March 28, 1997

A federal and state report released this week warns there is a significant health and safety risk for anyone who trespasses on the site of the former Charles Batchelder Company plant at 40 Swamp Road. Besides physical hazards existing in the deteriorating aluminum smelting plant, there are toxic hazards, especially for youths who frequently trespass on the site to ride dirt bikes, the report said. Heavy metal toxins, lead, asbestos and other contaminants which pose a risk to public health have been found on the site.

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Betty Lou Osborne is still trying to figure out what is going on with this year’s $52.6 million proposed town budget. When the longtime Newtown resident first learned of the town’s 43.3 million revenue shortfall, she wondered how that could have happened. Then she wondered why the Legislative Council decided not to use the town’s $2 million surplus to avoid the $200,000 cut to the proposed school budget ($29.7 million). “It’s been bothering me and I thought I’d ask,” Mrs Osborne said. But, as she discovered at Wednesday night’s squabble-filled public hearing on the budget, the council is already using that surplus to offset this year’s $3.3 million shortfall.

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Thirty-five crafts projects by members of the Newtown Woman’s Club were awarded in a local competition and will be in the District 8 competition this week. The local competition was at the Fireside Inn on March 20. Flo Caron won three first-place awards, including Best in Show for her decorative painting.

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The Newtown Knights of Columbus council celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The local council was named in honor of Pope Virgilius and joins an international movement launched in October 1881 when a small group of men gathered in a church basement in New Haven with the Rev Michael L. McGivney, curate of St Mary’s Church in New Haven. The men talked about forming an organization of Catholic men to be called the Knights of Columbus. The organization was chartered on March 29, 1882. Chapters, called councils, began to spring up in other communities. Today the organization has 1.5 million members worldwide, generating more than $100 million and millions of volunteer hours for charitable causes.

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Dr J. Benton Egee, 89, a general practitioner in Newtown from 1935 to 1965, died March 25 at his home in Southbury. He was the widower of Gladys Schmidheiser Egee. Dr Egee came to Newtown in 1935 and established a general medical practice. He regularly traveled across the 400 miles of dirt roads to make house calls — mostly to farm families — and was concerned with not only the physical, but also the psychological and emotional health of all his patients. As part of his practice, he delivered babies, many at home with the assistance of a visiting nurse. His first home delivery was of a child in the Sedor family on Whisconier Hill; his last was Shirley Cole Ferris. During his career, Dr Egee delivered about 500 babies.

March 31, 1972

The budget requests for fiscal 1972-73 are now in the hands of the Board of Finance. Of the total $7,463,655.72, the largest request is by the Board of Education for operating Newtown’s schools, $5,044,758. The Selectmen ask $1,691,554.22 as their operating budget and the third item is $727,343.50 to pay off debts incurred by the town. Added together, the total Selectmen’s budget is $2,418,897.72. Many of these debts involve the school buildings. However, since the town is responsible for the debts, the cost of financing is included with the Selectmen’s figures. The Selectmen’s figures, including the debt service, represent a 4 per cent increase.

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Those who will have the pleasure of meeting Newtown’s First Lady, Miriam De Lucia, will consider it just that — a pleasure. For Mrs De Lucia is not only friendly and outgoing, she enjoys meeting people and has always been interested in them. So far Mrs De Lucia hasn’t found the routine of her life changed too much since her husband took office on March 22, but she expects it will shortly. Right now she says the only changes are that her three boys answer the phone with a lot more formality than they used to, and that the phone rings more often, mainly because of friends calling to wish the new Selectman well in his post.

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The Bee’s editor, Paul S. Smith, has been named chairman of one of the 26 advisory boards of Connecticut National Banks. These chairmen will be known as associate directors.

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Wilton Lackaye, known to SAC members as Papeeta, is doing well in Danbury Hospital after a bout with pneumonia. He asks The Bee to pass along his thanks to his friends, particularly to the boys who have been so thoughtful with their cards and messages.

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The week-end of March 25 at Newtown High School, the Student Council, Teenage Action Newtown, and the school’s Athletic Association sponsored Winter Week-end. Friday night the AA earned money by having a doubleheader between the senior boys and the women’s and men’s faculty. In the boys game, the seniors beat the men, but the girls lost to their teaching counterparts. At the end of the class competition on Saturday it was announced that the class of ‘73 had won. During the day various events were played including volleyball, a mat rolling race, pie eating contest, basketball games, and bombardment — a game like dodge ball. Saturday evening Spoonfeather playing to about 200 kids, sponsored by TAN. The dance raised a sum of $50 for the Timothy B. Treadwell Youth Center Fund.

