Out of the past 8/12/02

10 years ago: Aug. 12, 1992

Under new lease agreement, fixed base operator at Municipal Airport will be charged 2 cents-per-gallon fuel flowage fee and will lease fewer acres; Mark Spatz, owner and president of Cape Central Airways - airport's fixed base operator - says he's unhappy with lease agreement, although he understands why it was changed; city last year canceled Cape Central's lease because company was three months behind on its payments.

Summer vacation is drawing to close as students, teachers and parents get ready for new school year.

25 years ago: Aug. 12, 1977

Scott City - Group of Scott County businessmen buy controlling interest of Scott County Bank and Trust Co. from St. Louis family who owned bank for 30 years; bank is now completely locally owned.

Elmer Dunn, superintendent of schools at Bernie since 1973, has been named new director of Educational Services and Records Center for Migratory Children of Missouri at Southeast Missouri State University; federally funded program works with schools in Southeast Missouri in developing education programs for migrant children.

50 years ago: Aug. 12, 1952

Besides originating fires that destroyed high school building at Thebes, Ill., dairy barn near Jackson and barn near Chaffee, lightning during two storm periods Monday injured Cape Girardeau man and struck in at least three other places in town; Ralph Seabaugh, 29, 816 N. Fountain, was stunned when bolt struck his truck about noon; he was knocked unconscious, but revived quickly.

Thebes, Ill. - Fire, flaring up from lightning bolt, destroyed Thebes High School shortly after 9 last night during terrific electrical and rain storm; 24-room, two-story brick building was lost, only walls remaining standing today; structure housed both grade and four-year high school, total of about 350 pupils with instructional staff of 15.

75 years ago: Aug. 12, 1927

Ste. Genevieve - Henry L. Rozier, 78, banker, capitalist and philanthropist of St. Genevieve, and grandson of one of original settlers of this pioneer Missouri town, dies at his home here; Mrs. Rozier, former Sally M. Carlisle, and his six children are at his bedside when end comes.

Apparently realizing that he can't recover, John Lufcy, 42, farmer of Stoddard County, near Bloomfield, is removed from Cape Girardeau hospital to First Christian Church by ambulance, and baptismal rites of church are administered to him by the Rev. O.L. Smith; Lufcy was paralyzed by injury to his spine resulting from fall from hay wagon five weeks ago; doctors say he may live for several days, weeks or months.

-- Sharon K. Sanders