(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

10 years ago – Nov. 6, 1998

BANGOR – Nine months after their shipmates stood at the USS Maine Memorial in Davenport Park to honor the men who first served aboard the battleship, USS Maine submarine crew members will visit Bangor once again, this time to participate in Veterans Day activities.

The 14 crew members plan to participate in the Veterans Day Parade, visit the veterans’ medical center at Togus and Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, speak at area schools and help with community projects such as Habitat for Humanity.

Periodic visits by the crew will promote a closer relationship between the USS Maine, a nuclear submarine based in King’s Bay, Ga., and its namesake state, said Clif Deringer, chairman of the Battleship USS Maine Centennial Committee.

.

Former New England Patriots Coach Dick MacPherson and Cleveland Rockers guard Cindy Blodgett, who set numerous basketball records at Lawrence High School in Fairfield and at the University of Maine, will be featured speakers at the second Husson College Sports Leadership Symposium.

Dr. John Winkin, coordinator of Husson’s Sports Leadership Institute and the college’s Sports Management and Physical Education programs, said Old Town native MacPherson and Blodgett of Clinton are symbolic of positive role models in today’s sports world.

25 years ago – Nov. 6, 1983

ORRINGTON – Linda Mitchell or Orrington modeled items from her collection of antique clothing for an adult education class at Bangor High School.

Her outfits included a 1930s black velvet wrap, satin-lined and edged with ermine collar, cuffs and muff; a white Panama hat from the 1930s; and cream-colored satin “Jean Harlow” dress. Mitchell’s presentation was one unit in an antiques course coordinated by Gerald E. Ballanger.

.

BANGOR – Bangor’s First Universalist Church is 150 years old this year.

The name Smith has long been associated with the church. The present minister, since 1975, is the Rev. Gary Smith and Shirley Smith (no relation) is minister of music. The Rev. Ashley Smith, who served as minister 1911-1936, is probably best remembered for his leadership in restoring the church after the Great Bangor Fire in 1911; his gift of the parish hall in memory of his daughter, Dorothy; and his gift of a radio station to the church, which operated it as WABI.

.

ORONO – Enclave, the literary magazine of Orono High School, earned first place in the annual competition of the Scholastic Press Association of Columbia University. More than 3,000 yearbooks, newspapers and literary magazines were reviewed and detailed critiques provided for all. Enclave received a special commendation for content.

This is the second consecutive year that Enclave received a first place award. Farnham Blair, an English teacher at the high school, is faculty adviser.

50 years ago – Nov. 6, 1958

BANGOR – Harlow Street is having a face-lifting operation and a lot of dirt is being moved. City crews are widening and rebuilding Harlow Street from Spring Street to just beyond Kenduskeag Avenue, straightening Harlow Street and placing an island at the entrance of Kenduskeag Avenue.

The job will cost in the neighborhood of $30,000 and will not be finished this fall. The street will be passable, but no surface put on until spring after traffic has pounded the foundation down hard.

.

BANGOR – The silver blades of Bangor skaters are making the cash register ring at the Municipal Auditorium.

In October, skaters rung up $2,343 in admissions and hotdogs at the auditorium, compared with $1,589 in rentals and hotdogs for a two-day teachers’ convention, a professional basketball game and a wrestling match.

John Quigley, manager of the building, reported that in October, 5,596 skaters were admitted. Of these, 3,485 were paid admissions in only three weeks of public skating; 1,594 youngsters were given four free skating lessons by members of the Bangor Figure Skating Club and 517 people, young and old, turned out for the free Halloween costume skating party.

During 1957, 11,300 skaters were checked through the doors at the auditorium.

.

BANGOR – Seventeen paintings by Philip J. Brockway, placement director at the University of Maine, are included in a three-man exhibition of drawings and watercolors on display at the Bangor Public Library.

Other drawings and watercolors in the exhibition were made by William E. Jenkins of Brewer and Lloyd McPeek of Orono. Jenkins is employed at Sears, Roebuck and Co., Bangor, and McPeel at H.W. Mathews and Sons, Bangor.

Titles of some of the art works are “Winter Sunset,” “Winter Rain,” “Sand Pit Survivors,” “Summer Birches,” “The Garden” and “RFD No. 1.”

.

OLD TOWN – Seniors at Old Town High School are busily engaged in preparing the celebrated comedy, “The Little Dog Laughed,” for production.

Cast members are Barbara Bishop, Kenneth Morgan, Ann Buchanan, Richard LeVasseur. Judy Thibault, Debra Cutler, Edward Mallett, Jean Parady, David Sklar, Wayne Hesseltine, Theresa Girard, Delvina Binette, Anita Mills, Myra Colon, Linda Webb and Stanley MacMillan.

Music will be furnished by the Old Town High School Band under the direction of the new supervisor, Thomas Dumas. The selections will be “Silver Moon,” “Two Moods” and “My Fair Lady.”

The play is produced by Mrs. Mina Caffin, teacher of speech and English at the high school.

100 years ago – Nov. 6, 1908

EDDINGTON – O.I. Clapp finished threshing grain on Nov. 3 at Del Boynton’s. He threshed out 218 bushels in five hours at the Shorey Bros.

.

ORLAND – Friends of Rodney and Gertrude Gray of Orland will be pleased to learn that their triplets, Kenneth, Kelsey and Kermit, are still prospering, and at the age of 10 months are one of the principal attractions of the town.

During the summer they had many visitors to town who have called on the family to admire the three perfect boys. Many pretty and useful gifts have been given them.

.

BUCKSPORT – S.M. Mohsin of India was in town overnight at the Robinson House and went to the United States fish works at East Orland. Mr. Mohsin is in the employ of the British government and is in this country to study the culture of fish in all of its details.

.

BUSCKSPORT – George Maddox commenced to paint the oil tanks of the Standard Oil Co. on the Maine Central Railroad wharves.

.

BANGOR – A night school for foreigners will be opened by the YMCA in the old York Street schoolhouse. The classes will be taught by students of the University of Maine, who have generously volunteered to act as instructors.

.

BANGOR – The contract for the rebuilding of Hersey Retreat at Sandy Point, burned last July, has been awarded to Matheson & Frazier of Bangor, who were lowest bidders. The concrete piers upon which the home will rest are being put in place and the lumber will arrive soon.

.

BANGOR – Miss Mary E. Beal of the Beal School of Shorthand announces a complete line of the well-known Wester brand of typewriter ribbons and carbon papers. The patronage of stenographers is solicited.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin