Out of the past: June 18

1990

A policy governing partisan political activity on the Southeast Missouri State University campus is approved by the board of regents; but board members make it clear they don't want this policy to be a roadblock to getting an American president to visit the campus; some faculty members have been critical of the university's role in the Sept. 14, 1988, visit of then-President Ronald Reagan.

Councilman David Limbaugh takes exception to the removal from the city council meeting agenda of a measure to designate the location of a downtown exit from the planned Mississippi River bridge route; Mayor Gene Rhodes late last week asked that the issue be pulled from the agenda.

1965

A large drain tile connecting the lagoon in Capaha Park with an outlet west of Perry Avenue is being replaced by the city Park Department to eliminate severe erosion in the park along its course; during the recent heavy rains, water gushing through broken tile eroded out several large holes.

There were no pastoral changes for Cape Girardeau announced during this week's meeting of the Missouri East Conference of the Methodist Church; continuing to serve here next year will be the Revs. J. Ray Trotter and Clyde E. Byrd at Centenary; the Rev. Roland A. Boone, Grace; the Rev. H.R. Tate, Hobbs Chapel; the Rev. Theodore Priest, Maple Avenue; and the Rev. W.M. Dickey, Third Street.

1940

City commissioners Raymond E. Beckman and Phillip H. Steck are urging construction of a motor bus depot, if not a combined truck and bus terminal, in Cape Girardeau; they point out that traffic conditions would be improved and the public more adequately served with such a terminal.

Petitions asking the County Court to acquire sufficient land on which to construct a major airport are placed in circulation all over Cape Girardeau County.

1915

Melville's Comedians, formerly known as Murphy's Comedians, will play a week's engagement on the Whitelaw lot on Middle Street, near Broadway; the opening bill will be "The Country Boy," a rural four-act comedy-drama.

George E. Chappell, one of the best known residents of Cape Girardeau for the last 50 years, dies in the afternoon after an extended illness; he was born here in 1847 and married Annie B. Sloan; they had seven children; he was a bookkeeper by trade, but he was appointed city clerk in 1893; in 1902 he was elected clerk of the Common Pleas Court.

-- Sharon K. Sanders