Out of the past 12/16/01

10 years ago: Dec. 16, 1991

Altenburg -- In times of economic trouble for schools across state, tiny Altenburg Public School is paying cash for new building addition; Supt. Richard Hoffman says 77-student district has been saving money for past six years to build new structure, expected to cost about $120,000; at recent school board meeting, board selected architect Anthony Sebek of Cape Girardeau to design building.

Cairo, Ill. -- Construction of 20,000-square-foot "mega-clinic" is ahead of schedule; new medical clinic, which will house outpatient surgery, dental clinic and emergency room, is about 30 days ahead of schedule; it is located on five-acre plot near Interstate 57/Route 3 intersection north of Cairo.

25 years ago: Dec. 16, 1976

Councilman Bradshaw Smith delivered what probably was his swan song to City Council last night in statement that was prelude to his resignation; "Most likely I will resign as a City Councilman prior to your next meeting," he told council, noting he had been advised in legal opinion by city attorney, Thomas M. Utterback, that it wasn't possible to remain on council and be county's prosecuting attorney; Smith has served on council 5 1/2 years.

Advance -- Vandals recently entered Advance Elementary School and caused some damage; liquid detergent was scattered over floor and obscenities were written in crayon on walls and chalk boards.

50 years ago: Dec. 16, 1951

Board of Education has formally designated old Broadway School as storage place for materials and equipment to be used in construction of new high school, ruling out its use as teen-age recreation center; committee of members from several organizations had sought to convert building for that purpose.

Benton -- Only four walls and blackened shell of belfry remain of Methodist church, destroyed by afternoon fire yesterday that left this county seat of 550 people without a church building; firemen from Benton, Oran and Cape Girardeau departments fought blaze and kept it from spreading; fire is second church blaze here in three-year period; about three years ago St. Denis parish lost its building in fire that was equally destructive.

75 years ago: Dec. 16, 1926

Committee from Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce visited Illinois yesterday and was given assurance by leaders there that they will cooperate in improving roads leading from McClure and Anna to Illinois approach of new river traffic bridge.

Cape Girardeau Teachers College's hope for appropriation for new athletic building receives setback; Dr. Joseph A. Serena, president of college, returns from Jefferson City, where he was called, with other heads of state educational institutions, to confer with commission; he was told by commission that budget of $556,000 asked by college would, in commission's recommendation to legislature, be reduced to $382,500, thereby eliminating athletic building.

-- Sharon K. Sanders