Out of the past 10/18/10

25 years ago: Oct. 18, 1985

Dr. John T. Crowe, a longtime Cape Girardeau physician, received the annual Friends of Saint Francis Honorary Award at the Friends' banquet last night; Crowe recently retired from his medical practice.

The New Orleans, a diesel-powered vessel, completes its 10th excursion with a Cape Girardeau to St. Louis leg of a cruise that originated in New Orleans on Oct. 12; the new riverboat is piloted by Don Crowder, a Cape Girardeau native and a resident of Jackson.

50 years ago: Oct. 18, 1960

Design of a new road along the west side of Trail of Tears State Park is nearing completion and procurance of right of way should begin in another week or two.

A comprehensive plan for the expansion of the Cape Girardeau public school system was presented to the school board this week; the plan calls for construction of a new junior high school, conversion of the old junior high to a seventh grade center, the addition of six classrooms each to Jefferson and Alma Schrader schools, and the acquisition of sites for future elementary schools.

75 years ago: Oct. 18, 1935

Southeast Missouri teachers prepare to close their 60th annual meeting in Cape Girardeau, the final program to be this evening in the auditorium of State Teachers College; it is estimated there are 1,500 teachers in attendance.

Jackson hasn't had a fire in nine months, according to fire chief Charles Steck; this is a most remarkable record for a town the size of Jackson.

100 years ago: Oct. 18, 1910

The city dads showed their gallantry last night when they voted to put in a vitrified brick street crossing at Broadway and Ellis Street, for the convenience of the "hello" girls; the new general office and exchange for the Cape Bell Telephone Co. is on that corner in a stone building; as a large number of young ladies are employed by the company, it is the desire of the city council to make conditions as pleasant as possible for them.

The Water and Light Co. is busy installing water and gas mains on South Pacific Street; Woods Bros., contractors, are rushing the macadamizing of that thoroughfare.

-- Sharon K. Sanders