Out of the past 2/24/05

25 years ago: Feb. 24, 1980

Thirty-two boys receive Boy Scouting's highest honor, when the Southeast Missouri Council holds its 20th annual Eagle Scout Court of Honor at Academic Hall.

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Fire destroys the Terry Arnold family home here in the evening; the blaze, which officials say starts as the result of an electrical short, levels the home.

50 years ago: Feb. 24, 1955

PARMA, Mo. -- A mystery surrounds the disappearance of B.J. Harris, 27, the Parma high school principal; nothing has been heard from Harris for four days; he gave the superintendent of schools no notice that he might be away any extra period when he left Parma Friday when school was out for the weekend.

The two second-floor jail sections of the Cape Girardeau police headquarters are undergoing a face-lift; Leo Miller, pound officer and janitor, and O.B. Wilson, the city painter, are doing the work in their spare time, with any prisoner who happens to be in custody.

75 years ago: Feb. 24, 1930

Purchase of the Cape Girardeau Milk Co., 426 S. Middle St., by the Mid-West Dairy Products Co., of DuQuoin, Ill., also the owner of the I. Ben Miller Ice Cream Co., 25 S. Spanish St., is announced by officials of the Mid-West Co.

Congressman Dewey J. Short files his declaration to seek the Republican nomination for reelection as congressman from the 14th District.

100 years ago: Feb. 24, 1905

The Elks gave another of their popular entertainment shows last night; this time it was a euchre, after which the tables were cleared away, and the company danced until a late hour.

Several new members were taken into the Commercial Club last night at its regular meeting; welcomed into the club were G.M. Drum, merchant; J.F. Beggs, contractor; M.C. Byers, Frisco engineer, and B.C. Hardesty, lawyer.

-- Sharon K. Sanders