Out of the past 6/24/08

25 years ago: June 24, 1983

BENTON, Mo. — Three people were killed and another was seriously burned in a plane crash on a farm near Benton yesterday evening; the pilot of the single-engine plane, Billy W. Ferrell, 47, of Benton, and passengers James W. Sidener, 37, of Cape Girardeau, and Matthew D. Sidener, 9, of Pocahontas, Ill., died when the craft crashed in a field on the Gary Beggs farm; a third passenger, James Sidener, 14, is in stable condition at a St. Louis hospital.

The Southeast Missourian prints its first edition on a newly installed, 40-page Wood-Hoe Colorflex offset press.

50 years ago: June 24, 1958

The voters of the Oak Ridge School District will have a special school election July 1 to vote for the fourth time on a $110,000 bond issue; the building program would include six elementary classrooms, a science room, a music room, an industrial art room and a new cafeteria.

Because small boats can't be launched at the foot of Broadway, the Honkers Boat Club of Cape Girardeau is constructing a small-boat harbor north of Sloan's Creek; the harbor, with an entrance from Second Street, will be open to the public.

75 years ago: June 24, 1933

Dr. Joseph A. Serena is elected president of Bethany College at Bethany, W.Va., the largest denominational school of the Christian Church in America; the Teachers College Board of Regents recently refused to retain Serena as president of the local college.

At least two public school buildings in Cape Girardeau — Franklin and May Greene — are infested with termites; an examination of the two buildings showed the termites have worked up into the second stories of the buildings; inspections of Central High and Washington schools will also be made.

100 years ago: June 24, 1908

The new river gauge that the government placed at the foot of Themis Street several weeks ago was knocked from its perch last evening; a steamer bumped against a coal barge tied up here, which in turn bumped against the gauge, sending it into the muddy water.

Ferd Kraft, the Broadway baker, has closed his wholesale bakery in Haarig and in the future will give his entire attention to his Broadway business.

— Sharon K. Sanders