Issues of The Newtown Bee from November 20, 1964, and from November 20, 1914 were not available this week.

November 17, 1989

The first College Fair to be sponsored by Newtown High School Guidance Department and the PTSA was held at the High school recently. This fair was a great success and was well attended by both students and parents. Over 90 institutions of higher learning participated and comments were heard which reflected the good behavior of the students attending as well as the organization of the fair itself.

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Last Saturday, November 11, the top five members of the Newtown High School girls’ swim team had their finest meets ever at the Class M State qualifying meet in Branford, Connecticut, all topping their best career performances, with four of the five advancing to the class championships. Three NHS swimming records went down in the process. “It was really an exciting day for all of us,” said NHS swim coach Heze Clark.

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Newtown High School senior Sarah Wismar has been named to the All Western Connecticut Conference field hockey team. Wismar, who also runs track for NHS, played link this fall for the Lady Indians, who finished 0-15-1.

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A reading program begun last year at Middle Gate School was so successful that it is being repeated and expanded this year. The project began when Judy Beers, third grade teacher, was searching for ways to enhance one of her students’ reading skills and self-esteem. She set up a program that involves third graders spending time each Friday with kindergartners each week. The older students read to the little ones, help them draw pictures to illustrate the story and then question them about what they’ve heard.

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The Newtown High School Varsity boys’ cross country team topped an all-time high, placing fifth overall in the New England Championships. What a way to end a most successful season. The only girl to qualify from Newtown’s team, Kate McGovern, also had an impressive finish, gaining All-New England status, placing 25th from a field of over 175 top quality runners.

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Recently, Girl Scout Troop 440 visited the Booth Library to fulfill some requirements for their Book Badge. Children’s librarian, Mike Vuillemenot explained the Caldecott and Newbery Awards and in return, the girls created some beautiful bookmarks for library patrons.

November 17, 1939

A brick building is being erected at the south end of the Plastic Moulding Company in Sandy Hook. The structure is 30 x 40 feet and when completed, will be used to house the cold molding material equipment of the factory. John McGinley is doing the work. John Anderson and Kenneth Smith of the Plastic Moulding Company were in New York on Tuesday evening, attending the fourth annual Modern Plastic Presentation dinner held in the Starlight Roof Garden of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

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Joseph Busser of South Center district has sold his north pond, 4 acres of land and the famous cold spring, located in South Center district to Roy and Arthur Platt, former residents of this town. This property belonged to William Platt, grandfather to Roy and Arthur Platt, 75 years ago. An interesting note, is that about two months ago, Mr Busser, while erecting a dam for the pond, moved an old hydraulic ram installed by William Platt. The bearings in the ram were made of a wood known as “lignum vitae.” This wood had been in water for over 75 years and was in perfect condition.

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On this Saturday, after almost a score of years of planning and building, the entire 38 miles of the Merritt Parkway will be available for two-way traffic. Coincident with its opening will come one of the peak loads of motor cars of the entire season for the Yale-Princeton football game. The new parkway starts at the New York state line and runs through some of the most scenic territory in this section to Nichols, in the town of Trumbull. Once on the highway motorists are not bothered with stop lights or cross traffic. The landscaped dividing strip, between the double lanes, is one of the outstanding features on this modern highway.

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Dr Fred Hoskins of the United church of Bridgeport opened the Forum series of the Newtown Young People’s Club on Sunday evening at the Congregational church with a most illuminating lecture on “What Has Happened to Religion in Germany and Russia.” He prefaced his remarks with the statement that Christianity believes there can be but one hand. On the other hand, in any totalitarian state, the belief exists that the state is supreme, standing above any God… In Germany the nazi government has by stages pushed both the Catholic and the Protestant churches into neutral corners where they can now afford little opposition to Herr Hitler and his scheme of National Socialism.

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Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook, with The Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed to Nancy@thebee.com, or bring photographs to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people in photo as possible, the location, and an approximate date.