100 Years Ago: 1918

Gov. Carl E. Milliken this afternoon read the following communication to all heads of department and to chairmen of boards of trustees: “In view of the prevalence of the influenza epidemic it is suggested that all travel of employees and officials from place to place within the state be reduced to a minimum and that all trips outside the state be abandoned, unless in case of emergency.”

50 Years Ago: 1968

An explanation of a coming federal Civil Defense exercise will be given when the Androscoggin County Civil Defense and Public Safety staff meets at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, at the county control center. County Director Normand J. Vermette said Leslie Higgins, state plans, and training officer, will be present at that time to brief the staff on the exercise which will take place in late November or in December. Vermette has invited local directors to bring as many from their staffs as possible to hear the briefing on the federal exercise and to discuss other Civil Defense items affecting municipalities.

25 Years Ago: 1993

The Auburn School Committee has begun its search for a new superintendent of schools and is asking the community for input. While it has met regularly to discuss the tack it might take in replacing Rick Fenton, who left in August for a job in his native Ohio, the committee started only recently to look in earnest for a new superintendent. Its first move, announced by the board this week, was to distribute to every city student a questionnaire that asks, among other questions, what qualities or expectations the new school chief should possess. The board has requested that the questionnaires, which are available to all interested Auburn residents at the City Building, the public library and at the Chamberlain Building on 23 High St., be returned to the School Committee by Oct. 15. In addition to asking students, parents and residents to identify and prioritize the functions or responsibilities they consider to be an important part of the superintendent’s job, the “superintendent search stakeholder survey” poses the following questions: In your view, what challenges does the Auburn School Committee face in the next five years? What actions should the Auburn School Committee consider to meet those challenges? At the request of the Auburn School Committee, Barbara Eretizian, the former assistant superintendent, will serve a year as the interim superintendent.

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