July 17, 1998

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Marian Treble.

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Friends, neighbors, and family members gathered at the Knollwood Drive home of Marion Treble late Wednesday afternoon to honor her on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Mrs Treble, whose keen intelligence and generous spirit has brightened the Knollwood neighborhood for nearly 40 years, still welcomes (accompanied by the frisky salutations of her beloved poodle, Mindy) visitors to her door and birds to her innumerable feeders. The greetings and honors that poured into Mrs Treble’s small home Wednesday included a letter of congratulations from President Clinton and a proclamation from First Selectman Herb Rosenthal that the day would be known as Marian Treble Day in Newtown. Additionally, the flag in front of Edmond Town Hall was flown in her honor that day.

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Three unidentified young men from East Haven were looking for ways to beat the heat Tuesday afternoon when they happened upon the Silver Bridge on Glen Road. The bridge crosses Lake Zoar and has been used as a diving platform for swimmers for years, even though the practice is risky and prohibited. The East Haven men took their chances, but their luck ran out when Newtown Police Officer John Cole came along and ordered them to move along.

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Art Bennett, representing Newtown’s school bus owner/operators, presented money to the town’s flag fund to Police Lieutenant David Lydem, who manages the town’s flag display on Main Street. The owner/operators contributed $245 to the fund, representing the purchase of either a small flag or a 50 percent contribution toward the purchase of a large flag.

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The Newtown Babe Ruth 10-year-old All-Stars have come up with some late-inning heroics throughout the course of their summer tournament circuit. Newtown has seen top-notch all-star efforts from a variety of different ballplayers as it has rallied for wins over West Norwalk, New Milford, and Bethel thus far. The team is currently competing in Newtown’s own invitational tournament at the Robert Glander Complex at Fairfield Hills.

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Newtown resident Howard Lasher, president of The Lasher Group and member of the American Stock Exchange, presented Karen Hoyt, director of Newtown’s social services department, with a check that provides full scholarships for 30 local children to attend camp through the Newtown Campership Fund. Mr Lasher has for two years coordinated donations from AMEX stock brokers to help children in Newtown who otherwise would not be able to attend the town-operated day camp program.

July 13, 1973

The Newtown Summer Recreation Program at the Town Park began on Monday, July 9, and the first week of activities has been progressing smoothly, Recreation Director Lee Davenson tells us. Over 300 children, age four through eighth grade, are taking part in the program. The first few days were hot and humid ones, and the youngsters found different ways to cool off, from a sip of water to coloring in the pleasant shade of the pavilion.

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Richard Teller, Middle School principal, has resigned his position in Newtown to become grades 7 and 8 principal in Tarrytown. Mr Teller’s formal resignation was accepted with “reluctance and regret” by the Board of Education at its regular meeting on Tuesday evening, July 10, and Board members present expressed their disturbance over the resignation since they considered Mr Teller to be a fine administrator.

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The Park and Recreation Commission wishes to report that the water in the pool at the Town Park has been tested by the Board of Health for bacteria count and shown to be satisfactory for swimming. These samplings will be repeated about every two weeks. Dr Thomas Draper, Health Officer for Newtown and Danbury, has approved of the schedule.

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A massive chunk of limestone dislodged by a bulldozer crashed through a century-old water main at the upper end of North Main Street on Tuesday, and 120 customers of the Newtown Water Company in the Mount Pleasant area found themselves without water for four hours on one of the hottest afternoons of the year. The accident happened about 1 pm, when a contractor clearing the land for a new house tried to remove the huge boulder. Part of the boulder dropped off onto the eight-inch cast iron pipe, and cracked it open. About 300,000 gallons of water were lost before the break was isolated by shutting off the main valve at the storage tank at the top of Mount Pleasant.

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Former Newtown residents Mr and Mrs Claude Lewis were honored at a reception at the Curtis House, Woodbury, on July 7. The occasion was the couple’s golden wedding anniversary, and the party and reception was given by their six children, 21 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. William Petrey acted as master of ceremonies, and dancing was to The Jerry Pannozza Band. Many friends and relatives attended. Mr and Mrs Lewis were married July 3, 1923, in Newtown, under an old chestnut tree on Botsford Lane. Mr Lewis is a native of Newtown, being born here, and Mrs Lewis moved here when she was seven. Both of them are 75 years old. They are now residents of Westmoreland, New Hampshire, where they moved in 1971 after they retired from business.

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Newtown Police are still investigating a fatal accident which took the life of a Danbury man on July 5. Joseph Haddad was killed when his car crashed at the intersection of Route 6 and Academy Lane. According to police reports, Mr Haddad was eastbound on Route 6 and allegedly passed another car at a high rate of speed. As he did so, he continued to the left off Route 6, ran on the lawn of the Edward Boyson home, and struck a dirt hill and stone wall. The car then rolled over and came to rest back on its wheels. The impact on the stone wall was so severe that several rocks were dislodged and actually hurled into the air and through the window of the Boyson residence. Mrs Boyson, who was inside at the time, had to be taken to Danbury Hospital and treated for cuts caused by fragmented glass. Newtown Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 and Newtown Police officers were called to the scene. Mr Haddad was pronounced dead upon arrival at Danbury Hospital.

