In honor of the immortal Washington and to appropriately celebrate the birthday of the nation’s first president, sometimes referred to as the first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts, his countrymen, many parties were given last night by religious, charitable and secret societies in Lewiston and Auburn. Colonial decorations were employed to make some of the events typical of the Revolutionary period. Cherry trees also played an important part.

50 Years Ago, 1956

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Negro religious and political leaders, including 16 ministers, were arrested on boycotting charges today in a wholesale round up of defendants indicted by a grand jury for their mass protest against bus segregation.

Thousands of Negroes have refused to ride the buses since Dec. 5, the day a member of their race, Mrs. Rosa Parks, was fined $14 for refusing to move to the colored section of a bus.

City and state laws require segregation.

Mrs. Parks was sentenced to 14 days in jail in lieu of the fine today after Circuit Judge Eugene Carter, the jurist who ordered the grand jury investigation, turned down her appeal from the previous conviction in City Court.

She appealed Judge Carter’s decision to the Alabama Supreme Court, and immediately afterward was arrested on a boycotting indictment.

25 Years Ago, 1981

RUMFORD – Officials were keeping a careful watch on a large ice jam above the Androscoggin River dam here Sunday night which could create serious flooding problems beyond what the area experienced over the weekend.

A number of families along the river were evacuated from their homes Saturday and Sunday as the result of the high flow from the usual warm weather and rains.

Rumford Town Manager Robert Noe said, “The water is receding but we still have an ice jam next to the built up section of town known as the Virginia section. If it lets go all at once it would flood one section of town substantially.”