YESTERDAY …
10 years ago — Nov. 20, 2004
(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)
GLENBURN — With limited numbers of people and dollars available to patrol a newly resurfaced road near Glenburn School, the town is looking to other ways to slow drivers down.
Parents, Teachers and Friends, the school’s parent teacher organization, recently donated $5,600, half the cost of buying and installing flashing school zone speed limit signs.
The group is seeking the help of other civic organizations in the community to raise the remainder.
BANGOR — United Cerebral Palsy of Maine honored Cynthia Donaldson with the 2004 People and Promise Award at a reception recently.
UCP of Maine presents the award to a person who has significantly enhance the lives of people living with disabilities in Maine.
Donaldson founded Special Children’s Friends, a program for preschool children with special needs. It is based in Hancock County. Donaldson served as the program’s executive director from 1989 until her retirement earlier this year.
25 years ago — Nov. 20, 1989
BANGOR — Cars lined up for miles Saturday morning for the grand opening of Toys ‘R’ Us on Bangor Mall Boulevard in Bangor. Police said northbound traffic was backed up to Broadway. People making it to the store jammed the aisles to get a jump on Christmas shopping.
EAST CORINTH — Sherry Thomas of East Corinth and Michael Vitacolonna of Thorndike were presented with Tin Can Scholarships of $200 by Alan Parks, director of Upward Bound at the University of Maine. Both a first-year students at UM.The 10 Can Scholarships are funded by cash from returnable bottles and cans collected by Upward Bound students and the Upward Bound office, and by donations.
50 years ago — Nov. 20, 1964
BANGOR — With dramatic suddenness the date which Bangor has expected and dreaded came Thursday. Defense Secretary Robert S McNamara announced during the afternoon that regular Air Force use of Dow Air Force Base will terminate by the end of this school year 1968.
Planned actions call for the relocation of the basis 397th Bombardment Wing of B-52 bombers and jet KC 135 tankers to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The 75th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of F101 Voodoo fighters are scheduled to be transferred to Otis Air Force Base in Massachusetts, according to Dow authorities.
The 101st Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard will remain in operation at Dow base, as will Bangor’s Northeast Airlines terminal, which uses the military runway.
affected in the shutdown of 4530 Air Force personnel, 8160 dependents and 368 civilian employees.
BANGOR — Wives of military personnel at Dow Air Force Base expects mixed emotions when they received official word that Dow would be one of the six SAC bases to be closed within the fiscal year of 1968.
Reactions, whether from officers’, noncommissioned officers’ or airmen’s wives, range from excess pleasure and a sigh of relief to regret with there wondering, “Where will we go from here?”
“To say the least, it is unexpected,” said Mrs. James Creahan, who is married to a captain. “To say the most, I heard about it with something of the nature of regret. I personally like Bangor and its people. The people are the main asset and they are friendly, hospitable and delightful.” The Creahan family are from California and have been at Dow for two years.
BANGOR — Bangor’s business community was disappointed but not shocked at the announcement of the closing of the Dow Air Force Base. Most of been planning for the closing of the base in 1970, and the stepping ahead of the closing date was somewhat surprising.
All were optimistic that the community would absorb the economic loss by hard work and developing the potentials of the area and felt that the facilities of the base would become a great industrial asset.
Norbert X. Dowd, executive secretary of the Bangor Chamber of Commerce and spokesman for the downtown Merchants Bureau, said, “Dow Air Force Base has been a tremendous facet of our general economy since it was reactivated in 1952 by the Strategic Air Command. The impact of its $20 million annual payroll is felt in every business profession and service operation in Bangor. However, three and one-half years we have before the base is closed will provide the time for whatever adjustments must be made and for meeting the challenge that we must face.”
BANGOR — Wrecking cranes started work demolishing the buildings along Harlow Street where the new $3,863,000 federal building is to be built. A.R. Haslett, supervisor of construction for the general contractor, Electronic and Missile Facilities Incorporated of Valley Stream, N.Y., said that work will go on all winter. Foundation work will start next week. The job is estimated to take 610 days and at times as many as 100 men will be employed on the construction.
BREWER — Felix (Phil) P. Maillet of 10 Capri, Brewer, has been presented an official Army Commendation of his outstanding performance as an administrative supply technician for the 946th Transportation, U.S. Army Reserve Center, Bangor.
100 years ago — Nov. 20, 1914
BANGOR — H.S. Lippincott of Philadelphia is one of America’s recognized experts on pomological and agricultural subjects. He has traveled all over the United States to obtain information along these lines, and his advice is everywhere eagerly sought. He recently supervised the planting of an orchard of 15,000 trees in mechanic Falls, this number to be increased by 20,000 next year.
Mr. Lippincott attended the exhibition by the main, logical society in Bangor City Hall, and what he said about it greatly pleased those who had worked for its success. “It is the finest exhibition of its kind I have ever ever seen,” he declared. “I don’t mean in quantity, of course, but in quality. It is magnificent.”
All of the fruit remaining in the hall will be placed on sale this morning at very reasonable prices.
BANGOR — Waldo Peirce of Bangor, a graduate of Harvard in the class of ’07, has offered his services as chauffeur for the field ambulance service of the American Hospital in Paris, where the Americans are doing a great deal of good among the injured French soldiers. Mr. Peirce is now in New York, but it is understood he will soon leave for France. A number of Harvard men have volunteered for service in the American organization in France, among others who are known here being Oliver D. Filley, ’06; Elliott C. Dowden, 2d; and Joseph H. Stephenson, ’09. They have also volunteered as chauffeurs.
Frederick Allen of Paris, who has charge of the American Red Cross work there, was originally of Bangor, his father being a former American minister to the Hawaiian Islands.
DEDHAM — The shower here Friday night of lightning, thunder in heavy winds was terrific, but no damage has been reported in this vicinity.
The late rains have been very welcome to help fill the wells which had nearly all gone dry those who had never failing springs fortunate. F.W. Fogg has one on his farm that affords a sufficient supply water for the house and barn the year round. It is pumped to his buildings by a Myer’s force pump
Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin