100 years ago, 1915
While workmen were installing electric lights in one of the further-most alleyways of the basement of the county buildings an odd collection of keys was found tucked in a hole in one of the walls where a brick had been removed. The keys were eighteen in number and of various shapes and sizes. One in particular is noticeable because it is made of wood covered with tin and evidently some prisoner’s handiwork. The lights now being installed in this part of the basement are the first in the history of the buildings and it seems likely that in some time long past some “trusty” placed this collection where he could find them while nobody else could.

50 years ago, 1965
More than 130 persons gathered at the Holiday Inn in Auburn Saturday night to honor Miss Lila R. Pearl of Mechanic Falls who is to retire in June after fifty years of teaching in public schools. For the past 49 years, she taught at the Water Street School in Mechanic Falls.

25 years ago, 1990
Supporters of the proposed new middle school in Sabattus filled the selectmen’s office Monday night to ask board members’ support and assistance in promoting the project. “Our back is against the wall,” Denis Maillet told selectmen. “Something must be done in short order.” The middle school proposal received a major setback when voters at a special town meeting earlier this month rejected a warrant article to appropriate $41,000 for architects’ fees and ground testing for the project.

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