(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

10 years ago – Sept. 14, 1996

HAMPDEN – Irving Oil Corp. has big plans for the town of Hampden.

The company wants to construct a complex on an 89,734-square-foot site on Main Road. The complex would include a convenience store with two additional franchises, a carwash building, a vacuum cleaner island, 10 fueling stations under a canopy and a drive-through window for food service.

The structure would be one of the first Irving Oil complexes of this design in Maine. Irving is interested in building the complex between Canoe Club Road and the Kiwanis Community Center on Main Road.

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HOLDEN – A grass-roots effort that began last September to develop a preschool program in the Holden, Eddington and Clifton area recently took on new life.

Several teachers and the principal from the Eddington School who had been collaborating on a plan to bring a Head Start-type program into the community said they had applied for a $50,000 grant toward that end.

The group which includes Eddington teachers Kathy Walton and Janice Gray, Eddington School Principal Joan Staffiere, and Diana Higgins, an Eddington resident and preschool teacher, have received positive feedback about its intent.

25 years ago – Sept. 14, 1981

BANGOR – The first woman of the Maine Association of Broadcasters, also the state’s first woman named general manager of a station, has a new achievement.

Margo Cobb of WLBZ-TV in Bangor is Maine’s Broadcaster of the Year.

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ORONO – The University of Maine at Orono avoided additional fuel costs of some $77,671 during the 1980-81 fiscal years because of significant energy conservation measures.

Employees who shivered during the winter months were given a major share of the credit for working in buildings that consumed 77,116.4 fewer gallons of number two fuel oil than during the previous fiscal year, a reduction of 35.6 percent.

But also credited with the reduction were such methods as the installation of new flame-retention burners in the majority of buildings, use of night setback to automatically reduce temperatures after regular working hours and the installation of outside temperature sensing equipment that shuts the heating equipment off when the outside temperatures exceed 45 degrees.

50 years ago – Sept. 14, 1956

ORONO – More than 1,000 college freshmen arrived on the University of Maine campus to begin their college careers.

Laden down with suitcases, stuffed animals and phonograph records, coeds busily began making plans to attend the annual Freshmen Week exercises which have been arranged to acquaint them with campus living.

As laughing coeds entered the college dormitory for the first time, they were met by members of the Sophomore Eagles honor society. Under the guidance of these “big sisters” the pretty coeds were instructed in the rules of the dormitory, shown their mail box combinations and introduced to the friendly dormitory housemothers.

While mothers helpfully put up frilly curtains at the windows, their daughters unpacked soft sweaters in bright fall colors, hung up tweedy wool skirts and shook out the folds from velvet party dresses.

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BANGOR – Has anyone seen a brand new white volley ball that seemed to have strayed from where it belongs?

The children at the Eastern Maine Friends of Retarded Children Inc. School at the Universalist Church couldn’t wait to get out for recess so that they could play with the volley ball that had just been purchased by the school.

In fact, two little boys were so eager to play with the ball that they managed, like little boys can, to slip out into the play yard a bit ahead of time and pounced on the coveted ball. Up in the air it went – and over the fence! Down the steep hill it bounced and rolled – where it landed nobody knows.

The faculty and all the help they could recruit hunted high and low around the Post Office, along Center Street and anywhere they thought the ball might have gone. No luck.

Now the kids are without their volley ball – and what is recess without a ball?

100 years ago – Sept. 14, 1906

VEAZIE – The church at Veazie was filled with an attentive, eager audience on the occasion of the unveiling and presentation of a window in commemoration of the fact that Dr. Smith Parker of the Williston church, Portland, began his ministry and was ordained here, and has always taken a deep interest in the church’s life.

The window is back of the pulpit, a little above the preacher’s head, and is circular, the central figure being the head of the Saviour, taken from Hoffman’s celebrated picture of Christ in the Temple. It was veiled until the presentation. When the curtain fell, the picture, behind which on the outside was a light, shone forth vividly, the electric lights within the church extinguished at that same moment. A hush fell upon the audience, and a silence almost audible ensued as the people gazed on the noble commemorative portrait.

The window was the joint gift of Mrs. Eva Townsend, a daughter of the well-known Deacon Warren, who was an elderly man when Dr. Baker was pastor there. Mrs. Townsend was herself a small child in Dr. Baker’s pastorate.

Dr. Baker, in his address, dwelt upon the good which even a small church without large means is able to do.

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DEDHAM – The work on the Grange Hall is progressing rapidly and will be completed soon. A 20-foot addition has been built, thus increasing the capacity of the audience room, also a basement under the entire house, containing a large dining room and kitchen, the floors and walls of which are finished in cement. Much credit is due to those having the work in charge, the result being a most substantial and commodious building well suited to the needs of the Grange.

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DIXMONT – Beatrice Nason held a most enjoyable lawn party at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Nason, the arrangements being under the skillful management of Mrs. S.A. Davis. Games and other entertainment were fully enjoyed for two hours or more when all were invited into the dining room for refreshments of popcorn, ice cream, cake, confectionery and fruit in abundance. The dining room and table were beautifully and artistically decorated with golden glow and white cut flowers, adding much to the enjoyable occasion.

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BUCKSPORT – Work has commenced on repairing the Verona end of the Bucksport and Verona bridge. Foot passengers were crossing on the stringers during the day, but it was a difficult task owing to the fog. It is reported that one young lady, who lives in Verona but keeps books for one of the leading grocers in the village, when she came over in the morning, she crossed [not on the bridge but] on the fog.

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BREWER – Paul J. Kiah, formerly of Brewer, is winning many honors as an athlete. He is at present in the 43rd Co., Coast Artillery, stationed at Fort Terry, N.Y.

Young Mr. Kiah is 22 years old, the son of Peter Kiah of Jackman. About five years ago he moved to Brewer, living on State Street. In 1904 he attended Shaw Business College where he was captain of the baseball team. He traveled through the lumber camps of northern Maine with the Rev. Joseph Forest of Jackman and made many friends among the lumbermen.

He enlisted in the U.S. service in 1905 and made his first appearance as an athlete when he started in the half-mile run in the field day sports of the 13th Regiment, National Guard of New York.

Kiah went on the track entirely unknown, the smallest of the bunch, but surprised everyone by running away with the field, winning in 2:06. He has never been beaten, his best mark 2:05, which is close to the amateur record.

He doesn’t look the flyer that he is, being but 5 feet 51/2 inches tall and weighing 135 pounds.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin