100 Years Ago: 1925

“I appreciate the compliment, but prefer to take my chances with you men!”

Instantly the House of Representatives was a bedlam of cheers, as its members realized the significance of the woman member’s words. She was accepting full equality with them, asking no favors, only the same treatment as the men gave one another.

The announcement was made by the woman from Hampden when the house voted to permit her to select her set, instead of drawing as the male members would do. The cheering had concluded, Katherine Allen made her way to the clerk’s desk and drew out number 144.

This seat is located in the back row at the right side of the center aisle, looking from the speaker’s desk, and was the seat which was originally drawn by Mrs. Dora Bradbury Pinkham, Fort Kent, first woman ever to sit in the Maine House of Representatives at the session of 1923. Mrs. Pinkham did not use the seat, for she exchanged with another member who desired to be in the back row.

Rep. Gilmour, 82, oldest member of the Maine House was accorded seat No. 1, by his fellow members as a mark of their respect for him. Mr. Gilmour is one of the representatives from Westbrook.

50 Years Ago: 1975

“Reporting and Newswriting” will be one of 75 courses offered by the Lewiston-Auburn Center of the University of Maine at Augusta during the Spring semester, which starts Jan. 20.

It is “a basic course in news writing which stresses practice in developing news writing techniques, accuracy, style, judgment and responsibility,” according to a spokesman for the Center.

25 Years Ago: 2000

Carleton Woolen Mills, one of Winthrop’s largest employers, will remain closed next week as it continues to look for money to operate, it announced Friday.

The mill, which employs 340 people, shut down Jan. 3 following the sudden withdrawal of financial support from its parent company, Allied Textiles Companies. Carleton officials anticipated the interruption would last a week.

“Negotiations continue with our bank and other investors,” the mill said in a news release Friday. “But (we) have not reached the point  where we have received adequate financing to restart.”

Carleton’s chief financial officer and vice president, Paul Koroski, was not available to comment. Neither was a spokesman for the labor union that represents the workers.

Koroski has said that one option is for the mill to find outside investors, and another is to have the current managers buy the business.

According to Koroski, Carleton is the second-largest woolen mill in the country. It produces broad wool and woolen fabrics for the women’s sportswear market and specialty fabrics for pool tables and other gaming tables.

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