Yesterday …

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(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

10 years ago – April 13, 1996

BREWER – A black soapstone mother with child, a hand-embroidered white linen Communion cloth, a passport and an empty plastic water bottle are arranged atop a folding table just outside the Rev. Joan DeSanctis’ church office.

For the 245 members of the North Brewer-Eddington United Methodist Church, they are reminders of the congregation’s newest neighbors, and, in a sense, fellow parishioners, 6,800 miles to the east, in Zimbabwe.

Earlier this week, the white frame church at the bend of the Penobscot River became part of a formal partnership with the Amaveni United Methodist Church in the Kwekwe Circuit of the southern African nation.

For DeSanctis, the church’s pastor, this tie that binds marks the culmination of a relationship that began when she and a group of Methodists arrived in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, on a warm Sunday morning Feb. 11.

Within hours, DeSanctis was at worship in an open-air, tin-roofed church filled with 1,200 people and echoing with the sound of drums and tambourines.

25 years ago – April 13, 1981

BANGOR – A veteran teacher at Bangor High School for 32 years, Barbara Mills Browne, a specialist in speech, oral interpretation and theater, was honored at a banquet by the Bangor Chapter of Toastmasters International. Mrs. Browne received the organization’s first Communication Achievement Award.

Referring to an article on the front page of Friday’s edition of the NEWS to make her point about the incessant pursuit of excellence, Mrs. Browne said she hoped the Bangor school board would not be considered shortsighted in its decision to lure experienced teachers high on the salary scale into early retirement.

“Let us hope,” she said, ” that the priorities of the board are not such that it would sacrifice quality and proved experience for untrained, inexperienced teachers merely as a tradeoff on the dollars available. The good teacher will never become obsolete.”

During Mrs. Browne’s tenure at Bangor High School, her students have won top honors in every major speech and theater competition in the state – not once but repeatedly and often for consecutive years. Among her former students are lawyers, doctors, administrators, reporters, actors and radio broadcasters.

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ORONO – Janet “B.J.” Smith won the Miss Greater Bangor Scholarship Pageant held at John Bapst High School.

The Orono student was awarded a $500 scholarship and a diamond pendant donated by G.M. Pollack & Sons.

The 10 young women vying for the title were judged on ability to discuss current events and on artistic talents. They took part in a swimsuit competition and one in formalwear.

The theme for the pageant was a cabaret, and the event started with contestants seated at tables in semi-darkness while singer David Copperfield performed selections from the musical “Cabaret.”

50 years ago – April 13, 1956

BANGOR – Members of the Athene Club and their guests were delightfully entertained at their meeting in the vestry of All Souls Congregational Church by Edward Ives, an instructor in the English department at the University of Maine.

Mr. Ives told of the history of “Folk and Traditional Songs for the Guitar.” He divided the songs into three categories: American, Scotch and English-Welsh folk songs, and sang some from each group.

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BANGOR – Bangor’s Main Street got another shot in the arm when the Standard Shoe Store started a three-day celebration of the completion of its third modernization and expansion plan.

“We are enthusiastic about the future of Bangor,” said Albert J. Schiro, president of the firm. “We always have been. But lately something seems to have gotten into the spirit of the city which has given it a lift. I honestly don’t know what it is, but something is happening. Maybe it’s the young people who are goading us along.”

Schiro was busy showing people around his new store. Not new in the sense of time, for it has been for 30 years at the same address, 48 Main St. But new, completely new in decoration and new enlarged departments.

Schiro, active in civic affairs for many years, paused from his guided tour of the store to comment, “You know, I don’t remember if we ever thought 30 years ago we would have a store like this some day. But then, who would have thought five years ago that Bangor would have a modern auditorium which since October has seen almost 250,000 people attend various events in the building. I tell you, something is happening in this town.”

Standard has 15 full-time employees to serve the customers in the various departments.

100 years ago – April 13, 1906

BANGOR – The new buildings and wharves of the Eastern Steamship Co. are practically finished, and with the exception of the offices are ready for occupancy. The buildings are finished with green and white shingle stain, and the effect from both the river and the street is decidedly striking.

The slips are of the most modern plan and construction, and over each is a tower with an enormous window, throwing light inside the buildings. The slips are worked by means of a mechanism built by the American Windlass Co. Instead of working with a lever as in the past, they are operated by sprockets and chains easily raised or lowered by one person. The slip is 31 by 65 feet.

The offices will be paneled five feet from the floor with ash and the remainder of the walls covered with steel. The ceilings will be finished with ash.

An awning has been built at the rear of the main slip for carriages so that people arriving at the wharf in teams may step out in the most severe storm without fear of the slightest dampness.

The Eastern Steamship Co. now enjoys a decidedly metropolitan appearance.

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BUCKSPORT – Chester Fuller proved that winter had gone, very effectually on Wednesday, when he went across the river to the Switzer Co.’s plant and picked a fine bunch of May flowers.

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BANGOR – In Supreme Court, Justice Spear sustained the appeal for a writ of certiorari entered by the owners of the Hayford property in Hammond Street, at the same time overruling the demurrer made on behalf of the city by City Solicitor Murray and Judge Charles A. Bailey. This, in effect, renders illegal the steps thus far taken by municipal officers in condemning for a public library site and park the lot on Hammond Street, which now reverts back to its original owners exactly as if the city had taken no action.

Three courses of action are now open to the city: To appeal the ruling, to abandon the project of building a library on Hammond Street, or to re-condemn the land. The first course is unlikely, the second would not for a moment be tolerated for public sentiment.

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BUCKSPORT – Capt. W.F. Bullock went to Bangor Thursday morning to take command of the schooner Abbie S. Ingalls, which has been in winter quarters there. She is all ready for sea and will load lumber for New York from the Ashland Mfg. Co.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin