From our Files: Headlines from 100 years of local news

Compiled by Karen Donato
Special to the Pioneer Times
100 Years Ago-April 17, 1912
Aroostook Times
    Local — The good weather of  last week did much toward drying up the roads and Sunday autoists were out for a spin around town.
    New product — J. Varno & Co. have just put another new cigar on the market, which they have christened “The Club”, the label bearing a fine picture of the Elks’ home of this town.
    Candy — There will be a candy party at Gerow’s Sugary on Wednesday night.
    Littleton — Twelve carloads of potatoes were destroyed when three potato houses at Wiley Road Siding on the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad were destroyed by fire. A locomotive was rushed there from Houlton and arrived in time to haul a carload of fertilizer and a carload of potatoes away from the flames. The buildings were owned by W.S. Blake, A.J. Campbell and Mrs. John Linton. The buildings were worth $1,500.
75 Years Ago-April 22, 1937
Houlton Pioneer Times
    Hodgdon — The General Store at Hodgdon Corner, managed by P.P. Perrigo, was invaded by petty robbers Saturday night, who escaped with a very small sum of money and a package of cigarettes. The amount stolen is reported about a dollar and a half.
    Houlton — Baseball enthusiasm at Houlton High is at a high pitch as Coach Huse Tibbetts puts his pastimers through their daily grind. With his original squad of over 60 hopefuls cut to 20 men, the Houlton mentor is now shaping the club which will defend the 1936 title.
    Waitress training — Beginning next week, the N.Y.A. will sponsor a waitress training course in the Ricker dining hall. The course will be available to young women, between the ages of 18 and 25.
50 Years Ago- April 19, 1962
Houlton Pioneer Times
    Dress review — Peggy Pray of Smyrna and Jane Rush of Benedicta were winners at the annual Southern Aroostook 4-H dress revue. They earned a trip to Orono for their self-made dresses.
Houlton Pioneer Times 1962 File Photo
LABOR OF LOVE — Jack Sanders, Ken Wetmore, front and Frank Rogers and Joe Robinson in back, built these four canoes and launched them this week. The canoes are made from fiberglass. The group spent about two nights a week and worked most of the winter constructing them.
    Request — The Retail Trade Board recommends that all merchants close their stores Good Friday afternoon between the hours of 12 and three p.m. to permit their employees to attend the Union Services being held at the Court Street Baptist Church.
    Fifty-year pins — Three members of the Rockabema Lodge No. 78 who received their 50-year pins and Life Membership were Herbert Dibblee, Charles Harmon and Willis Lowrey.
    Vacation — Dr. and Mrs. Edward P. Williams are enjoying a vacation this week in New York City.
25 Years Ago-April 22, 1987
Houlton Pioneer Times
    Arts grant — An innovative school-based grant has been awarded to SAD 29 for the school year 1987-88. This grant, entitled “Renaissance of Rural Arts,” was written by Tara Austin, Sally Cole, Karen Donato, Jan Martin, Hollie McPartland, Joellen Merry, Vicki Perry and Nancy Wright, all teachers in the district.
    H.R.H. — The Board of Trustees at Houlton Regional Hospital has approved the construction of a four-suite medical office building to be located next to the present office building.
    Award — Staff Sgt. Michael C. Cummings, son of Leigh E. and Sylvia C. Cummings has been decorated with the Air Force Commendation Medal at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.
    Author’s Note: “I am sad to say that due to restructuring of assignments at the Houlton Pioneer Times this will be my last column for “From the Files.” I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing the history of Houlton and the surrounding communities these past four years and will miss my association with the column and its readers.”