Out of the past: March 17

1991

The Rev. James Grover Caughlan preaches his first sermon as the new pastor at Evangelical United Church of Christ; Caughlan was ordained in 1974.

Cadets and senior members of the Cape Girardeau Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol are out in the rain and fog, trekking through the mud, woods and wet grass searching for victims of a missing airplane; fortunately, the maneuvers are only a training session, held in Trail of Tears State Park.

1966

The job of the reporter, like the job of the teacher, "is a search for the truth," noted television reporter Harry Reasoner tells district teachers who jam into Houck Field House in the morning; Reasoner's address is the high point of the opening general assembly for the 90th annual meeting of the Southeast Missouri Teachers Association.

State College plans to open bids April 6 for the major enlargement of Kent Library to about six times its present size, a project expected to exceed $3,000,000 in cost.

1941

By a vote of two to one, the County Court approves the setting up of a $12,000 revolving fund to make possible the operation of the Federal Food Stamp plan in Cape Girardeau County; judges Harry Cracraft and Fred Clippard vote for the proposal and Judge Willie Meier against it; the plan still has to be approved by the government before going into operation.

Renewing its campaign for more adequate garbage collection facilities for Cape Girardeau, the League of Women Voters sends out letters to 161 civic, cultural and religious organizations within the town asking them to urge the city council to take some action looking toward improvement in conditions.

1916

C.A. Marchildon of Thebes, Illinois, owner of the Terminal Hotel building and property here, is in Cape Girardeau on business; he gets his first look at the destruction of his big, five-story building; there is nothing for him to see but the few remaining walls and a mass of brick in the basement of the place.

The Bee Store Co. has added another member to its firm; Capt. J.L. Stout, one of Cape Girardeau's prominent and well-known citizens, has joined the firm, having purchased an interest in the store.

-- Sharon K. Sanders