10 years ago – Aug. 21, 1993

(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

ORONO – John Tennett arrived at the University of Maine expecting to toil in relative obscurity as a first-year member of the Black Bears football team.

Less than two weeks later, the former Bangor High School three-sport standout finds himself working out as the team’s No. 2 quarterback.

An injury and attrition have thinned out the Bears’ quarterback corps, at least temporarily. Junior Emilio Colon is the undisputed starter, having directed UMaine offense for the last two seasons.

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HAMPDEN – The response to a Hampden Town Council survey to find out if townspeople are interested in having a swimming pool has been overwhelming in a week and a half.

The council used the survey to find out if the public wants the $1 million offered by the Estate of Lura Hoit to build a public swimming pool, said pool committee member David Gould.

Councilors did not detect a groundswell of support for the offer, and were not sure whether they should proceed with planning for the pool. As of Tuesday, 176 people had responded.

Gould considered the response good. He said most of the respondents had voiced support for the pool, but a majority also want to see the $100,000 estimated annual maintenance and operation costs come from sources other than tax dollars, such as membership or other fees.

The council earlier authorized spending up to $5,000 in design costs.

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BANGOR – In a festive atmosphere, Bangor International Airport on Friday celebrated its 25th anniversary Friday as a commercial airport, and city officials dedicated BIA’s new $12 million addition.

A cake in the shape of the newly renovated airport greeted visitors when they reached the top of the escalator, and Bill Trowell of the Rick and Bill Band, the airport’s unofficial band, entertained guests with spirited songs. Rick Aiken, a member of the band who works in the dispatch office, is frequently called to provide music at the airport.

Red, white and blue balloons decorated the domestic flight lounge and along the windows that overlook the runway. Refreshments were served. City officials, past and present, and guests mingled, and congratulated one another for the city’s success.

25 years ago – Aug. 21, 1973

BANGOR – State Sen. Minnette Cummings of Newport will address the weekly luncheon meeting of the Bangor Kiwanis Club at Baldacci’s Restaurant.

She is the only woman in the Senate of the 106th Maine Legislature as a representative of Corinna, Exeter, Stetson and Newport.

Mrs. Cummings has been for many years a leader of the Republican Party in Maine and has been actively engaged in educational circles. For nine years she has been a member of the Newport school committee, and she is currently serving as a trustee of Bangor Theological Seminary.

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BANGOR – A children’s mayor of Bangor will be selected from the 26 candidates voted on at the Bangor Playgrounds at the Field Day at Fairmount Terrace Park in Union Street.

Bangor Mayor John Mooney will make the drawing for the youngster, who will help him out at ceremonies, convene the meeting of the Bangor City Council and be an honorary member of the Central Penobscot Community Coordinated Child Care, representing Bangor children.

The children chosen as candidates are Amy Lieberman, Low Ashlock, Ronald Patoka, Candy Tuck, Bruce Green, Conny Stewart, Laura Scongberg, Robert Torsehmann, Jed Russell, Katie Russell, Eddie DePhilippo, Rhonda Iroux, Tyler Townsend, Kathy Savage, George Dandaneau Jr., Tami Hamel, Barbara Lier, Tim Lier, Julie Henderson, Gary Coulombe, Pat Greene, Susan Greene, Lisa Samways, Jerry Chairell, Joey Leen and Joann Leen.

50 years ago – Aug. 21, 1953

OLD TOWN – Saint Mary’s Convent had been remodeled with new brick shingles, French green trim and a new roof for the Sisters’ chapel.

The interior of the chapel was painted ivory to match the altar and statues of Our Lady and St. Joseph, which are in ivory.

The school has been painted ranch red with French green for a trim.

St. Mary’s school will open in September with an enrollment of 190 children. In 1949, when the school opened, the enrollment was 84.

Sisters Mary Thomasine, Mary Damian, Brendan and Pebrina will staff the school. Mrs. Nellie Greenan will have charge of the sub-primary.

The picture of the first graduating class and the picture of the first group of children will adorn the wall of the spacious corridor, which leads to the auditorium.

The Little Flower room in the Community House has been painted in pastel colors and the floor covered with inlaid linoleum in gray and red. The windows are covered with drapes appropriate for the hall. A large picture of the Little Flower, St. Therese of Lisieux, adorns the wall.

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BANGOR – “If and when a showdown comes, Europe will be pro-West.” That was one of several encouraging opinions expressed by Howard Gottlieb, 26, of Bangor, after his return [from] three years in Europe.

The European tendency now, however, is to put butter before guns. They haven’t been able to find the middle way, he said.

“One doesn’t hear war talk in Europe,” Gottlieb said. Gottlieb, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Gottlieb, completed doctoral study at Oxford University this summer. He anticipates that his book, “England and the Nature of the Nazi Regime,” will be published in Britain this winter.

He visited Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Ireland, Switzerland, Finland, Germany and North Africa.

He spent two months in North Africa writing articles for British newspapers on African ghettoes and the Riff tribes of Morocco. He wrote a series of articles on reindeer and Laplanders after living several months on Kimi, Finland. He visited Italy several times and contributed reviews of Italian opera to British musical publications.

Gottlieb agreed that he “saw a lot.”

100 years ago – Aug. 21, 1903

For the past two months or more, the fishermen of Bangor who have been to Greene Lake after landlocked salmon have returned complaining bitterly about their poor luck. They have used approved bait, they have employed many arts of persuasion, they have fished long and earnestly, but they have not been rewarded for their labors in such measure as their efforts required.

For that reason, it was presumed there were few fish in the lake. It was even said that the young fry hatched from parent fish that had grown up in the lake had been sent away to other waters until there were no “seed” fish left.

Somebody who labored under the belief that the fish were pious and refused to bite on Sunday said that if Bangor people would go to church on the Lord’s day and confine their fishing operations to week days, they would find fish plentiful enough. It was a fine theory, but it would not stand the test of experiment. A Bangor clergyman who had fished there on weekdays says the salmon and trout are not so plentiful as they should be. This clergyman is a good fisherman as well as a good moral man, and his evidence must stand until proof is produced to the contrary.

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OLD TOWN – The seventh annual meeting of the Woolen Overseers’ Association of Eastern Maine will be held Saturday. The business session will take place in City Hall. This is the first meeting of the association to be held in Old Town.

The program will open in the morning with a business meeting at City Hall. Officers will be elected and other business transacted. Afterward, a group photograph will be taken and the members will pay a visit to the Ounegan Woolen Co. and the Old Town Woolen Co. Then members will adjourn to Crocker’s Hotel, where a banquet will be served. In the afternoon the members will go to Webster Park and witness the ball game between Old Town and Bucksport.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin