100 Years Ago: 1924

A party of Rumford people returning one evening recently from a ride during which they had been helped out of engine troubles by friendly passersby, saw another car standing by the roadside a few rows above Henry French’s at the Center. Of the four men occupants, two were standing beside the vehicle.

Feeling the urge of helpfulness unusually strong because of their recent need,  the driver of the Rumford car called out “Need any help?” “No” came back the buoyant answer. “We can drink it all ourselves.”

50 Years Ago: 1974

An Auburn man will study abroad come September. Gary Lane, son of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore R. Lane of 71 Conant  Ave., Auburn, will leave in September to attend the American Fashion College of Switzerland in Lucerne. The school grants A.A., B.A., and B.S. degrees in merchandising and advertising.

25 Years Ago: 1999

Stephen King’s mind was on baseball Monday as he had a fourth operation to repair his broken right leg.

“Going into the surgery, Mr. King was more concerned about having to miss the All-Star game at Fenway Park,” said Dr. David Brown, the orthopedic trauma surgeon who worked on King, a writer of best selling horror novels.

Brown said King remained in serious but stable condition at Central Maine Medical Center after the operation.

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