100 years ago, 1915
Lewiston is a long, long way from old England. But the Sons and Daughters found that they could have just as jolly a celebration of Shrove Tuesday right here as they could in the old country. Tuesday evening in Grand Army Hall, the most of the English people in the two cities gathered for the last time before Lent to carry out the traditions of Pan Cake Tuesday. It was a masque party and young and old entered into the fun with unequalled zest. The seats around the hall were filled with onlookers, while at the sound of music, from some unknown depths, issued a weird procession. Uncle Sam in his stars and stripes the procession with Madame Columbia. Then followed Russian kings, Simple Simon, an angel “in shining white,” Irish colleens, gay Irish laddies, gypsies, Indians, a charming old-fashioned girl of the early ’80s, clowns, Red Cross nurses and every blending of the old and the new imaginable.

50 years ago, 1965
P. Kenneth Jones of the English Department at Montello Junior High School has reported that some pupils at the school are carrying on an interesting reading projects which includes an exchange of books with British pupils of the equivalent grade level. According to Jones, approximately $10 has been contributed to the program under which British and American students have an opportunity to become better acquainted and learn more about each other’s way of life and writing. There is a book exchange program under which selected “paperback” books are exchanged to give a broad sample of British and American life. The exchange is between classroom groups of the countries. When the books arrive, each student reads one and then tape recorded discussion sessions are held. The tapes are then exchanged.

25 years ago, 1990
Lewiston Health and Welfare Director Robert Y. Baillargeon told H-W Board members Tuesday night that the city farm has begun to sell pigs again after the lifting of the quarantine imposed on the premises by the Maine Department of Health and Welfare. The quarantine was imposed because of hog cholera at the farm.

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