A LOOK BACK AT JACKSON

25 years ago, 1973

James E. Gosche of Jackson is one young disabled Vietnam War Veteran who believes he has it made; although he sustained severe leg injury in combat, he returned to United States with positive outlook that has resulted in good job, loving wife and 2 1/2-month-old son; Gosche is assistant Farmers Home Administration supervisor for Perry and Cape Girardeau counties.

Well-known auctioneer and businessman, Wilson "Cap" Crites, 56 years old, of Jackson died March 23 in St. Louis hospital where he had been patient four weeks; Crites had been auctioneer 36 years and had been associated with Jackson Implement Co., Kentucky Car Auction and Charleston Livestock Auction.

More Cape Girardeau County land will be put into production this year than last as part of Department of Agriculture's loosening of federal acreage controls; Norman Weiss, manager of county Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service at Jackson, says county farmers had total of 13,229 acres in set-aside for coming crop year; this will be reduced to 5,291 acres under new program.

New salary schedule involving $100 across-the-board raise for teachers was adopted and agreement reached with city on paving of gravel road which runs in front of two schools by Jackson R-2 Board of Education Tuesday; new salary schedule sets at $7,200 starting salary for teacher with bachelor's degree.

50 years ago, 1948

Jackson was visited by short-lived hail storm Monday evening; for several seconds, hail size of marbles fell, but deluge of rain melted ice particles immediately; no damage was reported.

In short session Monday, County Court re-appointed Elmer D. Kinder of Daisy as member of County Highway Commission for period of four years.

Total of 15,250 pounds of waste paper was collected Friday from homes in Jackson, people cooperating with Optimist Club in waste paper drive in support of club's boys fund; paper was sold to E.L. Goodman of Fornfelt at $12 a ton.

Measles are being blamed for decreasing attendance at grade school this week as 80 percent of 360 children were home Tuesday; not all absentees have measles, however, as influenza and colds are keeping some away.

Gardening is in full swing in Jackson; in several gardens peas are several inches high, and radishes, lettuce and onions are making good showing; many have planted beets, carrots and Irish potatoes; farmers have been confronted with wet weather and little planting has been done on large scale.

Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Wiggins of St. Louis have purchased home in Jackson and have moved here; Wiggins, formerly of Neelys Landing, has been barbering in St. Louis, where he owned a shop; he will have chair at barber shop of Milford Meyer.

75 years ago, 1923

Members of Corinthian Baptist Church have decided to rebuild their little church in southern part of Jackson; old building was wrecked by storm on March 11, but no one was injured; although congregation is small, with only about 20 members, the little band has decided to undertake construction of modest house of worship on site where old one stood.

All of Masons, Eastern Star and De Molay property has been moved to old Methodist church, which will be used by groups for their meetings until new Masonic temple can be built on site of old one, which was destroyed by the storm.

E.T. Ford has accepted position with handle factory in Pocahontas, Ark., and will move his family there as soon as school is out.

Mrs. Fritz Bienlein is home from Little Rock, Ark., for a stay; she divides her time between Jackson and Little Rock; her husband is auditor on railroad out of Little Rock.

County Court recently ordered that last 11 courthouse and jail bonds be redeemed, paid off and canceled; as soon as these bonds are presented at county treasurer's office, they will be bought at par as have all others of $75,000 issue, and then court will set day for public burning of bonds; then county will be free of any interest debt; $75,000 bonds for erection of courthouse and jail were issued March 2, 1906.

Superintendent Theo. Busch of county poor farm reports unusual theft there recently; someone swiped large plow which had been left in field on county farm, where it had been used to break ground for oats; Busch came to Jackson to purchase new plow; so far as "oldest citizen" recalls, there has never been plow stolen in Cape Girardeau County until now.