25 years ago: May 21, 1980

ST. LOUIS -- The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents, meeting outside Cape Girardeau for the first time since 1956, approves the appointment of Dr. Leslie H. Cochran, presently vice provost for academic administration at Central Michigan University, as the new dean of academic services at Southeast.

A grant request of $5,502 is being sought by the Southeast Missouri Council on the Arts for financial assistance with the upcoming Riverfest; the two-day cultural and performing arts program will be held June 20-21.

50 years ago: May 21, 1955

Cape Girardeau has the largest school-age population in its history, the annual census of boys and girls of ages 6 to 19, inclusive, shows; there are 5,181 boys and girls in the city of school age, nine more than were counted in the previous highest census in 1940; the count has been made annually since 1916.

Construction of a building to house Cape Girardeau's second steel-products company is expected to get underway within three weeks; the plant, which will manufacture high-test steel tanks of the variety used to contain chemicals and gas, will be located on an eight-acre tract just east of the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks in South Cape Girardeau.

75 years ago: May 21, 1930

J. Grant Frye, prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County, who yesterday filed as a candidate for the Republican nomination for representative in the state legislature, today announces his withdrawal from the race, because, he says, he didn't know at the time he filed that Rush H. Limbaugh of Cape Girardeau had decided to enter the race.

The largest graduating class in the history of the Cape Girardeau Teachers College receives diplomas at commencement exercises at the college; eight students receive the degree of bachelor of arts, and 46 are given a bachelor of science in education.

100 years ago: May 21, 1905

The regular morning service is held at the Evangelical Christ Church; the Rev. Theodore C.M. Kugler preaches on the subject of "The Spirit of Truth and His Work"; no evening service is held.

The Rev. Orway Colvin suspends services at the Episcopal Church, so that members may attend the baccalaureate service at the Normal School; Dr. C.G. Woods of St. Louis preaches the sermon before a big crowd.

-- Sharon K. Sanders