* * *

A group of Newtown residents determined to preserve Morgan Pond were heartened this week when Sandy Hook resident Joel Zeisler withdrew his offer to buy the 26-acre pond and adjoining six acres off Castle Meadow Road. The forest association owns a 95-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Morgan Pond land and last week was asked to intervene in the matter. At the August 18 Legislative Council meeting, several citizens urged the town to keep open the option to purchase the property and expressed their concern that private ownership would destroy the pond’s natural beauty.

* * *

The Parks and Recreation Commission deducted $10,000 from the contractor’s first bill for Phase II of the Timothy B. Treadwell Memorial Park after the Board of Selectmen criticized the construction of the maintenance building. Last week Newtown building Inspector William Connelly and Town Engineer William Gilbert discovered that the building’s foundation was out of square with the footing and had to be taken down and done over.

* * *

A beautiful summer’s day and picturesque Heritage Village Country Club provided the backdrop for the Newtown Indian Boosters’ first Golf Classic last Sunday. The fundraising event drew 32 players, at $50 a head, and a pleasurable afternoon was had by everyone.

* * *

The Board of Trustees at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library Tuesday night appointed Mrs Janet Woycik as head librarian accepting the recommendation of the search committee by a unanimous vote. Mrs Woycik has served as acting librarian since Dennis J. Clarke left the library in June. In making the recommendation, search committee chairman Dan Cruson said Mrs Woycik was selected because of her outstanding credentials and fine recommendations, her knowledge of the town and its residents, and her knowledge of the library and its operation.

* * *

Schools Superintendent John Reed appeared before the Public Building committee in Town Hall South Wednesday night to begin addressing the burgeoning fire code violations in the Newtown school system, although many of those violations are still unidentified. As the result of a new state fire safety code initiated in September 1981, public buildings in Connecticut must now conform to stricter standards.

* * *

Cable television is definitely on the way to Newtown, and this time, says Paul Hancock, the roadblocks have been removed. Mr Hancock, general partner with Housatonic Cable Vision Company of New Milford, says construction of the system that will eventually bring many more television channels to Newtown viewers will probably begin in a month. He says he expects the entire system to be completed within a year.

 

September 20, 1957

An agreement was signed between First Selectman Edward Coleman and State Police Commissioner John C. Kelly last Friday afternoon to provide a resident state police officer for Newtown. The officer will be made available for service in Newtown on or before October 1. The cost of this additional police protection is provided by a $4,000 item in the selectmen’s budget for the upcoming year.

* * *

Through the joint contributions of Newtown Horticulture Club and Edmond Town Hall, the planting in front of the town hall is being rearranged and added to, under the direction of W.A. Schoonmaker of Newtown Landscape Service. Two large dogwoods have already been planted and the rhododendrons and azaleas are being relocated. Juniper and laurel will be added.

* * *

Mrs Irving Shaw of Park Lane reports an unusual Friday the thirteenth incident at her home. A pheasant flew against the house, banging into and breaking a double storm sash and a regular window. The sound of the three windows breaking and of the glass falling lasted a long time, she said. Only a month after the Shaws moved into their new home last year, a partridge flew into and smashed their large picture window.

* * *

Newtown’s Teen Canteen is doing something unique to bolster their treasury. They’ve taken over Town Players’ Little Theatre, and under the supervision of the Players, are putting on a three-act play, Melody Jones. Carl Denniger is the director.

* * *

Top honors were awarded at West Springfield, Mass., on Tuesday to purebred Dorset sheep exhibited at the Eastern States Exposition by Taunton Hill Farm of Newtown. Eight sheep from the Taunton Hill flock were entered in the show by Mrs James Brunot, owner, and were fitted and shown by Charles Dinsmore, shepherd of Taunton Hill Farm.

* * *

“Christmas in September” will be observed in Newtown next Thursday, September 26, from 10 am to 4 pm when the Easter Seal Gift-Mobile will be parked in the Driveway of the Stephen Budd home on Main Street across from Edmond Town Hall. Townspeople will have an excellent opportunity to do some Christmas shopping early from the large selection of handmade articles made by the homebound men and women of Connecticut under the sponsorship of the Connecticut Society for Crippled Children and Adults.

 

September 16, 1932

The Board of Trustees of Newtown Savings Bank has declared a semi-annual dividend of 2¼ percent payable October 1, 1932. This is at the rate of 4½ percent annum. This makes the 154th consecutive dividend paid by this bank.

* * *

Freedom of speech and the press were stressed by Attorney Earle W. Smith of Bridgeport and Newtown in a masterly address before the members of Pootatuck Grange, Tuesday night, when Attorney Smith spoke on the subject, “World Progress for Peace.” Attorney Smith stated that he believed friendship to be the greatest offensive against future wars, and praised the good accomplished in shaping a lasting friendship among the nations of the world, through the medium of the Olympic games. “Wars cannot be started without having public opinion in back of them,” he stated, and urged everybody to teach and preach peace.

* * *

The throng that gathered in Trinity Guild rooms last Monday afternoon were not disappointed. It was a unique occasion, the 200th anniversary of the founding of the church in Newtown. The people who came from far and near, from Redding Ridge especially, were greeted by the ladies of the Guild, by Bishop Acheson, Bishop Johnson, and the rector as they entered the rooms which were attractively decorated with an abundance of flowers.

* * *

By actual count by one who has, each Labor Day, reckoned the cars passing the flag pole, 403 passed it in 22 minutes on the afternoon of the holiday between 4:00 and 4:22 pm.

* * *

In a bicycle contest at Sears-Roebuck store in Bridgeport, Saturday, in the finals, Albert Boyson of Newtown made the fastest time, a half mile in 25 seconds, and was awarded the bicycle. He defeated his nearest competitor by a fifth of a second.

* * *

A.F.A. Konig, of Newtown, proprietor of Minkdale farm, writing from London to the editor says: “Greetings from London. Left Newtown on Monday and arrived the following Monday. Ocean was like a pond. Sunshine all the time but fog the last day.”

 

September 20, 1907

John H. Blackman on Friday became the proprietor of the meat market in Minott Augur’s block at Sandy Hook, succeeding L.C. Gilbert & Sons.

* * *

Dr Peck of Mt Pleasant has had the water pipes laid from the main of the Newtown Water Co., laid to his new barn, and a hydrant put in for the barn use. W.B. Glover had the work in charge.

* * *

Wagons and Harness! In these days when meeting autos at every turn, you cannot afford to risk your life in that old rattletrap of a wagon you have used so long, when you can buy a new one, a good one, and one that will give you satisfaction for a very little money. At the same time it is also quite necessary that you have a strong Harness for your own protection and that of your family. A.W. Bassett & Son, Sandy Hook, Conn.

 

* * *

Mrs David C. Bacon and Miss Mary Bacon were the victims of an unfortunate accident while on the way to church, Sunday. An automobile was stalled in front of Henry Sleighter’s place. Their horse took fright at a man who suddenly arose from the machine as he was at work on it. The horse jumped into the ditch overturning their carriage and throwing the ladies out. Miss Bacon was badly bruised on the face, and her face was covered with blood from slight cuts. The carriage top was broken and the harness more or less broken. The ladies were obliged to return to their home.

* * *

Ross Jewell, for four years the capable and popular principal at the Newtown High school, has been elected to an instructorship at Yale university, taking up the work of Dr Axel Vertling, an instructor in German, who is ill with typhoid fever. Mr Jewell’s many friends will extend hearty congratulations on this appointment, for which he is so well fitted.