LOOKING BACK AT JACKSON

25 years ago: 1973

Man who has given hundreds of hours of assistance to citizens of Cape Girardeau County before, during and after natural disasters of past 13 years will bow out of such duties on July 1; Bill G. Swann of Jackson has resigned as coordinator of Cape Girardeau County Disaster Planning and Operations Office effective that date to spend more time with his family; his wife, clerk-typist under civil service and assistant coordinator, also plans to resign.

Two young Jackson women were among 78 students who completed last three-year program offered by Barnes Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis; receiving diplomas during recent graduation exercises were Ruth Ellen Bollinger and Deborah Jean Jaco.

Cape Girardeau County real estate and personal property tax assessments have increased by nearly $5.5 million to total of $100,560,355 for 1973 and this doesn't include any countywide reassessment figures which could boost gain even higher.

The Rev. C. Richard Connelly has been appointed to New McKendree United Methodist Church by Bishop Robert E. Goodrich; Connelly will serve in team ministry with church's pastor, the Rev. Donald L. Slover, beginning Sunday.

50 years ago: 1948

Charleen Macke has accepted position as teacher in high school at Kennett; she received her degree at State College in May; she will teach art and French; Macke is daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Macke and previously taught in Jackson elementary school and art in the high school last winter.

Population of Cape Girardeau County was reported in preliminary announcement of recent census to be declining, but just-finished enumeration of children of school age shows increase over last year; 1948 enumeration was 8,901, increase of 120; of that number, 8,511 children were white, 4,309 boys and 4,202 girls, and 390 were black, 194 boys and 196 girls.

Community cannery operated by Jackson public schools is open to public and will be open each Tuesday and Friday until demand is enough to justify operating additional days; tin cans, both plain and enameled, are available; processing charge is same as last year, 3 cents per can.

Lloyd Birk, 17-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Birk, is recuperating at his home; he was injured Tuesday when tractor overturned in small creek, pinning him beneath; weight of machine rested on his back and hips; he suffered no broken bones; his father, who went to his aid, was able to extract his son by digging him out.

75 years ago: 1923

William C. Cracraft, former judge of Cape Girardeau County Court and for years influential resident of Jackson, died while sitting in chair on porch of home of Mayor J.R. Bowman June 15, succumbing to heart ailment; he was conversing with mayor when he suddenly collapsed in his chair; Cracraft was 70 years old and was native of Cape Girardeau County.

Viola Oswald, chiropractor of Cape Girardeau, must pay fine of $500 on charge of practicing medicine without license, according to decision of Judge Frank Kelly in circuit court.

One of oldest residents of Byrd Township died June 15 at his farm home in Schoenbeck School neighborhood; Henry Christian William Friedrich was born in Hanover, Germany, on Oct. 25, 1844, and came to United States more than 50 years ago; he was farmer all his life.

Nelson Poe left Thursday night to accept position of assistant superintendent of Newton Chautauqua Bureau; his territory will cover Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota.

City Council will make another attempt to secure paving of some of Jackson's principal streets; several of city fathers went to Cape Girardeau Friday to inspect streets of that town, inquiring about cost and securing other data on work; meeting with mayor of Cape Girardeau were councilmen Fritz Schrader, Sam Vandivort and A.M. Sander.

Plans for new Baptist church and Masonic building have finally been agree upon, and work is to begin at once; two buildings, to stand in close proximity, will each mark departure from ordinary, in that each will be architecturally distinctive.