Commander Robert E. Peary of the United States Navy, has given to his native country the record of having penetrated “farthest north” – 87 degrees and six minutes. The intrepid Arctic explorer failed to reach the North Pole as he had confidently hoped to do with his specially constructed vessel, the Roosevelt, but he penetrated nearer to the pole than the Duke of the Abruzzis expedition which had held the Arctic record, 86 degrees, 34 minutes.

50 Years Ago, 1956

Bates College officials, who have been chewing their fingernails, can now relax. The missing cornerstone has arrived. There was a shadow of doubt as to whether or not the planned ceremony of laying the cornerstone for the new half-million dollar women’s dormitory on College Street, could go on as scheduled. But worried brows lost their creases when the cornerstone arrived on campus. Without the stone some of the ceremony of the Bates Homecoming Weekend would have been lost. One college official did not know how the stone arrived, rail, truck, plane or dog sled, “All I know is the cornerstone is here,” and after a slight pause, “Thank Heaven.”

25 Years Ago, 1981

Increases in food prices likely will trail the overall inflation rate through the next year, a senior Agriculture Department economist said Monday. J. Dawson Ahalt, deputy assistant secretary for economics, said food prices are expected to rise 5 to 9 percent in 1982, the third straight year of single-digit increases.

Joe Engle and Richard Truly arrived at Cape Canaveral, Fla. eager and ebullient, and said they are “more than ready” for a mid-week launch of the space shuttle Columbia. The ship, on Launch Pad 39A, was pronounced as fit as the crew. If the countdown continues well and the weather cooperates, the shuttle will blast off and become the first ship returning to space a second time.