75 Years Ago – September 29, 1949
D.A.R. Holds Its Meeting On Historic Garrison Hill — Historic Garrison Hill here was the scene of a meeting conducted Monday afternoon by the Daughters of the American Revolution on the site of Hancock Barracks and in a spot closely associated with the early history of Houlton. The program was conducted by Mrs. Cora L. Putnam and Town Manager Robert L. Price was the principal speaker. Mrs. Putnam told the group that it was “filled with reverence and humility” because “the land on which we stand today was once owned by the founder of our town, Joseph Houlton.” “On this farm,” she said, “the first trees were cut and the first log cabin built.” Those early settlers were a hardy people, Mrs. Putnam added, and “hardship, privation and want, such as we have never known, was theirs; yet with all the hardships, they builded well and, today, our reverence and heartfelt thanks pour out into this very air in thanksgiving for this great heritage which we today possess, molded by their hands.”
50 Years Ago – November 13, 1974
Halloween Was Busy At Danforth Nursing Homes — The Southern Aroostook Vocational Education Occupations class which is being held at the Russell Nursing Home in Danforth held two very successful Halloween parties for the patients at the Russell Nursing Home, owned by Mrs. Gertrude M. Ripley, and the Danforth Nursing Home, owned by Mrs. Ann Schillinger. The patients enjoyed games participated in both by them and the students.
Blaze Orange Proves Its Worth In Just One Year — Hunters are increasingly appearing in our upland coverts and deer stands wearing fluorescent blaze orange (FBO) clothing – and with good reason, according to Gary Anderson, coordinator of Maine’s hunter safety effort. Laws have been passed in 17 states now, including Maine, making the wearing of FBO mandatory for at least some types of hunting. It is surprising that more states have not passed such laws, given the undisputed fact that FBO is the color most highly visible to the greatest number of people – even those with defective color vision.
25 Years Ago – November 17, 1999
Area Youth Attend Adventure Training — More than 50 youths and chaperones from the southern Aroostook area attended a Ropes Adventure Training on Oct 10-11 at the Northern Outdoors Resort on the Kennebec River, as part of the Southern Aroostook Tobacco-Free Outreach Project (STOP) youth action program. Some of the exercises included in the training were a high wire ropes leap where students secured in safety equipment jumped off a 25-foot high platform to reach for a trapeze, getting an entire team over a 12-foot high wood wall, and swinging a team of 16 over a “peanut butter” pit onto a platform. All of the exercises were designed to promote self-awareness and enhance self-esteem in a non-threatening, supportive, yet fun and challenging environment.
Four Kenmpo B Karate School Students Earn Black Belts — Last Sunday, Nov. 14, four Kenmpo B Karate School students were awarded their Black Belt first degree diplomas. Recognized were Eddie Pitzpatrick, Kevin Grass, Shirley Albright and Roland Kennedy. According to Kenmpo B Karate Chief Instructor Don Bowie, “After many years of hard work, their efforts produced the ultimate Karate quest.” Before attaining their Black Belts, the four candidates received nine rank promotions prior to taking an eight-hour test that demonstrated 400 Karate techniques, as well as practiced solutions to difficult problems for self protection.
