75 years ago

Mrs. Gladys DeWever of the Farmington Training School faculty was the guest speaker at the second Mother and Daughter Banquet to be sponsored by the Guild of the Methodist Church, held on Friday evening at the Forster Memorial Building, when 78 mothers and daughters sat down to a delicious supper served at tables prettily decorated with pink snapdragons, pink candles, pink and green mint cups and napkins with baskets of flowers by the Table Committee, Marion Eustis, Elizabeth Starbird, and Helen Heald.

The Farmington Normal Nine made its debut for the season on Hippach Field, Wednesday afternoon, defeating Gorham Normal 15-14 in a wild-scoring game. Farmington won the battle with two runs in the final half of the ninth, scored by Cunningham and Benson. Gorham scored two in the first with the Mallett-coached club tying up the game with a brace of runs in the last of the inning.

With the acceptance of a signed contract with the Trustees of Franklin Memorial Hospital by the Board of Directors of the Associated Hospital Service of Maine, residents of the area served by this Hospital are now eligible to receive the benefits of budgeted hospital care, according to an announcement by the Trustees. Participation by the Franklin County Hospital brings to 26 the number of hospitals in Maine now participating in the plan. These hospitals are situated in 14 communities. The total number of members has passed the 17,000 mark and is increasing at the rate of nearly a thousand a month.

The Telephone Bridge conducted throughout the County last week for the benefit of the Franklin County Memorial Hospital promises to be very successful, as many parties were held and the response was excellent. The proceeds are not available, a few towns not having reported.

County prizes were won as follows: High Contract for ladies, Mrs. Kathleen Presson of Farmington; 7810; high Contract for men, Geo. Farnum of Wilton, 7580; high Auction for ladies, Mrs. Harold Raymond of Farmington, 3107; high Auction for men, Roy Stinchfield of Farmington, 3188.

The Committee of the Franklin County Drum Corps Association, of which Ernest P. Hunt is Chairman, met in Thaddeus Roderick Hall, Tuesday evening, to make final arrangements for sponsoring the sending of the Drum Corps to the National Convention of the American Legion in Boston in September. Arrangements were perfected for forming the Farmington County Drum Corps Club. The Committee appeals to all the public-spirited citizens in the County to join this Club.

50 years ago

Students of Bradley’s School of Dance will present their annual recital Monday evening, May 17, at the Community Center in Farmington. Hit Parade is the theme of the show with music from throughout the years.

Taking part in the show will be: Kevin Vining, Debby Shorey, Paula Smith, Ellen and Elaine Paradis, Debby Titcomb, Sherry Tracy, Monica Goding, Sonja Smith, Sharon Vining, Terry-Lee Fraser, Debby Young, Karen Vining, Nancy Terry, Debby Waugh, Judith Fischer, Mary Ellen Fraser, Patty Waugh, Karen Kiltz, Cathy Wagner, Dotty Paradis, Beth Paradis, Lynne Fortier, Nancy Paradis, Fonda Fortier, Isabelle Perkins, Cathy Young, and Miss Ruth Browning, assistant teacher.

Miss Audrey Lynn Witherell, daughter of Mrs. Maxine Witherell, has been chosen a delegate to Dirigo Girls’ State from Kingfield High School. She is sponsored by the Carrabassett Rebekah Lodge.

Miss Witherell, an honor student, is a member of the National Honor Society. She took part in Public Speaking her freshman year, was in the senior class play last year and is presently in the Glee Club. She was a member of the basketball team her freshman and junior years. She is a member of the First Baptist Church and the Youth Fellowship.

The Maine Travel Course (Sociography) has been added to the summer session offerings of the Farmington State Teachers’ College, Harland C. Abbott, Assistant Director of the Summer Session, announced today. The course will be in operation from Monday, June 28 through Friday, August 6. It will be under the direction of Dr. Errol L. Dearborn, President Emeritus of Farmington State Teachers College, and will carry six semester hours of undergraduate credit.

Otho Knowles, Wilton Academy Band director, was presented a plaque and money at the annual spring concert of the band on Thursday evening, May 6. The presentation was made by band president Earl Lord, for 25 years of teaching at the Academy.

25 years ago

Glenview Terrace is about to become a reality, not just the dream Raymond Lamkin had to provide a new concept of housing for people over 55. Ground breaking will take place Saturday, at 10:20 a.m. at the site on Anson Street.

Sheylah Davis, Rangeley, and Peggy Betts, Oquossoc, were invited by the Rangeley Fire Dept. Ladies Auxiliary to explain the new dispatch center in Rangeley and just what it can provide for the town as an emergency dispatch center. Mrs. Davis and Ms. Betts gave examples such as the use of a four-digit local number rather than an 800 or out-of-town number being easier to identify in an emergency, especially for young children and elderly who tend to get rattled and misdial their phone even when looking at the number on the wall.

The Maine Low-Level Radioactive Waste Authority at the University of Maine at Farmington’s (UMF) Sciences and Mathematics Department are holding a free open house Friday and Saturday, May 25 and 26, at the University. Information will be provided concerning the various avenues possible for Maine, required by federal law, to find an in-state option for its low-level radioactive waste by January 1, 1993.

The Strong Senior Citizens met at the Forster Memorial Building with 29 present. Chairman Orra Dyar conducted the meeting, concluding her 21 years of chairing the Strong Senior Citizens group. The group decided to have a volunteer chair future meetings. Thelma Howes was scheduled to conduct the May 24 meeting.

C. Robert Tyler, Farmington, was the guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Wilton Historical Society (WHS). He spoke about the military record of Civil War soldier, Lt. Col. Andrew M. Benson.

The Wilton Historical Society had been presented with a colorful plaque on which were Mr. Benson’s records during his years in the Union Army. The plaque had been left in the house purchased by Ben and Barbara Weigle, which formerly was owned by Cony Miller and his wife, Hattie Benson Miller, so it was assumed the soldier who was the subject of the plaque was related to Mrs. Miller.

Compiled by Barry Matulaitis