Presque Isle area From our Files – Week of June 19, 2024

Compiled by Yvonne Tardie, Special to The County
5 months ago

99 Years Ago – June 18, 1925

Recognition — Contractors Boone & Brewer recognized the claims of Aroostook college students to quite an extent in hiring help on their contracts, a policy which had been very helpful to worthy and ambitious boys who were striving to get a college education. Among the boys in the crew of Boone & Brewer on the Houlton to the boundary Line contract was Thomas Harvey, son of Editor and Mrs. C. C. Harvey, Fort Fairfield, who, by the way, was a roommate of Everett Larrabee.

50 Years Ago – June 19, 1974

Star City’s first feminine mechanic — The only female garage mechanic in the city, and possibly the area, enjoyed the process of taking a faulty machine apart, finding out what’s wrong with it, fixing it back together again so that it works once more. Stephanie Gilbert, a graduate of Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute’s automobile mechanics course, went to work for Silver’s Garage on Houlton Road. Miss Gilbert, the only woman in the one-year NMVTI course, was also the only student in the course who made the dean’s list. Darrel Norsworthy, the service manager at Silver’s, did not know about the dean’s list until after he had hired Miss Gilbert. He decided to give her a chance at the job and hired her on a trial basis, as all Silver’s mechanics were hired.

Basic training — Army Private Robert W. Hoyt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl C. Hoyt of Mars Hill, completed eight weeks of basic training in the U.S. Army Training Center, Infantry, Ft. Dix, N.J. He received instruction in drill and ceremonies weapons, map reading, combat tactics, military courtesy, military justice, first aid, army history and traditions.

Naval training — Navy Fireman Recruit, Micahel G. Brown, son of Mrs. Jeanette M. Perry of Mapleton, graduated from recruit training at the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida. He received nine weeks of intensive instruction in seamanship, small arms training, fire fighting, close order drill, first aid and Naval history. He then reported to a formal school for specialty training. He was married to the former Joann Dean, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth L. Dean Sr. of Mapleton.

25 Years Ago – June 23, 1999

Local grocery store helped charity — The Graves’ Supermarket Chain, which included stores in Presque Isle, Farmington, Camden, Rockland, Judkin’s Shop ’N Save in Dover Foxcroft, and Don’s Shop ’N Save in Bar Harbor, sold 4,584 paper houses in the previous month to benefit the Ronald McDonald Houses in Bangor and Portland. The Bangor House opened in 1983, and the Portland House in 1995. Each house provides a home for families of seriously ill children that need hospital care. $5,000 was donated on behalf of Graves’ customers from around the state. Graves’ supermarkets, based in Presque Isle, donated over $400 to bring the total to $5,000.

Three Ashland players named softball all-stars — Denise Dumond, Heidi Maker and Courtney Junkins, all players for the Ashland Lady Hornets softball team, were named to the Senior C-D East All-Star team. Also named to the elite squad was Janet Hyslop of the Fort Fairfield Lady Tigers. The girls participated in a game against the West all-stars June 19 in Augusta. The game was sponsored by the Maine High School Softball Coaches Association.

Kern accepted a quilt from local Girl Scouts — Penny Kern accepted a quilt from Girl Scouts Kristen Dyer, Megan Davis, Danielle Fletcher, Jenna Watt and Kathy Davis for her work as membership and marketing director of the local scouts. Kern had also been named a 2000 Woman of Aroostook by the Maine Center for Women, Work and Community in Presque Isle.Kathy Davis along with the scouts, made the quilt as part of their “Arts in Homes” badge.