July 9, 1948

With the Fourth of July coming on Sunday as it did this year, Newtown’s observance of the day took place on Monday, a hot, humid day with a broiling sun overhead. Townspeople and visitors gathered at an early hour to witness the parade, an annual affair, which this year assembled at the Edmond Town Hall at 10 o’clock. Leading off the procession was “Leaping Lena,” an automobile whose peculiarity is to buck like a bronco without quite spilling its passengers onto the pavement. Leading the marchers was Commander William Wenzel of the Raymond L. Pease Post, American Legion, with members of his unit and color guard following.

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Miss Mary Starr Smith, daughter of Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith, and Miss Susan Desmond, daughter of Dr and Mrs Waldo F. Desmond, left on Wednesday for Camp Kuwiyan, Meredith, N.H., the former for her fourth year to take a course in counselor training and the latter as a camper for the first time. Miss Peggy Jackson of Larchmont, N.Y., granddaughter of Mr and Mrs Jerome P. Jackson, Sr, of Sandy Hook, is also at Camp Kuwiyan, taking the summer’s course in counselor training.

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Miss Barbara Jane Baxter, daughter of Mr and Mrs William C. Baxter of Mount Pleasant, Newtown, was married Saturday, July 3, to William Coburn Dunn, son of Mr and Mrs William H. Dunn, Tower avenue, Hartford, at 4 o’clock in Trinity Episcopal church, Newtown. The Reverend John W. Mutton performed the ceremony, and W. Raymond Randall, organist of the First Presbyterian church of Stamford, played at the wedding. The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a white faille gown with a high neckline, sheer yoke, fitted bodice, long tapering sleeves, and a full skirt that terminated in a court train. Her finger-tip veil draped from a seed pearl crown, and she carried a shower bouquet of white roses, sweet peas, and baby’s breath. … A reception was held at the home of the bride’s parents immediately following the ceremony. Mr and Mrs Dunn left on a wedding trip to Canada.

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In the first of a series of illustrated lectures on flower arrangements, Mrs Ruth Kistner of Glendale, Long Island, talked to a highly appreciative audience in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon, July 6th. The subject of Mrs Kistner’s first lecture was “Color Through Flowers.” Using the same method of approach as Walt Disney does in his colored cartoons, Mrs Kistner stressed the importance of color background and emphasized the design and balance in arrangements. The next lecture in the same series will be on July 20 at the same place at 2 o’clock and the subject will be “Periods in Flower Arrangements.”

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The Auxiliary of the Sandy Hook Fire Department held a food sale beside the Village Store in Sandy Hook, Saturday, July 3. Pies, cakes, salads, breads and rolls were sold and a total of $41.50 was taken in which will be used to secure new capes for the Sandy Hook Drum Corps. Mrs Grace Heglund was chairman of the fundraising committee, with Mrs Phillip Britton and Mrs Jack Qubick assisting.

July 6, 1923

James H. Leavey, a well known and respected resident of the Glen section, died on Tuesday evening, aged 62 years. He was formerly employed in Bridgeport, but of late has been at the Leavey home in Sandy Hook. Surviving him are three sisters, Mrs Julia Bradley, Miss Leavey, Thomas Leavey and Matthew Leavey. The funeral will take place on Friday morning from St Rose’s church.

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On Monday, about 40 of the St John’s Church choir boys of Bridgeport were entertained by Mr and Mrs O. Howard Hall at their pleasant home in South Center. Alvin C. Bruel, organist, escorted the boys on their annual outing. Baseball and all the games that boys love were indulged in, and a delicious lunch made the time all too quickly pass away. They were sorry to have the bus driver say “it was time to go home.”

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Mr and Mrs Cahill of New York City are passing the summer at the Haugh homestead on Walnut Tree Hill.

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The factory of the Fabric Fire Hose Co., was closed on the Fourth.

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The Parker house served a fine turkey dinner to a good crowd on the Fourth.

July 15, 1898

HATTERTOWN NOTES: Dr C.M. Penny and friend of Bridgeport were guests of J.W. Penny over the Fourth. | Miss Annie Benedict has been spending several days with her friend, Miss Bertha Davis, in Easton. | Miss Sophia Booth has sold a horse to Frank Congo. | If Newtown people would drive past the Hattertown pond in the morning when the millions of white water lilies are looking their best they would see a most beautiful sight. | Mr and Mrs Charles Pratt of Bridgeport have been recent guests of H.A. Pratt and family.

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Mrs Booth, wife of Lawyer Henry A. Booth of Springfield, and Master Ralph Henry Booth, and Mr and Mrs Frederick B. Hazen and Miss Ruth N. Hazen of Holyoke, Mass., are guests of Mr and Mrs Allison P. Smith at Sunset cottage.

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P.W. Bates of Norwalk has placed a very neat stone in Huntingtown cemetery in memory of the infant son of Mr and Mrs Frank Gilbert.

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Mr and Mrs Hobart C. Fairchild of Botsford are the happy parents of a daughter, born June 1.

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Edward Taylor has sold his fast horse, “Woodburn,” more commonly known about town as the “Sliver,” to E.C. Bowers of Berkshire, the sale being consummated on Thursday of last week. This horse has been attracting considerable attention by its speed and Mr Bowers will probably campaign with it this fall.

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.