Out of the past 1/23/05

25 years ago: Jan. 23, 1980

A disagreement over which school district portions of the sprawling Procter & Gamble Paper Products Co. plant are located in could lead to litigation involving the Nell Holcomb and Jackson school districts; the boards of education of both school districts met at Jackson Monday night with their attorneys to discuss the matter, but no settlement was reached.

Southeast Missouri State University has opened a new position of coordinator of veterans affairs, which will be filled by Elnora E. Tucker, a secretary at Southeast for the past 20 years.

50 years ago: Jan. 23, 1955

Members of Grace Methodist Church congregation, rallying to the call for $45,000 as the immediate goal in a $250,000 building program, contribute almost the full amount sought in the first day of a four-day whirlwind campaign.

Special honor was paid by the Cape Girardeau County Bar Association at a dinner-meeting last night to R.B. Oliver, who has been a lawyer 50 years.

75 years ago: Jan. 23, 1930

Enrollment for the second semester in the Teachers College approaches the 500 mark following the opening of registration yesterday; a number of students are enrolling this afternoon, and many more are expected during the week; 18 students from Will Mayfield College, which closed Monday until the summer term, enroll and others from that school are expected.

KENNETT, Mo. -- The threat of a sudden thaw that might send a new flood down the St. Francis River is seen as residents of the flooded section of Dunklin County take stock of the damage wrought by the breaking of levees at five sections in the county.

100 years ago: Jan. 23, 1905

For a short time around 1:30 p.m., the new Riverview Hotel is in danger of being consumed by flames; heavy, black smoke issues from the upper story, leading many to believe that the hotel, which was recently burned and renovated, was doomed again; blaze begins when a pot of tar is overturned, and damage is confined to the top floor.

W.W. Gyles is the new coal dealer in Cape Girardeau; he will move his family here from Tamaroa, Ill., as soon as he can find a house.

-- Sharon K. Sanders