The Little Red House is back in the town clerk’s office and this time in the form of a dog house — the new, 1978 dog licenses are in the shape of a little red dog house, clearly marked dog tag. This year the tag is somewhat larger than previous years and a miniature chihuahua might be overwhelmed but certainly very well identified.

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Newtown’s Cable Television Advisory Committee is looking forward to its June 8 meeting to get some answers to questions which have been piling up from Paul Hancock of Housatonic Cablevision, franchise holder for a cable TV system in Newtown, and five other area communities. The committee members, chairman Joseph Bobowicz, Millard Goodsell, and Merlin Fisk, have been viewing the connections of the planned cable to the Newtown schools, as well as the town hall, library, and new community center which is being constructed on Riverside Road, Sandy Hook.

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The Legislative Council’s ordinance subcommittee decided the disposition of a number of proposed ordinances at its Wednesday night meeting. The topic which generated the most heat in the meeting, however, a fair rent commission proposal, had not yet been given formally to the group.

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In a marathon five-hour session lasting past Cinderella’s magic hour of midnight, the Board of Education on Wednesday completed its budget work and now has a fiscal figure for 1978–79. The amount is $8,083,257. Broken down, $8 million is what taxpayers said the board could have at the annual budget meeting and referendum which followed; the $83,257 is what the system will receive in State Instant Lottery money.

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Newtown’s war dead were honored by Charles Howard Peck, Sr and Jr Post 308, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Auxiliary, at the annual Memorial Day services conducted at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, head of Main Street.

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Newtown High School was closed Thursday as the result of toxic fumes which had permeated sections of the building during application of a silicone spray to the exterior walls on Tuesday and Wednesday. And, as The Bee went to press Thursday morning, high school principal Alvah Cramer was at the facility seeing to it that the building was being well ventilated in order to rid it of the fumes, so it would be safe to open school as usual on Friday.

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What’s a 39-year-old attorney from Newtown doing in far upstate New York running a course of over 28 miles, under a hot sun, after only six months of running practice? If it’s Bob Hall, you’re talking about, he did it because of a Boston Marathon he entered but never finished and, well, because it was there, quite frankly. Mr Hall, a lifelong Newtowner, exulted, “I actually finished!” when called by The Bee last week.

JUNE 5, 1953

The gratitude of a parish, which he has served as curate and pastor for 25 years, was expressed Tuesday night to the Rev Walter R. Conroy, pastor of St Rose Church, by approximately 400 parishioners during a reception held in his honor in St Rose Hall. Many priests, including three former pastors of St Rose under whom Father Conroy served as curate, feted him at dinner in the rectory and participated in the program at the reception.

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A special town meeting has been called by the selectmen for this Friday evening, June 5, at 8 o’clock in Edmond Town Hall, to consider matters concerned with the expenditure of funds under the annual state grant for work on town roads and the sale of fireworks by Newtown firemen.

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A preliminary organization has been formed by the Newtown Volunteer Fire Companies for the planning of a parade here on the Fourth of July.

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Miss Evie Pendergast, daughter of Mr and Mrs John Pendergast of Walnut Tree Hill, was chosen queen of the Junior Prom, which was held on Friday evening, May 29, in the Newtown High School cafeteria. Miss Pendergast was chosen by popular vote, ballets being cast during the course of the evening. Kenny Berglund, president of the junior class, placed the silver crown on her head and presented her with a bouquet of flowers. Miss Pendergast and her escort, Robert Brennan, then performed an exhibition dance to her favorite popular tune.

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Dr and Mrs J. Benton Egee arrived in New York on Tuesday aboard the liner United States after an 11-weeks tour of Europe.

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The annual meeting of the sustaining members of the Social and Athletic Club of Sandy Hook, the SAC, was held Monday evening at the club house at SAC Park. There was a good attendance of members, with Joseph Hellauer, president, presiding.

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A few moments after 7 o’clock this Sunday morning, June 7, all telephones in Newtown will change over from time-honored manual operation to an automatic dial system in which a myriad number of switches and relays will do the work of a corps of operators. A humming dial tone will replace the familiar “Number, please” as phones are lifted after that hour.

JUNE 1, 1928

Arthur T. Nettleton was chairman of the special town meeting Saturday afternoon held for the purpose of approving the recommendation of the town Board of Finance that the town borrow the sum of $10,000 for the purchase of St Mary Hall in Sandy Hook, to remodel said hall, and to purchase land adjacent for a playground. About 50 voters were present, and the resolution was approved without opposition.

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Arthur Beard, the mason, is putting on the walls in the new residence of Martin A. Moller.

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Willis F. Arndt and DeForest Glover attended the meeting of Metichewan Grange of Still River Friday evening.

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Town Treasurer Wright and A.P. Smith on Sunday placed the flags on the graves of the veterans of the several wars buried in the Village Cemetery.

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By an act of Congress, the war tax on new automobiles has been abolished.

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Mr and Mrs Walter Reynolds of Newtown Street entertained Mr and Mrs A.B. Rey of Bridgeport, Mrs Charles Miller of Springifled, Mr and Mrs H.E. Dineson and Miss Betty Dineson of Monroe, and Mr and Mrs R.E. Smith and Richard Smith, Jr, of Sound Beach on Sunday. The occasion was Miss Marian Reynolds’ birthday, and their friends came to help her celebrate the event.

JUNE 5, 1903

The Creamery siding at the Newtown station is to be extended north from its present terminus, about 1,500 feet to what is known as Houlihan’s crossing, making the length of the siding very nearly a mile.

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William A. Canfield, on the Boulevard, has erected a very handsome flagpole on his grounds, from which Old Glory will fly to the breeze on appropriate occasions.

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Julius Hartwig of Berkshire has had a well dug on his place and was obliged to go down 42 feet before water was reached. At the bottom they were obliged to put in tile on account of quicksand. Thomas Kinsey, Ralph Whitlock, and Thomas Hurley did the work.

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William W. Gardner of South Manchester, formerly principal of the Newtown Academy, was the guest from Friday till Monday of Mr and Mrs Levi C. Morris.

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The Bachelor Girls’ Club gave quite a swell dance at the town hall, Friday night, in honor of W.W. Gardner, who was visiting in town. The hall was very prettily decorated with flags, bunting, Japanese lanterns, and red and white tissue paper.

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Patrick Blake has taken a position in the Dutch Rubber shop.

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Miss Maude Maynard of Bridgeport was surprised, Saturday night, at her home in Taunton by a party of young people. Games were played and ice cream and cake were dispensed.