100 Years Ago: 1924
The public property committee of the Lewiston aldermen has done away with free rental of the armory and proposes also to do away with free rental of the City Hall. The charges fixed for the armory are $125 a night for ventures conducted for private profit and $50 a night for charitable ventures.
The committee has not made any new ruling about the city hall, but means to increase the rates proportionately. It was said Tuesday, with charges for charitable ventures made. The present cost of the City Hall is $50 a night for affairs run for private remuneration.
50 Years Ago: 1974
The Auburn Art Club held its annual meeting Monday afternoon at the Holiday Inn in Auburn, when Mrs. Charles E. Kerr was elected president for the coming year. Mrs. Carroll H. Whipple is immediate past president.
Earl G. Shettleworth Jr., Portland presented an interesting slide show on Maine architecture.
25 Years Ago: 1999
Julian Bond’s Bates College speech Wednesday afternoon struck a chord in the hearts of young and old regardless of skin color.
“It was just like being in the room with another Martin Luther KIng,” said Lee Corbin, an African-American member of the community who came to hear Bond speak. “The way he talked with care and sincerity was awesome. It was just breathless.”
Corbin said he felt personally connected to Bond when he spoke about his grandfather, who was born in slavery like Corbin’s grandfather.
Joanna Lee, affirmative action coordinator for Bates, said when she heard Bond’s speech she remembered her work during the civil rights movement.
“He was energizing us in a very positive way,” Lee said. “I think his message was in fact that we all need to work together.”
When Bond said racism is not dead today, Lee said she felt like saying “amen.”
“Those of us who were around then can see that things have not changed that much, I do wonder how it impacted the young people in the audience.”
One white Bates senior said when Bond asked where the grandchildren of the abolitionists were, it struck a chord.
“It made me feel like I should be doing something” said A’Llyn Ettien, a senior. “It was pretty emotional. I’m not going to rush out right now, but I’ll be more motivated when something comes my way that I can do something about.”
Ettien said she and her fellow students are pretty comfortable on the Bates campus, and it’s easy not to think about the issues that Bond brought up.
Denise Todman, Bates ’95 American, who lives in New York City, says Bond’s speech was like an indictment of people’s growing apathy toward racism.
“We’re so willing to go overseas and fight someone else’s war, but what about the silent wars that are being fought right here at home?” Todman said.
The material used in Looking Back is produced exactly as it originally appeared although misspellings and errors may be corrected.
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