Out of the past 11/8/02

10 years ago: Nov. 8, 1992

With recent news that Florsheim Shoe Co. will close its Anna, Ill., plant, comes word that Interco's restructuring plan also affects shoe workers in Cape Girardeau; Interco plans to close small Florsheim facility on Nash Road in Cape Girardeau; however, second Florsheim plant in Cape Girardeau will expand its work force.

The Rev. Greg Lee Molitoris is guest speaker at Hanover Lutheran Church Mission Festival; his sermon title is "Fired Up for Missions"; Molitoris, native of new York, grew up in St. Louis; earlier this year he accepted call as associate director of Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod's China Coordinating Center in Hong Kong.

25 years ago: Nov. 8, 1977

Mrs. Vernice Baumstark has been designated "Auxilian of the Year" by Missouri Hospital Association; Baumstark, longtime leader in auxiliary at St. Francis Medical Center, was also elected district director of Missouri Association of Hospital Auxiliaries, one of 13 health-related organizations.

David Wilkerson, founder of Teen Challenge and author of "The Cross and the Switchblade," spoke before large, enthusiastic crowd at Arena Building last night; more than 3,000 people from towns as far as tip of Bootheel and mid-central Illinois came in church buses and automobiles to hear Wilkerson, possibly largest crowd ever assembled in Arena Building.

50 years ago: Nov. 8, 1952

Unprecedented vote cast in Cape Girardeau in Tuesday's presidential election again brought forth, more forcefully than ever, need for alteration in municipal ward lines to ease burden on both voters and judges and clerks who conduct voting; in Wards 4 and 9, always largest in city, record vote was cast Tuesday; more voters cast their ballots in each of wards than had ever before voted in them.

Possibility that gymnasium unit of new Central High School can be placed under construction in January and completed by time classroom section is opened next September is held forth in twelfth monthly report of progress submitted to school board.

75 years ago: Nov. 8, 1927

Cape Girardeau's campaign to secure another railway is under way with renewed vigor, following last night's mass meeting at Common Pleas Courthouse; city hopes to raise $60,000 right-of-way fund to secure Missouri Pacific Railroad line; employees of number of firms, including Roth Tobacco Co., The Missourian Publishing Co., and The Missourian Printing Co., inaugurate movement to give one day's wages to railway fund.

Twelfth District Baptist Fellowship Conference opens in morning at First Baptist Church with 150 delegates in attendance from six associations in district; district is composed of Black River, Charleston, Cape Girardeau, St. Francois, New Madrid and Stoddard associations.

- Sharon K. Sanders