Out of the past 11/16/01

10 years ago: Nov. 16, 1991

New mail-processing center opens in Cape Girardeau, putting its mark on more automated way of doing business; postal center is housed in 37,604-square-foot building in Cape West Industrial Park, leased from Drury Development Corp.

Unlike year ago, day brings with it no tremor of earthquake prediction to throw off annual Boy Scouts of America's "Scouting for Food" effort; area Boy, Cub and Explorer Scouts turn out in chilly, drizzly weather to collect bags of canned and boxed goods from homes as part of national food-collection effort for needy; locally, scouts collect about 11,000 units of food.

25 years ago: Nov. 16, 1976

Before crowd of about 250 people, Dorothy Benham, Miss America 1976, officially opens first Schnucks-Walgreens store, a "one of a kind" supermarket and drugstore at 19 S. Kingshighway; Schnucks-Walgreens is partnership formed in April 1976, and store here is first of its type.

James R. Stricker, administrator of Southeast Missouri Hospital for almost 10 years, submits his resignation, effective tomorrow, to Board of Trustees; board follows Stricker's announcement with appointment of O.D. Niswonger as his successor; Niswonger has been associate administrator in recent years and has been on hospital administrative staff since 1961.

50 years ago: Nov. 16, 1951

Preliminaries of 1951 State College homecoming program are placed under way with registration and coffee at Memorial Hall; events will move into full swing this evening with play and organizational parties; tomorrow will be packed with activities, including annual parade down Broadway and football game against Salukis of Southern Illinois University of Carbondale.

Benton - It took over only 25 minutes to sell 312-acre, 84-year-old County Farm two miles east of here on auction block Wednesday; successful bidders were Harrel and Glenda Brock of Charleston, who offered $37,750; county will place five residents of farm in local nursing homes.

75 years ago: Nov. 16, 1926

New $55,000 annex to May Greene School, constructed to give additional school facilities to children on south side, will be formally opened to public at "house-warming" on Thursday afternoon and night; this day was selected because it was just five years before to the day that May Greene School was formally dedicated.

Several Girardeans travel to Charleston to inspect new high school building which was placed in service at beginning of present school year; Supt. J.H. Harty, and other members of faculty, hold open house; school is two-story brick, without a basement.- Sharon K. Sanders