• Those who attended the formal opening of the children’s playground in the yard of the Franklin School on Pine Street, Auburn, Monday afternoon, doubted not that the benefit which will be derived from the sand boxes and swings will be a thousand-fold greater than the expenditure. About 75 boys and girls romped and played as if a few hundred red corpuscles had been added to their circulation. It was with difficulty that the instructors kept the children quiet while the brief exercises were being held. Hereafter, the comparison will be ” having as much fun as the children on the playground.”

• An Otis elevator for passenger service is being installed in the Bradford, Conant & Co.’s store on Lisbon Street, Lewiston. This will run from the new crockery department in the Pine Street basement to the top floor.

50 years ago, 1958

Lewiston firemen had a bat in their belfry last night.

The boys at Central Fire Station on Ash Street were about ready to retire for the night when a bat zoomed through an open door in the ceiling and proceeded to raise cain in their boudoir. Some of the boys, dressed only in their underwear, tried to swat the unwelcome visitor with brooms but struck out every time. Then Pvt. Donald Bolduc came to the rescue. He picked up a blanket, succeeded in nabbing the “boid” and it was quickly tossed out a window. Then the boys went to sleep.

25 years ago, 1983

Lewiston and the Annual Downeast Horse Congress, scheduled to be held at the Lewiston Fairgrounds Aug. 12, 13 and 14, got a strong mention on NBC’s “Today Show” on Tuesday. Surprised by it all was Janet Stanhope of Auburn, a Maine Quarter Horse Association delegate to the Congress.

“I sent off a ‘Horse Congress’ T-shirt to Willard Scott, and he talked about our horse show and Lewiston, and he also chided Bryant Gumbel about Lewiston being the place where he went to college,” remarked the Auburn horse fancier. “I couldn’t believe we’d get the recognition, but I understand Willard likes Maine and Maine people.” (Gumbel is a 1970 graduate of Bates College.)

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