Armistice Day Parade Photo: Sanford Tribune, Nov 15, 1951
By Lawrence Furbish
Armistice Day, now called Veterans Day, was celebrated with a headline photo showing the Goodall Sanford band, the Junior High School band, and a group of Boy Scouts marching in the annual parade 75 years ago.
Deer hunting was heavily featured on the front page of this week’s edition. The major headline concerned the accidental deaths of two deer hunters in separate incidents. One tragically involved a father who shot his own son, while the other occurred when a hunter shot at what he thought was a deer and then found another hunter lying wounded in the woods. This hunter died and the man who shot him was charged with negligently shooting a human being. This all happened before fluorescent clothing was required and the advent of a mandatory hunter safety course.
The second article concerned two men who were charged and fined $100 each for unlawful possession and transportation of deer meat. The final article listed the 82 lucky hunters who had registered their deer at tagging stations in Sanford and Springvale.
The Sanford-Springvale observation of American Education Week began with an open house at Sanford High School and the Memorial Gym. It was attended by many parents and friends of students who also visited Evening School. Additional programs were presented at the gym each night by the town’s grammar schools including Longfellow, Edison, Lincoln, Hamlin, and Lafayette.
A wrestling show was touted at the Springvale Town Hall with four big bouts, including “four girl wrestlers.” They were “Cute Patty Gage” of Detroit facing off against Beth Cooper of Florida and Peggy Miller of New York clashing with Jean Stanton of Texas. Cooper was said to be back home from a successful tour of Canada and was popular on TV. The ladies were all described as about 5 feet and 8 inches and weighing in around 145. They were all considered leading contenders to Mildred Burke’s world title. Burke was the world champ for 20 years.
Goodwin’s Pharmacy on Main Street had prescriptions going back to 1906. It opened that year under the name of Red Cross Pharmacy, and the first prescription was for four ounces of chloroform liniment. It was later purchased by Mr. and Mrs. J. Blair Melansen, and moved on to modern medications and an up-to-date soda fountain that served lunch daily.
A Red Cross first aid course was being held on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings at Sanford High School as part of Evening School. Civil Defense authorities urged that one member of every family should be trained in first aid. Enrollment was still open but only for another week.
You could call Agnes Tibbetts at 1312 for voice lessons.
The South End Superette on lower Main Street was advertising “famous Land O’Lakes turkeys” of various sizes, but no prices were listed. At Grants, you could buy a “famous maker” roasting pan for your bird for $1.49.
If you wanted to go to Howard Johnson’s on the Maine Turnpike for your Thanksgiving dinner, it cost $2.25 a person, $1.49 for children.
And if you wanted some activity to work off your Thanksgiving feast, you could dance every Friday night at the American Legion Home to Jimmy Marshall and his orchestra for 75 cents, tax included.
Lawrence Furbish is president of the Sanford-Springvale Historical Society. The Historical Society Museum in Springvale has many resources regarding Sanford’s history. It is open Saturday, 10 am-2 pm and Friday 10 am-4 pm.
The post News From Sanford Past: 75 Years Ago appeared first on Sanford Springvale News.
