Out of the past 3/20/10

25 years ago: March 20, 1985

A one-to-one partnership between the Cape Girardeau Public Schools and local businesses will be initiated here next fall under an "Adopt-a-School" program; the program pairs a business with a school, usually for a one-year period.

Two Cape Girardeau construction companies were the only bidders for site work on the multipurpose building here; Kiefner Brothers, Inc., is the apparent low bidder with a base bid of $883,086, which is higher than the architect's estimate; the other bidder was Potashnick Construction Company, Inc.

50 years ago: March 20, 1960

An eye-witness to the recent Cuban revolution, the Rev. John W. Hall speaks in the morning at the local Church of the Nazarene; Hall, who is on furlough in the United States, served as a Nazarene missionary in Cuba since 1947.

Call box telephones have been installed at Pacific and Broadway, Middle and Broadway, Main and Independence, and Sprigg and Good Hope and are available for use of the public, but only in calling police headquarters; the phones connect directly with the police station switchboard when the handset is removed from its hook.

75 years ago: March 20, 1935

A benefit concert, with proceeds to be used to buy uniforms for members of the Central High School Band, will be given March 28 at the Fox Broadway Theater; the program, which will include a concert on the theater stage by the band, will feature five noted musicians of St. Louis: Joseph Gustat and Edward Oventrop of the St. Louis Symphony, Jerry Commack, John Sauter and Schuyler Alward.

Remodeling of the interior of the Kelso Oil Co.'s large super service station, the Alvarado, located at Highway 61 and West Broadway, is to begin next week.

100 years ago: March 20, 1910

This being Palm Sunday, churches in Cape Girardeau hold special services in preparation for Holy Week; the Episcopal and Presbyterian church congregations will hold joint services every evening during the week at the Presbyterian church.

Two confirmation services are held at Trinity Lutheran Church, a German class in the morning and an English one in the evening.

-- Sharon K. Sanders