The diphtheria scare in Sabattus is nearly at an end now. The quarantine was lifted from two houses Wednesday, those of James Jordan and Mr. Russell, and it is expected that the Stevens house will be fumigated Saturday. The schools are to reopen Monday morning after a recess of four weeks necessitated by the epidemic. Local merchants and villagers are very much amused over the extreme caution shown by some of the neighboring townspeople. It is alleged that a certain school in an adjoining town was closed because the teacher ventured to ride into town on the electric car, not being willing to repeat the drive by team into Lewiston. People passing through the town drove down the back streets and carefully avoided holding conversation with the residents.

50 Years Ago, 1956

Maine draft boards in 10 of the 16 counties will send 45 men to induction stations in February, Selective Service state headquarters said. The Maine quota was 35 and the national call 6,000, all for the Army. The Navy did not ask for draftees in January or February, but will call 10,000 men in March, the same number as in November and December.

25 Years Ago, 1981

It used to be that the people of Maine liked to keep their love affair with winter all to themselves. The story goes that when Charles Kuralt of CBS’ popular “On The Road” series wanted to film Maine’s Log Drivers’ Cookout – a unique and festive outdoor cookout held in the dead of winter in a wilderness setting reached only by snowmobile – the people of Maine politely declined Kuralt’s request. Seems the people of Maine liked things just the way they were. But that was years ago. Happily, Maine is now enthusiastically sharing its winter secrets with others. The annual Log Drivers’ Cookout attracts more than a thousand people from as far away as Indiana.