100 Years Ago – March 29, 1923
Prominent as basketball player — Louis Horsman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Norval Horsman, Academy Street, was a Presque Isle boy who was doing good in school life, and of whom his parents had reason to be proud. Louis was a graduate of the Presque Isle High School, class of 1920.
Following his graduation, he entered the University of Maine, where he took engineering courses. He was prominent in school athletics, and a member of the University basketball team, with which he had made many trips to the lower part of the State, to other parts of New England, the Middle States and the Middle West. In these trips, the U. of M. team made an excellent record in contests with other school teams. He was a member of several prominent college fraternity organizations, and was very popular in these circles, as well as in college circles generally.
75 Years Ago – March 25, 1948
$350,000 Bond issue sold; construction of school had started — Details of financing and construction of a new 600-pupil high school building, including an auditorium, were nearing completion, with sale of the $350,000 bond issue already negotiated and the architect and contractor selected by the school building committee, William D. Halloran, chairman of the group, was announced.
Wilfred Saucier elected head of V.F.W. — The Hayward-Frazier post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, elected all World War II men to take over management of post affairs at its annual election officers. At the mid-month business meeting, with the largest attendance in six months, members present chose the following officers for 1948-49: commander, Wilfred Saucier; senior vice commander, Elwood E. Crockett; junior vice commander, Kendall M. Johnston; quartermaster, Otis Clair; post advocate, Kenneth Goan; chaplain, Aubrey Briggs; surgeon, Philip Conley; trustee one year, Lindall Harmon; and trustee two years, James Knox.
50 Years Ago – March 28, 1973
Currie was elected United Fund president-1973 — New officers and directors for the 1973 year had been elected to serve on the Presque Isle United Fund. At the organizational meeting of the United Fund held, Sherman L. Currie was elected president. Currie was personnel manager at Converse, Presque Isle Division. Elected to serve with him were James B. Heberlein, Potato Service, Inc., as vice president and Dana W. Crory, Northern National Bank, as treasurer. Miss Christine Leach, Chamber of Commerce employee, was reappointed secretary.
Surprise award winner — Thomas Lavin Jr., retiring chairman of the Live Wire Club, presented the eighteenth annual community service award to Mrs. Edith Churchill, S.A.D. 1 school nurse. Lavin cited Mrs. Churchill’s many community oriented activities in the health field.
All-Tech players — At a meeting of all coaches in the Maine State Tech Series, three players from Northern Maine Vocational tEchnical Institute were selected for the All-Tech team. There were Paul Soucie of Caribou, Basil Huff of Danforth and Doug Delano of Fort Fairfield.
25 Years Ago – April 1, 1998
Company gave SAD 1 $500,000 — Credit-card giant MBNA made its presence known with the announcement of a $500,000 grant to SAD 1. The monies to be used to enrich or enhance the district’s curriculum over a period of five years. The funds couldn’t be used for teacher salaries or other operating costs. “This was a tremendous, long-term commitment from MBNA,” said superintendent of Schools Gehrig Johnson. “We’re very fortunate.”
Unexpected pleasure — Ashland sisters, Kellie Benson and Heather Ouellette, became proud parents on the same day, six hours apart. The sisters delivered their babies at Gould Memorial Hospital in Presque Isle March 17. Ouellette’s baby girl, Jessica, joined three siblings at home with dad, David Cook. Benson delivered her first child, a baby girl, Leslie. Leslie’s father is Lelis Mejia. According to a veteran nurse at Gould Memorial Hospital, sisters have never delivered on the same there before.
