101 Years Ago – Aug. 2, 1917
Silver trumpet — The Eastern Amusement Company, which played in town, sent to the firemen of Presque Isle a very handsome quadruple plate silver trumpet. The manager of the company, in showing the present to the Times representative, said, “The Presque Isle boys were a fine lot of gentlemen and we wish to show them and the respect in which we hold them, by the gift.” He didn’t have to tell anyone in Houlton what a fine lot of fellows the Presque Isle boys were; Houlton people knew that they were all right, both as gentlemen and fire-fighters.
Acreage the same — The Hartland (N.B.) correspondent of the St. John Globe said the potato acreage in that section of New Brunswick was about the same as the previous year. It claimed that in that section, it cost $2 per barrel to raise potatoes, and that if it was necessary to sell for $1 per barrel, it would mean ruin to many.
75 Years Ago – Aug. 5, 1943
Air Medal — An Associated Press dispatch stated as follows: Award of a bronze oak leaf cluster and air medal to Staff Sergt. Hugh B. Hayward of Ashland, ME, was among decorations to personnel of the U.S. Army 13th Air Force in the South Pacific announced by the War Department. Hayward’s citation said: For meritorious achievement as a member of a combat crew on one of six B-17 bombardment airplanes in an attach over the Solomon Islands. The bombing resulted in heavy damage to the runway of an enemy air base and the destruction of many airplanes on the ground and during the return flight six enemy fighter airplanes were shot down.
Seed department head — Henry Lowe, formerly in charge of the Farm Security program in Aroostook County, had been employed to head up the seed department for Maine Potato Growers, Inc., in accordance with an announcement made by H. E. Bryant, General Manager of the local cooperative.
50 Years Ago – July 31, 1968
$12,500 gift — A gift of approximately $12,500 had been given to the Arthur R. Gould Memorial Hospital. The money, from the “Park-Dewitt Fund,” was given to the hospital by Clinton D. Park of St. Petersburg, Fla., the founder of Camp Dewitt for Boys in Wolfeboro, NH, according to Robert J. Waldron, president of the hospital’s board of trustees. Waldron said the gift was unrestricted and that Park requested the board to submit a list of possible uses for the donation.
VFW position — Olen E. Holmes of Presque Isle, a past department commander of the VFW, was appointed a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Security and Foreign Affairs Committee to serve during the organization’s 69th Annual National Convention August 16-23 in Detroit, Mich. Announcement of the appointment was made by Joseph A. Scerra, Gardner, Mass., commander-in-chief of the VFW.
25 Years Ago – Aug. 4, 1993
Freme, Morrison tops — Forty-eight runners and walkers braved 90 percent humidity to compete in the First Citizens Bank 10K at Presque Isle. Bruce Freme of Caribou won the race with a time of 34:28. Greg Brannon of Loring A.F.B. was second. Rose Morrison of Limerick, formerly of Mars Hill, won the women’s division with a time of 40:42, followed by Connie Mendonca of Sinclair.
FFA conference — Josh Tweedie, Fred Whited and Garry McKeen, members of the Mars Hill Future Farmers of America chapter, attended the 1993 Washington conference program in the nation’s capital. The week-long program was designed to help FFA members improve their leadership skills, develop and understanding of national heritage and prepare for more effective leadership roles in their chapters and communities. Sessions on human relations, goal setting and interpersonal communication were combined with discussions on personal outlook, motivation and values to help members become effective leaders in the science, business and technology of agriculture.
