• The fire in Roger Williams Hall, Bates College, damaged the building to the amount of at least $2,500. The principal damage was caused by water. The fire was between the upper story and the roof, and the water soaked through every wall and ceiling in the building. The building is insured sufficiently to cover all the damage.

• Parsnips Fritters: Cook two medium-sized parsnips in boiling water and mash fine. Season with a salt-spoon of salt, one beaten egg, a few grains of pepper, one tablespoon of milk and one level tablespoon of flour. Mix well together and fry in spoonfuls in a little hot salt pork fat. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

• It is reckoned that there will be 550,000 tons of ice cut in Maine this winter, of which 400,000 tons will be on the Kennebec.

50 years ago, 1957

Suffering soap suds. Somebody in the neighborhood of Main and Holland streets in Lewiston must be allergic to soap, and he’s taking it out on innocent motorists who drive by in the early hours of the morning. Cars approaching the intersection the past two mornings (about 5 a.m.) have been bombarded with cakes of the sudsy stuff, according to one irrated victim, who reports the missiles appear to come out of thin air. Oh well, the supply can’t last forever.

25 years ago, 1982

• On a national scale, President Reagan has called for citizen volunteers to take up the slack caused by federal budget cuts. Volunteering is not new in Auburn, but it may become even more valuable with increasing pressure to hold the line on taxes.

• A New Gloucester man was killed in a violent plane crash at Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester. Thomas W. Spring, 29, of W. Hatchery Road, died instantly when the plane’s nose hit the icy lake surface, according to rescue personnel at the scene.