in the towns of Newtown, Monroe, Easton and Trumbull were scheduled to participate. The Camporee has been rescheduled for this week-end. Undaunted by the weather forecast, 21 Scouts and four leaders of Boy Scout Troop 470 of Newtown camped out at the South Britain camp grounds in tents last Friday night, February 18, and returned home on Saturday noon when the snow storm was essentially over. The Scouts reported that everything went well until the leaders’ tent ripped under the weight of the wet snow at 5:30 am.

February 21, 1947

Hawley School’s girls’ basketball team won the Housatonic Valley League championship for the second year in succession last Friday afternoon on the Washington High School Court, when they defeated the strong Thomaston team in the finals, 18-17, thanks to Mary Lou Bradley’s stellar foul shot, scored after time had run out, clinching both the game and the title.

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EDITORIAL INK DROPS: The victory of the Hawley School girls’ basketball team over the Thomaston girls last Friday, giving them the championship of the Housatonic Valley League, and the excellent showing made this year by the boys, together with the renewed interest in baseball and other sports during the past two seasons, surely merit a few words of commendation for our athletic directors who have done so much to build up the morale of the school. It is a welcome and cheering sight these winter mornings to meet groups of happy boys and girls, hiking between the school and the town hall gym for their exercise period, or to see a lot of boys in track suits covering the Church Hill, Boulevard, School House Lane, Wendover Road circuit, during recess. … More power to those who are striving so hard to build up rather than to tear down, and may we as parents and citizens do all that we can to strengthen their hands.

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Commodore Warner Norton Grubb, USNR, who had residences on Mount Pleasant, Newtown, and at 14 East 63rd Street, New York City, died last Thursday night at New York Hospital, after a long illness, at the age of 46. He was a foreign marketing executive of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. A seaman in the first World War, Commodore Grubb was commissioned a lieutenant-commander when he entered active duty again in October, 1942, receiving the Legion of Merit Award for his services in World War II.

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Newtown responded to the first presentation of a minstrel show by its Rotary Club last Thursday night with an audience that fulfilled the dream of every showman. Seats in the big theater of the Edmond Town Hall began to fill briskly right after seven o’clock, were filled by 7:30 and at 7:45 standees were already in evidence in the rear. Outside, in the parking lot, every available space was occupied and cars lined both sides of Main street from the Memorial monument well down the hill.

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In observance of Washington’s Birthday, The Bee office will be closed on Saturday, February 22. Those with business to be transacted are asked to keep that fact in mind.

February 22, 1922

Mrs Charles Hammond was unfortunate enough to fall on Church Hill on last Saturday and strain the ligaments in an ankle.

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Hon. F.H. Johnston, supervisor of schools, in his faithful Dodge, didn’t dodge the snowbanks in Hattertown, Tuesday, and was stuck good and proper. He got out and shoveled a road 527 feet in length, when Morros & Shepard’s wrecking car came along and pulled him out of the snowbanks.

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C.F. Beardsley has received word from Levi C. Morris at Tulsa, Oklahoma, that the latter is buying fat cattle out there and is going to have them shipped in every week to Morris & Shepard.

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Miss Helen Roach, telephone operator, who has been off duty with the grip, has returned to her work.

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Miss Mary Jane Hugh of Dayton street, who has been ill with the grip, is reported as convalescing.

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Davey Brothers have installed one of the latest style oil pump tanks in their Sandy Hook store.

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Mr and Mrs Frank Ives of Botsford, who have been passing a week with Mrs Phoebe Smith in New Milford, returned home, Monday night.

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A CARD: We wish to thank our many friends for the kindness and sympathy extended to us in our bereavement and for the many beautiful floral offerings.—[C.D. Stillson, Louisa A. Peck, Mr and Mrs Harold Tomlinson

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CARD OF THANKS: We wish, through The Bee, to return our sincere thanks to friends and neighbors and to the Sunshine club for the assistance given, the kindness shown, and the sympathy extended to us during the last illness and at the death and funeral of our beloved mother.—[Mrs Richard Egan, Miss Catherine E. Keating, Michael F. Keating. February 20, 1922

February 26, 1897

Clarence W. Hemingway and Miss Bridget A. Kinsey were united in marriage on Saturday, the 20th, at St. Rose’s church, Father Fox officiating. Miss Kinsey is a daughter of Thomas Kinsey. Mr Hemingway is a telegraph operator in the employ of the New England road.

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A party of about 20 Danbury people drove to Hawleyville, Wednesday evening, February 17, to attend a dance at the Hawleyville hotel, as guests of the proprietor, Frank Drew. Among those who attended from Danbury were Mr and Mrs John Oetzel, Mr and Mrs George Foote, Mr and Mrs George Merritt, Mr and Mrs William Adams, Mr and Mrs William Riggs, Mrs F.O. Dauchy, Mrs Albert Pierce, Miss Georgie Voores, George Brush and Myron Teller. A very fine supper was served and the party lasted until a late hour. A large number of Hawleyville people were in attendance.

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Misses Ella and Gertrude Beehler of Stamford were entertained on Sunday at the pleasant home of D.G. Beers on Mile Hill.

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CHANGES AT HAWLEYVILLE: G.C. Brewer, for some time telegraph operator and clerk at Hawleyville for the New England road, has been promoted to the position of agent at Southbury or Pomperaug Valley, succeeding Mr Keefe. Henry D. Ward of Osborne’s has taken his place. | E.D. Rowland of New York has succeeded S.A. Libby as operator and clerk for the Berkshire division at Hawleyville. Mr Libby has returned to his old post as superintendent of the Housatonic Manufacturing Co. at Wallingford.

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A.G. Baker, the Hawleyville hustler in the furniture business, has been putting up the frame work for a new barn, this week, just back of his furniture emporium. The building is 26x30 and is to house Mr Baker’s teams. Carpenter F.C. Sanford is putting the building up.

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 shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.