April 28, 2000

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Debra Sennefelder.

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EDITORIAL INK DROPS — SPRING CLEANING: A lot of beautiful things get cast up out of the ground in the spring. When April showers permit, a walk along almost any road or highway will lead past banks of daffodils and jonquils, emerging tulips, and a full catalogue of borders in bloom. Even homely weeds put forth a valiant effort to beautify their particular patch of hardpan with a flower of two. But there in the greening grass beyond the gutter lies a bumper crop of litter — cigarette packs, bottles, cans, wrappers, and every other kind of cast off that can be conveniently ejected from a car window. In some areas of town where the littering crosses the line into illegal dumping, there are refrigerators, car parts, and full garbage bags along the flora.

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In the glare of floodlights late Tuesday night, Dr Henry Lee, the state commissioner of public safety, and a large team of state police investigators meticulously reconstructed the dynamics of a January shooting on westbound Interstate 84, which left a Newtown man dead and authorities puzzled about the circumstances of his death. Dr Lee and investigators from the state police crime laboratory combed through the area where Mark Rebong, 28, was shot once in the head about 11 pm January 17, while driving to work at the nearby Danbury Hilton and Towers. … Mr Rebong died the following night in Danbury Hospital.

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Young Treadwell Park enthusiasts have something to look forward to: a new playground. Newtown resident Tammy Marks is joining forces with the Newtown Lions Club and the Parks and Recreation Department to build a new, modern playground that will replace the existing one. Mrs Marks, the mother of five children, was asked to organize the project by Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian.

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The Leverage Marketing Group has been named a recipient of the Communicator Award 2000 print Media Competition. The Newtown-based advertising and marketing communications firm won in the marketing/self promotion category for its unique use of pocket Scrabble boards. The award also recognized the company’s use of accompanying creative copy, which displayed the names of Liazon and Goodwick Associates and their new joint entity spelled out in Scrabble tiles with the theme “Play to Win in 2000.”

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For two days this week, members of the Garden Club of Newtown offered visitors to C.H. Booth Library the opportunity to look at favorite stories in a whole new light. The club’s members met at the library on Tuesday afternoon for its regular monthly meeting and in place of a guest speaker, the club had decided to present a special exhibition of floral arrangements by its members this month. Following the theme of “Tell Me A Story,” club members were told to select a favorite story and create a floral arrangement to correspond with their chosen story.

April 25, 1975

The Newtown Planning & Zoning Commission members, acting in their planning capacity for the Borough, disapproved for the second time a referral they received from the Borough Zoning Commission regarding a change of zone of land proposed by backers of a private tennis club. P&Z’s previous rejection was made February 24. White Plains, N.Y. architect Joseph Fuller, a principal in Axxon Realty Development, Inc, then submitted information to the Borough panel “purporting to answer” the Newtown planning commissioners’ reasons for disapproval. The substantive change the tennis club backers made was to provide ten more parking spaces.

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Effective Monday, April 28, the time for phoning in reservations for the tennis courts at the Town Park will be changed to 5-6 pm. At 6 pm, promptly, the sheets will be posted outside the Town Park garage for sign-ups for the following day. … In the event of a fire emergency, the switchboard at the Town Hall will not be able to put calls through. If this happens, callers are requested to hang up and call again in about five minutes. Cooperation will be appreciated.

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All may not be going right with the present negotiations between the Board of Education and the Newtown teachers, and as a result the teachers feel strongly enough about their attempts to get a contract that they are willing to take their case to the public at an open meeting. If such a meeting were called, when it would take place is not known as The Bee goes to press, but it is expected that it would be within a few days. The Board and Newtown Federation of Teachers met at the bargaining table on Wednesday evening, and according to Louis Mahood, president of the Federation, it looks as though the result of that session, negotiations once again are pretty much at an impasse. Another bargaining session has not been scheduled, although there was no discussion of cutting off talks altogether.

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While the Board of Finance has cut at least $87,500 out of the proposed $832,355.19 Highway Department budget request for 1975-76, its members did add one new item to the engineering services account of the public works department. According to a release made public Wednesday, $5,000 has been added to that $10,000 account. The Board of Finance, with the agreement of the Selectmen, recommend this be used “for an independent consultant’s study of the Highway Department, to maximize productivity of this major department, with the greatest economy.”

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The Pankey sisters of Old Hawleyville Road — Lynn and Nancy — were awarded medals for completing the Minutemen’s march from Carlisle to Concord, Mass., on April 19 to commemorate the first battle of the American Revolution. Nancy said they were tired after the five mile march from the church in Carlisle to the bridge “where the farmers first started their war.” She enjoyed the parade that they saw in Concord, especially the little girl in the old-fashioned clothes that sat on the big bass drum as it was pushed along, she said. Minutemen, redcoats, and high school bands, the Pankey girls cheered for all.

April 21, 1950

The Zoning Commission of the Borough of Newtown, as the result of a lengthy meeting on Monday evening at the Edmond Town Hall, denied the requests of C. Walter Bounty and Willis McNab for the reclassification of their properties on Church Hill Road, and the request of Ralph L. Knibloe for the reclassification of his property on Queen Street. The Board’s decision to maintain the classification of these pieces of property as residential, rather than changing to business, prevents the erection of a business block in each case.

