Looking back

50 Years Ago
Mrs. Dory Marshall headed the tree planting project for St. Bede’s Young Christian Women’s Organization.
McGill’s Yellow Jackets earned a third consecutive trip to the state basketball playoffs by winning the class 4A Region 2 championship.
St. Jude Pirates won the Class 2-A Region 4 Area 7 basketball championship for the fifth time and a trip to the State Championships.
Officers of Little Flower Holy Name Society were: S. Chappell, president; V. Broadway, treasurer; T. P. McArdle and P. Petro, vice presidents; and Pat Hyland, marshall.
State Scholastic art award winners from McGill and Bishop Toolen were: Hank Sierke, Shellie Stein, Sharon Woodward, Anne Franco, Urael Forbes, Benita Witherspoon, Felicia Wilson, Anne Johnson, Monvella Mosely and Kathy McWilliams.
Sister Mary Kostka celebrated her Golden Jubilee at St. John the Baptist Parish in Montgomery.
Fr. John C. Robinson announced that the diocese contributed $33,909 for the 150th anniversary for the Propagation of Faith.
Bobby Burgess led McGill to fourth place in the state 4A basketball championships in Tuscaloosa and was named to the all-state tournament team.
Mary Lee Johnson and Jeanette Tucker represented the City of St. Jude at the First Southern Regional Postal Customer Council Conference in Dallas.
Mr. Thomas Davis and Sister Sara Butler represented the Diocese of Mobile in Atlanta for the 1973 American Catholic Overseas Aid Fund.
Mr. Robert McQuillen was named the new diocesan comptroller.

25 Years Ago
Fr. Steve Williams, moderator of the McGill-Toolen boys' soccer team, introduced Craig J. Peter as the boys' soccer coach.
St. Jude Pirates captured the 1-A State Basketball Title defeating Sunshine High School Tigers 68-49. Keiondrick Sims was named the tournament’s most valuable player.
McGill-Toolen graduates of the ’98 Youth Leadership Mobile program were Bradley Clapper, Chandler Fulton, Erin Grip, Jennifer Morgan and Kate Titford.
The Most Rev. William B. Friend,  Bishop of Shreveport, was elected Grand Prelate of the Order of the Fleur de Lis. Bishop Friend served as spiritual adviser of the Order and acted as the Order’s Liaison with other members of the Catholic hierarchy.
The officers of the Holy Family Over 50 Club were: Meme Finnorn, president; Jewel Jackson, vice president; Marie Potter, corresponding secretary; Angie Garriz, recording secretary and Adele Duley, treasurer.
Knights of Columbus Auxiliary Council No. 10731 St. Joseph Prattville, awarded a $400 scholarship to Melissa Boyer who would be attending Spring Hill College.
The 1997 members of the McAuley Society of Mercy Medical were Colonial Bank, Mrs. Mary H. Cosby, Miss Kay McLeod, Mr. Ray Mooney, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Powell, Mr. and Mrs. T. Gunter Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sullivan and Mrs. Wynette White.
Sister Marie Inez, M.S.B.T., celebrated her 80th birthday with gala at St. Patrick’s Parish, Phenix City.
The Scholars Bowl team at St. Ignatius School advanced to the state competition in Montgomery. Team members were Matthew O’Gorman, David Duffey, Zac Madonia, Cliff Nelson, August Emile Noll and Kyle Parrish.
 — Anne Baggett compiles information for Looking Back from past issues of this newspaper. Anne is a member of St. Mary Parish in Mobile.