Out of the past 12/20/2008

25 years ago: Dec. 20, 1983

Unseasonably cold arctic air maintains its grip on the area, sending the thermometer to an overnight low of 2 degrees; the dusting of snow that fell yesterday in Cape Girardeau caused no real problems.

Longtime Jackson School Board member Bertha Hoffmeister, 75, has become the first person to file for one of two positions up for election on the board.

50 years ago: Dec. 20, 1958

Cape Girardeau's most unusual Christmas gift comes to light; 22 young men at State College, members of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, have each given a pint of blood to be administered to some needy person in coming months.

Not being content with burglarizing the establishment, thieves wreck Hobbs Grill, 418 Broadway; the burglars steal $75 in cash, plus 15 to 18 large steaks from the deep freeze; before departing, they break a case of eggs — about 30 dozen — over the kitchen floor, and scatter about butter containers, pickles and individual creamers.

75 years ago: Dec. 20, 1933

Two Cape Girardeau women have been approved for employment under the Federal Emergency Relief program; Grace Dalton goes to Ste. Genevieve, Mo., today to take charge of home economics work in that county, and Mrs. Oscar Findley will do similar work in Cape Girardeau County.

A minimum of butchered pork is being sold in Cape Girardeau by farmers; in fact, no fresh pork has been sold here by farmer-butchers within the last two weeks, possibly because of the government processing tax, which the man who does the slaughtering and selling is required to pay.

100 years ago: Dec. 20, 1908

The Rev. Schultz, for a long time connected with St. Vincent's College in collegiate and administrative capacities, is to leave the college and take up residence at St. Louis, serving St. Vincent's Parish there; the Rev. Lane has arrived to take his place.

Charles Maneese, a prominent farmer living near McClure, Ill., discovered, upon arising Friday morning, that during the night his barn had been destroyed by fire; he lost four fine horses, 1,600 bushels of corn, a lot of hay, a wagon, his harness and a lot of farming tools.

— Sharon K. Sanders