Turning Back the Pages

100 years ago — March 1923

H. Roscoe Brinton has delivered a Jewett roadster to H.B. Kindleburgh.

A Real Estate deal of interest to local people was consumed on Tuesday, in the sale of the so-called Cleveland Tract, situated on Town Hill, by William Gross of Lee, Massachusetts, to William L. Hurlburt, a prominent lumber dealer of Falls Village. The tract contains 130 acres of land much of which is heavily timbered and has a valuable shore frontage on Long Pond which will be developed for camping purposes. The timber will be converted into lumber as soon as a mill can be moved on the lot. On the tract is a marble quarry where some of the stone for the Hotchkiss School was quarried. The beautiful Wells falls is also situated on the same tract.

The same old scarcity of rents in Lakeville still exists. More new houses are needed but in view of the high cost of building it is problematical when the situation will be relieved.

Monday night gave us a temperature of zero which accompanied by a high wind made one of the coldest nights of the winter and about the most disagreeable.

50 years ago — March 1973

Workmen of the De Fonce Construction Co. who are repairing the covered bridge in West Cornwall were greeted early Monday morning by First Selectman Patsy Van Doren, William Van Alstyne, Ed Fales and other residents trying to discover whether they had, indeed, shoveled asphalt shingles into the river as reported. The foreman of De Fonce said that shingles had not been dropped into the river and that if any had fallen it was not intentional.

The fund for the Housatonic Valley Regional High School chorus Vienna trip has reached $25,700, according to high school Principal Edward Kirby. The amount does not include proceeds from the school’s latest play or contributions which could bring in another approximately $10,000, according to Mr. Kirby’s estimation. He said Tuesday that the chorus will share a chartered Boeing 707 with the Princeton, N.J., High School chorus, which is also participating in the festival.

The death on Sunday of former U.S. Sen. William Benton stirred the memories of several long-time residents, for the senator’s widow was once a teacher at the old Lakeville High School. Mrs. Benton, the former Helen Hemingway, taught French during the school year 1923-24 and earned, according to old town records, the sum of $123.50 a month. Harry Bellini and S. Norton Miner remember her as a “beautiful girl” and Town Clerk Lila Nash adds that she was a “lovely person.” She married William Benton in 1928 and was the mother of his four children: Charles, John, Louise and Helen.

Geer Memorial is very grateful for a generous gift of a new book and picture cart from a friend of Geer who wishes to remain anonymous. This cart, laden with books and pictures, will be taken around to the residents’ rooms by volunteers so that residents can select a picture to be hung on their wall and select a book for their reading pleasure.

25 years ago — March 1998

John Bottass has been a dairy farmer on Weatogue Road in Salisbury for 32 years. On Friday of this week, he is selling most of his dairy herd, sending 107 to Iowa and selling some 25 head locally. “It’s like giving your kids away,” he said sorrowfully.

Carole McGuire of Falls Village has been named the new director of special education for Region 1.

Housatonic Valley Regional High School Principal Kathleen Burkhart came dressed for the occasion Monday evening. While discussing her wants and needs for the proposed 1998-99 budget at a Region 1 Board of Education workshop, she noted that member Val Bernardoni advised her at the last meeting to wear high heels so she’d be more forceful. She proudly proclaimed she was wearing her black pumps.

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Jackson of Fort Kent, Maine, announce the engagement of their daughter, Nila Lynn Jackson of Lakeville, to David Blass, also of Lakeville, son of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Blass of Pittsburgh, Pa. An October wedding is planned.