100 Years Ago: 1924

The Auburn United Baptist Church of Court Street, Auburn, is holding special services this week. The subject Tuesday evening will be “Is Woman’s Curiosity Greater Than Man’s.”

Mrs. Grace Elles will be the soloist.

50 Years Ago: 1974

Two young artists, Gary Conant, 14, of Church Street, Auburn, left, and Wendy Pelletier, 10, of 188 Second St., Auburn, were among the many talented Twin Cities residents whose skills were on display at an exhibition at the East Auburn Community Unit which climaxed a ten-week course sponsored by the Auburn Parks and Recreation Department for children and adults.

Mrs. Rita Blackerby was instructor.

The exhibit will be on display at the Auburn City Building and later at the Auburn Public Library.

25 Years Ago: 1999

Too many mercury-filled bulbs and mechanical gizmos get thrown away, eventually poisoning the air, water or soil, according to an environmental planner.

Now, for the first time in Lewiston-Auburn and several nearby towns, the lethal fluorescent bulbs and thermostats went away without hurting anyone.

“We had a 5-gallon bucket of thermostats,” said Carol Fuller, the environmental planner for the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments. “There were 2,400 of the 4-foot bulbs and more than 200 of the 8-footers.”

Over the past five months, the waste was gathered in a 12- by 5-foot shed at the Auburn Public Works garage. Waste agencies from the Twin Cities, Farmington, Jay, Kingfield, Oxford, Rangeley and Sabattus contributed, some more than others, she said.

People need to know the bulbs can be dangerous, Carol Fuller, the environmental planner for the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments said; the mercury inside them never washes away or dries up with time. It can be toxic.

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