A LOOK AT THE PAST

25 years ago, 1975

County Court and school boards in county will comply with new state law that requires counties to impose 10 percent blanket assessment increase this year -- action which will require taxing bodies to roll back their 1975 tax rates; this was consensus of county and school district officials who met Tuesday with policy action committee of Cape County Farm Bureau to discuss whether county intends to comply with assessment hike.

Community Teachers Association of Jackson R-2 School District has requested that teachers be given two days personal leave annually at teacher's discretion, that teachers leaving system be paid $10 for each unused sick leave day and that district employ more teacher aides; request, submitted to Board of Education Tuesday, were taken under advisement.

Special committee investigating ways of solving financial problems of Byrd Special Road District has decided to request assistance from County Court; Jackson Chamber of Commerce-appointed committee voted unanimously at its initial meeting Wednesday night to ask court to construct three new bridges which are located along boundary line of Byrd and county road district and to again request that court share some of its county aid road trust funds with Byrd.

Thomas K. O'Loughlin II, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas K. O'Loughlin of Jackson, was admitted to Missouri Bar last week and is now associated with law firm of Vogel and Frye in Cape Girardeau.

Negotiations are under way to acquire small lot adjoining site of county jail and adjacent county-owned property to provide additional space for proposed new county jail in Jackson; County Court Associate Judge Edwin W. Sander plans to discuss with officials of Jackson Exchange Bank possibility of lot, deeded by county to bank 15 years ago, being donated to county in preparation for planning long-proposed facility.

Jackson City Council Monday authorized Cape Attorney Kenneth L. Waldron to request that city be allowed to intervene in city of Cape Girardeau's lawsuit requesting writ of mandamus forcing County Court to proceed with construction of jail on 23-acre tract of County Farm in Cape Girardeau; action, taken during closed meeting, also authorizes city attorney to assist County Court in its defense of March 27 decision which changed proposed site of jail from farm to existing jail site in Jackson.

Meeting in closed session, Jackson City Council Monday night authorized City Attorney Kenneth L. Waldron to refile annexation proceedings in circuit court requesting that city be allowed to extend its corporate limits to Interstate 55-Highway 61 interchange between Jackson and Cape Girardeau; proposed annexation was contested by city of Cape Girardeau nearly two years ago on basis that it intended to implement two-mile zoning within its periphery, portion of which would be included in state area proposed for annexation.

50 years ago, 1950

The Rev. J.M. Hertel, pastor of St. John's Evangelical Church near Jackson, and of St. James Church, was resting comfortably at Southeast Missouri Hospital Tuesday after treatment of hand injuries received Monday afternoon; minister was cutting grass at new parsonage, when power mower became clogged; his left hand was drawn into blades, cutting three fingers severely.

City Council Monday night worked on ordinance designated by Mayor J.E. Mabrey, acting as city engineer, for plans and specifications of various streets to be surfaced; all work will be done under standard specifications adopted by council and estimated costs will run from $1.76 to $3.25 per abutting foot, depending on width of street and amount of grading.

There were 141 graduates of district schools in Jackson Saturday for graduating exercises; only six were unable to be here for diploma presentation by Supt. Edwin W. Sander; at luncheon, pupils were guests of Jackson Student Council in cafeteria; commencement speaker was Prof. Earl A. Collins of State College.

School superintendents of high school districts were in Jackson Wednesday to confer with state supervisors on transportation for 1950-51 school year; meeting is annual one in county superintendent's office; representatives of Central High, College High, Jackson, Delta and Oak Ridge were present.

Visitors in business district this weekend may see display of industrial arts department of high school in McCombs window and at Cracraft-Miller window.

With fair weather prevailing this week, many farmers are planting corn; corn planted early is in poor shape, most planters getting only fair stand and because of wet, cold weather the corn isn't growing.

Fruitland consolidated school closed Friday; commencement exercises were held evening before at school; Clarence F. Dalton, instructor at State College, was speaker; nine graduates were John Anderson, Sharon Bishop, Betty Hoffmeister, Dorothy Eggers, May Mizell, Joe McDowell, Shirley Schroeder, Juanita Stroder and Jimmy Williams.

There are 786 children between ages of 6 and 19 enumerated in Jackson school district, according to count taken by Mrs. Archie Hahs; there are 405 boys and 381 girls; Negro children number 43, 21 boys and 22 girls; there are 742 white children; last year, 747 children were enumerated.

75 years ago, 1925

Col. L.M. Bean has just completed school enumeration list for Jackson school district; list shows that there are 808 young people of school age within district; this is increase of about 30 over last year.

Forty-eight graduates, largest number in history of Jackson, received diplomas at commencement exercises of Jackson High School Friday evening; address to graduates was made by Frank M. Liddle, state Y.M.C.A. secretary; Muriel Masters is valedictorian of class.

Ed Scholl and William Goodman, residents of Shawnee Township, deserve honorable mention as public-spirited citizens; when County Court appropriated funds to improve Pocahontas road from limits of that town to State Highway No. 25, it was found that additional right of way must be obtained from the two named farmers; without asking any compensation, Scholl and Goodman gave required land to county at once.

Immediate arrest of persons named in 21 indictments returned by Cape Girardeau County grand jury in circuit court Saturday isn't expected, following orders of Judge Frank Kelly that warrants be withheld for short time; no indications of nature of indictments has been made known, but it is understood they cover alleged violations of Sunday closing laws, gambling, moonshining, operation of slot machines and practicing medicine without license.

Chris Call was appointed night patrolman by City Council Monday and was on beat that night; he takes place of Charles Walden, whose time had expired and who has moved from Jackson.

Among many commencement exercises on Friday of last week was that of Lincoln School here, which has been doing fine work under principal Ruben Clark; there were five graduates: Henry Mitchell, Cornelius Seibert, George Seibert, John Lacey and Sam Eulinburg; commencement exercises were held in A.M.E. church and Prof. W.B. Longdon of Cape Girardeau delivered graduating address.

Sales contract between William O. Stacy of Jackson and A.L. Bullock of Stuttgart, Ark., has been filed for record; in instrument, it is agreed that parties exchanged following properties: Stacy transfers Hotel Jackson to Bullock and receives in exchange 240 acres of land in Arkansas County, Ark., and 131 acres in Laclede County, Mo.