Out of the past 10/25/06

25 years ago: Oct. 25, 1981

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- Members of St. John's Catholic Church conclude their weekend celebration of the church's 125th anniversary with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Bernard Law of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese; yesterday's observance consisted of a parade, threshing and horse shoeing demonstrations, races and a dance.

Dr. L.R. Seabaugh of Cape Girardeau becomes the seventh honorary member of the Friends of Saint Francis as part of Saint Francis Medical Center's fifth anniversary dinner; he began his practice in 1951 and was a member of the Saint Francis staff from that time until his retirement.

50 years ago: Oct. 25, 1956

Lon O. Hocker, a man who considers he has a crusade on his hands and who has a fervent belief in the issues he presents, brings his Republican campaign for the governorship of Missouri to Cape Girardeau with the declaration that morality in government is the most fundamental issue facing the state's voters.

Appointment of Henry M. Phillips, Democrat of Cape Girardeau, as probate judge to succeed the late K.P. Oldfield is announced in a letter from Gov. Phil Donnelly to Hinkle Statler, county chairman.

75 years ago: Oct. 25, 1931

Cape Girardeau Girl Scouts open National Girl Scout Week by going to church services; all the Catholic girls attend morning Mass at St. Vincent's Catholic Church, while the Protestant Girl Scouts attend a morning service at the Presbyterian church.

First Christian Church conducts an ordination service in the morning in which four recently re-elected deacons and one new deacon -- Harold O. Grauel -- are formally installed; W.T. Doherty, J.E. Woodson, Charles B. Lamb and Vernon A. Chapman are the deacons re-elected for three-year terms.

100 years ago: Oct. 25, 1906

Not deterred in the least by the tremendous score run up against them in St. Louis last Saturday, members of the Normal School football team are practicing every evening with a view to getting revenge upon the Washington University team, which is in its class this year; the two teams will meet Saturday in Cape Girardeau.

There are several skiff loads of people in the river all day shooting ducks that are floating down the Mississippi in droves; many are killed; the sport can be seen from Cape Girardeau's riverfront.

-- Sharon K. Sanders