100 years ago, 1916
The installation of a Pathescope to be used in connection with instruction at Lewiston High, was authorized at last evening’s adjourned meeting of the Lewiston School Board. There will be no expense to the city. Though the picture camera has been used for educational purposes in other States, and though even in Maine it has been employed in connection with education lectures and to exhibit films of an educational nature in theatres in this city, the installation of a machine at Lewiston High is believed to be the first in any Maine school.

50 years ago, 1966
Firefighters from the towns of Lisbon and Brunswick fought throughout the morning and well into the afternoon, Friday, to locate the source of a stubborn blaze, which broke out in the warehouse of the U.S. Gypsum Co. at Lisbon Falls at 4 a m. Charles Bonney, work manager at the plant, said late Friday afternoon it was perhaps the worst fire in the history of the company inasmuch as the intense smoke prevented firemen from finding the origin. Rooney placed the blame for the thick smoke on lack of ventilation in the room which prevented the smouldering fire from flaming.

25 years ago, 1991
Taylor Pond may be high on the list for whatever federal pollution-fighting funds are still available, residents were told Monday. Reporting on a recently completed 18-month study of problems in the watershed, biologist Scott Williams said Taylor Pond is a “top priority” in the state to receive funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up soil-erosion problems that are carrying phosphorus into the pond. The study, conducted by the Androscoggin Valley Soil Conservation District with the aid of specially trained volunteers, identified 115 sites in the watershed where serious soil erosion is occurring. Half of these involve roads, Williams said, while 39 percent are residential developments and 10 percent commercial, agricultural and logging operations.

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