100 Years Ago – Dec. 20, 1923
New leader for K. of P. Band — The committee of the K. of P. Band had engaged Mr. R. W. Nesbitt, of St. Stephen, N.B., to take up the duties of leader of the above band. Mr. Nesbitt was a first class saxophone player, having played in most of the leading bands and orchestras in different parts of the United States. During the past few months, Mr. Nesbitt had been located in Presque Isle and was a valuable member of the Serenaders orchestra. It was his intention to work earnestly towards the end of producing the finest band in the State of Maine, and his desire was backed up by all members of the K. of P. Lodge and citizens as well.
75 Years Ago – Dec. 16, 1948
Rotarians heard Harley D. Welch — Harley D. Welch, appointed member of the state Highway Commission, was the speaker at the Monday luncheon meeting of the Rotary club in the Northeastland hotel. Roy Duff was program chairman. Welch briefly outlined the state highway program from 1909, when the state first started building roads. The state highway commission was set up in 1913, when the first highway bonds were issued and federal funds were allocated to Maine roads for the first time. Welch said the first gasoline tax for support of the highway program was approved by the legislature in 1923, ten years after the highway commission was set up.
“Inside Northern Maine” won $100 B.&A. award — “Inside Northern Maine” was selected as the name of the new annual publication of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad, and the first prize of $100 was awarded to Beatrice L. Harris of Caribou, J. Fred Smith, director of publicity for the railroad, announced. The first prize winner also was awarded third prize in the contest for another name which she submitted, “Northern Exposure.” More than 1,700 entries were submitted in the contest to select a name for the new publication, which was planned to include stories and pictures promoting the agricultural, recreational, and industrial development of Aroostook, Piscataquis, and Penobscot counties.
50 Years Ago – Dec. 19, 1973
Goal 85% realized — According to Richard Farnsworth, General Chairman of the United Fund Campaign, the effort had achieved nearly 85 percent of the $45,000 goal, with several chapters and quite a number of personal contacts reported. Just under $38,000 in cash and pledges had been realized. Fransworth said he was optimistic about realizing the goal, and he noted that it represented the largest campaign receipt in the 16 years history of the Presque Isle United Fund. Several firms were cited for increases in their contribution. Among them were Aroostook Shoe, A. R. Gould Memorial Hospital, Metropolitan Insurance Co., and Northern National Bank.
35 Years’ Service — S. Von Day, project coordinator for the St. John-Aroostook Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Project, was honored at an RC&D and Soil Conservation Service Christmas party where he was presented with a gold 35-year service pin by the United States Department of Agriculture. Day worked with the USDA Soil Conservation Service in several eastern States before he settled in Maine in 1947 after a hitch with the Navy during World War II. He had been with the RC&D Project since it started in 1966.
25 Years Ago – Dec. 23, 1998
School award — Physician Education teacher Laura Gardiner attended a Maine State Health and Physical education conference in Rockland. During the awards banquet, she received a plaque recognizing Washburn Elementary school as the top Division Two money raiser in the state for the American Heart Association. The total of the year of 1998 was $4,179. The presentation was made by American Heart Association representative Paul Hammond.
Gifts for county kids — United Way representatives Mary Casey, Susanne Sandusky, Michelle Cushman and Brenda Masse organized toys distributed to needy children throughout Aroostook County during the holidays. Those toys were distributed to about 1,000 County children.
Never again — Stella Madore, aunt of Tina Cousins’, presented a donation to Sharon Campbell-St. Peter of The Battered Women’s Project. Madore’s co-workers at Burrelle’s pitched in to make a donation to the women’s shelter in memory of Cousins’ and her two children, killed as a result of domestic violence. The employees also collected toys for the shelter.
