Out of the past 12/17/09

25 years ago: Dec. 17, 1984

A living Nativity scene, sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Tourism Council, is presented in the evening at the Arena Building; the program will be presented again through Wednesday, with area churches and organizations participating.

Eighth District Rep. Bill Emerson, at a meeting of the Cape Girardeau Ministerial Alliance, describes the plight of the Ethiopian people, who are facing a drought and massive food shortages; Emerson was part of a recent congressional tour of the African nation.

50 years ago: Dec. 17, 1959

Carl Ritter sank two free throws with two minutes left to play to break a 49-49 tie and give the State College Indians a 51-49 victory over the Southeastern Oklahoma Savages of Durant last night at Houck Field House.

Hearing dates have been set in early January by the State Banking Board for appeals by two groups seeking a charter to open a third bank in Cape Girardeau; applications for charters filed by Cape State Bank, which seeks to transfer here the Bank of Gordonville, and for the Bank of Cape Girardeau were rejected last Aug. 15.

75 years ago: Dec. 17, 1934

Saturday was the most successful day for retail business in Cape Girardeau since pre-Depression times and far exceeded last year's holiday sales; the merchants had anticipated big business this year, but not the crowd that jammed stores Saturday.

Christmas carols will be sung Wednesday and Thursday nights around the large Christmas tree in Courthouse Park, under the auspices of the Ministerial Alliance; 100 pupils from Washington School will sing the first night, and 50 May Greene School students will perform the second.

100 years ago: Dec. 17, 1909

Word is received of the death Dec. 10 of William H. Wheeler at Los Angeles; for many years Wheeler was a resident of Cape Girardeau; he was the first auditor of the first railroad running out of Cape Girardeau, holding that position on Louis Houck's line.

The new front of the Phillips & McBride garage on Broadway, next door to The Republican office, is being installed, the plate glass windows having arrived today.

-- Sharon K. Sanders