A Look Back, Nov. 13

50 Years Ago

■The Rev. Sylvester P. Robertson was honored Sunday at St. John’s Episcopal Church on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his ordination. At 94, Father Robertson is the oldest priest in the diocese.

■The Northampton Recreation Commission last night discussed what Recreation Director Pat Goggins called its “number one priority,” the conversion of the recreation department into a parks and recreation commission. The change is part of a $1.4 million 10-year master plan for the city’s recreation needs, unveiled by Goggins last week.

25 Years Ago

■The Elks Lodge on Center Street has emerged as the likely future home of a cot shelter to house the city’s homeless during winter months. According to Mary Kasper, executive assistant to Mayor Mary L. Ford, a city businessman has entered into a preliminary agreement with the Elks to buy the historic building which has been on the market since 1996.

■The aging of the baby boom generation is evident among the graying professiorat on the nation’s college campuses, and the trend is even more pronounced at the University of Massachusetts. While one-third of the nation’s full-time professors are over the age of 55, the number is 42 percent at UMass.

10 Years Ago

■A judge ruled Wednesday that the Northampton Business Improvement District should disband immediately, putting people out of jobs, calling a halt to street cleaning and jeopardizing holiday lights and New Year’s Eve fireworks. Judge John A. Agostini ruled that the city failed to comply with state law when it created the BID five years ago, and as a result, he ruled it “null and void.”

■The first of two significant projects that will change the look of Pleasant Street is set to come before the Planning Board Thursday night, an estimated $20 million development that will involve razing Northampton Lodging and building a 72-unit apartment complex in its place.