September 15, 1989

It isn’t often that you can pickup roadside litter and not only feel good about helping your community, but become eligible for prizes. But that’s what will happen on Saturday, September 16, as part of the “Clean Sweep Day,” sponsored by the Newtown Board of Realtors. From 8 am to noon, people are asked to go to the firehouse in their neighborhood, pickup an “official trash bag,” and sign in for the day. After a person returns his or her bag — or bags — of trash, he or she will become eligible to win a prize.

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Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian got a nice surprise in the mail on Wednesday this week — a $5,000 donation for the proposed Teen Center. The donation came in two parts. Craig and Connie Weatherup of Dinglebrook Raod gave $2,500 to the project, and Pepsi Cola matched the donation with $2,500. Mr Weatherup is president and chief executive officer of the Pepsi Cola Company.

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In what seemed like a surprise upset, Zita McMahon defeated Jack Rosenthal, a former six-term First Selectman, to win Newtown’s Democratic Primary by a vote of 771-635, Tuesday, September 12. “I believe that the message that they’re giving as a community is that they want to go forward,” Mrs McMahon said. Mr Rosenthal and supporters had remained hopeful all the way into the first results, but after the last of the figures came through they were quiet.

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Members of the Historic District Study Committee are asking residents to show their support for the establishment of a Historic District by attending a hearing at the Newtown Meeting House, Thursday, September 14. “We’re hoping to get people in the district to come to the meeting,” HDSC Chairman Linda Shepard said. The thing about having a Historic District is that it preserves the character of Newtown, according to Mrs Shepard. And a house does not necessarily have to be 100 years old to be in the district.

September 18, 1964

The Hook and Ladder Company has taken a step forward in the prevention and elimination of damage caused by smoke and fire odors. Chief Lee W. Glover and Commissioner L. E. Pelletier have announced that Hook and Ladder Company will begin a program of deodorizing after extinguishing fires where smoke has been a major cause of damage. Tri-Gly, a new deodorizing agent, will be fogged into stores, homes, and other locations to eliminate fire odors.

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The annual report and recommendations of the superintendent of schools was released by the Newtown Board of Education, written by Dr Willard A. Downie, the new superintendent. As to school facilities, Dr Downie said, “The rapidly expanding school population caused an acute shortage of classroom space for the 1963-64 school year, and the emergency was met by increasing the size of classes, and by the use of several substandard classrooms on the ground floor of Hawley School and by placing sixth grade students from Hawley in the Junior-Senior High School building. Even with the new Middlegate School, the student population explosion will overload our facilities by 1967, not only at the secondary level, but in elementary spaces.”

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Plans have been made by the Newtown Historical Society to provide an inexpensive and attractive lunch to all those who plan to take the October 3rd Tour of Artists’ Studios. The lunch tables will be set up, weather permitting, on the grounds of three of the participating artists. Lending their attractive grounds for this feature of the tour are Lillian Jones, Henry Schnakenberg and Harrie Wood. Persons planning to take this interesting tour, showing the works of 22 local artists and featuring 14 different studios, are reminded of the discount on advance tickets.

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WHEREAS The Newtown Combined Volunteer Fire Companies have rendered great service to the people of Newtown, and WHEREAS they have, by their devotion to fire prevention, given us the protection, which can never be measured in dollars and cents alone, but rather by the safety of the lives of our citizens, THEREFORE I do proclaim Saturday, September 19, 1964, Fire Companies Day in the Town of Newtown, which is being observed by the inauguration of a Firemen’s Ball being held at the Yankee Drover Inn. ~ Charles W. Terrell, Jr, First Selectman, Town of Newtown

September 15, 1939

The Bethel Firemen and Country Club softball teams braved Sunday’s showers to play a double header at the club grounds. The firemen, behind the masterful six-hit twirling of “Al” Schnable, shut out the locals in the opener, 10-0. This marked the first time this season the locals have been held scoreless by any opponent.

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Attention is called to the fact, by the Charles Howard Peck, Sr and Jr Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, that Sunday, September 17, is Constitution Day. With the world unrest and so many isms in the world, it is well to stop and consider our form of Government with a masterpiece such as the Constitution which still governs this great country of ours. It is requested that our churches and schools make some recognition of the day, so that our people may more fully realize that we have the finest and best country and form of government in the world. — Robert D. Fairchild, Commander

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The public hearing of the Board of Finance held at the Edmond Town Hall on Monday evening, drew an attendance of about 25 interested townspeople. There was little discussion except on the item for a paid police force, a number at the meeting expressing themselves in favor of the establishing of a paid police force in Newtown. Among the items requested by the Board of Education, there was little discussion except in the matter of the athletic grounds at Taylor Field, many of those at the meeting expressing their desire that this work be started, preferably under the WPA Project.

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During the past week the former Beers homestead on Main street was sold to Mrs John Mann, whose husband, Real Estate Broker John Mann, has occupied the place for several months. The property consists of an attractive Colonial home, a large barn, garage and two and one-half acres of land. At present, the front porch of the house is being removed, and other improvements are underway which will greatly enhance the appearance of the property.

 

September 18, 1914

The sharp frosts of the past few mornings are beginning to show their effects on the corn crops yet standing on the lowlands. People generally are loath to see the frost come, for it presages bleak and dreary days later on. It was Whittier who writes of the coming of the frost in this fashion: “He come — he comes — the Frost Spirit comes! You many trace his footsteps now / On the naked woods and the blasted fields and the brown hill’s withered brow…”

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All roads now lead to Curtis Hill and to the Peach Orchard of Newtown M. Curtis, who is now busy with harvesting the luscious Elbertas. Mr Curtis has shipped peaches, this week, to Harrisburg, Pa. This week and the first of next will see the last of the harvest. The home demand for the peaches has been so active, Mr Curtis has not found it necessary to send teams to the nearby cities.

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Morris & Shepard are offering just now tremendous values in shoes, to close out, including $3.50 shoes at $2.75; $3 shoes at $2.49; $2 values at $1.69. Boys’ and girls’ $1.50 shoes at $1.25, Little Folks $1 shoes at 79 cents, sneaks and $1.50 tennis shoes at $1.25, sneaks that were 75 cents now 65 cents, boys’ sneaks that were 65 cents now 56 cents. (Adv.)

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Deputy Sheriff A.B. Blakeman will be at the shop of the late John Green, Saturday, from 2 to 3 pm, to give out shoes, harnesses, etc, which may have been left there for repairs.