March 28, 1947

Newtown was host last Sunday afternoon to the Grand Council Fire meeting of the Mid-Fairfield Council of Camp Fire Girls when, for the first time, the Grand Council Fire was held in Newtown. The occasion was the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the organization and had been heralded in the press and on the radio. Fifteen groups of Camp Fire Girls, including four from Newtown, took part in the ceremonials held in the Edmond Town Hall, with many parents and other visitors in attendance.

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Mrs John W. Mutton is recovering nicely from an emergency operation performed in Danbury Hospital on Monday. She is expected to return home shortly.

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Miss Rowena Keyes, who has been spending the winter months in Brooklyn, N.Y., returned on Tuesday to her home on Currituck road.

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Mr and Mrs William Harris returned to town on Friday from their winter’s sojourn at Miami, Fla. “Bill,” with his annual coat of tan, reports a good winter but says they are glad to be back again.

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Mr and Mrs Ottoshavett of Hawleyville are the proud parents of twins, a son and a daughter, born at the Danbury Hospital on March 26th.

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Mr and Mrs William Cutler of Palestine road are the parents of a son, born at the Danbury Hospital on March 26th.

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The Women’s Federation of the Newtown Congregational Church held their March meeting last Thursday afternoon in the social room of the church, with a good attendance. The meeting was opened with prayer by the president, Mrs James Peck. Reports of the secretary and treasurer were read and accepted, and a number of reports were given by the chairman of the standing committees. Mrs Paul Cullens announced that the picture, “It’s a Pleasure,” starring Sonje Heine, will be given on Thursday, April 24, to raise money for the Federation. Mrs Florence Angier, chairman of the program committee, had arranged to have Professor John Clark Archer of Yale University speak on “India Revisited.” He gave a talk on the conditions in India and read a number of passages from his Diary which proved interesting and enjoyable to the audience.

March 24, 1922

The Men’s club met at the Parker House, Tuesday night, John Beers being the host. The guests of the evening were Eli Beers, Herbert Beers, Philo T. Platt and State Tax Commissioner William H. Blodgett. Mr Blodgett gave an intensely interesting address on the tax situation in Connecticut. “No tax can be collected,” said Mr Blodgett, unless it has back of it the patriotic sentiment of the community. The state is now running even, month by month, instead of piling up a deficit.

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The whist held at the Newtown Country club, last Monday evening, was a very pleasant affair, though not so many came out as usual. Miss Elsie Moore was high lady and Miss Gerda Anderson second. For the gentlemen, C.A. Peale was first and G. Herbert Beers second. Miss Lillian Harrison entertained. Mrs C.A. Peale stands first for the month, with Miss Lillian Harrison a close second. C.A. Peale is first for the gentlemen, with Frank H. Johnson and G. Herbert Beers tied for second place. There will be another whist, next Monday evening, March 27 when the fortunate ones will receive the prizes for the month.

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Mrs Frank Mitchell and Mrs Julia Hawley left on Wednesday for a 10 days’ stay at Atlantic City, N.J.

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John Hughes of the Purchase is suffering from blood poisoning in his hand. Dr W.H. Kiernan attended him.

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John Edward Keane of Dayton street has accepted a position in New York City.

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Michael Mannion and George McGrath of Danbury, while rounding the corner at the Brick store, Monday night, in an auto, ran into one of the posts on the cement bridge. Their car was temporarily put out of commission, but mechanicians from the Sandy Hook Garage had their machine going again in a short time.

April 2, 1897

Reuben H. Smith, who has for some time been the editor of The Religious Herald, has become the proprietor of the paper, buying out D.B. Mosely. Mr Moseley and his father, the late D.B. Mosely, have been connected with the paper for years. With the enthusiasm and earnestness which will follow with the new management, it is safe to say the paper will take a prominent place among the religious journals of the state. Mr Smith’s friends in this section will cordially wish him success in the undertaking.

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Mrs Susan Short of Bethel passed Sunday as a guest of her brother, John H. Blackman.

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Lawrence Mitchell is a happy father, a 12-pound boy having arrived in his home on Thursday last.

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A theater party from Hawleyville, consisting of Mr and Mrs S.A. Blackman, Mr and Mrs J.A. James, Mr and Mrs A.G. Baker, Mr and Mrs Amos Camp, Mr and Mrs F.B. Drew, Claude Blackman and George Baker visited Danbury, last week Wednesday night, and attended the performance of “The Sowing of the Wind,” at the Danbury Opera House.

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Mr and Mrs S.A. Blackman and Mr and Mrs F.B. Drew were among those who enjoyed the turkey dinner given by Myrtle lodge, Daughter of Rebekah, in Danbury, last week Monday night.

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Daniel Reardon, who had his toes cut off at Botsford and has since been at the Bridgeport hospital, comes home occasionally for a stay of a day or two.

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Mr and Mrs F.W. Platt welcomed a 10 pound boy to their home in Hopewell district on Monday of last week.

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.