100 years ago, 1915
A girl in Maine who is worthy of the Carnegie medal for bravery is Miss Elizabeth Johnson of the town of Wayne who saved young Merle Manter from drowning last week. Master Minter was crossing the Pocassett Lake in quest of Christmas evergreens. Skating backward, he approached the thin ice and, unaware of danger, suddenly broke thru. Miss Johnston, who was near at hand, showed great presence of mind. Without losing her coolness, she at once started in to get the child out of the icy water. The ice was too thin to bear her weight so she tossed the hatchet, intended for use in cutting the greens to the boy in the water and ordered him to hack away at the ice until he could reach some strong enough to furnish him a safe hold. In the meanwhile, the girl lay flat on the ice nearer shore and pushed out to the lad the sled, the end of which he was able to grasp. Gradually she worked her way backward on the ice, drawing young Manter to safety with her. The boy was terribly chilled, but has recovered from the accident.

50 years ago, 1965
Lewiston city officials revealed today “hopes” of seeing the vacant Raytheon building back into operation, on the heels of reports that a large firm has shown some interest in the former electronic plant. Lewiston Mayor Robert L. Couturier and Louis Sarelas, director of the city’s Economic Development Department, jointly reported they are “extremely hopeful” that Radio Corporation of America may take over the building which has been vacant nearly two years.

25 years ago, 1990
Saturday is becoming family day at the Lewiston Recycling Facility on River Road. A month after the city began its drop-off recycling program, both the number of people taking part and the sale of recyclables is promising, according to Solid Waste Superintendent Eileen Johnson. She said the biggest day for the program is Saturday, when cars, often carrying the whole family, head for the facility loaded with recyclable waste. About 100 cars come in to recycle on a Saturday, according to Johnson’s estimate.

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