100 Years Ago: 1918

The annual WLU playground exhibition of Lewiston and Auburn was given on the City Park yesterday afternoon at two o’clock. The program was in charge of Mrs. Fannie Tewkesbury Heth, who has given a great deal of her time in coaching the young folks in dances and drills. Three of the most attractive dances were the Maypole dances, a Japanese dance and a Sailors Hornpipe dance. Much of the credit is due to the teachers and the general committee. The chairman of the playground department is Mrs. Charles McGraw of Lewiston, and the two other members of the committee are Mrs. Milan G. Frost and Mrs. George E. Kinney. The teachers who had charge of the playgrounds are Miss Mary Kavanagh and Miss Grace McGraw in Lewiston, Miss Gertrude Morrell in Auburn and Miss Abbie Bickey in New Auburn.

50 Years Ago: 1968

Harvey Whitney, who celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday, is probably the best historian on the affairs of Minot Avenue, Auburn. Mr. Whitney lives at 608 Minot Ave. He was born in that house and has lived there most of his life. He remembers such things as when Minot Avenue didn’t even exist and when the only road available to that area was upper Lake Street. Mr. Whitney is a sharp fellow for his 90 years. He was born Aug. 36, 1878, attended Edward Little High School and graduated with the Class of 1897. He attended the University of Maine and graduated in 1903 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity and is one of seven people still left from his graduating class. Mr. Whitney sat back and smiled slightly when asked how much it cost to go to school back in the “good old days.” He said that the price for tuition then was about $60. He said that he was in charge of financial affairs at his frat house and that he used to charge the other fellows about $4.50 a week for all the food they could eat. When he was at UMO there were only six buildings on the whole campus. After he graduated from college he started traveling in the southern states for a textile firm associated with various textile companies all of his life. He said that he traveled for many years throughout the South and finally got “sick of it.” He said that he likes New England life best and was always fondest of Auburn.

25 Years Ago: 1993

The Rumford Parks Commission will have a special meeting with police this week to do something about vandalism at the DARE Park and walking trails. Board Chairman Don Bartlett said Sunday that vandals continue to damage playground equipment at the DARE Park on Falmouth Street. On Friday night, vandals cracked barbecue equipment aside the walking trails and pulled outposts which block vehicular traffic on the trails. He said cars have been seen on the paved handicapped access trail, and at least one car drove on a wooden walking bridge. Bartlett said he hasn’t been able to contact all the commission members yet to determine the best time for the meeting, but it will be at night. Bartlett said the board wants to meet with police to discuss ways to handle the vandalism problem. Bartlett said new posts will be put up near the tennis court parking lot and the gardens on Route 2 to bar traffic from both ends of the trails.

The material in Looking Back is reproduced exactly as it originally appeared, although misspellings and errors may be corrected.