From the Newtown Enterprise, September 1964:
State to buy Tyler Estate for $2 million
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"The agreed price for the Tyler Estate is $2 million," Secretary Maurice K. Goddard, of the Department of Forests and Waters, told an audience of about 100 persons Friday night at the public hearing at Council Rock High School on the acquisition of the estate for a regional park.
Goddard also gave assurances that "every attempt will be made to preserve facilities of historical or structural value within the park area. The money for the purchase of the estate is in the state treasury. It will be paid as soon as settlement is made."
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He characterized the 1,633-acre estate as a prototype for Project 70 [a state program to add substantially more parkland by 1970] because of its topography, scenic beauty and location, and because it is under one ownership.
"The topography of the estate is ideal for a park. Its location along the Neshaminy Creek will also be a great factor in providing added setting for a scenic park in the area," Goddard said. "The growth rate of Bucks County is phenomenal. If we had waited any longer, this wonderful opportunity would have been lost forever."
The estate is located along the Neshaminy Creek in Newtown, Northampton and Wrightstown townships. An additional 10 acres will be acquired in addition to the estate for the park site.
The estate is currently parceled into 15 farms of various acreages, which are leased to occupants by the trustees. This occupancy will continue until the state takes over the final development of the park [later named Tyler State Park].
Secretary Goddard said that historical structures in the park will be protected, and told Hal Clark, president of the Delaware Valley Protective Association, that preservation of the covered bridge located in the park "is not a problem."
Newtown Improvement Association to build colonial-style house
The Newtown Improvement Association has announced plans to build a new colonial-design twin dwelling on North Congress Street. The plans submitted by the organization's real estate committee were approved at a meeting of the board of directors.
The building will be built on the site that was formerly occupied by four decrepit dwellings. These properties were recently purchased by the Newtown Improvement Association, and the buildings have been razed by volunteer neighborhood residents under the supervision of Walter Hill, one of the directors of the association.
The building will be the first piece of new construction entered upon by the associaton in its effort to fulfill the purpose of its founding--to provide better living conditions for lower-income residents of the Newtown community,
Bids for the construction of the new building will be received and opened at a meeting of the organization on Oct. 6.
The plan calls for two units, each containing two bedrooms, living room, dining area, kitchen, bath and basement. The structure will be of colonial design with brick front, in keeping with the colonial flavor in this historic community.
The association's next meeting will be held on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the new parish house of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Newtown. The meeting is being planned to provide an opportunity for all civic groups and individuals of the community who have so generously lent their support and encouragement, to hear of the progress and future plans of the association.
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Newtown club to help girl with cystic fibrosis
This month, when members of the Newtown Junior New Century Club launch their annual door-to-door drive, they will be helping someone they know.
That someone is young Michelle Lynne Krusen of Newtown. During a recent interview with her mother, the 20-month-old tot, clad in a blue and white striped bathing suit, scampered around the living room of the Krusen home on Liberty Street, getting into just about everything. Her brown eyes glowed with mischief, and she appeared to be the picture of health.
But the many bottles of antibiotics in the kitchen of the Krusen home told a far different tale. They revealed the cheerful child was suffering from an incurable disease, cystic fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis is a chronic children's disease which attacks the glands of external secretion. Michelle's attractive mother, Mrs. Charles Krusen, explained the lungs, digestive system, and sweat glands are most seriously affected by the disorder.
Mrs. Krusen, a member of the Newtown Junior New Century Club, was responsible for the group's selecting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as the beneficiary of its fund-raising drive. She appropriately was named chairman of the campaign, which will be conducted in the Newtown area, Sept. 13-18.
"Michelle is very fortunate for she was diagnosed at an early age, 11 months, and her case is a mild one," Mrs. Krusen explained. The Krusens first suspected something was wrong with Michelle when she developed a persistent cough and began to lose weight rapidly.
Mrs. Krusen is also the mother of another daughter, Patricia. The five-year-old seems to understand why Michelle gets that extra bit of attention.
Cystic fibrosis cannot be outgrown, and without proper care, some its victims may succumb before they reach school age. The course of proper care is not a simple one and far from inexpensive. According to Mrs. Krusen, Michelle's medical bill totals about $1,200 a year.
Youth Center to build community swimming pool
The Neshaminy Valley Youth Center has announced plans to construct a swimming pool on North State Street, Newtown, for its membership and the residents of the Council Rock School District.
The contract for the pool, which is being built this Fall, has been awarded to Sylvan Pools, Inc. of Doylestown.
Youth Center officials believe the addition of the pool will expand the existing programs of the center. The pool will be used for swimming lessons, Summer Day Camp, recreational swimming for both children and adults, and for rental to swimming parties.
"The Board of Directors of the Youth Center has wholeheartedly endorsed this project because it believes that it will give added emphasis to the whole program of the center," said John G. deGrouchy, president of the center.
The swimming pool, rectangular with rounded corners, will be 60 feet long, 20 feet long and range in depth from 3 to 8-1/2 feet. The pool will contain an intermediate cantilever diving stand and four ladders.
The Neshaminy Valley Youth Center is a non-profit agency supported by the United Fund and by individual memberships. Founded in 1949, the Youth Center has been a member of the UF for 11 years. It provides activities such as sports, crafts, singing, dancing and games for teen-agers and adults, and offers a meeting place for community organizations.
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Newtown Notes
For the fourth consecutive year, Mrs. Katharine Steele Renninger, Newtown artist, will be represented in the Eastern States Art Exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield, Mass. The exhibit is open to all artists who live in the New England States, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Adams recently moved from the Leedom Apartments to the former C. David Krewson house on Centre Avenue.
Newtown volunteer firemen will collect papers and magazines Monday evening. Have bundles securely tied and on the curb by 6 p.m.
Dr. and Mrs. Raymond V. Hennessy and son, Gerard, have returned to their home, The Homestead, on South Sycamore Street, after a vacation at Long Beach Island, N.J.
Two Council Rock High School students have been named semifinalists in the 1964-65 National Merit Scholarship competition. They are John A. VanLuvanee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur F. VanLuvanee Jr., of Buck Road, Newtown; and Richard H. Toliver Jr., of the China Inland Mission, Ivyland, son of Rev. and Mrs. R.H. Toliver, missionaries in the Philippines, now on furlough at their home in Dayton, Tenn.
J. Eric Johnson, of South State Street, left last Tuesday for Kansas City, Mo., where he will continue his studies at the in-service training center of the Weaver Airline Personnel School.
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Miller, of North Chancellor Street, recently returned from a six-week Scandinavian tour.
The Newtown Historic Association, formerly known as the Newtown Historic and Civic Association, has received its charter. The official announcement was made Monday night at the first fall membership meeting at the "Cow Palace," home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Puckett, in Newtown Township.
Miss Bonnie White, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. Calvin White, of South State Street, last week began her senior year at Union College, Barboursville, Ky., where she is majoring in elementary education.
Mrs. Thomas N. Smitheman, of South State Street, is a surgical patient at Abington Memorial Hospital.
Homer H. Hoover, president of the First National Bank and Trust Co., Newtown, will serve as banks section chairman in the finance division of the Lower Bucks County United Fund Campaign. Hoover is treasurer of the Newtown Rotary Club and a former president of the Bucks County Bankers Association.
Twenty-two members and guests of the Adult Fellowship of the Newtown Methodist Church on Saturday attended a performance of "Camelot" at the Valley Forge Music Fair and later dined at the Wagon Wheel Inn, Conshohocken.
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