Out of the past 3/31/08

25 years ago: March 31, 1983

The Community Development Committee of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce is gathering information to document the achievements and needs of the community to file in the All Missouri Certified Cities Program; members of the task force are Roger Call, chairman; Loretta Schneider, Jeff Hancock, Nancy Bray, Thomas M. Meyer and Jim Smyth.

More than 2000 Southeast Missouri State University faithful pay $15 a head to laud basketball coach Ron Shumate at Fan Appreciation Night; the ceremony, which at times resembles a roast, showers the second-year Indian coach with thanks for a job well done.

50 years ago: March 31, 1958

The Frisco Railroad announces it will file an application within the next 10 days with the Missouri Public Service Commission to abandon night passenger train service through Cape Girardeau between St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn.

Enrollment at State College continues to rise during the spring term; final enrollment figures for the term total 1,628, compared with 1,553 enrolled for the 1957 term.

75 years ago: March 31, 1933

Cape Girardeau and district are still in the grip of a rainstorm that has continued at intervals for 50 hours; a severe electrical storm accompanied the rain during the night, bolts striking and slightly damaging a home at 401 N. Spanish St. and a street light circuit on Good Hope Street, temporarily plunging three streets into darkness.

More than a dozen Stoddard County men are working at the unusual task of dismantling a large church at Whitewater; it will be moved to their home community, six miles west of Bloomfield, Mo.

100 years ago: March 31, 1908

A number of farmers meet at the courthouse in Jackson and organize the Cape Girardeau Farmers' and Stock Breeders' Association; officers selected are L.R. Johnson, president of the board of directors; B.F. Sides, secretary, and J.H. Campbell, treasurer.

A big load of hay being taken to Gus Hanny on North Main Street overturns at Johnston's store in the afternoon, when the coupling pole breaks; the driver, Walter Felty, has a narrow escape; streetcars are blocked for some time.

— Sharon K. Sanders