Special edition provides record of growth

The Southeast Missourian's annual Progress editions provide a public record of the community's growth.

These special editions started in 1909, five years after the newspaper's founding, as an expression of appreciation from area businesses to consumers for their patronage in the prior year. The following year, the Progress edition examined what it expected to occur in 1910.

The five-cent, 16-page 1921 special edition arrived on the heels of the old year -- Dec. 31 -- complete with graphics including festive bells and a "Happy New Year" banner.

With splashy ads and large type that dominated the oversized 17-by-22-1/2-inch paper, the 1921 publication focused on business and industry. Other industries besides farming were "cropping up," and the good year for Cape Girardeau was reflected in factory expansions, growth in dairying and roads, and the construction of more than 100 buildings, including Central High and Jefferson schools. A shortage of labor prevailed.

Attributes of honesty and fairness were promoted in advertising mottos, including "We deal in honor, service and Fords" by Ford Motor Company and "Good leather shoes at fair prices," used by International Shoe Co.

'Achievement' editions

These special newspaper editions were first dubbed "achievement" editions on Dec. 31, 1937. In 1938 their publication became an annual tradition.

By 1940 the content of these achievement editions began to standardize, including census information, monthly highlights of the year and new construction. Advertising still favored illustration and cartoons rather than photography, which was time-consuming and costly. Illustrations ranged from covered wagons, oxen-drawn plows and frontier towns, to planes, trains and skylines showing how far industry developments had come.

While Progress editions typically match the size of an average daily edition, the 1944 edition was rather thin, probably because of paper shortages from the war.

Photography in news and advertising pages slowly progressed in the next decade. By 1950, limited block color made its debut in the Progress edition, now priced at 15 cents. The city passed a population milestone of 20,000, and forecasts of challenges to improve residents' quality of life dominated the paper's content in the 1950s. Circulation figures for the newspaper jumped from 9,449 to 13,501 in 1950.

The Missourian had to find ways to keep up with the increased sales volume. Pages had to be produced faster, and improving quality was always a goal.

The duplex printing press of 1909 produced 6,000 copies per hour. By 2003 the newest press, a Dauphin Graphic Machine with increased capabilities for clarity and color, produced 35,000 papers per hour.

'Space race'

In the 1960s, Progress editions sold for 25 cents. Pages carried large headlines with bold type and small text and columns were clearly established to efficiently use every possible inch of newsprint.

The "space race" was apparent -- advertisers incorporated the theme into their campaigns using graphics of rocketships and artist's renderings of space to show consumers they were modern. Banks began offering drive-throughs, and well-planned subdivisions began cropping up, foreshadowing today's trends.

The size of the newspaper was reduced twice in the 1970s, and in 1979 the price of the Progress editions increased to 40 cents per copy. Bar graphs and photographs were dominant between the covers of the decade's Progress editions.

The 1980s had a more cosmopolitan look, evidenced with ads for personal computers priced at $1,000 and cable TV at $7.95 per month.

'Progress in Motion'

The sale of the Southeast Missourian to Bulletin Journal publisher Gary Rust in June 1986 resulted in a 1987 Progress edition with the theme "Progress in Motion." Increased circulation made for greater advertising potential with expanded coverage of local events, greater in-depth features and more color photos and graphics.

Progress editions in the 1990s included caricatures of prominent officials. Sewer and flood control needs were being addressed.

Enhanced curriculum and growth spurts in school enrollment led to expansion plans. Keeping up with the growing needs of an expanding community constantly challenged city officials.

Maintenance and replacement of county bridges, beautification of the city by volunteers and preservation projects by historical societies were growing concerns of local government and community organizations.

Average folks, their occupations and whatever defined their lives populated the 1991 "People in Progress." Surrounding towns, their statistics and opinions of residents living there were featured.

Bicentennial celebration

Cape's bicentennial celebration was the focus of 1993's Progress edition, a keepsake for residents.

In the 1990s, growth in business and industry was evidenced in full-page advertisements. Color photography was the rule rather than the exception.

Preparing for the turn of the century, the 1999 Progress edition was essential for those interested in history. Sepia-toned photos from decades past contrasted with new pictures to define the development of a community blessed with consistent growth.

Dramatic photos

Employment booms, commitments to community and volunteerism, and the emergence of the Internet as a tool for everyone, were conveyed in dramatic photos in Progress 2000. It was the last publication in large format.

In 2001, the daily paper's size went to an industry-standard 12 1/2 inches wide by 21 1/2 inches long.

Progress 2001, themed "Perspective 2001," included articles on what readers would like to see in a decade and offered a look at official future plans.

Jackson as a major contributor to Cape Girardeau County's growth was news in Progress 2002. The county's retail sales topped the billion-dollar mark two years consecutively, and it was time for a new high school in Cape Girardeau.

The sale of the Marquette Hotel was on everyone's lips and on the cover of 2003's Progress edition.

The effects of opening the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge were news in the 2004 Progress edition.

This year's publication celebrates the century the Southeast Missourian has been recording the community's growth.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133