75 years ago

The Community Chorus presented its second annual public concert in the Wilton Congregational Church on Wednesday evening before a large and appreciative audience. Chester Hammond of Bingham was guest artist and Mrs. Doris Morrill his accompanist.

Harry E. Lewin, President of the Aroostook County Teachers’ Association, and for the past eight years the superintendent of schools of the seven town union at Island Falls, was elected to the superintendency of the Farmington Union, including the towns of New Vineyard and Temple at the meeting of the joint committee held here Thursday.

The annual meeting of the Rangeley Free Baptist Church was held Thursday evening, with a large attendance. After an organ recital by Carl B. Gough of Springfield, Mass., which was greatly enjoyed, a delicious supper was served to well over a hundred by the committee, in charge of E.A. Wentworth. After supper the business meeting was held in the auditorium with organ music, a selection on the musical saw, by Mr. Gough, and a vocal duet by Mr. Gough and Laurence MacManus, given during the evening.

The Stratton High School nine won its first North Franklin League baseball game, when it defeated the Rangeley High School pastimers on Saturday afternoon by a score of 5-3. Due to poor weather conditions neither team had had much practice, thus the playing was rather non-spectacular.

Lumber consumption has exceeded lumber production in the New England and Middle Atlantic states since the period of the Civil War, according to a report of forest statistics of the Northeastern States complied by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. The report shows that the deficiency of supply in these states has been met principally by imports from Canada, and by enormous shipments of softwoods from the Lake States, the Souther States and, since 1920, from the Pacific Northwest.

50 years ago

Fourteen subjects are being offered at the Farmington High School Summer Session according to an announcement Wednesday from the office of Prin. J. Mahlon Niles. Classes will start June 25 and end August 6. There will be no classes on July 5.

Students now enrolled in grades 6-12, who are recommended by their principals, are eligible. In the case of over enrollment, first priority will be given to students now enrolled in SAD 9 schools, second to adults of SAD Nine, and third priority to students now enrolled in schools outside SAD Nine.

Miss Barbara Barrows, daughter of Clyde. Barrows of Farmington and the late Marion A. Barrows, was crowned Maine Maple Queen of 1965, Saturday evening, May 1, at the Randall Thomas Gymnasium in Strong as a part of the Maine Maple Festival and Sugaring-off party. The affair was sponsored by the Strong Lions Club, Maine Maple Producers Association, and the Maine Department of Agriculture. Miss Barrows, a senior at Farmington High School, was chosen over four other contestants and was sponsored by the Farmington Lions Club.

A testimonial banquet for retired former Phillips town manager Charles E. Toothaker was given Thursday night at the Community House by the members of the Phillips Men’s Club.

The affair, announced as the Annual Ladies’ Night, was a complete surprise to the honored guest and was attended by about 70 members and their wives. Special guests were Town Manager Ernest Sevey of Farmington; town manager Oscar Riddle of Rangeley; Ardine Richardson, Strong selectman; and Phillips town manager, Malcolm Sibulkin.

Miss Joyce Reed of Farmington, daughter of Prof. and Mrs. Clayton E. Reed, won the senior dress revue, Friday evening at the annual Franklin County 4-H Dress Revue held at the Community Center, Farmington. Miss Reed, a freshman at Farmington High School, will attend the State Dress Revue at Orono. She modeled a cotton-rayon green dress, sleeveless and with unpressed pleats, complemented by a jacket. Joyce is president of the Jollyettes 4-H Club of Farmington. Mrs. Kenneth L. French is club leader.

25 years ago

School Board members in SAD #9 said they were relieved Tuesday night when they wrapped up the SAD #9 budget. They had also reduced the amount of taxes required from the towns by 1.52 percent.

According to Superintendent Lawson Rutherford, the operating budget as approved will be $14,402, 123, a decrease to the towns of $61,966. The complete budget figure including Adult Education and Adult Basic Education, which will be subsidized by the state, will be $14,429,693, which still represents a decrease to the towns of $34,396, or .84 percent.

A former Smithfield woman, now residing in Chesterville, has been appointed Assistant District Attorney by District Attorney Janet T. Mills of Wilton. Margot Joly has been on the job two weeks and said from the Farmington DA’s office that “I like the job. I’m really enjoying it.”

Ms. Joly, 30, graduated from Skowhegan High School, continued her education at the University of Maine at Orono and studied for her law degree at the University of Maine Law School in Portland. She went into private practice for a time, served as a paralegal with a Boston-based law firm and then was employed in the Attorney General’s office before accepting Ms. Mill’s appointment.

University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) Assistant Professor Margaret Gould-Wescott has recently accepted a three-year term on the 17-member Maine Alliance for Arts Education (MAAE) Advisory Board. Ms. Gould-Wescott, founder and director of the UMF Dancers, joined the UMF faculty in 1980 and teaches physical education and dance courses in the Department of Human, Health, and Family Studies. She has received several grants and awards.

Springtime has arrived in the Farmington area and the 9, 10, 11 and twelve-year-old kids are back out on the baseball fields. The first week of action saw the New Sharon Yankees break out into an early season lead with two straight wins.

New Sharon played at home for the first game with their rival, the Farmington Falls Hawks. Manager Dick Davis got two hits from his winning pitcher, Jake Roberts. The Yankees, winners by a score of 10-7, also had two hits from Tim Merwin and Peter Roberts.

For the Hawks, Garrett Judkins, Rusty Peters, and Jesse Lawless all had two hits apiece. Shawn Crogan pitched for the Hawks.

Compiled by Barry Matulaitis