Out of the past 8/16/02

10 years ago: Aug. 16, 1992

New Cape Girardeau Public Schools committee is hoping to see lot of new, older faces at school activities this coming year; committee is inviting senior citizens to take part in school events, like football games, plays and concerts, and eventually hopes to organize classroom volunteer program; Col. Jack Grisham, retired army officer and retired Central High School teacher, and Libby Roeger, Alma Schrader parent and university professor, are heading committee.

Number of crimes on campus of Southeast Missouri State University fell last year; annual report shows in 1991 there were 158 serious crimes, down from 176 in 1990, 175 in 1989 and 202 in 1988; less serious crimes numbered 130 last year, down from 175 in 1990.

25 years ago: Aug. 16, 1977

Cape Girardeau woman and her daughter, whose bodies were found yesterday, apparently were fatally shot shortly after walking in on burglary in progress Friday night, police theorize; Mary Parsh, 58, and her daughter, Brenda, 27, apparently surprised intruder who had broken into Mrs. Parsh's home through bedroom window.

When Elvis Presley appeared here in 1955, he was hardly a legend; square dance got more publicity than 20-year-old singer and his blend of hillbilly and rock and roll music; year later, he was a star; Presley dies in Memphis, Tenn., in afternoon of heart ailment; he was 42.

50 years ago: Aug. 16, 1952

Intensive night patrolling, expanding police force, and systematic police training program are some of factors credited with sharp decrease in number of burglaries and thefts in Cape Girardeau in past few months; Chief of Police Irvin Richmond says force now includes 19 men - chief, captain, four sergeants and 13 patrolmen.

Aptitude standards for use in employing workers in shoe industry throughout country are being developed through battery of tests being administered at International Shoe Co. plant by Missouri Division of Employment Security; shoe industry is first in state to participate in such project and was chosen because it is largest contributor in numbers and dollars to unemployment compensation funds in Missouri.

75 years ago: Aug. 16, 1927

Repairing of breaks in levees near New Madrid and Dorena is expected to be under way inside of two weeks, following yesterday's meeting of drainage, railroad and government representatives, who agreed on distribution of construction costs among concerns interested.

Excavation for Pier No. 3 of Cape Girardeau traffic bridge across Mississippi River has been temporarily halted until river recedes to level suitable for working conditions; working under pneumatic pressure, excavators had gone down to depth of 70 feet in caisson, when digging was halted yesterday.

- Sharon K. Sanders