100 years ago, 1914
(From a column titled “Rambles Among the Highways & Byways of Maine) The kids learn the ways of the older ones very early in life. The Rambler had this fact impressed upon him recently, when he stopped at a shoe shine stand for a polish. After the operation was completed, in answer to the question of the charge, the kid said promptly, ten cents. When It was suggested that a nickel was legal tender for such service, he said, “I know it. I charge home folks a nickel, but summer company don’t stay long, and we have to get all we can out of them.”

50 years ago, 1964
In the Eaton Street section of Lewiston lives a mighty tall young man. Well — he’s really not SO tall, but he looks it. The center of attraction is Daniel Gagne, 14, who resides at No. 49 on that street, and though he’s only 4 feet, eight inches in his shoes, he’s drawing a lot of attention those days, walking on a pair of stilts which make him 11 feet, five inches tall in all, and that’s pretty high for a man so young, you’ll agree. The neighbors say he’s really quite talented at stiltin’, too

25 years ago, 1989
An apparent prank led to a car accident Sunday that caused $3,000 worth of damage, said Lt. Richard Keene of the Auburn Police. Two cars collided at about 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of Perkins Ridge Road and Young’s Corner Road because a stop sign was stolen from Young’s Corner Road. Keene said a number of city stop signs have been stolen since school started. The theft may be connected to initiation rights in clubs, he said. The accident Sunday “shows the severity of taking stop signs,” he said. He urged youngsters who want signs to buy cardboard signs from stores instead. “They look just as good,” Keene said.

The material in Looking Back is reproduced exactly as it originally appeared, although misspellings and errors made at that time may be edited.