Out of the past 11/30/11

25 years ago: Nov. 30, 1986

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Representatives from two Bollinger County Methodist churches voted to merge into a new congregational body, adopting a new name and a new identity; the churches involved are Lutesville Methodist, founded in 1883, and Marble Hill Methodist, founded in 1918.

Salvation Army dolls will be on display for the next two weeks in a window at Hutson's Fine Furniture Store; dressed by area volunteers, 120 dolls will be given to children as part of the annual Christmas baskets to be distributed Dec. 23.

50 years ago: Nov. 30, 1961

Employees of the Cape Girardeau post office are bracing for the annual flood of Christmas mail expected to begin tomorrow and reach a peak by Dec. 18 or 19; last year, 1,808,242 pieces of mail were processed during the pre-Christmas season.

James B. Hunt, for nearly two decades the Federal Bureau of Investigation resident special agent in Cape Girardeau, will retire from the service Jan. 5; Hunt, who practiced law before joining the FBI, will be associated with the law firm of Spradling, Bradshaw and McHaney.

75 years ago: Nov. 30, 1936

A representative of the Walgreen drugstore chain spent two days in Cape Girardeau last week looking over the possibilities of opening a retail store here.

A mass meeting is held at Common Pleas Courthouse to air details of the proposed $50,000 bond issue and fairground recreational center proposal; about 50 men attend the evening gathering and vote to ask the city council to submit the bond issue to voters as soon as possible.

100 years ago: Nov. 30, 1911

Thanksgiving. A union Thanksgiving service is held in the morning at Centenary Methodist Church, with the pastor, Dr. I.L. Holt, delivering the sermon.

The Cape Girardeau High School basketball team journeys to Bloomfield, Mo., and, despite the somewhat tiresome trip and an abundance of turkey dinner, manages to defeat the strong home team 23-17.

-- Sharon K. Sanders