REGION TRANSITIONS FROM WARTIME LIFE TO POST-WAR GROWTH IN '40s, '50s

As they were for the most of the rest of the country, the years between 1940 and 1959 were a time of adjustment as Cape Girardeau made the transition from wartime life to a period of post-war growth.

The 1940s began on a positive note with the opening of the Arena Building on Jan. 22, 1940. The first event was a Golden Gloves boxing tournament. The facility was officially dedicated May. 14.

However, World War II quickly struck home for the community.

Seaman Lloyd Dale Clippard, a crewman on the battleship USS Arizona, became the first Cape Girardeau serviceman killed in the war when he died Dec. 7, 1941, during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Because the war abroad led to travel restrictions back home, Cape Girardeau played host to the American League's St. Louis Browns baseball club for three seasons from 1943-45.

The Browns' top farm club, the Toledo Mud Hens of the American Association, joined them in 1944-45.

During the height of the war, the city experienced trouble of another kind on May 25, 1943, when the Mississippi River flooded the city, reaching a then-record height of 42.4 feet.

Continuing its long transformation from normal school to university, Southeast Missouri State College dropped the word "teacher" from its name on June 6, 1945.

Wanting to take advantage of a former wartime facility, city voters approved the purchase of Harris Field from the government on April 22, 1947.

During the war, Harris Field was a U.S. Army Air Corps training base. Near the end of the conflict, it was converted for storage of surplus aircraft.

Harris Field eventually became Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

On March 13, 1948, the community mourned a local leader in education with the death of Miss May Greene at the age of 86.

Miss May, as she was known to pupils, taught in Cape Girardeau for 53 years before retiring in 1932.

She began teaching in 1879 at old Lorimier School and was principal of Washington School at her retirement. May Greene Elementary School at 1000 Ranney Street was named in her honor in 1921.

A Southeast Missourian editorial after her death noted the impact she had upon the community:

"Not one, but many business and professional men of today can trace the beginning of their careers to the teachings of this fine woman and if it were possible to bring them together they would in a great outpouring of personal feeling pay a great tribute to her."

Before the 1940s came to a close, Mother Nature again raised her hand against the city.

On May 21, 1949, a tornado struck Cape Girardeau, killing 21 people and injuring hundreds of others.

The storm leveled 202 homes and 19 businesses and damaged more than 200 other structures. Economic damage was estimated at between $3 million and $4 million.

The 1950s were a time of growth for several local institutions.

The new Central High School opened Sept. 8, 1953, and in August 1959, the police department moved into new headquarters and the former Grace Methodist Church at the corner of Independence and Sprigg streets.

A $590,000 expansion project was also started at the municipal airport.

Perhaps the biggest event of the decade took place from Aug. 19-25, 1956, when Cape Girardeau celebrated its sesquicentennial.

The weeklong event commemorating the city's founding in 1806 included parades, pageants, a carnival at Capaha Park and dozens of other special events.