Out of the past 10/12/04

25 years ago: Oct. 12, 1979

The cloud hanging over the future of laboratory schools at four state universities darkened yesterday when Southeast Missouri State University officials learned that although the state Coordinating Board of Higher Education plans to approve full funding for facilities next year, new 1981-1982 recommendations call for no funding at all.

Norman H. Weiss, executive director of the Cape Girardeau County Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service at Jackson for 26 years, was given the "Friend of the Farmer" award last night at the 66th annual Cape Girar-deau County Farm Bureau dinner.

50 years ago: Oct. 12, 1954

An effort by city officials to work out an agreement in the controversy revolving around the resignation of Kenneth Cruse as chief of police meets with failure at morning meeting, but the door remains open for further negotiations.

A group of nine government agriculture officials from Germany and Yugoslavia, led by Joe C. Caldwell, former Scott County agent, tours Central Packing Co. as a part of its study in Missouri.

75 years ago: Oct. 12, 1929

Bids for construction of the first unit of the Teachers College Stadium at Houck Field will be received Nov. 4, and a contract is expected to be let soon afterward, says president Joseph A. Serena; the first unit, to be erected on the south side of the field, will seat about 7,500 people and will cost nearly $40,000.

About 1,500 people assembled on the courthouse square in Jackson last night to listen to the colorful dedicatory program of the municipal band pavilion.

100 years ago: Oct. 12, 1904

Attendance at the fair yesterday, the first day, was three times as large as last year, and the crowd today is twice as large as on the second day of last year; all the attractions are going full blast, and it takes several hours to get from one end of them to the other, that is if you stop to hear what each spieler has to say.

About 4 p.m., while Nebraska Bill is giving an exhibition of fancy rifle shooting in front of his show on the fairgrounds, his rifle discharges prematurely and injures man.

-- Sharon K. Sanders