10 years ago – June 3, 1994

(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

BANGOR – Addictions always begin innocently.

For Sarah Keezer of Bangor it all began with a trip to see her sister in Cincinnati.

“I got my first one last summer,” she remembered.

You always remember your first.

Now the Crestmont Avenue woman had one for virtually every month – a snowman, a heart, a shamrock, an Easter bunny, a not-yet-arrived birthday cake and a nutcracker for Christmas, just to name a few. There was a turkey, but it didn’t make it through the great Thanksgiving blowout.

“They’re real popular out there in Ohio,” Keezer said, while watching her red tulip flag sway in the wind.

Her sister’s recent move to Florida had left Keezer wary of any new flags that might make it to her doorstep.

“As long as she doesn’t send me a pink flamingo,” Keezer said, grimacing.

Decorative flags are putting in more than a fleeting appearance in the Bangor area. Popularized recently by out-of-state friends and relatives and more recently, by neighbors, the flags have become a status symbol, some say.

“South of us, they’re very popular,” said Shirley Estes, Brewer Fabric Shop owner. “In the Boston area, all of the homes have a flag.”

The trend has flown its way north this year.

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HAMPDEN – Frederique may not be a common name. But it is becoming more well-known around track circles statewide.

Frederique Boura is Hampden Academy’s junior track standout whose name reflects her French heritage. In fact, she had spent her entire life in France until she moved to Minnesota for her fifth-grade year and to Winterport a year later.

Her stepfather, Dr. Harvey Segal, is a Bangor native and that resulted in her coming to Maine.

Boura will be one of the featured participants in the regional track championships being held at various venues across the state this weekend.

“She gets better with every meet,” said Hampden Academy coach David King. “She’s a very hard worker. She’ll be seeded first in two events: the high jump and the triple jump.”

Sports, particularly track, have played a very important part in Boura’s life. When she moved to the United States six years ago, she spoke no English.

25 years ago – June 3, 1979

ORONO – Virginia O’Keefe has announced her retirement from the position of assistant librarian at the Orono Public Library.

Mrs.O’Keefe has worked at the public library for more than 25 years. In 1955, she assumed the position of assistant librarian to Vera Hill.

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BANGOR – “What Harold Clurman did this weekend,” said Emme Fallen, president of the Bangor Community Theater, “added to our legitimacy. We ought never to apologize for ourselves, but just keep at it.”

The community theater was the host for the regional finals of the American Association of Community Theater held at Portland Hall, Bangor Community College.

“In his speech at the banquet at the Hilton Saturday night,” Mrs. Fallen continued, “Clurman emphasized the necessity of theater in even a village of 100 people. His whole tenor was supportive of theater, which he termed the essence of pleasure. He made no real distinction in that respect between professionals and amateurs.”

50 years ago – June 3, 1954

Work on the Wilson Street approach to the new Bangor-Brewer bridge slowed down as nine independent truckers walked off the job. A spokesman for the group said they were seeking an increase that would amount to about $7 a day per truck for hauling dirt from the Wilson Street excavation.

The truckers have been engaged by the Verrier Construction Co. on a rate basis and have been receiving 50 cents a cubic yard for hauling the dirt on an 18-mile round trip to Orrington. The truckers claim they are losing money at that rate and would require at least 65 cents a yard to show any profit.

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BANGOR – Dr. Alice Shubert, mother of six and a practicing physician, was awarded a framed certificate by members of the Kiwanis Club naming her the Woman of the Year in Bangor.

W. Weldon Dennett, president of the local organization, made the presentation at the club’s regular meeting at the Bangor House.

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BANGOR – “Aunt Jemima,” the national famous pancake character, was the guest of honor at the weekly luncheon meeting of the Bangor-Brewer Lions Club at the Penobscot Hotel.

Her arrival here was in conjunction with the Pancake Festival to be held Friday night at the Bangor Auditorium, sponsored by the Lions Club. She is planning a full itinerary for the next two days, which includes several personal appearances at local hospitals, schools and Dow Air Force base. She will be present at the pancake festival, cooking and serving the food for which she has become a national symbol.

She was met at the Northeast Airlines terminal by a delegation of club officers and city officials and escorted to the hotel by motor caravan. Special guests at the luncheon included City Manager Joseph R. Coupal, and Police Chief John B. Toole.

Dressed in a colorful calico dress and bandana, she was extremely popular with members of the club and their wives who attended the meeting. She spoke briefly and sang several songs.

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HAMPDEN – A pair of bronzed and weather-beaten men stepped ashore at dusk Wednesday night at a Hampden landing after completing the last leg of a 1,200-mile voyage that started at Toledo, Ohio, three weeks ago.

The two men, Dr. Clarence Small, a Bangor dentist, and Capt. Emery Clark of Machiasport, had come from Boothbay Harbor through mostly thick weather with Dr. Small’s 44-foot auxiliary schooner, the Irma Ann V, which he had purchased at the Great Lakes port.

The weather has not been good on the run up Penobscot Bay from Boothbay Harbor, nor had it been ideal at any time on the trip. But in defense of the salt-water man’s native element, Capt. Clark stoutly averred it had been worst of all crossing Lake Erie from Toledo to Buffalo.

Sailing vessels are hardly a novelty to Dr. Small. Coming from a Machiasport family – his father, Capt. Clarence Small owned the last fleet of Down East schooners – nothing but a schooner would do.

100 years ago – June 3, 1904

BANGOR – Work for the graduating class of the Bangor High School ceases today, and for the next week students will devote themselves to brushing up their essays (the brilliant ones) and to preparing the graduating wardrobe (the vain ones) and to raking up memories of the four years (the sentimental ones).

The graduating exercises will be held a week from Saturday night and there will be the usual flutter. The decorations will be about the same as usual; the classes will look about the same as usual; the same remarks will be made, the music will be similar – and the graduates will stand on the same threshold – they will launch the frail barks, too, on the same old seas of life, which is just as treacherous and uncertain as ever, and as full of hard knocks and rough going.

But it will be a breathless time for parents and friends and an inspiring occasion for emotional youths who will start out to jump the universe upside down. Wise words will be spoken and will be listened to with attention.

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BANGOR – The steamer Rockland, one of Capt. Crocker’s boats, will run excursions from Bangor this summer in place of the steamer Verona, which is going over to Portland on the Casco Bay line. The Rockland is a familiar figure on Bangor’s waterfront, as she ran between here and Rockland for several summers. She is a good, safe boat and will carry about 800 people.

The Rockland will run the first excursion of the season on June 15, when the high school seniors will take the juniors down the river.

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OLD TOWN – Thursday afternoon the foundation of the new public library was completed and the work will now be hastened on the upper part of the building.

The granite has arrived and will be used next in the building, to be followed by the brick, which is now on hand.

The workmen are working steadily and there is no doubt the work will be completed in the allotted time.

George Wilbur, the contractor, is personally supervising the work. When finished, the building will be one of the best in the state.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin