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THE WAY WE WERE FOR SEPTEMBER 24, 1999

SEPTEMBER 27, 1974

Vegetables and fruit seem to be reaching superlative proportions this year.

Who can say what combinations of sun, rain and soil have made it so. Mike

Kopesky of Parmalee Hill Road, an 8th grader, came across a two pound tomato

in his garden, as well as a one and three-quarter pounder and slightly smaller

ones. His strawberries were also big this season, he says. Mrs Nicole Morris

of Glover Avenue is looking for ideas of what to do with a 105 pound pumpkin.

It might have grown bigger if aphids had not attacked. Other huge pumpkins lie

out in the garden on their straw mulch as if waiting for a huge hen to come

back and sit on them.

"We've ended negotiations. We're going to fact finding." John Butler,

president of the union chapter of Newtown's public works employees, made this

announcement Tuesday afternoon after emerging from Edmond Town Hall into the

chilly fall air after a four hour mediation session with the Town's negotiator

and a state mediator. The Town and the highway department's union chapter of

the National Association of Government Employees began the mediation talks

last Thursday on the stalled contract negotiations, which began shortly after

the employees unionized in April. The union had originally broken off

negotiations early in August and began picketing the town Hall every Tuesday

afternoon in protest of the alleged non-cooperation of the Town.

The Board of Finance advised the Public Building Committee to ask for the

entire $600,000 the committee estimated the proposed Town garage on the

property on Route 25 would cost.

For the second time this year, the Planning & Zoning Commission has rejected a

set of proposed regulations for multiple housing in Newtown. The first

disapproval, on February 15, 1974, was on local attorney Frank Mercier's

"trial balloon" regulations for planned unit developments. The second occurred

last Friday. By unanimous vote the commission members voted to reject the

application of Victor Christopher and Do Chung Associates, New Canaan

architectural firm, and John Barton, for an amendment to the zoning

regulations to create "planned residential zones" in town.

After waiting with some nervousness for several weeks, the members of Newtown

Housing for the Elderly, Inc (NHE) learned at their meeting on Monday that A.

Searle Pinney, chairman of the Fairfield Hills Hospital Advisory Board, has

sent a letter to Ernest Shepherd, state mental health commissioner, approving

location of a rental housing facility for the elderly on a 20 acre parcel of

the hospital's land off Nunnawauk Road. In a September 18 letter to

Commissioner Shepherd, Mr Pinney said the Advisory Board had reendorsed the

use of the land, which the members had indicated they supported in July, after

NHE president Stanley Main received the support of Dr Robert Miller, FHH

administrator. According to Mr Main, the organization will now contact the

mental health commissioner to find out how long it will take for his decision.

If it's favorable, Newtown Housing for the Elderly will go to the state Board

of Finance, then the Governor, for final approval of the transfer of title.

The first American Legion Post will have its organizational meeting on

Wednesday, October 2, at 8 pm in the lower floor meeting room at Edmond Town

Hall. All eligible veterans in Newtown, Sandy Hook, Hawleyville and other

areas may join.

First Selectman Frank DeLucia held his second Neighborhood Town Hall session

this week at the Dodgingtown Fire House on Tuesday. The sessions are planned

to enable persons in the various areas of town to discuss any problems they

may have with the First Selectman. The next session will be on Tuesday,

October 1, at the Botsford Firehouse, from 10 am to 2 pm. Mr DeLucia said that

this week's session was "very good," with a number of persons coming into the

Dodgingtown firehouse to talk with him about specific problems. He also said

the session offered him the opportunity to question those who did come in

about their feelings on various issues facing Newtown.

Two Newtown housewives, learning that First National Stores and another food

chain outside the New England area had discontinued the practice of marking up

items already on store shelves to the price set for new stock, usually for an

increase, decided Newtown market operators should stop doing it too. "We think

the grocers are entitled to a fair profit over what they originally pay for

the merchandise," explained Mrs Rosemarie Fattibene, "but when one price

sticker is covered by another, and a third, and sometimes a fourth, with the

price going up and up, you know the selling price represents a considerable

mark-up over the wholesale cost of the merchandise." Asked if they realized

discontinuing the practice would make it difficult for the stores to maintain

unit price labelling required at the insistence of Connecticut consumers, they

said they understood the problem. "They don't keep the unit prices up to date

anyway and half the time you can't find the unit price posted anywhere near

the item," countered Mrs Anita Goosman.

