75 Years Ago – Nov. 27, 1947
Teams tied in women’s bowling league — At the end of the fifth week of bowling in the women’s bowling league, sponsored by the Houlton Recreation Department, the Democrats and Elks are still tied for the No. 1 position with a total of 17 points each.
The Beauticians follow the two top teams with a total of 15 1/2 points. Lois Cumming of the Democrats and Helen Mersereau of the Dux team were tied this week for high single, both having a score of 107. Lois Cumming took the high three with a total pin fall of 295.
High school gets dual-driver car — Houlton High School became, Monday, one of six schools in Maine to offer its pupils a complete course in automobile driver training. This was made possible through the combined efforts of the Chamber of Commerce Committee on Traffic Safety and the J. K. McKay Co., local Chevrolet dealer. Formal presentation to the school of the dual-control, driver training car was made by John D. Walker Jr., who for the occasion represented both the Traffic Safety Committee, of which he is chairman, and the McKay Company, owner of the vehicle. Procurement for Houlton of the five-passenger, dual-control sedan rewards a nine-month effort on the part of the committee which in February, at the suggestion of Forrest Clifford, director of safety for Troop F. Maine State Police adopted acquisition of such a car as its principal project of the year.
50 Years Ago – Nov. 29, 1972
Remember when — The Houlton IGA featured these grocery prices: Sirloin steak was $1.08 a pound; 1 16-ounce jar of mayonnaise was 35 cents, margarine was 6 1-pound packages for $1, and Crisco was only .87 cents for a 3-pound can.
Mitchell joins in tank gunnery test in Germany – Army First Sergeant Frank L. Mitchell, son of Don O. Mitchell of Smyrna Mills, recently participated in a yearly tank gunnery qualification test at the Army training area in Grafenwoehr, Germany. During the test, tank crewmen undergo extensive day and night qualifying runs on the range to determine their individual and crew efficiency. Sgt. Mitchell, first sergeant of Company B 1st Battalion of the 8th Infantry Division’s 68th Armory in Baumholder, entered the Army in January of 1956, completed basic training at Ft. Dix, N.J., and was last stationed at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. He is a 1955 graduate of Houlton High School. His wife Patricia is with him in Germany.
25 Years Ago – Dec. 10, 1997
Rotary Auction nets more than $35,000 – The Houlton Rotary Club has announced that the 42nd annual Rotary Radio and TV Auction raised more than $35,000 for the community. Monies were raised in three days of this year’s auction. The regular bidding process brought nearly $16,000. Money raised through bids has been earmarked for the Monument Park Amphitheater, Aroostook Historical and Art Museum, Dollars for Scholars, Jobs For Maine’s Graduates and Meals on Wheels. Specific apportionments will be determined by the club’s board of directors.
Vikings open a memorable season on Island – Like most teams, the East Grand Vikings couldn’t wait to start the season. However the season opener for the Vikings was like any teams’ opener. The Vikings traveled to North Haven Island to play two games on the opening weekend of play and returned home with two victories. The road trip started early Friday morning as the team left from the high school in Danforth around 7 a.m. Following a 3 1/2-hour bus trip, the team arrived in Rockland where the bus met a ferry that took them to North Haven. Coach Rob Moran said “This was the first time that some of the guys had ever seen the ocean. A few of the players got seasick on the one hour ride over. The Island wasn’t anything like I had thought that it might be when I heard how small their high school was ( 22 students). There were a lot of nice homes that people lived in during the summer, but most of those people have now left for the winter.”
