Thomas A. Foley

Photo:

Thomas A. Foley

25 years ago:

Selectmen set the mil rate at $22.35/$1,000 which was a dollar lower than last year. Town Assessor Steve D. Grant explained a decrease in town budget and increased valuation helped reduce tax needs. He added that 10 or 12 new homes have been built and increased valuations have come from Irving Truck Stop and the new Maine Regional Office Center.
Maine Department of Transportation is accepting bids on two projects to repair spring flood damage in Strong.The first is construction of a replacement bridge at Valley Brook Overflow Bridge.This bridge was destroyed and a temporary detour is being used. The bridge will be built at the same location but will be thirty feet longer to reduce damage from future floods.
The second project calls for stabilization of embankments along the Sandy River at the Sandy River Bridge in Strong. The embankment eroded around the steel pilings supporting the south bridge abutment.Temporary repairs have been done, but more permanent repairs are still needed to avoid additional damage. Installation of rock-filled wire baskets called gabions and placement of rip rap along the stream embankment will be done.
Bids are also being accepted tomorrow for plans to remove the remains of the Fairbanks Bridge which was also destroyed in the April flood.Bids will be accepted in September for plans to replace the bridge.
50 years ago
Maine Music Camp will open on August 5th for its 31st season at Farmington State Teachers College.Young musicians from Maine, Massachusetts and as far away as Maryland and Washington, D. C. will participate in band, orchestra and choral instruction.Band will be directed by Russell H. Jack of Farmington State Teachers College with orchestra and band conducted by other Maine music instructors. Two concerts will be presented in the Farmington Community Center.
Twenty four Granges were represented at the 2nd July meeting of Farmington Grange. The calling card was a degree from Cumberland County which exemplified the old-fashioned first degree from an early education ritual.
Lewis Day, organizer and promoter of the team, explained the early history of the grange and the reasons field work of early degrees was prohibited sometime after 1914. When the Grange was organized, 85% of members were farmers, today only 12% are.
Grange Master James Dodge presided over the rest of the meeting. There was a display of old relics and hobbies, including butter chips, shells, buttons, Civil War relics, bells, plates and an old U. S. map.
Franklin County Soil & Water Conservation District has entered the 16th annual Goodyear competition to select the nation's top 52 Conservation Districts.The District competed last year and was named the state's 2nd place district in 1961-62.District Supervisors are Warren Voter, Chair, Harry Ellsworth, LeRoy Hammond, Milton Harris and James Douglas.
75 years ago
Clinton Weymouth of Freeman recently received a contract from Henry Holt & Co for the publication of a Descriptive Biology Textbook.He will endeavor to meet the needs of both college preparatory students and those who will not extend beyond high school training.
In order to gather data and illustrative materials for the book, Mr. Weymouth plans to spend the summer travelling through the United States, Mexico and Canada.A previously published guide and workbook written by Wr. Weymouth was so well received by educators that it led to the contract for the textbook.Mr. Weymouth is a graduate of Kingfield High School and Bowdoin College.He received a Master of Arts in Zoology from the University of Michigan.
A Nationwide Service Grocers ad featured a one pound can of corned beef hash for eighteen cents.
George's Texaco Gas & Oil Station in Farmington was selling 2 hot dogs for fifteen cents.
The addition to the Wilton Academy will be completed this month, adding 3 classrooms and a Home Economics Room.Studies at the Academy include history, vocations, industrial geography, mathematics, physics, French, Latin, Physical Education, English, general science, home economics, business training, music and agriculture.

– Compiled by Pam Harnden