25 years ago: May 4, 1980

The 25th anniversary of the ordination of the Rev. Raymond Orf is celebrated with a Mass in the evening at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso, Mo., with Bishop Bernard F. Law in attendance; recently, a schoolmate of Orf, the Rev. Joseph E. Gosche, pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau, also observed his 25th anniversary with Masses at St. Mary's and his home parish of Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran, Mo.

The Rev. David Seabaugh of Festus, Mo., son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd E. Seabaugh of Jackson, Route 4, was recently installed as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Festus.

50 years ago: May 4, 1955

Ground-breaking ceremonies for the $50,000 St. Mary's Parish Convent to house the eight nuns teaching in the parish school are set for Monday; the building will be on the southwest corner of the intersection of William and Frederick streets.

Three houses have been staked out in Forest Acres, the Kies tract south of Jackson; Albert Voges started work this week after making a purchase; other lots have been bought by Elbert Masters, Vernon Kasten and Paul Hoffmeister.

75 years ago: May 4, 1930

The entire police force of Jackson is off duty, and extra men are patrolling the streets in the absence of the regular officers; some of the officers are on a fishing trip, while others are visiting relatives out of the city.

Seven Southern Illinois checker players make eight novices at the game from Southeast Missouri look dizzy by defeating them at a tournament at the Legion Hall, 284 to 135; play begins at 10 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m.;

100 years ago: May 4, 1905

The Wednesday Club spent a delightful afternoon at the Burrough estate recently; the usual program for the day was suspended, and August Gerber of Cologne, Germany, the well-known artist and sculptor who is installing his collection of replicas of classical, medieval and modern sculpture lately presented to the Normal School, delivered a most interesting a address on his personal experience during the Franco-Prussian War.

Billy Bergmann, chairman of the committee for the flower parade, is spending much of his time these days attending to affairs of the big event of the drummers' convention; he spent yesterday in St. Louis hunting for flowers for the parade.

-- Sharon K. Sanders