100 years ago: 1925

“As announced exclusively in the Lewiston Journal four or five days ago, the great dirigible ‘Los Angeles’ will be in Poland Spring Maine for the Conference of Governors June 28 to July 4th.

“There will be great popular demonstration of air-craft from the Navy Department including naval-planes as well as the great Zeppelin.

“Messages from Washington relate that Gov. Brewster has conferred with the Navy Department, Admirals Moffat and Secretary Wilbur and they will cooperate in every way to make the Governor’s Conference at Poland Spring and their tour of Maine a great national event.”

50 years ago: 1975

“Anyone missing a bird bath and a statue?

“Sunday morning, Lawrence Ridlon of 10 Enfield St., notified Auburn police that he awoke to find a large bird bath and a statue of a lion deposited on his front lawn during the night.

“Ridlon said he will hold the items for the owner.”

25 years ago: 2000

“Didja ever wonder what it takes to get somebody famous to speak at your graduation?

“Sometimes, all you have to do is ask.

“Just ask Andy Rooney. Seniors at Gray-New Gloucester High School did. And he said yes.

“‘As you say in your letter, your request for me to be your commencement speaker is outrageous. I can’t think why, but I’ll do it,’ he wrote back.

“Rooney, 81, is the curmudgeonly commentator on the CBS news program ’60 Minutes,’ where his trademark opening is a whiney-voiced ‘Didja ever wonder… ‘

“He’ll bestow his words of wisdom upon the 115-or-so members of the Gray-New Gloucester Class of 2000 in a ceremony at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium.”

The quoted material used in Looking Back is produced exactly as it originally appeared although misspellings and errors may be corrected.