Out of the past 12/2/01

10 years ago: Dec. 2, 1991

Many Cape Girardeau residents irate over recent changes in city's solid waste service should be pleased they won't have to endure $5 fee for collection of discarded Christmas Trees after holiday; City Council nixes plan to charge for pickup; instead, council votes to provide service free, provided residents call in tree-collection requests.

Cape Girardeau City Council votes to forward proposals for use of city's tourism fund revenue to Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Board for recommendations; council voted Oct. 21 to solicit proposals for use of funds, which now are used almost exclusively to fund city's Convention and Visitors Bureau and retire debt on bond issue used to help build Show Me Center.

25 years ago: Dec. 2, 1976

Southeast Missouri State University purchases former St. Francis Hospital for $150,000 and plans to convert facility into student housing beginning with spring term in January; purchase, which includes all furnishings and equipment which St. Francis didn't move to its new facility on Gordonville Road, is completed at morning meeting of university's Board of Regents.

About 350 guests attended yesterday's opening of Southeast Missouri State University Museum in museum's new quarters in Memorial Hall; reaction to museum, which includes large gallery with sampling of Louis Houck collection of statuary and valuable Thomas Beckwith Collection of Mound Builder Indian pottery, is one of overwhelming enthusiasm.

50 years ago: Dec. 2, 1951

Woman's Day is observed at First Christian Church, where Christian Women's Fellowship is in charge of morning worship service; Mrs. Felix E. Snider directs program, assisted by Mrs. Frank Wilfinger, who plays organ; Mary Arnell Farris, vocalist; Mrs. Harold Austin, who leads Scripture response, and others of Fellowship group.

Call to become pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church has been accepted by the Rev. Wilbert C. Koenig, now pastor of Holy Cross Church at Saginaw, Mich.; he will succeed the late Rev. F.H. Melzer, who died Oct. 21 after having served church nearly 32 years.

75 years ago: Dec. 2, 1926

Gate receipts of Cape County Fair during annual exhibition latter part of September and early part of October were almost $10,000, report of Treasurer Herman Bremermann shows; total revenue derived from sale of tickets to fair was $9,859.10, while other receipts brought total to $17,344.41.

Morehouse - Burglars open vault and safe of Morehouse Trust Co. with acetylene blow torch and escape with $8,500 in cash and liberty bonds valued at $2,500; Harry I. Himmelberger of Cape Girardeau is president of bank.

- Sharon K. Sanders