100 years ago, 1916
The city of Auburn has recently erected bird houses on Edward Little high school park, and to say that they are meeting with favor with the general public is putting it mildly. This is a step for the advancement of the city, and shows progressiveness. It came about in this manner. The boys in the public schools, who study manual training recently made a large number of attractive bird houses for the bird-house exhibition under the direction of the Androscoggin Humane society. A large number were sold. About forty remained, however, and as no disposal of them, the boys who made them were asked what they wished to do with them and they decided to give them to the city if they were used to good advantage, in the hope that it would stimulate further improvements of a like nature among the city fathers.

50 years ago, 1966
Announcement of a $127,795 federal grant to Bates College was announced Monday by Sen. Margaret Chase Smith. According to a Bates College spokesman, the grant is the major portion of a grant for which application was made about a year and a half ago. The college applied for slightly more than $200,000 to assist in construction of Dana Chemistry Hall, and about $70,000 of the total was granted some time ago.

25 years ago, 1991
(Photo Caption) Mr. Wheelie Comes To Town. Liaison police officers Larry Brown and Guy Mahon are conducting a series of bike safety presentations at Lewiston’s elementary schools. The bike’s name (bike pictured) is Mr. Wheelie. The program will culminate with the May 19 bicycle rodeo at the Lewiston High School parking lot at 9 a.m. “This year we’re really emphasizing the use of helmets,” Brown said. “More and more kids are wearing them now.”

The material in Looking Back is reproduced exactly as it originally appeared, although misspellings and errors made at that time may be edited.