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Maintaining that it wonât hurt to have children fingerprinted, if this would relieve parentsâ fears regarding kidnapping, Chief of Police Louis D. Marchese this week offered free police assistance to PTA volunteers running the program. The PTA wanted police involved to be sure the prints were accurate.
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After they were no longer needed to accommodate passengers, the townâs railroad stations were put to other commercial uses; the latest is a gift and frame shop in the Newtown station called Church Hill Station. The shopâs proprietors â the European-born Janatka family â have traveled the world over gathering treasures for their new business, so it seems fitting that they house it in the building that once linked Newtown with distant markets.
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Postmaster Virginia Dolan is delighted with the country landscape which is now a permanent part of the décor at the Hawleyville Post Office. The artist, Diane Voyentzie, said she enjoyed the project because people at the post office made her feel so welcome when she first moved into the area eight years ago. The painting covers a span of about nine feet in length and is about 18 inches high.
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The Newtown Montessori Junior School, an upgraded mixed age group program for six to nine-year-olds, will open in September 1983 with goals and curriculum that emphasize the Montessori philosophy. The junior program joins the present Newtown Montessori preschool program, established in 1968, which serves 80 two-and-a-half to six-year-olds in the greater Danbury area.
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During the next few weeks, fifth grade children at Head Oâ Meadow School will participate in a critical television viewing program. The objectives of the program are to help children recognize quality in television programming, distinguish between real and fantasy in programs, understand the purpose of commercials, recognized stereotyping in characterization, and deal more effectively with violence on television.
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Newtown First Selectman Jack Rosenthal this week termed a letter he received from a Department of Transportation official about fixing up Route 302 âunacceptableâ since the letter indicated the road would not be resurfaced until 1984. He stated, âThe residents of Newtown who have to travel Route 302 in Newtown to get to and from their homes have for about three years endured traveling over the worst stretch of road in this area.â
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May 2, 1958
In bidding that lasted exactly six minutes, Thursday morning, the Atchison Block, Main Street, Newtown, was bought by its owners William and Margaret Atchison for $30,000, subject to approval by The Superior Court of Fairfield. There were but three other bidders among the smallish crowd that assembled in front of the premises for the auction.
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The Firemanâs Feast, being given by the Ladiesâ Auxiliary of the United Company of Botsford, last Saturday evening, was just at the half-way mark when an alarm came in. Quickly the men left their places in the dining hall and dashed to the fire trucks. It was just a grass fire in back of the Stepney Camp and was quickly put out and in half an hourâs time the firemen were back to finish their dinners. Luckily, the dinner was held right in the firehouse!
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A group of 14 entrants competed in Newtownâs first Teen Age Road-E-O sponsored by the Junior Chamber of Commerce and held in the Shopping Center. Several of the contestants were girls. During the afternoonâs competition about 300 persons stopped by to watch the teenagers putting their driving skills to a series of difficult tests. James Paproski was the winner.
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Patients of Fairfield State Hospital enjoyed a spring dance on Wednesday evening, April 23, held in Bridgeport Hall on the Hospital Grounds. Music for dancing was furnished by the Bailey Dixie Land Combo. Mr and Mrs William Brown of Westport gave exhibitions of the tango, cha-cha and rock and roll.
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Approximately 20 scientists and engineers of the Newtown area met on Monday, April 28, in the high school to formulate plans for a program of science study for talented high school students. Where possible, the program will include actual project work in the various branches of science by the students selected to take part in the activity.
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April 28, 1933
The Farm Bureau will meet at the home of Miss Ann May Betts. Miss Mason from Storrs College will demonstrate on interior decoration. It will be an all dayâs meeting, commencing at 10:30 am, with a picnic lunch. Each one please bring a plate, cup, saucer, knife, fork, spoon.
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EDMOND TOWN HALL THEATER Friday And Saturday, April 28 and 29, And Saturday Matinee, 2 P.M., âKING KONG.â Kong, immense prehistoric ape, who is the menace in the fantastic RKP Radio Picture, âKing Kong,â featuring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot at the Edmond Theater, is one of the most terrifying villains that ever made a cameraman shudder. Certainly he is the largest.
HAWLEY SCHOOL Thirteen members of the High school are working strenuously on the essay, either of the life of Martha or George Washington. These essays will be written for the Daughters of the American Revolution, who are generously offering a prize of a $2.50 gold piece for what they judge to be the best essay submitted to them.
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Representative Honan figured briefly in the debate on the rejection of the bill for an investigation of the Fairfield State hospital at Newtown, in the Legislature at Hartford on Tuesday, which he favored. He said he knew the men who are the trustees of the institution, and he also knew of the rumors that have been and are in circulation. It seemed to him that it would be worth while for the state to make the proposed investigation and clear the names of the trustees.
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The Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers about 75 in number, will meet in Newtown, today (Thursday) at 2:30 pm. They will meet at the grounds of the Fairfield State Hospital and look over the new buildings, the pumping plant, reservoir and sewage disposal plant. During the latter part of the afternoon they will look over the new library building and the Edmond Town hall.
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CRANKY OLD AUTO STOPS SHORT AND REFUSES TO GO FOR VICE-PRESIDENT C.E. SMITH OF NEW HAVEN RAILROAD. Leaves Mr Smith and His Guests By Side of the Road Two Miles Outside of Danbury, Last Thursday Night. HELP IS SECURED FROM NEARBY HOUSE AND MR SMITH MEETS HIS LECTURE ENGAGEMENT ON TIME IN DANBURY â ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL. At Newtown he stopped to pick up Allison P. Smith and Frederic A. Stoddard, who accompanied him to Danbury. The auto appeared to be working badly and when within about two miles of Danbury, blew out a gasket. The three men pushed the car off the road.
May 1, 1908
The May 1, 1908, Newtown Bee archival copy is missing from records.