100 Years Ago: 1918

The largest gathering of high-class fair attractions ever seen in a Maine Fair Ground, in Lewiston will be held on Sept. 17, 18, 19 and 20. Some of the features will be a Community Chorus of 1,200 voices, Fort McKinley Military Band and Quartet, Captain Vernon Stiles, leading American tenor, and four large bands, the making of a shoe from start to finish, the making of cloth, and weaving. Lively, clean midway, improved carousal, the whip, trained steers, and two big New York Hippodrome headliners, the Webber sisters.

50 Years Ago: 1968

Androscoggin County Program members met last night at the former Park Hill School in Auburn with some major items on the agenda. The staff of the Task Force received by a group of Lisbon citizens, in relation to setting up a recreation program in the town of Lisbon, in response to the request which was received in late July. The Task Force staff held preliminary investigations into the possibilities of meeting the express needs for the recreation program. The staff recommends that a program be sought for the Lisbon Area which would be under the sponsorship of the Concentrated Employment program. The next issue discussed was in regard to a Head Start Program involving the tri-town communities of Mechanic Falls, Minot, and Poland. A report from town representatives was submitted to the board with a request for a year-round program to be located in Poland.

25 Years Ago: 1993

Winning University of Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh told an audience of Poland Community School students Friday how they, too, can be winners. “The bottom line,” he said, “is that you’ve got to make it happen. Some people make things happen, others watch things happen, and still others wonder what happens,” he said. “Be competitive, enthusiastic and polite,” he admonished. “Go for the best grades and the best positions. Stay away from daydreaming,” he continued. “Be a positive person. Be happy. Have a sense of humor. And say please, thank you and yes or no sir.” Walsh’s Orono team became national hockey champions last year by defeating Lake Superior State. Walsh is in his sixth year of coaching at UM and before that, was the assistant hockey coach at the University of Michigan. In an enthusiastically received talk, Walsh told fifth- through eighth-graders not to be discouraged by adversity. “Attitude is a key to success,” he said. “Think about good things you have done and do good for others. Don’t get caught up in negatives. And don’t hesitate to admit that you are human and make mistakes. Be yourself. Do what you can to help your neighbors and your team-mates. Like hockey, life is not a game of individualism.” the coach said. “You must get along with everyone. It’s not how hard you fall; It’s how quickly you get up.” Walsh praised Poland school authorities for their inauguration of Panther Pride cards, to be given to students “for doing something of a positive nature for schoolmates or the school.” Each month, one cardholder will be selected by lot to receive a prize. Walsh promised to contribute one of the monthly prizes: two tickets to a Maine hockey game.

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