June 7, 1991

The Newtown Shopping Center's expansion plans will be delayed several months now that a local environmental group has successfully petitioned for a public hearing on an expanded septic system. "No-body knew what was going on and nobody seemed to be able to get information," said Mae Schmidle, explaining part of the reason the Environmental Coalition of Newtown requested the petition. She is the coalition president. "We'd just like to know what it means to Newtown and the environment."

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On Sunday, June 9, the C.H. Booth library will be open as usual. After that, the library won't be open on Sundays anymore. The decision to close on Sundays throughout the year was made so the library could make up the $27,170 cut that the Legislative Council made to the 1991-92 library budget. Other cost-saving measures will eliminate story hours for children, and the purchase of books and periodicals.

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Project Engineer David Reaves of Turner Construction said this week most of the exterior site work is complete for the state's $52 million jail. "Most of what needs to be done is inside now," he said, "finishing floors, walls, glass." Other companies are working on widening Nunnawauk Road and other various parts of the project.

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On Sunday, June 9, Newtown Historical Society will have the final program of the fiscal year. At 3 pm, Society President Dan Cruson will lead a walking tour of Main Street. He will delve into the architecture and history of the street, with emphasis on the newly restored Meeting House and the history of the Matthew Curtiss House.

June 10, 1966

The first class to graduate from Newtown High School, that of 1905, held a reunion luncheon at the Hawley Manor Inn on Monday, with five of the six graduating members able to attend. It was a very pleasant occasion with a number of guests at the luncheon who joined in the reminiscences of old times and the renewal of friendships which had become tarnished by distance and the passage of time.

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Last week

The Bee announced a contest for answers to or comments on questions which Greek philosopher Socrates posed in a dream to Bertram A. Stroock. Unfortunately, the dream turned nightmare as the questions were misplaced in the story and it appeared that Mr Stroock awakened before Socrates had time to ask his question. Since an entry for the $100 prize has already arrived with the deadline still a week away, we hope readers did not find the error too confusing. A call to The Bee will get contest details.

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On Monday afternoon our sixth grade class, along with members of other sixth grades, walked to Newtown High School for what you might call a get acquainted day. We were able to see the rooms in the high school and buy a hot lunch in the cafeteria. It doesn't seem possible that in a few weeks we will be leaving the elementary school and in the fall starting junior high.

-Harriet Louise Trowbridge, Mr Jeffrey's Sixth Grade Hawley School.

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The final fling for the season of the Congregational Church Couples Club will be Saturday, June 26, not June 11, as was reported in the church bulletin last Sunday. Final plans for the meeting will be announced next week.

June 6, 1941

July 5 will be a big day for the grown-ups. The Newtown Committee for Child Refugees is to repeat last year's Children's Carnival by special request. Only this year, the carnival festivities will be extended until midnight for the grown-ups who want to have some fun, too. So save your Saturday and help the cause by having a good time yourself.

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The Newtown A.C. Baseball team will endeavor to climb back into the win column on Sunday at Pine Grove Park, weather permitting, when they face off against Naugatuck in their fifth game of the season. To date, they have been successful in taking only one game. Last Sunday the locals were inactive because of heavy rain and did not play in Southbury as scheduled.

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Through the courtesy of Mrs Frank Wright of the Boulevard, "Hub" Beers is now the proud possessor of Newtown High School's 1911 football team photograph. And in that picture, those whose memories take them back thirty years will recognize players. The team - and from the picture you'd know it was plenty tough - took on such opponents as Danbury, Bethel, New Milford.

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Hawley School ended its baseball season last Thursday when they fell to defeat at the hands of Regional High School. The game played at Pine Grove Park was close all the way through, with but few hits, and a minimum of errors.

June 2, 1916

The band concert in Sandy Hook, planned for the evening of Memorial day and postponed on account of the rain, will be given next Tuesday night, June 6, beginning at 8:15 pm. Through Harris Wire Co. management's kindness, the square was lighted by electricity and the surrounding grounds suitably decorated.

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All the children of the town are invited to enjoy the Flag Day exercises. Those who wish to take part will meet at the High School on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. Any who for some reason cannot attend Saturday's rehearsal can send in their names or telephone 123, Mrs J.W. Gordon, as it is absolutely necessary for special reason to know the exact number of those who wish to take part.

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A.E. Brinton, the hustling plumber, is installing four bath rooms, laundry tubs, and a Thatcher hot water heater in the residence of Edward Benedict on Mile Hill. In the tenement attached to the stable building, he is having a Thatcher hot air furnace put in.

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Through the thoughtfulness and generosity of that sterling citizen, W.C. Johnson, a group of men enjoyed a day at the Farm Bureau field day meeting at the farm of John T. Hunt in Ridgefield on Saturday. On their return they stopped in Danbury, had lunch at the Green, and attended the moving picture exhibition at Taylor's Opera House. Among the men were Herman H. Peck and W. B. Glover.

Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with The Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com, or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location and the approximate date.