Out of the past 10/22/01

10 years ago: Oct. 22, 1991

Since Cape Girardeau Federal Building now has full-time U.S. magistrate, full security screening of people entering building has been implemented; screening has been used occasionally in building during some criminal trials, but now it is every-day occurrence; anyone entering building, must use front door and must pass through metal detector; also, all bags are searched.

For first time in over six years, motorists soon will be able to cross Juden Creek on East Cape Rock Drive near Highway 177; new, one-lane bridge over creek, which runs near Twin Trees Park, is scheduled to open sometime next week.

25 years ago: Oct. 22, 1976

Grounds around Central High School will never look the same again; Central High School pupils begin phase one of extensive campus improvement project, planting two Bradford ornamental pear trees in island between building walkways; landscape plan, under direction of horticulture class instructor Sonny O. Mosely, will give now-barren grounds a real face lift.

Harry W. "Hap" Gaines, who spent his early years in Cape Girardeau and Farmington and has been retired for several years as official of Veterans Administration, visits old friends in Cape Girardeau; resident of Des Moines, Iowa, past 38 years, he makes occasional visits back to area.

50 years ago: Oct. 22, 1951

Old Highway 61, and badly worn bridge over Diversion Channel, are closed to through traffic, but plans are in making for reconditioning of stretch from Municipal Airport to old Highway 74 intersection; M.S. Gwinn, division highway engineer, says department has no timetable for program, but that when funds are available, work will be pushed.

Harry C. Blanton of Sikeston is elected president of Southeast Missouri Council of Boy Scouts, and three men are presented Silver Beaver Awards at meeting of council at Student Memorial Building on State College campus; honored are Elmer Abernathy and Harry B. Newman of Cape Girardeau and Maurice Parkin of Fredericktown.

75 years ago: Oct. 22, 1926

Sixteen hundred and eighty-five teachers of Southeast Missouri are enrolled as second session of annual meeting of Teachers Association gets under way at college; with many others not yet enrolled, it is predicted that registration will pass record mark of 1,735 set last year.

Engineers who will guide construction of $1,600,000 traffic bridge across Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau confer with city officials and members of bridge committee regarding approach to bridge along Morgan Oak Street.

- Sharon K. Sanders