Out of the past: Feb. 22

2000

​State Rep. Mary Kasten hasn’t been in the state capitol since the Missouri Legislature convened nearly two months ago; instead, she has remained in Cape Girardeau tending her seriously ill husband, City Councilman Melvin Kasten; Mary Kasten, who is finishing her final term in office, has kept up with House committee work via telephone calls and faxes to her legislative assistant in her capitol office and fellow lawmakers.

Area Masons commemorate the birthday of their first leader and the nation’s first president with a special ceremony and dinner; some 50 members of St. Mark’s 93 and Harold O. Grauel 672 lodges and their guests gather at the Masonic Temple, 2307 Broadway, to celebrate George Washington’s birthday; a number of couples dress as George and Martha Washington, competing in a costume contest.

1975

​Five persons who have contributed efforts and ideas toward making what first was the Cape Girardeau Civic Music Association and later became the Cape Girardeau Community Concert Association a viable organization were honored last night for the work; presented the National Golden Lyre Award were J. Bryce Carpenter of Canon City, Colorado; Louis Hecht of Las Vegas, Nevada; Julia M. LaPierre of Jackson; Clara Drew Miller of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Mary Z. Reed of Cape Girardeau; Carpenter and Hecht were unable to attend.

About 5,000 pounds of cheese are sold by Cape County National Farmers Organization members in Cape Girardeau and Jackson; the successful events indicate similar sales will be held in the future; Cape Girardeau County farmers who participate are Keith Schafer, Don Kielhofner, Marvin Freed, Larry Lang, Bill Walker and Harry Black; there are reports that some local supermarkets dropped their cheese prices because of the N.F.O. sale.

1950

​A shutdown of the Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. plant in Cape Girardeau in the next four or five days appears likely unless coal supplies are forthcoming, says plant superintendent James H. Howe; the cement plant appears to be the hardest hit of major industrial coal consumers in the city; superintendent Oscar C. Kaiser of the shoe factory reports a sufficient supply on hand to continue operations; manager Joseph H. Quatmann of Superior Electric Products Co. says its supply is enough for about 30 days.

The improved flood situation along the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway brings a return of the 16 local National Guardsmen, who went on duty there early last week; the 15 men, under command of 1st Lt. Claude Corbin, return to Cape Girardeau with eight 2 1/2-ton trucks that had been used in the evacuation of spillway residents.

1925

​The Rev. C.E. Warren of Elvins preaches at the Red Star Baptist Church, occupying the pulpit at both the morning and evening services; Warren may be called to the pastorate of Red Star, as he has been highly recommended for the place.

A double church service plan at Trinity Lutheran Church is inaugurated; worship in the German language is held at 9 a.m. and in English at 10:30 a.m.; this has been arranged by the pastor, the Rev. F.H. Melzer, for the convenience of those members who desire services in German; Sunday school is held for the first time in the new parochial school building, which opened last week; through this arrangement, it is possible to hold the double-preaching services.

Southeast Missourian librarian Sharon Sanders compiles the information for the daily Out of the Past column. She also writes a weekend column called “From the Morgue” that showcases interesting historical stories from the newspaper.