Historical Perspectives / Ed Chrostowski

A "rebellion" within the ranks of New Canaan's Republican Party was decisively quashed by the incumbent leadership in a caucus during this week 48 years ago.

In an ideological clash that continues to echo now among liberal, moderate and conservative splinter groups in politics, a full slate of challengers sought to wrest control of the Republican Town Committee and of the delegations to party conventions that would nominate candidate for governor, United States senator and state legislators.

A hotly contested campaign ensued as the rival factions exchanged the same timeless accusations still dominating political dialogue in current times.

The challengers, led by Howard Long, Tom Donelan, Mike Barnett, Mike Bratz and John Langhorne, said the incumbent leadership was "too liberal" in calling for more government intrusion in private lives. They also accused Town Committee Chairman Bob Bliss of "bossism" and said the party and the town government it influenced needed to be "more transparent."

Their discontent was aroused largely by the town administration's insistence on relocating the railroad station to the Fairty Orchard despite voter disapproval, support of proposals for New Canaan participation in a regional planning agency and Bliss' insistent support of John Alsop for governor.

With Bliss, Robert "Buck" Jordan and Howard Gray among the major spokesmen, the party leaders labeled the challengers "reactionary" in resisting the "progressivism" that was essential to meet the needs of changing times.

When the ballots were finally counted, all 13 of the 15 Town Committee incumbents had been endorsed by overwhelming margins and the other two members, Dr. Lew Annunziato and John Matthews, had been endorsed as replacements for Peg Saaf and George Nash, who did not run. The caucus marked the Matthews' debut in party politics; he went on to serve several terms in the state legislature.

The challengers succeeded in placing just one of their candidates, Barnett, and that was only as an alternate delegate to one of the conventions.

Almost 800 of the Republican Party's 4,785 registered voters cast their ballots at the caucus in the high school auditorium. Technically, the caucus only endorsed the candidates; their official election was still open to challenge in a primary. It was obvious, however, that none would be mounted.

Meanwhile, New Canaan's Democrats met in a quiet, sparsely attended caucus and endorsed all 15 members of their party's town committee, led by Chairman Al Lutringer, for reelection.

There also was some stressful news at the Town Hall that week.

First Selectman Charlie Kelley estimated that expansion of the firehouse and renovation of the Town Hall would cost about $350,000 and a town meeting soon would be asked to authorize a bond issue for that amount.

It was expected that plans for the firehouse addition, still on the drawing boards, would call for acquisition of property on Locust Avenue and a new wing on the rear of the building.

Early proposals for the Town Hall project called for building a second floor within the present auditorium and for complete renovation of the basement, most of which was then occupied by the police department.

Also on the agenda was an addition to the sewage disposal plant and a bond issue of $600,000 already had been authorized for the project. Kelley had been concerned about town meeting approval, explaining that it was "easy" to sell voters on public schools and parks, but taxpayer approval was a little more difficult to gain for "non-glamorous" projects like dumps and sewer plants. He needn't have been worried. After an explanation of the need by Town Sanitarian Wally Zeray, a town meeting quickly approved the expenditure.

Elsewhere, Superintendent of Schools Albert P. Mathers revealed that he would ask the Board of Education to include enough money in the coming budget for additional teachers and renovations and expansion on the school system's administrative offices.

He explained that Principal Seymour Schneid needed two more teachers at Center School and that Principal Norman Hunt had asked for two more at Saxe Junior High School, including a "remedial person to help slow students." The superintendent also asked to retain the "lay reader" program in which qualified people from the community helped the regular teachers read and correct student essays and grade student papers.

As the board pondered coming expenses, Bill Zucker, a new member who had been a critic of school budgets while he served on the Board of Finance, suggested requiring students and teachers at the high school to pay parking fees. His proposal was tabled, however, after Mathers questioned the legality and asserted that a fee system would be difficult to administer.

News from elsewhere around town was decidedly upbeat during that week 48 years ago.

The YMCA's million dollar fund drive got off to a great start with a gift of $50,000 from Mr. and Mrs. John Emery of Weed Street. The Town Planning and Zoning Commission already had approved a building location on a 7-acre tract on South Avenue.

Also generous that week, the Exchange Club announced that it would distribute 400 free movie tickets to New Canaan grammar school children.

But the biggest cheer went up when New Canaan High School's basketball team advanced two more steps toward a state championship by defeating Branford and Windsor Locks at Yale's Payne-Whitney gym. A 30-point effort by the team's captain, Gary Liberatore, paced the Rams in the Branford game and his strong supporting cast, Don Overbeck, Gorton Wood, John Christensen, Dick Olson and Tom Wilhelm, led the effort against Windsor Locks.

All in all, this was a busy week in New Canaan 48 years ago.

Ed Chrostowski can be reached at skicrow@att.net.