SEPTEMBER 30, 1949

Born as a result of civilian suffering, particularly of the children, caused

by World War II, and carried on after war's end because of its continuing

aftermath, the Newtown Committee for Child Refugees held its final session in

the social rooms of the Newtown Congregational Church on Wednesday of last

week, completing more than nine years of service during which it produced

thousands of children's garments for distribution among European war victims.

The group came into existence in June, 1940, prior to US entrance into the

war, as a branch of the Friends of France, with Mrs Morris Frank as chairman

and Mrs Jerome P. Jackson as vice chairman. When the Republic of France fell

before the German onslaught, Mrs Frank resigned as chairman and went to New

York to work there for her country. The group then reorganized as an

independent committee under the chairmanship of Mrs Jackson, registered with

the Department of State in Washington and incorporated under the laws of the

State of Connecticut. Since then the women have sewed every Wednesday in the

basement of the church from 10 am until 3:30 pm, bringing their own lunches

and making hot coffee at noon.

Members and friends of the Newtown Kennel Club marked the end of National Dog

Week last Saturday evening with an exhibit of popular breeds of dogs in the

lobby of Edmond Town Hall, from 8 to 9 o'clock. The exhibit, arranged by Brian

Mainwaring of South Center District, club president and local chairman for

National Dog Week, attracted the interest of all moviegoers and emphasized the

main theme of Dog Week, that dogs are "man's best friends." Eight dogs of as

many breeds, from the youngest, Mrs Edith Parker's greyhound puppy, Denny, to

the oldest, Mrs William Karcheski's veteran collie, Roddy, accepted with good

will their roles of ambassadors of good will for dogdom. Other exhibitors and

dogs shown included Miss Janet McAneny, Newtown, cocker spaniel; Mrs

Mainwaring, Sealyham terrier; Mrs Cleland, boxer; Mrs R. Gilman Smith, Bethel,

springer spaniel; Mrs Eleanor Mayer, Southbury, Irish setter; and Robert E.

Paynter, Newtown, Great Dane.

A total of 2,758 voters are eligible to vote in Monday's annual town election.

This is the largest number of voters in the history of the town and may

possibly be increased in the case of those few whose right to vote matures

between September 27 and October 3, and will be made voters on Saturday.

As is being done elsewhere through the country in accordance with act of

Congress and designated by the President of the United States, First Selectman

W.W. Holcombe has designated by proclamation the week of October 2 through 8

to be known as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. It is hoped

that local employers will observe the week in the interest of disabled

veterans and other physically handicapped workers who may thus be given an

opportunity to become productive and self-supporting citizens.

The second meeting of the Newtown Brownie Troop was held Wednesday in Hawley

School with 18 new members present. At this time, Susan Parker was elected

president, and Susan Rohleder, treasurer. The American flag and the Brownie

Troop flag, donated by the Mothers Club, were used for the first time, and

cleanliness and helpfulness charts were distributed to the girls.

Known country-wide as the Danbury Fair, the event this year has been given the

additional title of "Golden Harvest" fair. Following a custom that is more

than 70 years old, General Manager John W. Leahy has also given a special

title to each individual day, beginning this Saturday.

SEPTEMBER 26, 1924

Five young men of the US Bureau of Entomology are boarding at John W. Behn's

in Dodgingtown and are scouting over the fields and woods of Newtown searching

for the eggs of the gypsy moth.

Rev Dr R.H. Gesner, the new rector of Trinity and St John's parishes, is now

settled in the Trinity Church rectory in the street. Dr Gesner has publicly

expressed himself as pleased over the cordiality of his reception here and has

taken hold of his work with vigor.

The public schools of the town opened on September 3, with a total

registration of 498 as compared with a registration of 488 in September, 1923.