Out of the past 3/21/03

10 years ago: March 21, 1993

St. Mary's Cathedral is sponsoring Parish Mission as part of its 125th anniversary celebration; mission began yesterday and will continue through Thursday; Arnold Solomon, permanent deacon from Diocese of Houston, Texas, is leading parish in this spiritual exercise.

Cape Girardeau police had busy year in 1992; fewer than 60 officers responded to 31,081 incidents last year, not counting traffic stops, motorist assists and warrant service; that is nearly 5,000 more calls than they responded to in 1991.

25 years ago: March 21, 1978

Pressure is growing in efforts to persuade Missouri State Highway Department to perform major repair work on section of old Highway 61 between Nash Road and Scott City; private industry has joined cities of Illmo and Scott City in their attempts to improve stretch of highway which was abandoned by state when Interstate 55 was completed.

Seven metal cylinders of what is commonly known as "laughing gas" were reported stolen Monday from outdoor shed at Southeast Missouri Hospital; hospital authorities, saying cylinders of nitrous oxide may have been stolen for purposes of drug intoxication, are concerned because of risk of asphyxiation from sniffing the gas.

50 years ago: March 21, 1952

Jefferson School pupils will make their move as school unit to May Greene School Monday, and John S. Cobb elementary pupils, who have been without quarters since fire destroyed Negro school, will transfer to Jefferson Tuesday; Cobb High School will also resume classes Tuesday in school's gymnasium, where movable partitions have been placed to divide classes.

Hard rain in afternoon, falling on ground soaked by similar thunderstorm last night, floods Cape Girardeau streets in usual places and pushes small streams and creeks to bank-full or higher levels.

75 years ago: March 21, 1928

Prospects are more favorable that Congress will be asked to pass upon flood-control bill which includes both major points Southeast Missourians have sought to incorporate in measure -- extension of flood-control plan to Cape Girardeau instead of Cairo, Ill. -- and assumption of total cost by federal government.

The Rev. George Ellyson of Denver, Colo., is selected as pastor of First Baptist Church by unanimous vote of congregation; Ellyson says he will go from Wellsville, where he is conducting revival, to Denver next week, where he will confer with his wife and make his decision.

-- Sharon K. Sanders