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THE WAY WE WERE

JUNE 15, 1973

The Board of Finance accepted the mandate of the electorate in Tuesday's

referendum, and acted Wednesday to cut $186,750 from the combined town budget

to keep the mill rate the same as this year's. Of the total, $130,000 was cut

from the Board of Education budget, and $56,750 from the Board of Selectmen's

budget. First Selectman Frank DeLucia said he plans to call a special meeting

of the selectmen on June 15 to recommend the budget to a town meeting. There

is the possibility of another referendum, however, because the Taxpayers

Group, which had petitioned for the first two referendums, had asked the Board

of Finance for cuts totalling $300,000. Voters had turned down the selectmen's

budget on a vote of 1,586 to 1,362 and the school budget by a vote of 1,656 to

1,257.

A discussion of teacher employment for next year at the Board of Education

meeting Tuesday evening was tabled after Tom Carey, student representative to

the board, pointed out that discussion would be pointless in view of the

budget defeat. Three new positions were up for consideration: a creative

writing and speech teacher at the high school, an elementary librarian, and a

counselor-examiner.

Officer Robert Wrabel of the Newtown police and the department's police dog,

Lion, along with Sgt Raymond Tom pkins, attended Police K-9 trials in

Wrentham, Mass., last week. This was the first competition that Lion had

participated in and he finished 16th in the field of dogs.

Newtown may have two more Little League fields by next year. Frank D'Addario,

owner of D'Addario Sand and Gravel Company on Button Shop road in Newtown, has

offered to develop land that he owns off Toddy Hill road across the street

from S. Curtis & Son Inc for the town to use for Little League fields. After

listening to Mr D'Addario's offer in a closed session Tuesday evening, the

Park and Recreation Commission voted to send a letter to the Board of

Selectmen stating that they approve of Mr D'Addario's plan. Action on the

matter then will be taken by the selectmen.

A new addition to the Dodgingtown Fire House was finished last week and the

apron in front was repaved. The men built the addition themselves, working in

their spare time over a period of months. The addition will house their small

brush fire truck, which was moved out of the big garage when Dodgingtown

bought Hawleyville's tanker.

The Class of 1933 of Newtown High School celebrated a 40th reunion last

Saturday evening at the Hawley Manor Inn. Those attending included Sam Stern,

Laura Knapp Karcheski, Marie Leonard Greenman, Beulah Strasburger Conway,

Thomas Goosman, Louise Maye Hawley, Arthur Vining, William Kayfus, Hills

Idelman, Dr Walter Holcomb, and Clarence "Bud" Naramore. THe Class of 1933

originally numbered 26 and was the first class to graduate from Hawley High

School in cap and gowns.

Lee Glover, chief of Newtown Hook & Ladder Company No 1 for nearly 18 years,

stepped down from the post on January 4. He immediately was elected third

assistant chief. Mr Glover joined the fire company during World War II when

the age was lowered so that high school boys could fill the places left by men

who were called to war. In 1955 he was elected the youngest chief Hook &

Ladder had ever had, and one of the youngest to take over a fire company in

the area.

JUNE 18, 1948

The swimming and playground program will get underway in Newtown next

Wednesday. The swim program will include 30 children who will be picked up by

bus, by Mrs Beardsley's car, or Mr DeGroat's station wagon and transported to

Hawley School. There they will change to swimming suits and the bus will take

them to Curtis Pond. A charge of 10 cents per round trip will be charged for

the buses.

Plans are being made for an adult chest x-ray program in Newtown on July 7-9

according to Mrs Ellis Gladwin, president of the Visiting Nurse Association

which is sponsoring the program. The x-ray tests will disclose tumor,

tuberculosis and some heart ailments. The program is open to all persons who

are over 15 years old and live or work in Newtown. No charge will be made for

this service which is financed by taxes and by accumulated Christmas seal

contributions.

Last Friday evening the Boys Social and Athletic Club of Sandy Hook, Inc.,

elected Paul E. Smith president of the newly formed corporation, with Mrs

Edith Parker and Judge Paul V. Cavanaugh named vice presidents. Hawley Warner

was elected secretary and treasurer. All officers, directors and coaches will

serve without remuneration of any kind.

On Tuesday Mrs E.M. Peck, Miss Susan J. Scudder and Mrs A. M. Boyson

accompanied Rev Paul Cullens to North Haven to congratulate Mrs Archibald

McArthur on her 90th birthday. Unfortunately Mrs McArthur, who is a former

Newtown resident of many years, was not at home when they called. However,

they left best wishes and flowers from the Congregational Church, of which Mrs

McArthur is still a member.

Friends will be glad to know that Harold F. Smith who was taken to the

Bridgeport Hospital a week ago is responding to treatment and showing much

improvement. Mrs Smith, who suffered a fracture of the right ankle in a fall,

is progressing satisfactorily at her home in the South Central district.

Neither, however, can be expected to be back at their usual places at the

Flagpole Fountain for some time.

Miss Barbara Jane Baxter, daughter of Mr and Mrs William C. Baxter of Mt

Pleasant Road, has selected July 3 as the date of her wedding to William

Coburn Dunn of Hartford, son of Mr and Mrs William H. Dunn. The wedding will

take place at 4 pm at Trinity Church.

Mr and Mrs Robert Leibold have a son, born on June 12 at the Danbury Hospital.

A final report by the Newtown chapter of the American Red Cross showed that

over $3,300 was subscribed in the 1948 Campaign by the local branch, am amount

that was 50 percent over the town's quota. The Red Cross now is issuing an

appeal for all size knitting needles to be sent to the women of Korea and an

appeal for cards and games for boys in camps or on duty in various localities.