100 years ago: 1918

Willis I. Ayer of Rockland, a merchant who is prominently connected with the Methodist church and local athletics, received word Monday to report in New York, preparatory to going to France for duties as a YMCA war secretary. He has been granted an extension of time until Dec. 17, in order to dispose of his business.

50 years ago: 1968

Mrs. Martha Briggs Haskell, chairman of the Residence Committee of the YWCA, gave a history of the association recently during the meeting of the Androscoggin Historical Society at the Androscoggin County Building. Mrs. Haskell noted that the need of such an association as the YWCA was first noticed in 1877 when young women started moving to Lewiston and Auburn as industries expanded. An industrial school for girls was founded and later a reading room was established. The home on the corner of Bates and Pine streets, Lewiston, was purchased in 1892 and the home was officially opened in 1893. Expansion of the building took place in 1910 and today 46 girls can be accommodated in the present facilities.

25 years ago: 1993

Patrice Paoli, France’s consul general based in Boston, is scheduled to visit Lewiston Monday. In a telephone interview, Paoli, who started the job in the spring, said he is “very much” looking forward to his visit. Noting that his region covers Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, he said,”my job is to know what’s going on, and obviously there is a very large Franco-American population to Maine, and Lewiston is one of the largest Franco-American cities in Maine.” Paoli is one of 12 French consul generals in the United States. Paoli will tour L.L. Bean’s customer satisfaction center on Main Street in Lewiston.

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

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