Out of the past 3/18/03

10 years ago: March 18, 1993

Cape Girardeau lawyer Don Dickerson and St. Louis newspaper editor Patricia Washington were named to board of regents of Southeast Missouri State University yesterday by Gov. Mel Carnahan; both are graduates of the university, however, their graduation dates were three decades apart.

Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Committee has decided not to sponsor series of three informational programs to discuss riverboat gambling prior to issue being voted upon here in June; CVB a month ago approved motion to present three informational meetings at cost not to exceed $1,500.

25 years ago: March 18, 1978

Quick response of city police officer and another man earlier in week to elderly man who had fallen on railroad tracks by Mississippi River at foot of Broadway prevented what could have been tragedy; patrolman Norval M. Friese and passerby, Cecil Owens of Cape Girardeau, lifted W.C. Northcutt from tracks moments before oncoming train reached spot where Northcutt had fallen.

Recent ruling by Missouri Supreme court may have settled issue of whether state university must collect city taxes on goods sold on campus within city limits; court ruled that Central Missouri State University is exempt from paying Warrensburg city sales taxes.

50 years ago: March 18, 1953

Acting swiftly to meet emergency created by early-morning fire that seriously damaged John S. Cobb School for Negro children, school board last night ordered transfer of Jefferson School as a unit to larger May Greene School and use of Jefferson building as Negro elementary school; Negro high school will be established in gymnasium of Cobb School, adjunct of main building that was undamaged by fire.

In snappy uniforms and totin' their band instruments, high school pupils arrive by hundreds in morning, and by 1 p.m. all seven participating bands had checked in at Arena Building, site of spring band festival of northern section of Southeast Missouri High School Band Association; after rehearsals and clinics throughout afternoon, gala band concert is held in evening.

75 years ago: March 18, 1928

Dr. W.C. Ferguson, president of Will Mayfield College at Marble Hill, preaches at morning and evenings services at First Baptist Church; for several years Ferguson has been actively engaged in educational and religious work in Missouri, and for three years he has been president of junior college school, the only denominational school of its type in this section of state.

The Rev. A.A. Malloy, pastor of St. Vincent's Catholic Church, who is delivering series of Lenten sermons on Sunday and Wednesday evenings, uses as his subject in evening "St. Patrick."

-- Sharon K. Sanders