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League of Women Voters Discusses School Problems
The League of Women Voters Discussion Group met at the home of Mrs. Nicholas J. Spykman on Wednesday evening to discuss "Bethany's School Interests." Mr. John Howell, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Howell of Bethany Wood, who was a member of Governor Bowles's Fact-Finding Commission for the Town of Orange, where he is a resident, graciously supplied the meeting with an interpretation of the results of the survey as recently published.
Standards Need Re-Examination
The combined reports of the committees from 85 Connecticut communities all stressed the need for a re-examination of educational standards in view of the varied demands
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BETHANY NOTES
The Catholic Ladies' Guild will meet at eight o'clock on January 23 at the home of Mrs. William G. Ringenberg on Litchfield Turnpike. The officers for the current year are: President, Mrs. Alfred Comboni; Vice-president, Mrs. Victor J. Clarke; Secretary, Mrs. Joseph Jesudowich; and Treasurer, Mrs. James Harrison.
Mrs. and Mrs. Stanley Downs drove to Boston on Tuesday to enter daughter Joella's farm flock in the Boston Poultry Show. Mr. Downs will remain in Boston throughout the week, and Joella will travel up by train on Thursday to exhibit her birds in the Show.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward P. Rostowsky of the Naugatuck Road announce the birth of their third son, Richard Don, on January 8.
Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Delano of Falls Road have named their new son Stephen Merle.
Norman H. Peck, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Norman H. Peck of Peck Road, will report for active duty in the Navy on January 25.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Wooding and family recently attended the christening of their niece, Marilynn Turley. Marilynn is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Turley of Exchange Street. Mrs. Turley is Mrs. Wooding's sister.
Anne Cutter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Victor M. Cutter, Jr., of Litchfield Turnpike, has been ill at her home this past week.
The Teenagers Group met recently with their director, Mrs. Lena Fenwick, to discuss plans for a series of recreation evenings for the young people. This group is sponsored by the P.T.A. and makes its plans under the direction of a parents' committee consisting of Col. and Mrs. Frank Fuller, Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Riley, Mrs. Sidney Svirsky, and Mr. and Mrs. Russell P. Winter. The officers of the Teenagers are representatives of each class [...]

First Line of Defense
Photo by Benedict
Concrete evidence of the quality of fire protection available to the residents of Woodbridge, the Town's three firetrucks are here seen lined up in front of the headquarters of the Volunteer Fire Association, Inc. The truck on the left, purchased in 1949, has a 750-gallons-per-minute pump and carries 1,000 gallons of water in its tank. The center truck, which dates from 1938, has a 500 g.p.m. pump and a 200-gallon tank. The 25-year-old veteran on the right, purchased from New Canaan in 1946, pumps 350 g.p.m. and carries 150 gallons. All three trucks bear the well-known Seagrave label.
History of the Woodbridge Fire Department
(Editor's note: This is the first of a series of articles designed to provide the people of Bethany and Woodbridge with an opportunity to become better acquainted with some of the familiar activities and institutions which influence the life of the community -- the various organizations, civic bodies, town officers, and other elements of the governmental or social structure of the towns. The material on which this first article is based has been assembled, after a considerable amount of painstaking research, by Charles A. Sattig, Secreatry of the Woodbridge Volunteer Fire Association, Inc. We are greatly indebted to him for the privilege of using his notes.)
For nearly one hundred and fifty years after the founding of the Town of Woodbridge, its citizens defended their homes from the scourge of fire by means of the "sack and bucket" -- the sack being used to carry out hastily-rescued valuables, the bucket to fetch the always-inadequate supply of water to quench the flames. A little over twenty years ago, with the community growing and the construction of new buildings increasing, the need for organized fire protection had become so pressing that a group of public-spirited citizens moved to supplant the bucket brigade with something more effective.
First Meeting
On March 14, 1929, a meeting was held at the home of James Wilson, with the following men in attendance: Clarence Drapeau, Irving Dustin, William Egan, George Farr, Everett Houston, George Knowlton, Herman Parker, Howard Parker, Stanley Parker, Raymond Patterson, Samuel Patterson, Walton Smith, James Wilson, Charles Wood, and Joseph Leschke of West Haven. The group voted to form the Woodbridge Volunteer Fire Association, and temporary officers, to serve until May 1, were chosen as follows:
Captain - Samuel Patterson
1st Lieut. - Charles Wood
2nd Lieut. - Clarence Drapeau
Secretary - Walton Smith
Treasurer - Stanley Parker
Committees on Ways & Means and By-Laws were also elected at this meeting.
Constitution Accepted
On March 19 the Association voted to accept the articles of the Constitution submitted by
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Both Towns Represented at Boston Poultry Show
To those who talk in terms of Australorps, Dorkings, Houdans, Lakenvelders, and Orpingtons, this is a big week, for it brings the 103d Annual Boston Poultry Show and Country Life Exposition, which opened on Wednesday in the five-acre Mechanics; Building. Along with those breeds mentioned above, the more familiar Rhode Island Reds, Leghorns, and Plymouth Rocks will be on view, as well as turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons, and other tamefowl. There will also be an exhibit of wild waterfowl, pheasants, and peafowl.
Family Groups Featured
One of the features of the show is the Back Bay Barnyard, a highlight of the Country Life Exposition, where children will exhibit family groups of cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and poultry.
"Cackle and Crow," the poultry journal published in New Haven, whose editor is Paul P. Ives, Chairman of the Show Committee, says: "With the cows there will be calves; the sheep will have lambs by their sides; day-old pigs will be helping themselves to the free lunch nature provides; and the goats will have skipping kids running free. . ."
Bethany, Woodbridge Represented
It is in this part of the Show that Bethany and Woodbridge have their largest representation. A family flock of chickens will be entered by Joella Downs, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley H. Downs, of Carrington Road, Bethany, and two sons of Mr. and Mrs. Vito Luciani, of Amity Road, Woodbridge -- Vito, Jr., and Kenneth -- will exhibit turkeys. The children are competing for a prize of $100.00 for the best flock.
Brookside Birds Entered
Prominent among the adult exhibitors will be Vito Luciani, Senior, who is Co-Chairman of the Great Eastern Turkey Show at the Boston Exposition. Besides breeder flocks of turkeys, he will show cockerels and will compete in the meat class for weight. Nine of his Brookside Farm birds have just returned from a triumphant showing at the New York Poultry Show in Grand Central Palace, where they took 5 first prizes in the broad-breasted turkey class, 3 seconds, and 1 third; among them also were two Grand Champions of the Show -- in the Small Type Brown and White Holland Classes.
Brookside Farm turkeys are well-known at the Boston Show, where one Luciani entry was crowned Grand Champion of the Show in 1949.
Mr. Downs and Mr. Luciani are planning to spend several days at the exposition, while the children will attend on those days when their entries are being judged.

