100 Years Ago – Feb. 1, 1923
Hon. A. R. Gould business trip — Hon. A. R. Gould arrived home from a business trip to Montreal, New York and Boston. His train was delayed about twelve hours by the big storm, the B. & A.. train which should have arrived Thursday night, being delayed until the next morning.
The passengers on the train, however, Mr. Gould said they were very attentively looked after by the railroad management, which provided them with everything necessary for their comfort.
75 Years Ago – Jan. 29, 1948
City spelling champions — Jean Foster, junior high school student, and Phoebe Dow of Presque Isle High School were the Presque Isle representatives in the county-wide spelling bee at Caribou, Saturday. The contest was sponsored by the Star-Herald and other members of the Aroostook Press Association in cooperation with the Caribou Winter Carnival.
Birth rate for the previous year set a new record — Births recorded in Presque Isle in 1947 set a new record of 449, exceeding the previous high total of 384, set in 1946, by exactly 65, according to vital statistics reported by Miss Mable D. Hughes, city clerk. The City records showed a drop from the all-time record set in 1946. A total of 185 marriages were recorded in Presque Isle in 1947, as compared with 243 the previous year. The records at the City office showed little change in the number of deaths reported in the previous two years. The total of 141 for 1947 was just less than the 145 recorded in 1946.
50 Years Ago – Jan. 31, 1973
YMCA Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y council officers elected — The Northeast District YMCA Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y elected officers for the year. The 100 delegates and leaders of the organization held a winter marathon rally Jan. 26 and 27 at Presque Isle High School and held their election. New officials included Danny Thomas of Houlton, president; Andy Chasee of St. David, vice president; Barry Shaw of Presque Isle, treasurer; Ray Langley of Presque Isle, reporter; Marcel Dionne of Madwaska, chaplain; and Janet Thompson of Washburn, secretary.
Honors to Duane Smith — Lionel Smith of Mapleton, supervisor of the Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District, presented a Certificate for Distinguished Service to Duane Smith of Mapleton, for his contribution in promoting the values of a rotation. Smith worked with the Extension Service in Presque Isle and had spent many hours working to gather information to encourage farmers in Central Aroostook of the benefits of rotations. Other Certificates were presented to Thomas Sweetser of the Extension Service for his help in developing Small Community Plans and Arnold Davis of Sal-Mor Farms for his help with rotations.
25 Years Ago – Feb. 4, 1998
DARE award — Gail Griffin, coordinator of the Aroostook County Association of DARE Officers, presented Lori Lynch a plaque in apprecation for her efforts in raising money and awareness for the County DARE programs.
Victory at last! — No more losing streak. The Easton Lady Bears ended five years of frustration Saturday with a 47-14 victory over Liberty School of Blue Hill in a game played in Ellsworth. The victory put an end to an 0-83 run that went back to January of 1993. It also had given the entire community a feeling of happiness and much relief after what had been a very rough stretch in recent years. “It had been tough on the girls,” said Barb Blackstone, the team’s athletic trainer who had seen the streak all the way through and whose daughter, Jessica, was a member of the team. Sarah Hopkins scored 33 points in the victory, one in which Easton surged to a 14-4 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. Bill Guerrette, who took over at the beginning of the season and was the team’s fourth coach since the losing streak began, was hoping Saturday’s victory will pay dividends down the road.
