Out of the past: May 3

1997

Construction on the new Notre Dame High School will begin within a month, and the 101,500-square-foot building should be open for the 1998-99 school year; the nearly $7 million project is the largest single financial effort undertaken by the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese, according to Bishop John J. Leibrecht.

Some fraternities have tapped out on drinking parties, and more are lining up to go alcohol-free; two Southeast Missouri State University frats are the latest to join the nationwide trend; the local chapters of Sigma Nu and Phi Delta Theta are set to go alcohol-free this year, well ahead of the nationwide mandate by their fraternities' national offices; sorority houses at Southeast are already alcohol-free, and the university has a no-alcohol policy throughout campus housing.

1972

A group of 50 Saint Francis Hospital employees will swap their spotless white uniforms and wide range of medical talents with a colorful array of costumes and stage prowess at the first annual "Saint Francis Hospitality Hour" Friday evening at the Arena Building; the performance, consisting of 21 assorted acts, is sponsored by the personnel and fund-raising committees of the hospital; all proceeds will go to the new Saint Francis Medical Center.

The first serviceman who will be permanently assigned to the Air Force ROTC detachment being organized at State College has arrived on campus; Tech. Sgt. Joe M. Huckelberry of Belknap, Illinois, a veteran of 14 years, is discussing the AFROTC program with prospective candidates daily in Room 305 of Academic Hall.

1947

An interim certificate from the War Assets Administration giving the Cape Girardeau Airport Board authority to operate Harris Field until such time as the port can be formally transferred by the government to the city was accepted yesterday by the airport board; the permit allows the board to proceed with definite plans for operating the port, including negotiating for the purchase of the 260 acres of land needed to bring the field to designated Class 3 requirements.

Breaking into buildings in various parts of Cape Girardeau, burglars raided six establishments last night; in one instance, they left a note expressing their dissatisfaction over the fact the proprietor didn't have a big amount of money on hand; burglarized were Shady Grove Inn and Blue Hole Cafe on South Sprigg Street; Wides Oil Co. office, 75 Club tavern and J.C. Cole cafe on North Main Street and Crescent Cleaners, 132 S. Sprigg; the note left at the Blue hole read: "I drank your beer and piliferd your joint. The next time have cash are things get hot. Same goes for Shady Grove."

1922

Members of the faculty of the Southeast Missouri State Teachers College are being kept busy delivering addresses at high school commencement exercises in the district; the most frequent orators are President J.A. Serena, Dean R.S. Douglass, Professor Jeptha Riggs, Professor S.A. Kruse, Professor A.W. Vaughan and Dr. E.R. Spencer.

Yesterday was moving day at the County Poor Farm; guests of the county moved the household effects from the ancient house to improvised quarters which will serve until the new building is erected, and workers immediately began the task of tearing down the old building; the old brick house that had been permitted to go to ruination, and which had once served as a jail house, has been remodeled to provide temporary living space and now contains four nice, clean, bright rooms.

-- Sharon K. Sanders