75 Years Ago – September 27, 1949
Young Potato Picker Thinks Kindest People In The World Live In Houlton — Malcolm Connell, 20, of 484 Plainfield street, Providence, R.I., will leave for his home tomorrow convinced that the kindest people in the world are to be found in Houlton. And he ought to know. Connell came up to Aroostook County about ten days ago, lured by the stories of good money to be made in the potato fields. He expected to do well but he failed to reckon with fate, which interfered with his future plans in the form of an appendix attack which demanded an immediate operation. Without funds and without friends, young Connell was in a sad plight until his situation came to the attention of Mrs. Royal Brown, president of the Aroostook Hospital Free Bed and Aid Association. He was hurried to the Aroostook Hospital and installed in the room maintained by the Free Bed Association, arrangements were made for a prompt operation and what looked as though it would be a great crisis in the young man’s life, turned out to be a happy and pleasant interlude. During his brief stay in the hospital, he had a birthday and his new found friends presented him with a cake. So, he leaves for his home with only the kindest of feelings toward this community and the charitable hospital group which so generously paid for his room at the hospital and arranged for an operation without charge because he did not have the money to do it himself.
New Scout Head Is No Stranger Here — Perry S. S. Jackson of Pittsfield, Mass., who has been selected to succeed Robert W. Sprout as scout executive for Katahdin Area Council will be no stranger to the people of Aroostook County when he takes over his new duties Nov. 1. Mr. Jackson served this area as a field scout executive for three years from 1939. The new executive comes back to this county from Berkshire Council in Pittsfield, Mass. where he has been located since 1944. He was also associated for three years with Charter Oak Council of Hartford, Conn., where he became assistant executive after leaving Maine. A native of Amherst, N. S., he has been actively interested in Scouting since he was 12 years old when he joined a troop in Medford, Mass., eventually becoming scoutmaster of the unit.
50 Years Ago – November 6, 1974
Houlton Says No To Sunday Sales — Local option questions proposing to permit the Sunday sale of beer and wine to take out were soundly defeated by Houlton voters in Tuesday’s General Election. In each instance the margin was better than two to one.
UNICEF Drive Nets $120 In Sherman Mills — The annual Trick or Treat party for UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Fund) was held Sunday at Washburn Memorial Church vestry in Sherman Mills following the house-to-house canvass for pennies. More than 70 children and adults in the community participated in the event. Proceeds were in excess of $120.00. Prizes were awarded to the four children who collected the largest amount of pennies – Patricia Patterson, Cindy Stevens, Eric McNally and Todd Troutt.
25 Years Ago – November 10, 1999
Two New People, One Incumbent Elected To Houlton Town Council — There are two new faces and one familiar one on the Houlton Town Council. Last Tuesday, registered voters appointed Hal Britton, Paul Cleary and Dorothy Donahue to three-year terms on the council. Britton captured the highest number of votes (1,162), followed by Donahue (1,087) and Cleary (1,068).
Former Gang Leader To Visit Houlton Tonight — Joseph Jennings,a former gang leader and drug addict, will be visiting local schools and making evening presentations beginning at 7 p.m. tonight, Nov. 10, at Houlton High School. Once a gang leader and drug addict, Jennings now speaks to hundreds of thousands of youth a year about the pitfalls of growing up today in America.
