Out of the past 2/23/03

10 years ago: Feb. 23, 1993

Children cheering snow-prompted vacation last week may not cheer for long; those days will be made up one way or another; for most it will mean shorter spring or Easter vacation, or later last day of school.

With approach of spring and warmer weather, officials at Trail of Tears State Park remind park visitors that abandoned rock quarry at north edge of park is closed and off limits to public; quarry was closed last year following series of accidents that resulted in serious injuries to people who fell from steep, vertical cliffs on walls of quarry.

25 years ago: Feb. 23, 1978

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Bradshaw Smith files on Republican ticket to retain position he has held since January 1977; Smith was appointed prosecutor by former Gov. Christopher S. Bond when A.J. Seier was elected 2nd District Circuit Court judge.

City of Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri State University officials have reached agreement for use of Arena Building by student organizations who wish to rent facility for off-campus social functions; new rules provide for closer supervision at functions primarily sponsored by fraternity and sorority groups.

50 years ago: Feb. 23, 1953

Construction of Greater Cape Girardeau Catholic High School is virtually assured when division chairman, submitting individual reports to rounds of applause, say that initial solicitation has netted $213,381.

Charleston -- Richard Rolwing, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Rolwing of Charleston Route 2, will be ordained a priest in Catholic church Saturday; the Most Rev. Joseph E. Ritter, archbishop of St. Louis, will officiate at ceremony in chapel of Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis; following ordination, Rolwing will return to his native Charleston to offer his first Solemn High Mass.

75 years ago: Feb. 23, 1928

Cold wave, sweeping out of Northwest, strikes Cape Girardeau and vicinity, sending mercury down to 25 degrees in afternoon, drop of 20 degrees in six hours; rain turns to sleet, then to snow, depth of which is recorded at .84 of inch at 2 p.m.; more snow and continued drop in temperature could send mercury down to 10 degrees tonight.

Controversy arose Wednesday in Jackson, when two plumbers arrived from Litchfield, Ill., to do some work on hotel; hotel is owned by R.D. Snerley of Litchfield, and workers came here at his instigation; as soon as they began work, local plumbers objected on grounds that Illinois plumbers don't have city licenses permitting them to ply their trade in Jackson; mayor was appealed to, and plumbers have halted their work until Snerley's arrival.

-- Sharon K. Sanders