Out of the past 3/20/11

25 years ago: March 20, 1986

After a month of some sunny, springlike days, the first "official" day of spring arrives with a gust of cold air and scattered snow flurries.

The Mississippi State men's basketball program ended several weeks of rumors last night when it named former assistant Richard Williams as its new head coach; Southeast Missouri State Indians coach Ron Shumate had been listed among the last five finalists for the Division I job in Starkville, Miss.

50 years ago: March 20, 1961

Delmar Cobble of Cape Girardeau, supervisor of schools in a 10-county area of Southeast Missouri, has been named to succeed George B. John when he retires as director of school laws and administrative finance after 30 years with the Department of Education; Mr. and Mrs. Cobble will move to Jefferson City in July.

The new Cape State Bank opens its doors for business in Cape Girardeau for the first time in the morning, after crowds thronged its new quarters on Kingshighway yesterday afternoon during an open house.

75 years ago: March 20, 1936

William R. Sullivan says he will be forced to sever his connection with baseball in Cape Girardeau this season because of the state of his health; the leader of the Capahas for the past six years expects to spend part of the summer in Arizona; his decision leaves up in the air the question of Cape Girardeau's anticipated participation in the Kitty League, a franchise in which Sullivan has already secured.

The Cape Girardeau County chapter of the American Red Cross is collecting money to aid the flood sufferers of Pennsylvania and West Virginia; some 38,000 families in the flooded areas are in distress and need food, shelter and medical attention.

100 years ago: March 20, 1911

Dr. G.B. Schulz, the well-known physician of Cape Girardeau, has been appointed a member of the state board of health by the governor; it's a term of four years.

Louis Houck believes rice can be grown in Cape Girardeau County; in consequence he is sending his farm superintendent, Pres Hopper, to Stuttgardt, Ark., to study the cultivation of rice in the big fields there.

-- Sharon K. Sanders