Rep. Hitchcock Again Named To Head Committee
On January 11 assignments to legislative committees in the General Assembly were announced at Hartford.
Chester C. Hitchcock of Woodbridge was again given the position of Chairman of the important House Committee on Roads, Rivers, and Bridges. He was also appointed to membership on the House Committee on Executive Nominations.
Clifford W. Wilcox of Bethany, beginning his first term as a Representative, was assigned to two important House groups -- the Committee on Banks and the Committee on Incorporations.
John M. Karlak of Seymour was appointed to the Committee on Civilian Defense, Military, and Veterans Affairs, and also the Rules Committee.

WOODBRIDGE NOTES
The Ladies' Aid Society of the First Church of Christ, Congregational, will meet on Thursday, January 18, at two o'clock in the Church Parlors. Miss Estelle Carver, a teacher of English at the Hopkins Grammar School, will speak on "Gateways to Lent." All women of the community are cordially invited to attend.
The young people's Pilgrim Fellowship will hold a square dance at the Town Hall on Friday evening, January 25. Richard Townsend is chairman for the occasion. This group is under the direction of Mr. Robert Hawthorne of the Yale Divinity School.
The Regina Caeli Guild of the Church of the Assumption was entertained by the St. Rita Society of St. Anne's parish on Tuesday evening. Movies were shown and the young people enjoyed a fine time. St. Rita's Society has been invited to come to Woodbridge on Tuesday, January 23, to hear a speacker presented by the Guild. The officers of this church group are: Josephine Marucci, president; Louise Fasulo, vice-president; Anne Sticco, secretary; and Rita Fasulo, treasurere.
On Saturday, January 20, members of the Woodbridge Club will have a covered dish supper at 6:30 at the Club House. Co-chairmen of the committee for the dinner are Mr. and Mrs. Edgar H. Dowson. They will be assisted by Mr. and Mrs. John L.Schmitt, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin J. Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Milton B. Ives, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Fulton, Mr. and Mrs. John Single, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick J. Knodel, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph C. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Colberg, Mr. and Mrs. John B. Peck, and Dr. and Mrs. James N. Stanio.
The members of the Woodbridge Social Club held their 2nd Annual Banquet and Installation of Officers last Saturday evning at the San Remo Inn, Lighthouse Point. Those who were inducted into office were: President, William Daddio; Vice-President, Vito L.
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