75 Years Ago – May 26, 1949
High School Students Take Over Town Government Friday — Local high school students took over town and school offices Friday and supervised routine town affairs as part of the observance of Youth Week activities in Houlton which started Sunday with special church services and ended Saturday with a baby show and clinic at the high school. Students elected officers Thursday and these junior sized officials started on their one-day job Friday. Officers elected were: town manager, Jack Daniels; clerk, Charles Johnston; treasurer, Dolly Dombek; police chief, David Hogan; librarian, Joyce Dailey; fire chief, David Smith; recreation director, Richard Daley; road superintendent, Leroy McIntosh, and Water Company superintendent, Roger Bickford. Town council members, Charlotte Beals, secretary; Malcolm Hamilton, Richard Hawkins, Fernald Hutchinson, Richard Longstag, Jeanne Roach and Ralph Toxier, chairman; school committee, Thomas Comeau, chairman; Ruth Libby, John Daigle, Gordon Cumming, superintendent; Joyce Gray and Barbara York, secretary; Richard Groves, principal; Amy Lou Tompkins, secretary; Charlene Lane, vice principal and John Young and Robert Wilson, janitors.
50 Years Ago – May 22, 1974
Field For Paul Bunyan Already At 373 Golfers — The tenth anniversary of the Paul Bunyan Amateur is shaping up as one of the most competitive in its history. The tournament set for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 21-23, at Orono’s Penobscot Valley Country Club, Bangor’s Municipal Golf Course, and Bar Harbor’s Kebo Valley Club has already a starting field of 373. Among the top contenders from Aroostook County are Heber Umphrey, Steve Sweetser and Dewey DeWitt. This portion of the Presque Isle contingent, each carrying a three handicap, is coming into the Bunyan along with scratch player, Glen Salwak. Other top Aroostookians are Frank Gagnier of Loring Air Force Base and Warren Walker of Island Falls.
Border Patrol Planning Many Events To Mark Its 50th Anniversary — Observance of the 50th anniversary of the United States Border Patrol will be held at the Border Patrol Headquarters in Houlton on May 28. Chief Patrol Agent Donald C. McEdward, who is responsible for the administration and operation of the Border Patrol within Maine, has announced that special events will be held at the sector headquarters on that date.
25 Years Ago – May 26, 1999
Littleton man raises 500-pound birds ‘for the fun of it’ — what began as idle curiosity has now become a profitable hobby for Richard Pellerin of Littleton. He raises ostriches. “I just raise them as a hobby,” said Pellerin. “I love animals and had some ducks once and they disappeared. I also had some geese, but I gave them away.” When the opportunity came to have some more animals to take care of, especially some that were out of the ordinary, Pellerin took advantage of the opportunity. Unlike his other experience with animals, he probably won’t have to worry about the 8-foot 6-inch, 500 pound birds disappearing any time soon. Pellerin first took an interest in the birds when a man from Caribou pulled into Pellerin’s business in Monticello to check on several ostriches that he was bringing back to Caribou. Pellerin said that he was curious about the horse trailer and the very un-horse-like heads bobbing in it. Upon examination, he found the two birds and began talking with the Caribou man who wintered in Florida. From then on, Pellerin’s interest in ostriches grew. Now he has his own: Kyle and Kathryn.
Southside Team Takes First Place — The Northern Maine Math League held its final competition for grades six, seven and eight on April 26, at the University of Maine Presque Isle. The Houlton Southside grade six team won first place. The team members were Matthew Cummings, Jordan Hill, Tyler Rowe and Michelle Varney. Cummings won the first place grade six individual medal and plaque. Hill won second place, and he also had a perfect score on the final test. Cummings and Hill have placed first and second for all three Math meets. The students competed against grade six teams from 14 other Aroostook County school districts.
