Out of the past: Sept. 9

1996

Along with a pet parade in front of the grandstand yesterday, the SEMO District Fair staged a horse show with about 400 animals in 19 classes competing for honors; today's entertainment before the grandstand will be a demolition derby.

NASA astronaut and Southeast Missouri State University alumna Linda Godwin will speak at the school's Sept. 18 Common Hour program; Godwin's presentation, sponsored by the president's office, is scheduled for noon in the University Center Ballroom; the event will be the fourth in a series of university Common Hour programs this year.

1971

Enrollment at State College exceeds last year's total of 7,181 by two students, Dr. Mark F. Scully, president, announces; he says that number is likely to rise considerably; the final total enrollment is expected to be announced Saturday.

Artist Jake K. Wells, who says he's been "addicted to nostalgia several years," painting old architecture, will be the featured artist at The Missourian Gallery Sunday through Oct. 30; a reception Sunday afternoon will open the last of the special exhibitions leading up to The Missourian's 25th Annual Art Exhibition in November.

1946

Turnstiles click in the morning as the first paying patrons of the SEMO District Fair go through the gates; there is a good crowd on hand before many persons even eat their breakfast; most early arrivals are exhibitors bringing in produce and livestock; in the evening "The Laff Parade of 1946 Girls" will be presented on stage before the grandstand.

Going into it second day of classes, State College officials say enrollment at the college may pass the 1,300 mark; the record fall term enrollment is 1,279, set in 1939, while the record for all time is 1,309, set in the summer of 1940.

1921

For fear a demand might be made for more trees along the new concrete highway south of Cape Girardeau on which to tack signs, road officials have decided the law must be respected, meaning all signs now on trees must come down and no more shall be allowed to go up; just recently, the sign mania broke out anew, and most every tree along the new paved highway is covered; all the old signs will be removed by road district employees; anyone nailing a new sign to a tree will be reported to the prosecuting attorney, who happens to be a lover of trees.

Deputy Sheriff Tom Scott of Scott County, after thorough investigation of the Vanduser (Missouri) Bank fire, is convinced it was of incendiary origin; he says the furniture and fixtures in the bank were heavily oiled and were consumed by flames in a few minutes.

-- Sharon K. Sanders