100 years ago, 1916
Roy Fuller, representing a New York firm, was in Lewiston yesterday. As part of his advertising equipment he had with him a live raccoon that, attached to a chain, attracted much attention. That a raccoon is a rare animal to some people was demonstrated by the words of one woman who passed it. Turning to her companion she said, “That isn’t a fox. It’s a woodchuck.”

50 years ago, 1966
A new coin-operated car wash is slated to open Saturday on Lisbon Street in Lewiston and, according to the owner, Paul Begin of 7 Shawmut St., it will be the largest such establishment in the Twin Cities. Begin said the new business will be located at 1176 Lisbon St., and will have three coin-operated car wash bays, as well as four bays for regular washing. There also will be a special bay for polishing and waxing, and he expects to add a custom car-washing bay.

25 years ago, 1991
Electric railways and Valentine dances, girls’ gym bloomers and boys’ short pants, desks with inkwells and teachers secretly nick-named “Bugsy” — memories abounded when Webster Intermediate School kicked off its 75th birthday celebration Wednesday morning. Today’s students got a glimpse of yesterday’s Webster from some graduates who were among the guest speakers for the occasion: Mayor Richard Trafton; Edward Little High School Principal Lawrence Labrie; William Richards, Maine’s associate commissioner of education; Sally Belisle, now a fourth-grade teacher here; and Carol Fulton, who teaches fifth grade. The earliest memories were shared by Dan Lowe, who walked through Webster’s doors as an eighth-grader when the school first opened Sept. 11, 1916. “This was one of the first junior highs to be built in this country,” Lowe noted.

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