100 years ago, 1912
A few months ago the forerunner of what is now the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce began to discuss the condition of our business streets as regards the haphazard construction of electric light, telephone and trolley poles. Other cities have been doing away with the old wooden poles. Modern municipalities are doing away with them, collecting all wires on one pole and making that an ornament rather than a disfigurement to the public street. A sample pole has been set up on Lisbon Street. It carried four electric drop-lights; mail box, fire alarm box and wires, city patrol wires, trolley guy-wires. Now we want more of them — a Christmas present to the people.

50 years ago, 1962
Auburn’s garbage collection was continuing uninterrupted today as city officials attempted to determine how last night’s City Farm blaze started. The blaze leveled the huge hay storage barn, caused the death of four cows and destruction of a full summer’s hay crop, a pick-up truck and other valuable farm machinery. It also damaged an ell connecting the barn with the dormitory and main house. The three-alarm fire drove 12 elderly residents of the farm out into the chilled air.

25 years ago, 1987
When social studies teacher Crystal Watson spoke Thursday afternoon at Lewiston High School, some of the state’s most powerful legislators sat silently in the chairs and listened. Watson, a teacher for six years at LHS, was talking about the dearth of students who plan to become teachers. “The most capable kids are not going into teaching when they can earn $30,000 in business,” said Watson, sitting in the school’s multipurpose room with about 50 of her colleagues. The legislators visited the school as part of an effort to asses the effects of Maine’s 1984 Education Reform Act.

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