The town’s only boat ramp, located in Lake Lillinonah Park off Hanover Road, was damaged by ice and water during the winter, and may prove costly to repair. Every winter ice takes its toll on the ramp, but this winter was particularly bad, as the lower part of the asphalt ramp broke up.

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Newtown will be receiving 33 Radiant crab apple trees for planting on Arbor Day, through the “Trees for Towns” program, as part of Connecticut’s 350th anniversary celebration. Ten trees will be planted in Ram Pasture, five near the sign and five more down by the buildings. Ten more will be planted at Newtown High School, with five on each side of the driveway. Eight more will be situated on the island between Mt Pleasant Road and Johnnie Cake Lane, and five will be planted at Dickinson Park.

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At 3 pm Monday afternoon, a school bus carrying approximately 50 Sandy Hook School students was evacuated after fire was seen coming from the bottom of the bus. The bus driver quickly got the children off and the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company was called. An inspection revealed a broken oil line. Another bus was dispatched to pick the children up and bring them home.

April 14, 1961

International friendship and fine entertainment went hand in hand at the second annual International Night program presented by the AFS committee of the community and high school on Saturday night. Miss Nikola Kruse, Newtown’s AFS student from Vienna, was guest of honor for the evening. More than 80 women baked for the pastry shop, 130 adults served in various capacities and committees, and 100 students participated.

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The Queen Street Journal, Newtown High School’s student newspaper, took top honors in the first annual High School Journalism Workshop recently conducted by the Waterbury Republican-American and the University of Bridgeport Department of Journalism. The award was the top honor that could be won in the non-printed division of the critical analysis given to participating high school newspapers.

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Congregation Adath Israel is pleased to announce that the Rabbi Michael Kramer of New York City has been appointed the new spiritual leader at the Newtown synagogue. Rabbi Kramer is planning to conduct an adult study group on Saturday afternoons.

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The Rev Richard R. Losch, newly named rector of St John’s Episcopal Church in Sandy Hook, will preach his first sermon this Sunday, April 16. The Rev Mr Losch took up residence at the church parsonage in Sandy Hook this week.

 

April 10, 1936

Dr E.H.J. Hennessey of Stratford, who passes much of his time at his country place in Zoar district, escaped injury on Monday morning by a narrow margin, when a large limb from a tree fell to the ground during the high wind, striking his Cadillac Sedan and completely crushing the body. Dr Hennessey and his chauffeur were about to enter the car when they heard a cracking sound, and looking upward they saw the huge limb starting to fall. Both of them ran to one side in time to avoid injury.

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The barbershops in Newtown and Sandy Hook will be open all day Good Friday until 8 o’clock at night. The law allows barbershops to remain open on that day, which is not included among the holidays that shops must close.

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Fire of an undetermined origin completely destroyed, on Sunday night, the house recently purchased by Charles Chaote of New Rochelle, N.Y., which is located in the Palestine district of this town. The place is known as the Old Weaver house and was one of the oldest in town. Mr Chaote and his family had passed the weekend there, leaving early Sunday evening. During the night, the house burned down and neighbors were greatly surprised in the morning to find that the house had suddenly disappeared.

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An interesting sale made this week was the Eden Hill Farm to W. Gerald Bryant of Bridgeport. This property was sold in 1929 to Harry Batten, who built the first nine of a proposed eighteen-hole golf course. Many have enjoyed playing on this unique golf course. Mr Batten was forced to return the property to the original owner, Isaiah Bolmer recently, under foreclosure.

 

April 14, 1911

The 29th annual meeting of the Ex-Union Prisoners of War will be held in Robert O. Tyler post rooms, Brown & Thompson building, Hartford, Friday, April 14. It is desired that all ex-prisoners make a special effort to be present. During the year the association has printed the “diary” of F.H. Clavreul, with names of dying Federal soldiers to whom he ministered at Andersonville and Savannah, Ga., during July and August, 1864, with five views of the “bull pen.”

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Editor of The Bee: So much is being said at present in favor of the so-called open Sabbaths, and this to my mind by a class of people that have come into our state largely from foreign shores, and who never have known what a Puritan Sabbath meant to the early Pilgrim settlers. And largely from these people, and others, comes the cry for an open Sabbath, where various kinds of games and sports can be indulged in, with soft drinks and sly beer thrown in… Were all these allowed, does it have a tendency to make better morals for our country, villages and cities? No, a thousand times, no! —H.W.W.

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Morris, the grocer, will have those good Hot Cross buns, fresh from the baker for Friday morning. They will come done up in tissue paper, just like the bread, which is rapidly getting into favor. If you have not tried it, it will pay you to.

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Work on the Castle improvements is going rapidly forward. A.E. Brinton, the hustling plumber, has installed the massive Gurney heating plant, 135 radiators and the numerous bath rooms are already equipped and ready for business. Thomas F. Brew, in charge of the carpentry, keeps his small army of workers on the move. The two 40-foot towers are growing under the magic touches of Chris Hansen and men, while they wield trowel, mortar and stone and think thoughts fit for the immortals.