75 Years Ago – Nov. 1, 1945
Clarence Keegan new Aggie teacher — Clarence Keegan of Mars Hill succeeded George Barnes as agricultural instructor at Presque Isle High School. A graduate of the University of Maine, Keegan was former agricultural instructor at Aroostook Classical Institute at Mars Hill. Prominent in Aroostook athletic circles, Keegan was a member of the Olympic baseball team and was a member of the Mars HIll and Presque Isle teams in the Northern Maine League. He assisted with basketball coaching at Mars Hill.
Ethyl Allen promoted to sergeant — Mr. Edward Allen of Presque Isle received word that his daughter, Cpl. Ethyl S. Allen, was promoted to the grade of Sergeant in the WAC Detachment at Pine Bluff CWS Arsenal in southeast Arkansas. Sgt. Allen enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps in June 1943 at Hartford, Connecticut, and received her basic training at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. After completing her training, she was transferred to the Army Administration School at Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College in Richmond, Kentuckyy. Upon completion of an eight-week course in Army administration, Sgt. Allen reported to the Arsenal for duty and was assigned to the military personnel section of the executive division as special order clerk.
50 Years Ago – Nov. 4, 1970
Bookstore opened — Over 500 people attended the two-day open house held at the Living Word Bookstore. Dedication services were held by Pastor McNeil of the Bethany Baptist Church, Presque Isle. Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Watt, managers, stated that they were handling all kinds of Christian literature, Bibles, cards, sheet music, music and song books, records, tapes, cassettes, napkins and small things such as bookmarks. The bookstore occupied the building formerly known as the Boston Shoe Store.
UMPI girl won Tel. Bow Meet — The University of Maine at Presque Isle had fostered another statewide champion in the person of Miss Cheryl Tardy of Limestone. The UMPI junior was Maine’s top woman archer. The statewide college tourney, coordinated at Husson College, was the second such event sponsored by the Maine Association for Physical Education of College Women. Called the Telegraphic Archery Meet, the contests were held on individual campuses with the results telegraphed to Husson for tabulation. The four member UMPI team also won the state team title.
25 Years Ago – Nov. 1, 1995
Mantle Lake project received monetary boost — The Mantle Lake Playground Project received more than $400 toward their fund-raising effort from the proceeds of the “Classic Castle Bounce,” sponsored by Marketing Advertising Planning Inc. at the Winter Sports and Leisure Show. For a $1 donation, kids could have a great time bouncing in the Classic Castle Bounce with all proceeds benefiting the Mantle Lake Playground Project. Kathy Cassidy, chairperson of the Mantle Lake Playground Project, said, “The results of the fund-raising effort this weekend has put us much closer to our goal Nearly $31,000 has been raised toward the $50,000 goal of the Mantle Lake Playground Project.”
Golden anniversary members — Edwin G. Packard and Wilfred Trafton were honored on Oct. 16 as 50-year members of Presque Isle American Legion Post No 88. The Presque Isle residents joined the legion in 1945. The awards were presented by Commander Carl McGlauflin.
Flora appointed new deputy director of LDA — Carl W. Flora, formerly of Presque Isle, was appointed as the new deputy director of the Loring Development Authority of Maine. According to LDA Executive Director Brian Hamel, Flora brought more than 15 years of broad-based business, legal and public sector experience and for the previous eight years, had been employed in various upper-level management positions within Maine’s Department of Agriculture. Flora most served as acting director, Bureau of Public Service, under the Commissioner of Agriculture, Edward McLaughlin. From 1989 to 1995, he served as the deputy commissioner, the second-ranking official within the cabinet-level Department of Agriculture, under former Commissioner Bernard Shaw, having been promoted to this position in 1989 from associate commissioner for Policy Development.
