25 years ago: May 12, 1981

A St. Louis banker, brimming with optimism over the economic future of the nation, declared last night that "the '80s might be the best decade since the 1920s"; Frank K. Spinner, chairman of the board and president of Tower Grove Bank and Trust Co., addressed the annual Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce dinner held at the Ramada Inn.

Proposed additions to three schools at a cost of between $1.37 and $1.64 million could result in a five to 10-cent increase in the Jackson School District levy; the tax levy is currently $3.63 per $100 assessed valuation.

50 years ago: May 12, 1956

An elementary school and funds for repairs to existing buildings will be at stake Tuesday when Cape Girardeau voters ballot on the issuance of $425,000 in school district bonds; the proposed school would be built on a 10-acre tract on Minnesota Avenue south of Bloomfield Street.

Many guests attend a reception held in the afternoon honoring Mrs. Frederic A. Groves, who was recently elected president general of the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution; the Nancy Hunter Chapter, DAR, presents the event at the home of Mrs. C.W. Boutin, 1100 Woodlawn Ave.

75 years ago: May 12, 1931

Deeds for the right of way of Highway 34 in Cape Girardeau County will be released by the highway department within the next few days; approval has been given by the highway department for locating the bridge on Highway 34 over Whitewater River at Burfordville one-fourth mile north of the present location of the covered bridge over the stream.

Ruby Isley and Margaret Buerkle have been elected teachers of the Egypt Mills school, with Isley, of Sedgewickville, Mo., serving as superintendent; Buerkle is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Buerkle of Cape Girardeau.

100 years ago: May 12, 1906

Tom Rector, a laborer for the street railway company, receives slight injuries when he is shocked out on Broadway; Rector is on top of a car doing some work when he unintentionally comes in contact with a live wire on the trolley; the shock causes him to jump off the car, and he lands hard on one foot, which is slightly injured.

In a runaway late yesterday afternoon, W.G. Polack, the well-known Cape Girardeau merchant, was perhaps fatally injured; he suffered a fractured skull in the accident.

-- Sharon K. Sanders