From the pages of the Livermore Falls Advertiser 

75 years ago:  

A meeting of the merchants of Livermore Falls-Chisholm was held Monday at the Municipal Court room at which time the matter of forming a Chamber of Commerce was discussed and the committee on advertising solicitation appointed by the President of the Citizens Club was organized.

The formation of a Chamber of Commerce was at this time abandoned, but considerable discussion took place concerning the advertising committee. It was voted to empower this committee to act as a protective committee for the merchants.

The purpose of the committee is to prevent advertising solicitation and people seeking charity donations, etc., from fleecing the local merchants with unwarranted solicitations.

The Macomber Hill Farm Bureau held a day meeting on Wednesday at the home of Mrs. Kenneth Gillespie, the forenoon being devoted to a discussion of Aids to Good Grooming and the afternoon to Sewing Secrets.

The Blue Ribbon 4-H Club of Jay met Saturday afternoon at the home of their leader, Mrs. Alice B. Hall. There was a judging contest on correct table setting. The sewing girls worked on worked button holes.

In Livermore Falls the author, Lillian Washburn, has signed her name one hundred times to the special copies of her book.

The Neighborhood Hobby Club met last week at the home of the president, Mrs. Emma Lahue. Members carried old plates. The oldest, 250 years old, was the property of Mrs. Hattie Edgecomb. Mrs. Virabel Gammon gave a history of willow ware which she displayed.

50 years ago:  

The Cuban family of Emilio Thomas Perez arrived in Livermore Falls Friday night, ending a plight which began in Havana three years ago. The family of three were Baptists in Cuba and are here under the local sponsorship of the First Baptist Church.

In 1962 Mr. Perez applied for an exit permit in Havana, hoping to come to America. There followed what he called a two-and-a-half year “fight” with the Cuban government to secure this permit. After many delays, he finally obtained the visa for his family, which had to be purchased in U.S. currency but allowed them to go only to Spain – not America. As soon as the visa was issued, the government confiscated all of the Perez property; they were able to leave the country with only a few pieces of luggage, some of their clothing, and other personal items.

Mr. Perez worked in Madrid for five and a half months. While there, he applied for resettlement in the United States through Church World Service, an agency with a long record of activity in refugee settlement. The local Baptist church had expressed an interest in sponsoring a Cuban family. When told of the Perez family, then in Spain, the church invited them to come to Livermore Falls.

The Central Maine Pigeon Flyers held the second race in the old bird series on Sunday. The birds were liberated at Kittery for the 100 mile event. 80 birds competed. A bird owned by Ernest Poulin of Chisholm finished first. Kermit Bryant of Livermore Falls placed fifth. Bryant’s bird finished second in a race held a week earlier in which 100 birds competed. In that race, Poulin’s bird finished fifth.

There will be a special town meeting in Fayette on June 23 when citizens will be asked to vote on the possible joining of School Administrative District No. 36. The selectmen are of the opinion that this date gives sufficient time for citizens to have evaluated the report of the Study Committee thoroughly.

The Sociable Mothers Club will meet this Thursday evening at seven-thirty o’clock at the home of Mrs. Betty Hennessy.

25 years ago:  

Selectmen are wondering what to do about the North Jay fire station. At March’s town meeting, $11,500 was allocated for necessary building repairs to Fire Station One. But the condition of the station is critical and the allocation would be a drop in the bucket.

Fire chief Ron Shink told selectmen this week he wanted them to inspect Fire Station One and give him advice on how he should proceed.

The selectmen’s meeting adjourned briefly to reconvene at the station where they toured the station. Despite the inconvenience of lower doors in part of the station, the real problem is the damage leaking water has caused throughout the building. A tentative and very preliminary estimate to remove the entire roof and rebuild a roof uniform in height is about $75,000. Selectmen told chief Shink that only those repairs that are absolutely necessary should be done this year.

A proposed update of the Livermore Falls Floodplain Management Ordinance is being reviewed by the Planning Board. The town’s most recent ordinance on floodplain management was enacted at the 1987 Town Meeting.

The proposed ordinance reflects the minimum standards required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. More detailed maps included in the ordinance have new floodplain elevations listed. The floodway now encompassed a larger area, with some property in Shuy Corner being included.

Jay third grade classes were recently given a living history lesson. In conjunction with their history studies this month, they were able to actually experience what life was like for children in the late 1880s.

The students were sent to different areas of the Norlands for their journey back in time. Some went to the “family” kitchen of the house to play games like Bird, Beast or Fish. In the farmer kitchen, one group was assigned to help prepare the noon meal while a second group was tasked with cleaning the upstairs – sweeping, dusting, and emptying the “chamber pots”.

Some boys were introduced to farm chores. Another group was exposed to a taste of what school was like on April 23, 1850. Midway through the day the groups exchanged places to experience as much as possible.

Compiled by Pam Harnden