The Newtown Park and Recreation Department is sponsoring a program conducted by the Connecticut Outdoor School, which will offer to Newtowners a variety of outdoor activities. The approach of the school is education so that you can expect to learn as you enjoy the beautiful geography of northwestern Connecticut.

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 The first phase of a five-year, $1.3-plus million plan to create a second town park on the so-called Stefanko property on Philo Curtis Road, Sandy Hook, has been approved and recommended to the Legislative Council by the Board of Selectmen. Monday night the selectmen okayed a $358,000 special appropriation for phase 1 of the plan for the 56-acre town-owned property.

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The Newtown Legislative Council is scheduled to take action on the Board of Education’s budget request for fiscal 1978–79, and also decide upon a request for a $358,000 special appropriation for the first phase of development of a new town park on the Stefanko property in Sandy Hook. Both are on the agenda for the council when it meets Wednesday, April 5, starting at 8 pm in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall.

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The Public Building Committee will meet Tuesday, April 4, at 8 pm in Edmond Town Hall to make a recommendation regarding possible town purchase of the 17-room Budd house and 1.9 acres of land on Main Street. Chairman Joseph Borst said the PBC has already completed a feasibility study of the land, formerly the estate of the late Florence E. Budd. The town has a 90-day option on the property which expires April 19, according to First Selectman Jack Rosenthal. The option is for $155,000 purchase price.

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On Easter Sunday, a two-way radio was stolen from a car owned by William Kimball of Sugar Lane. The car was parked in Mr Kimball’s driveway at the time of the theft. The radio belongs to the Newtown Ambulance Association, of which Mr Kimball is a member, and the association would like it back. It is of no value to the person who took it, since it is not a CB and can be used for ambulance purposes only.

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The Town of Newtown may be eligible for an undetermined amount of grant money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and in the next few weeks two public hearings will take place to get people’s input on uses for which the town could apply.

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The Newtown Junior Woman’s Club members remind everyone that the “Wheel-A-Thon for children 5 years and younger will take place from 3:30 to 5:30 pm on April 7 in Edmond Town Hall. The purpose of the event is to give younger children a chance to support Hike-Bike ’78 for the Retarded.

APRIL 3, 1953

More steaks and less hamburger at lower costs all along the line from the producer to the consumer are the objectives of Col George P. Converse, owner of Great Ring Farm in Grays Plain District, the first New England breeding station of a new American breed of cattle, the Santa Gertrude.

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In Connection with the Tamburris’ application for change of zone of their property known as Yankee Drover Inn, it developed Tuesday that the procedure followed in warning the public hearing held March 19 had been faulty in that the application and a plot plan of the proposed change had not been filed with the Borough Clerk for ten days prior to the hearing, as prescribed in Section 157-b of the Statutes, Revision of 1949.

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The State Legislature’s bill to name the new Route 6 highway bridge over the Housatonic River between Newtown and Southbury was passed by the House last week. The bill proposes the name “General Rochambeau Bridge” to honor the Revolutionary leader who led his troops on an historic march through this area and crossed the river near the site of the new bridge. The bill now awaits action by the Senate.

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Miss Carolyn Nash, daughter of Mr and Mrs Floyd Nash of Queen Street, who is attending the Central High School, St Paul, Minn., is going to take part in the operetta Sweetheart, which the school is giving in April.

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A possible increase in the state appropriation for Newtown High School was seen in the passing by the State Senate last week of a bill increasing the state grant for seventh and eighth grade students from $300 to $450 if those grades are part of a junior high school.

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Mrs Nathan Avery and Ben Day Smith were chosen to head Mirah Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, as matron and patron respectively at ceremonies for the installation of new officers held Monday evening in the Sandy Hook Masonic Temple. They succeed Mr and Mrs Carleton Robinson in their posts.

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A doubling in the rate of returns from the Red Cross fundraising and membership drive in Newtown during the past week was reported this Wednesday by Mrs Frank L. Johnson, chairman of the drive. Returns from district teams amounted to $3,264.45. or 80 percent of the town quota of $4,000, with almost all districts ahead of the 1952 figures.

MARCH 30, 1928

Miss Myra E. Warner and Mrs Fannie B. Edwards of Queen Street sailed from New York Wednesday, on the SS Victoria for a few days vacation time in Bermuda.

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Newtown was honored in having a representative at the Sunday afternoon recital in Steinway Hall, New York, when Miss Louise Nichols, our accomplished young pianist, and one of the leaders of Trinity Choir, played a Prelude by Bach and a Polonaise by Paderewzki.

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Mrs Grace M. Burr has opened at her home on the Boulevard, “The Ye Apron Shoppe,” and will carry a pleasing variety of aprons at all times.

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On Thursday last Paul Cavanaugh and Herbert Beers released six Mallard wild duck on the flats at Hawleyville. They were sent here by the State Fish & Game Commission.

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Hon Robert Hurley, state commissioner of police, Office George Smith of the State Police force, and C.F. Cavanaugh were entertained at dinner at the Parker House Tuesday evening by A.P. Smith.

April 3, 1903

Mrs John R. Peck presided at the organ at the Congregational Church Sunday, in the absence of Miss Mabel Taylor.

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The cottage of M.A. Todd, recently vacated by William Wohler, is to be newly shingled and otherwise repaired previous to the occupancy of the new tenants, Mr and Mrs L.W. Lloyd.

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C.B. Sturges, Fred Andrews senior and junior, and F.A. Young have sold their crops of tobacco to J.S. Mayhew of Bethel.

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Last Friday morning there was a collision at Hawleyville of two freight trains. One was an east bound train, and the other was switching. They collided and demolished three cars.

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W.A. Bennett started work at F.A. Young’s feldspar mine, last week. He will put on several extra teams this week, and will put up some shanties near the mines for their accommodation.

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George R. Wilson attended Benjamin Beers’ auction in Redding, last week Thursday, where he purchased a harness.

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George Robeson has moved back to his place in Berkshire and is building an addition on to his barn, and building a piazza on the south side of his house, besides making a number of other improvements about the place.