100 years ago: 1919

A request from the Community Chorus for the use of either Auburn Hall or the assembly hall in the Webster Grammar School building was presented by Councilman Abbott. The hall at the school building being considered the better place for this sort of work. The matter was referred to the superintending school committee with the approval of the Council. The request is for the use of the hall only five nights, this summer and it is understood that Vernon Stiles is to be here to take charge of the meetings.

50 years ago: 1969

Mrs. Dorothy P. Whittier of Nottingham Rd, Auburn, a mathematics teacher at Mahoney Junior High School, South Portland, is participating in a Summer Institute for Secondary School Teachers of Mathematics at Bowdoin College. The wife of David Whittier will teach English at Oxford Hills Junior High School in the fall. Mrs. Whittier is a 1967 graduate of the University of Maine at Portland. The institute, which begins June 30 and lasts until Aug. 8, is directed toward teachers who are likely to develop modern courses and write textbooks.

25 years ago: 1994

The City Council this week officially accepted the resignation of City Manager Steven Lewis, while appointing Assistant City Manager Patricia A. Finnigan to fill the position temporarily. Finnigan, who came to the city two and a half years ago, will remain at the helm while the city conducts its search for a new manager, which could take up to a year. “The city has a lot of important projects and goals ahead of it, and I’m happy to be here to make sure the city stays on track,” she said Wednesday, after her appointment by the council. The council also voted to increase Finnigan’s salary to $51,000, which is what the current city manager earns. Lewis will leave Aug. 5 to take a job as city manager in Joplin, Mo. Finnigan said she is still unsure whether she will submit an application for the permanent position. Prior to coming to Auburn, Finnigan, 41, spent 10 years with the Maine Municipal Association, which is a non-profit organization that helps towns and cities with local governmental issues.

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