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Some 350 students from high schools in Newtown, Southbury and Woodbury met in the Edmond Town Hall last Thursday for the annual Career Day conference. Meeting with them were leaders from the fields of art, profession and industry who discussed the occupational opportunities offered in various areas of interest. The event was under the general direction of Mrs Frances S. Goodsell, member of the faculty at Hawley School, who was assisted on the committee by Walter Los, assistant principal at Hawley; and J. Burton Israel and E. Shelton Smith, both members of the faculty of Woodbury High School.

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“Public Health Nurse and the Community” was the topic Miss Martha N. Kline chose when she addressed the Newtown Mothers Club at its April meeting held Monday evening of this week in the Guild Rooms of Trinity Episcopal Church. The local visiting nurse discussed the qualifications of a public nurse. She must be a high school graduate, said Miss Kline, attend an accredited school of nursing for three years, graduate from an accredited four-year college and have one year in field training work.

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At a special meeting held Friday, April 14th in the Hawley School, the Newtown Board of Education voted to take steps toward planning a Newtown High School. They made plans to call a town meeting which would authorize the board to investigate sites and take an option on a site if necessary; (2) to engage an architect; (3) to appropriate the money necessary to carry out the above and (4) to report findings and recommendations back to another special town meeting.

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Mrs Charles M. Goodsell spent the week-end in New York City, visiting Miss Katherine Kirby and attending classes at Columbia University.

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Mrs Herbert Clark returned to her home in Hawleyville on Friday, after spending the winter months in St Petersburg, Fla.

April 24, 1925

Ladies’ night in the Men’s Club was celebrated, Tuesday night, with a most enjoyable banquet served in the handsomely refurnished dining room of the Parker house in W.D. Parker’s best style. The menu was as follows: Grapefruit Cocktail, Consomme Julienne, Celery, Olives, Broiled Spring Chicken, French Fried Potatoes, Hearts of Lettuce, Russian Dressing Dairy Special Ice, Demi Tasse. Dr E.L. Kingman, chairman of the entertainment committee, presided and introduced as the speaker of the evening, Seward V. Price, of Bridgeport, formerly secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of the city.

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The entertainment and dance which was held on last Thursday evening, under the auspices of the Knights of Columbus was a social and financial success. The numbers on the program were exceedingly well rendered and were greatly enjoyed by the large number present. The committee in charge wishes to expect grateful thanks to those who took part in the entertainment and especially to those who donated cake and other articles, which helped make the affair such a financial success.

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THE TROUT RECORD FOR NEWTOWN: John L. Gilbert thinks he holds the record in trout fishing so far this season. On Saturday he caught a beauty, which was 14 inches long, and weighed one and three-fourths pounds.

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Seed potatoes, Bradley’s fertilizer, wheelbarrows, hoes, rakes, shovels, spading forks, garden seeds in package and bulk, At H.G. Warner’s.—[Adv.

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Kyanize floor finish in natural dark oak, mahogany, cherry and walnut, Muresco, linoleums, Dupont’s paints, household paints, Jewitt’s Dutch Boy, white lead, turpentine, pure linseed oil.—[Corbett & Crowe, Adv.

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Poultry wire, poultry netting, barbed wire, staples, timothy red top, medium gloves and also the grass seed. At H.G. Warner’s.—[Adv.

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Men’s dress shoes and Oxford, a full line of men’s work shoes, ladies’ and misses’ Oxford and shoes, the Walton shoe for boys.—[Corbett & Crowe, Adv.

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Window curtains, window screen curtain rods, linoleum, at H.G, Warners.—[Adv.

April 27, 1900

In the columns of The Bee some time ago, I noticed an item from the Library association, asking its subscribers for a list of books which they would like to read, or which they would like to see in the library. I would like to suggest “Notes From a Gray Nunnery,” by Julia Sherman Hallock, published by Lee & Shepard. To most of our townspeople, that portion of Newtown called High Rock, in which “The Nunnery” is situated, is undoubtedly familiar, and to those who are true lovers of nature, the record of her smiles and tears in this book cannot fail to be a source of pleasure. … The privileged person who has been a guest at “The Nunnery” never forgets that visit, and carries away a pleasant memory that will brighten any hour. He will readily recognize each word picture of the book, and he cannot fail to appreciate these daily records, which breathe so truly the spirit and character of the dear friends of “The Gray Nunnery.”—[A.M.B., Botsford, Ct.

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The Newtown railroad station was burglarized Monday night, but the visitors secured only a small amount of booty. The burglars first gained an entrance through the office window, but finding the office door locked, they made their exit through the window they had entered and went around to a south window, which was forced open. They then broke open the slot machines, securing $2.80, and examined the contents of the various express packages in the depot, but apparently carried nothing away. The burglary is believed to be the work of a professional gang which has been operating on the stations along the Consolidated system.

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C.B. Taylor, who has been having a hard tussle with rheumatism for several weeks, was able to be out, Sunday, and was warmly greeted by his friends at the Congregational church.

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Mr and Mrs Michael Green have a new daughter, born on Saturday.

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The Newtown Inn is resplendent in a new dress of paint. Landlord Leonard is bound to have everything in splendid shape for the large number of guests he will entertain during the summer season, now so near at hand.

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Mrs Sarah Curtis Judson is shortly to move from the Dr Judson place, so called, to the south half of the old Judson house, next door to her present home, which is being fitted up for her occupancy. Mrs Judson is still a patient suffering from rheumatic difficulties, but is better than she was some months ago.

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Miss Florella Northrop, who has had rooms at Mrs Wolcott’s for some time, has taken rooms in the residence of Mr and Mrs George A. Northrop at the head of the Street.

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.