Dick Shearer, president of the Lansdale Historical Society, provides us with a prompting and two great photos today.

Consider:

“The year 1972 was a turbulent time around the world. The Watergate burglary. Civil disorder in the streets. Anti-war protests as the Vietnam peace talks broke down. Black September at the Munich Olympics.

“But in Lansdale there was a great coming-together, bigger than any the town had ever seen.

“Residents celebrated the borough’s 100th birthday with a weeklong bash that included parades, pageants, parties, beards and hoop shirts, and there was the dedication of a new high-rise building named Century Plaza.

“From May 27 to June 3, thousands of civic-minded citizens temporarily diverted the flood of bad news to remember 1872, the year when a small railroad village became a full-fledged town with a government of its own.”

“Lansdale’s Centennial Celebration of 1972” will be the subject of the Lansdale Historical Society’s next Community Program on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., at the Lansdale Parks and Recreation Building, Seventh Street and Lansdale Avenue.

The program will be hosted by Shearer and former Reporter Chief Photographer Willard Krieble.

Shearer was an editor at the paper in 1972, and Krieble photographed the entire week of special events.

In addition to a video presentation by photo archivist Steve Moyer, the program will include a display of memorabilia from the centennial celebration.

There is no admission charge to the program, but donations are appreciated.

For more information, call (215) 855-1872, or visit the society’s Web site, www.lansdalehistory.org.