YESTERDAY …

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(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

10 years ago – Sept. 11, 1998

BANGOR – The women peer down from their places in framed photographs or drawings hanging on walls, or placed carefully on mantelpieces or small tables throughout the Bangor Historical Society. A few of those portrayed knew each other; most did not. These days, they are all friends, of sorts, to curator Sue Ann Gaitings, and bound by a common purpose to enlighten Bangor residents and visitors about “Maine Women in the Civil War” through an exhibit.

Like many who live in eastern Maine, Gaitings is touched by the story of Hampden-born Dorothea Lynde Dix, who took on the cause of the poor, the imprisoned and especially those in mental asylums.

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BANGOR – On her 65th wedding anniversary, Frieda Miller saw no reason to be understated about her relationship with husband Abe.

“We haven’t had any disagreements,” she said wryly, “we’ve had fights! Big ones! But the next day it’s all over, and it’s like it never happened. Fighting isn’t necessarily a bad thing – when you fight, you communicate.”

Sitting in the living room of their Bangor apartment, Frieda, 85, and Abe, 90, took time between congratulatory phone calls to look back on their years together, and to offer advice to other couples.

“Take everything in stride, the good and the bad,” Abe Miller said. “People get angry, but they always get over it. Understand one another and be patient.”

The couple, who owned Miller’s Variety Store – now Miller Drug – are well-known for the lunch counter they ran at the store, and for their philanthropic efforts.

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BREWER – Ian Robinson of is used to performing in the spotlight. But when Robinson found himself in the finals of a United States Tennis Association New England tournament – which he won – it was a strange experience.

Robinson, 13, is the prodigy of his parents, Keith Robinson and Maureen Lynch, who run Robinson Ballet Company in Bangor. He has been dancing since he was 3, with a starring role in the company’s production of “The Nutcracker” since he was 10. So center stage is a familiar comfort zone.

Center court, however, is an alien land – but one Robinson hopes to know well.

“I get in a rhythm when I hit a tennis ball, like listening to music when I dance,” he said.

25 years ago – Sept. 11, 1983

BANGOR – Making a good weld requires the right combination of materials and skill. Making a good welder requires a similar combination, says Reggie Roy, head of the welding program at Eastern Maine Vocational Technical Institute.

Tired of the bad marks education has been given lately, Roy is proud of his own 44-week course. With co-instructor Donald Moore, he directs the four-year-old EMTVI program “military style” and boasts of its high post-graduation placement record.

The EMTVI program, for which there were at least three times more applicants than spaces this term, is geared toward meeting the needs of the businesses which will employ its graduates, Roy said. For that reason, attitude and good work habits are emphasized, to make the students good employees, not just good welders.

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BANGOR – The 20-year-old said a fair amount of his night-life has been centered around downtown Bangor because, “The fountain never closes.”

The people who hang out downtown – walking the streets and commandeering the park benches – are as assorted as the serial numbers on the dollar bills most of them lack.

There are those who only come out at night. Some can be seen at any hour, sauntering along the pavement.

Some of them refer to others who claim the streets as their home as “bums and losers.” All will talk about what goes on downtown after stores close, after darkness descends, as long as their names aren’t used.

There is a constant drifting of the people who occupy the granite seats surrounding the fountain in West Market Square.

50 years ago – Sept. 11, 1958

BANGOR – “Where are the books on the Reconstruction Period?”

“What do you have that tells what life was like just after the Civil War?”

“Where are the social studies books?”

These are the questions with which Billy and Mike and Alan greeted the librarian at Fifth Street Junior High School on the first day of the school year.

The opening bell had rung only a few hours before. Several of the students had not yet attended their first social studies class for the year – but they all knew what they wanted and they wanted it with enthusiasm.

The force which generated this demand for required reading books on the first day of school came from the seventh- and eighth-grade social studies reading program, which was in complete operation for the first time last year. It was instituted two years ago by Miss Amy O’Roak, seventh-grade social studies teacher.

Knowing how much could be added to history by reading historical fiction, and the wealth of material available to Bangor students in school and public libraries, Miss O’Roak announced her program. Each student must read at least one book of historical fiction or a biography of a person of the period for each unit of the year’s study – United States history from the beginning through the Civil War.

100 years ago – Sept. 11, 1908

STILLWATER – Quite a large delegation went to Old Town to the Republican rally, where they heard U.S. Sen. William E. Borah of Idaho make some fine talk on the issues of the day.

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CASTINE – All those whom we have interviewed who attended the Blue Hill fair report a most enjoyable day; everything went off as billed.

Little Boy, owned by Noah Hooper, captured second money in the races at Blue Hill. He mixed it up some in the first heat but “Jim” Clark took him in hand in the second heat and made it interesting for them. Jim said Little Boy was a very promising horse, but was badly shod for racing.

The motor fishing steamer King Fisher, owned by the William Underwood Packing Co., Jonesport, is in the harbor waiting for a cargo of herring. She has twin screws driven by two 30-horsepower motor engines and is attracting lots of attention among the fishermen.

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BUCKSPORT – P.E. Dinsmore, who has a lot of land on the shore of Silver Lake on which he planted yellow-eyed beans, has had good luck with them. This week he had them pulled and stacked and the estimate of 125 bushels placed on the crop. Mr. Dinsmore feels as happy over his success as a boy with his first pair of pants that have pockets.

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INDIAN ISLAND – Mr. Lawrence Mitchell of Indian Island has returned to his home. Mr. Mitchell completed a course in the Carlyle Indian School, Carlyle, Penn., and has had three years’ service in the U.S. Army.

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BREWER – F.H. Oakes’ motor launch Grace is in commission again after having the first repairs to her 5-horsepower Toquet engine in two years of constant use. The breakdown was caused by worn bearings and a broken thrust ring and marks the first difficulty Mr. Oakes has experienced with the engine.

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HAMPDEN – A large number attended the Republican rally in the town hall and listened to a rousing good talk on political issues by Oscar Fellows of Bucksport and Duncan McKinley of California.

The Hampden Fife and Drum Corps went to Carmel to take part in the exercises of the reunion of the 22nd Maine Regiment. The party consisted of Mel Walker, Frank Turner, Cephas Turner, Waldo Sparrow, Leslie Sparrow and John Morris.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin