25 years ago: May 14, 1981

Approximately 600,000 pounds of dynamite will be detonated in the tunnels of the Marquette Cement Manufacturing Co. quarry tomorrow afternoon to reach limestone to be used in the new Marquette plant; the limestone lies beneath a five-acre section of the quarry that contains 42 rock pillars and several caverns from previous stone removal work.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- City employees here voted overwhelmingly to unionize, agreeing by a vote of 18 to 3 to be represented by Local 50 of the Service Employees International of St. Louis.

50 years ago: May 14, 1956

The largest class of seniors in the history of State College are graduated in commencement exercises in the college auditorium; Dr. D.W. Morris, president of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, addresses the 267 seniors.

In a move initiated by Police Commissioner John L. Wieser and police chief Percy R. Little, and approved by the city council, Cape Girardeau police court will be transferred from police headquarters at Independence and Frederick streets to Common Pleas Courthouse.

75 years ago: May 14, 1931

Under the floodlights at Houck Field Stadium last night, Boy Scouts of the Cape Girardeau district demonstrated their training to 3,000 people; the district rally was an outstanding success.

With the editor's desk as the altar and the click of typewriters as music, pretty Georgia L. Smith, 19-year-old leading lady in a stock company, marries James J. Lockwood, the villain in many stage plays during his 20 years on the boards; the Rev. W. Clark Ellsey, associate pastor of Centenary Methodist Church, presides at the simple ceremony.

100 years ago: May 14, 1906

The first annual meeting of the Southeast Missouri High School Association, held at the fairgrounds Saturday, proved to be more interesting and larger than was expected by promoters; 45 nimble-legged youths answered the call of the bugle which initiated the annual races; every mark made in the various events will stand as a record until next year; youths from Bonne Terre, Mo., carried off the most medals at the meet.

The Cape Girardeau Bell Telephone Co. has increased its capital stock from $50,000 to $125,000 as the local company consolidated with the Ste. Genevieve Bell Telephone Co.

-- Sharon K. Sanders