10 years ago – Oct. 16, 1993

(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

BANGOR – Thirteen Mainers will be among thousands of women converging on Washington for the National Breast Cancer Coalition rally. Ten of the 13 are survivors of breast cancer. The majority of the women are from the Bangor and Millinocket areas.

Etna resident Jeanne Covert knows just what she will do when she meets U.S. Sens. George Mitchell and William Cohen. “I’m going to shake their hands, look them in the eye and tell them we need more research on breast cancer,” she said.

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BREWER – The Brewer City Council presented Michael Taylor, superintendent of the Brewer Waste Water Treatment Plant for the last 18 years, a certificate of appreciation for his service to the city.

Councilor Larry Doughty said Taylor “did a whale of a job,” and Councilor Paul Hatt said he “couldn’t say enough good things about Taylor’s performance.”

Councilor Gerald Robertson thanked Taylor for the work he had done for the city, and Councilor Michael Maybury commended him for putting together a highly qualified team of 10, all of whom hold licenses qualifying them to run the plant.

Taylor said he would always be thankful for having the job, and will always consider Brewer his home.

25 years ago – Oct. 16, 1978

BANGOR – The annual Greek Ball opened with an added touch of graciousness. Weaving circles of dancers, talkative politicians and nibbling gourmands filled the Bangor Civic Center with festive spirit.

The ball may be one of the few such events “where people don’t go to be seen,” as one observer put it (except maybe the politicians). They go to dance and dance some more. Even the shy, inexperienced couples often find that a hop here and a stomp there and a little kick suffice for faking the Sailor’s Dance or any other circle dances.

Even though the Civic Center was erected over the protest of many of Bangor’s voters, it has provided a gracious setting for a large gathering. It will probably become the home of the Greek Ball and many other dances to come.

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Winners of the state competition of the second annual National Grange Stuffed Toy Contest have been announced by the Committee on Women’s Activities for the Maine Grange.

According to Mrs. Emma Jordan of Old Town, a member of the state committee, Florence Mason of Minerva Grange in Levant won second place with a starry-eyed clown doll. Shirley Lingley of Pleiades Grange in Glenburn also took a prize with a brown and white knit cow.

Only winners at the subordinate and Pomona levels go to the state to be judged for the national levels. All toys are returned to the local Granges to be given to hospitals or welfare groups in their own localities.

In needlework, Helen Smith of Bangor won a third place with a white crocheted tablecloth, and third place with a set of four white crocheted place mats.

Florence Mason of Minerva Grange took first place with a denim-embroidered jacket, and Alice Carter of Eastern Star Grange of Hampden won second place with a child’s pink raglan sleeve sweater.

50 years ago – Oct. 16, 1953

BANGOR – Bangor police figure a cemetery is no place for college students to be fooling around, initiation or not. They reported that 18 Husson College students were found in Mt. Hope cemetery looking for a penny that was supposed to have been left on one of the graves. According to their report, it was all a part of an initiation for the students.

Police received several calls about noise coming from the cemetery and ordered the students off the grounds.

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BANGOR – Mrs. Louis Richardson of Indianapolis, Ind., national president of the International Order of the King’s Daughters and Sons, will be the guest of honor at a reception at the King’s Daughters Home, 89 Ohio St., given by the board of managers of the King’s Daughters Union.

Mrs. Robert Turner, president of the board, will be the hostess and in the receiving line with Mrs. Richardson; Mrs. William Stewart, president of the Maine branch; and the presidents of the five local circles, Stearns, Dorcas, Bethany and Charity of Bangor, and Volunteer circle of Brewer.

A musical program will be presented with Miss Rose-Marie Castello, Miss Edith Bryant and Miss Lois Wing featured in piano and vocal selections.

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HAMPDEN – Plans have been completed for a camping trip to Southwest Harbor by members of Troop 20, Hampden Girl Scouts. Mary Louder and Charlotte Billington will be in charge of meals.

At the recent meeting at the home of the leader, Mrs. Carlton Rawcliffe, it was announced that $16 had been collected in the bottle drive held by the troop. A scavenger hunt was enjoyed with Connie Webb and Karen McPike, captains.

Members present were Marie Brickett, Jane and Sheila Dickey, Elizabeth Lacey, Mary Louder, Patsy Malone, Betty McCausland, Karen McPike, Joanne Miller, Arline Perkins, Brooke Ryan, Sylvia Sands, Connie Webb and Judy White.

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BANGOR – The Arts, Crafts and Collections Show which opens at Bangor City Hall will reveal an astounding number of collections, arts and crafts loaned by Bangor and Brewer people.

Ranging through a collection of firearms, an exquisite display of ceramic jewelry, a love dog exhibit, miniature model railroad, curios, sculpture, baseball bats, wrought iron, 17th century dolls, handmade knives, water colors and hundreds of fascinating objects, the mammoth show will benefit the Bangor-Brewer Community Chest’s current campaign.

Among the exhibits will be a display of gold, silver and other mineral specimens, many of which came from the Bangor area; and an exhibit arranged by the Bangor Amateur Radio Emergency Corps. Other exhibits include fans, period dresses, pewter, decanters, bottles and cups and saucers.

100 years ago – Oct. 16, 1903

GLENBURN CENTER – The town hall was ablaze with light when the Pleiades Grange held its annual fair. The display was far ahead of that of any previous year, the members evidently having visited other fairs during the year to some purpose, worked early and late at fancy work and coaxed Mother Earth to bring forth pumpkins, potatoes, apples and vegetables galore, especially for display on this occasion.

The sides of the lower hall were frescoed and dadoed with quilts, rugs, tidies, sofa pillows and other things dear to the feminine heart, while nearly every kind of fruit and vegetable produced in the temperate zone and some from the torrid were arranged to tempt the appetite. To lighten the displays and incidentally to please the little folks, the golden pumpkin beamed in grotesque fashion from nooks among the exhibit.

The stage, mysteriously curtained off, suggested a whole evening’s entertainment by the amplitude of its curtains. Upstairs, capable matrons were kept busy until the gastronomic demands of the company were satisfied, and strange to say, no – not strange in a place like Glenburn – the supply of food was abundant though the crowd was large. It was excellent food such as country people always abound in – baked beans, mince, apple and the golden pumpkin pie, all kinds of cakes and pastry. The tables were spread in the Grange hall proper and at least 200 were served. All the neighboring granges were represented and jolly good time was enjoyed. The entertainment embraced vocal and instrumental music, dialogues and recitations. The festivities were kept up until a late hour.

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ORRINGTON – A petition has been in circulation on the River Road for rural free delivery, also a remonstrance by the immediate residents of Orrington Corner and South Orrington. One mail service at present is excelled only by a very few country villages in this state, as we are getting two mails each way and seems as though rural free delivery would give us very poor and inadequate main service, compared with what we are now getting.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin