The Way We Were

 

December 7, 1990

State Crown For Newtown! Cap Zito has seen a lot of football in his time. He estimates that he’s missed only a  handful of his son Bob’s games since he started playing. Bob, of course, was hired last summer to take the helm at Newtown High, his first head coaching assignment. Some teams simply dominate their opponents, others seem to overcome obstacles to win the close games, as though they’re on a mission. Put Newtown in that latter category after it rebounded from three straight losing seasons and a loss in the season opener to eventual WCC champ, New Fairfield, to win nine in a row, the last of which came Friday, November 30, a 14-6 overtime victory in the MM title game over Ledyard. Even though they had to adjust to a new coaching staff, the Indians became only the third WCC team to win a state football title.

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With the rejection of funding a $4 million design phase for $113 million sewers, town officials are planning their next move while state officials are immersed in paperwork that will lead to suing the town. First Selectman Zita McMahon has scheduled a “brainstorming session” for Selectmen, the Water Pollution Control Authority, and other town officials from the Legislative Council, Health Department, Planning & Zoning, and Conservation. Mrs McMahon emphasized that while she may have one or two ideas on how to proceed, she is seeking broad input. The public is also invited. Meanwhile, in Hartford, the town’s failure to fund the design phase for sewers and begin complying with groundwater cleanup statutes has led to the shaping of recommendations to file a lawsuit with the town. The town has been ordered to find a solution to groundwater pollution since 1977.

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Two new stop signs were erected on Chestnut Hill Road, Wednesday, December 5, to curb the volume and speed of through traffic. If the signs fail to curb the volume and excessive speed of through traffic, the commission states it will request the town engineer to do a study to modify Chestnut Hill Road’s northernmost intersection with Route 34… to facilitate the entering and exiting of traffic to and from Chestnut Hill Road.

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The boys’ soccer team celebrated the first state soccer championship in school history, Thursday, November 29, at its annual banquet at the Fireside Inn. Newtown beat defending state Class L champ Guilford I the final, 1-0 in overtime, last month. The Indians, who also won the Western Connecticut Conference crown, went 20-1-1 this fall, the only team in the state to win 20 games.

December 10, 1965

The new parish house of Trinity Episcopal Church, Newtown, will be dedicated on Sunday, December 19, at a 3 pm service. This is Trinity Church’s first construction in a century, and the first parish house in the 233 years of its existence. The new parish house provides 17 “classroom spaces” for Church School and for adult meetings. The larger of these can be divided for small meetings with sliding partitions. The largest has been named the “Elizabeth Beers Johnson Meeting Room” in honor of a much-loved member of the church. At its west end is the “Jane M. Chambers Library.”

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Santa Claus has again accepted the invitation of the Newtown Chamber of Commerce to tour the town. He will arrive by helicopter at 11 am, on Saturday, December 18, landing behind Edmond Town Hall. Youngsters of all ages are invited to see him “helicopt” in and to meet him immediately after his arrival in Edmond Town Hall Theatre. The theatre instead of the gymnasium has been reserved this year. This way, Santa’s young friends can be kept warm and crowding avoided. After this reception, Santa will tour the town, greeting more of his friends along the way from his “four-wheel-sleigh” and stopping in also at stores and offices.

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How many pancakes did the members of the Newtown Rotary Club serve last Saturday at their annual pancake day? No one seems to know, but enough left the griddle to serve 625 people, plus seconds in many cases, plus those consumed by the Rotarians as they worked. This total is above the number served last year, and from all reports, a bigger day is in store for a year from now.

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Monday evening’s debate brought far too small an audience to Edmond Town Hall to hear John Lupton and Senator Florence Finney speak on the proposed revised Connecticut Constitution. With some 5,000 registered voters in Newtown, less than 200 appeared. Yet the vote in the referendum on December 14 has been called by Justice Raymond Baldwin and other state leaders “the most important election ever to face the people of Connecticut.” Its Bill of Rights now contains a new section prohibiting discrimination and segregation. The party lever on voting machines has been made optional rather than compulsory. Home rule is guaranteed to the towns, and free education to the citizens.

 

December 6, 1940

Not to be outdone by his mother, Mrs Clifford Moore, who is one of the [Newtown Committee for Child Refugees]’s enthusiastic supporters, the young son of Dr and Mrs Moore, Douglas, has contributed skillfully made leather belts to be sold for the benefit of less fortunate children abroad. These serviceable and well made belts sell for a dollar and will make beautiful Christmas gifts. Thank you, Master Douglas Moore.

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“Nutrition News, by Beatrice Hall” “Carrying lunches from home” is an economy measure practiced by many high school and working boys and girls. If it taxes the imagination of the “sandwich maker” to provide different kinds of fillings, perhaps a few suggestions will be welcome. Sandwich Fillings: Cottage cheese with watercress; Cottage cheese with chopped prunes; Store cheese sliced; or cut in small pieces and mixed with salad dressing; Peanut butter (a perennial favorite) thinned with salad dressing; Eggs, hard boiled, chopped and mixed with a little salad dressing; Baked beans, mashed, with a little grated onion if desired; or with chili sauce or catsup; Salmon, mixed with finely chopped green pepper and salad dressing; Chopped raisins, mixed with a small amount of salad dressing.

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The unprecedented cold wave which has gripped Newtown and all New England for the past several days has broken many long existent weather records. It has been quite a few years since we have experienced a white Thanksgiving and so much snow in early December. Proof of the severity of the cold snap is furnished by Taunton residents who reported the lake to be entirely frozen over on Wednesday morning, and the temperature hovering about the zero mark.

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Two hundred voters and taxpayers crowded into the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall on Monday evening to vote down all plans for a paid police force for Newtown. The meeting, after some two hours of lengthy discussion, finally broke up with little accomplished and the question of police protection for Newtown as much unsettled as ever.

 

December 10, 1915

Saturday evening, the Newtown High school team will play the Ansonia High school quintet. As a preliminary game the “Skippers” will play the “Whirlwinds.” These promise to be good games and all followers should aim to attend and help the local boys along. The game starts at 8 pm. Admission, 25 cents.

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A.S Green & Co have discontinued their electrical shop supply store on Newtown street for the present. If you wish to reach A.S. Green & Co, telephone Morris & Shepard. Benjamin Smith is attending to the repair work for Mr Green. Bulbs and fuses may be obtained of Morris & Shepard, telephone 8.

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Dodgingtown: The public are invited to a dance given by the Fire company on Tuesday evening, December 14. They have a new building and an ideal waxed floor. Music rendered by an orchestra of four pieces, the artists being Mr Bevans, Mr Conger, Mr Barnum and Mr Christopher. Gents music and ladies refreshments. A good time is guaranteed.

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But for the prompt energetic and sensible action of Fire Chief Patrick Gannon, it is possible The Bee office would be today in ruins, or have suffered a grievous loss, through damaged by fire and water. As it was, the damage was not over $10. Mr Gannon was coming down the hill at the close of the moving picture exhibition, Tuesday night, when he saw a light in one of the rear windows of The Bee building. The fire was discovered about the same time by Theodore Taylor. Mr Gannon rushed to his lot, seized a big stone and smashed in a window. He climbed in and securing the hose near the sink, soon had water playing on the flames. It appears the fire caught from a bit of oily waste on a box containing small tools standing on a shelf near the window. Taylor telephoned to the Central exchange and Miss Jennie Kelly at once called the house of Business Manager, A.J. Smith. The prevention of another disastrous fire is a matter for congratulation. Mr Gannon has once more demonstrated his value as a useful and resourceful citizen.