From our Files: Headlines from 100 years of local news

100 Years Ago-May 1, 1912
Aroostook Times
    Hodgdon — Wilbur Stewart has bought the store owned by R.L. Perrigo and is making extensive repairs on the building. The work is being done by Ray and Gleason Taylor.
    Smryna — School in District 1 began this week with Miss Lala Sutherland of Portage as teacher. Ward Grant has been engaged to carry the scholars to school.
    Tickling the ivory — John J. Thomas, pianist at the Bijou Theater, is confined to his house by illness. During his absence, Miss Lucy Grant is substituting for him.
    Lakeside entertainment — Crescent Park, one of Houlton’s many attractions, has changed hands and J.E. McMinneman has become the Proprietor.
75 Years Ago-May 6, 1937
Houlton Pioneer Times
    Safe landing — Jimmy Colton, veteran Houlton aviator and for several years operator at the local airport, demonstrated his ability as a pilot on Sunday when he brought down his plane safely at the Waterville airport in spite of the fact that the undercarriage was damaged.
    New industry — Renovation work was begun this week at the former B&A car shops in preparation fo the installation of machinery for the pea canning plant of the Snider Packing Corp. Harold W. Slocum arrived with three carloads of seed — 1,300 bags — to distribute to participating area farmers.
    Prison break — A pair of inmates at the county jail escaped by the ingenious method of removing a ventilator and kicking out a flimsy metal grillwork, thus opening a hole in the side of the building large enough to admit their bodies.
50 Years Ago-May 3, 1962
Houlton Pioneer Times
    Happy Angler — A Page One photo showed Valerie LaVigne, 5-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph LaVigne, holding a 15 and one half inch trout she caught over the weekend.
    Ricker elite — Jane Warman of Ludlow was named Valedictorian of her graduating class at Ricker Classical Institute while Kathleen Bean of Houlton was named Salutatorian.
Pioneer Times file photo/1962
PICK ONE — That’s what those attending the annual Houlton High School Circus will be asked to do: Pick one of four for Circus Queen. Candidates are, from left, Jill Peabody, Bernadine Corey, Jeanne Chisholm and Linda O’Leary.
    Best on a bike — Douglas Dickison won the Houlton Junior Chamber of Commerce Road-E-O held at the high school. It took three trips through the obstacle course to eliminate contenders Michael Fitzpatrick and John Colton.
    Plastic Party — Mrs. Roxie Gray and Mrs. Ivan Barrows, both of Dyer Brook, attended a Plastic Party at the Houlton home of Mrs. Hubert Barrows.
    REWARD — Lost! One brown fox terrier, part of right ear missing. License number 35635. Answers to the name of “Tippy.”
25 Years Ago-May 6, 1987
Houlton Pioneer Times
    Guest speaker — The Rev. James W. Skehan, professor of geology and director of the Weston Observatory at Boston College, was back in his hometown to give lectures at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
    Retirement — Lois Cumming, retiring from Houlton hospital system after 42 years of service, was guest of honor at a reception at Houlton Regional Hospital attended by friends, family and her associates in the business office.
    Honor society — Inducted as new members of the Southern Aroostook Community School chapter, National Honor Society were Joe Charette, Jeffrey Parsons, Josiah Drew, Matthew Bouchie, Holly Small, Barbara Gray, Amanda Bouchie, Paula Small and Tabitha Boone.