Yesterday …

10 years ago – Feb. 20, 1993

(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

BANGOR – The microwave oven is safe for tiny hands – it’s made of wood rather than plastic, metal and glass. Toy microwaves are relatively new, so Todd Perry couldn’t find much to go by when designing the wooden appliance that arrived Thursday morning at St. Mary’s Day Care on Ohio Street in Bangor.

“I found a picture in a magazine,” Perry recalled, “and worked out in my mind what the measurements would be.” Perry is one of 10 students from the Penobscot Job Corps who have been building furniture for the day care program, which moved recently into new quarters at St. Mary’s Parish Center. The new center also accommodates St. Mary’s School and an after-school program.

The staff at the day care program, director Kathryn Jovanelli and teachers Sandra Hallett and Linda Caler, were more than pleased to see the brightly decorated furniture brought in by the students.

Hallett brought the idea for the furniture to the attention of Mike Jellison, a Job Corps instructor. Jellison is a member of St. Mary’s Parish, and the 32 children attending the day care include his children, Troy and Tanna-Marie.

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HAMPDEN – The Hampden police chief told the Town Council Tuesday night that the department was producing a better caliber of law enforcement officers because of additional training the officers are receiving.

“We are at a point now where we are attracting officers from other departments,” Police Chief Joseph Rogers told the council. “In the past we were losing guys. We will still lose some officers because some have that in their career paths.”

Now that the town has the ability to retain people, “we are able to get advance training for some of our officers. With advanced training we provide a better service to the community.”

25 years ago – Feb. 20, 1978

ORONO – John Libby of Orono, a Peace Corps returnee, who spent four years in the Philippines, was the guest speaker at a meeting of the Homemakers Club of the United Methodist Church.

Dr. Katherine A. Miles introduced Libby, who is currently a revitalization coordinator for the Greater Bangor Area Chamber of Commerce. He discussed his work with the regional planning committee at Manila and his work with the Central Bank there.

Libby was involved in a number of projects while affiliated with the Peace Corps, including writing a history of the Philippines and work in the rice paddies with a water buffalo.

The Rev. Evans Wilson, president, welcomed the 39 members and guests. Among the guests was Dora Libby, wife of the speaker, whom he met and married during his work with the Peace Corps.

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BANGOR – An emotional reminiscence awaited Robert and Laura Murray when they awoke to find a Valentine from President Jimmy Carter early Saturday morning.

Their special overnight houseguest left the following note in one of the first pages of a memento scrapbook on a white linen-covered oak table. It read:

“To Bob and Laura and all the Murrays, Thank you for the new friendships and wonderful hospitality to me, the dozens of photographs and the hundreds of visitors. You all will have to come and see me and my family at the White House. Love, Jimmy Carter.”

Maple Street looked like a place recovering from the shock and disruption of an overnight presidential visit Saturday morning. Barricades at Maple Street and Mount Hope Avenue used to block off the area surrounding the Murray house where President Jimmy Carter had stayed were pushed aside to allow the normal flow of traffic.

50 years ago – Feb. 20, 1953

BANGOR – Various observances of National Defense Week will culminate with a dinner at Pilots Grill when Col. William E. Bertram, commanding officer of the 506th Strategic-Fighter Wing at Dow, will speak on the Korean situation. Bertram has just returned from a tour of duty in Korea where he flew F-84 Thunderjets and his talk is expected to be of unusual interest. The dinner meeting is sponsored by the Penobscot Valley chapter of the Reserve Officers’ Association.

The Dow Airliners, a sextet of airmen, will furnish a program of patriotic songs under the direction of George Davis, who in civilian life is a professional entertainer. There will be group singing under the leadership of Norman Lambert.

Maj. Vernon Somers, president of the Penobscot Valley chapter, will preside at the dinner and Col. G. William Small, chairman for the National Defense Week observance, will be master of ceremonies for the evening.

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BREWER – The Brewer City Council Thursday night tentatively decided to add one man at an estimated cost of $3,000 to the fire department this year in a move designed to decrease firemen’s working hours.

The tentative decision came during an extended discussion of the 1953 municipal budget as the five councilors worked over the revised estimate of $467,406.24 presented by City Manager Harrie D. Eckler. Last year’s budget was $451,453.31.

All told, the councilors failed to trim the manager’s estimate by any great amount, but did make several changes.

After considerable discussion during which it was pointed out that Brewer firemen now work 120 hours one week and 96 the next, the councilors agreed that something should be done about reducing the hours.

Six men now work full time for the department, and it was figured that an additional man would reduce the firemen’s average work week of 108 hours to about 92.

Discussion arose over the possibility of Brewer’s installing its own police radio system. At present, Brewer is tied in with the Bangor police radio service and there has been considerable talk of the city establishing its own setup.

100 years ago – Feb. 20, 1902

BANGOR – Gen. Joshua L. Chamberlain of Vincent Montfort Post, of Brunswick, was elected commander of the Department of Maine, G.A.R., at the annual election held in City Hall Thursday morning. Gen. Chamberlain was given a handsome majority on the first ballot, and then his election was made unanimous. Col. E.C. Milliken, of Bosworth Post, Portland, was the defeated candidate. The election of Gen. Chamberlain was conceded Wednesday night by Milliken supporters.

Gen. Chamberlain’s name was placed before the encampment by James F. Cheney of Brunswick. It was seconded by W.E. Plummer of Fort Fairfield.

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BANGOR – On Sunday evening, Feb. 22, the Rev. A.S. Bisbee of Brunswick, who was a deputy sheriff under Sheriff Pearson, will speak in First M.E. Church. The service will be held under the auspices of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, and it is expected that a large audience will greet Mr. Bisbee.

Mr. Bisbee was Prohibition candidate for sheriff at the recent election in Cumberland County, and received a very large vote. He has the reputation of being a forceful and eloquent speaker. He was very closely identified with the enforcement of the law in Cumberland County, and was with Sheriff Pearson in most of his famous raids. The county officers of the WCTU have been fortunate in securing his services for a limited number of addresses in the county. On a recent Sunday he spoke at a union service of the churches in Old Town and made a profound impression upon the large audience.

Compiled by Matt Poliquin