Out of the past 3/26/06

25 years ago: March 26, 1981

Work could begin as early as next week on the $600,000-plus addition to the North Hall of Science at Southeast Missouri State University, Dr. A.R. Meyer, Southeast's vice president for administrative services, tells the school's board of regents; North Hall now houses the university's mathematics department, but with completion of the addition, it will also house computer science courses.

Cape Girardeau Civic Center Inc., at its annual meeting, hires a part-time, interim director of activities; William I. Thompson is an instructor in social work at Southeast Missouri State University.

50 years ago: March 26, 1956

James Sheppard, 80, of Jackson, perishes in an early morning fire that destroys his three-room frame dwelling on Cherry Street; when firefighters arrive at 2 a.m., they find the house in flames and are unable to enter the building for Sheppard; Sheppard is survived by six sisters.

Raymond H. Vogel of Cape Girardeau, former prosecuting attorney of Cape Girardeau Council, says he will file on the Republican ticket for the state legislature; the post is now held by Dr. A.C. Magill, a Democrat, who doesn't expect to run again and has filed for county judge.

75 years ago: March 26, 1931

Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce workers add $1,730 to the first day's total of their reorganization campaign, and the total for the drive now stands at $6,612.

Postmaster H.H. Haas reports that Charles Rafferty of St. Louis, Mo., has been given the contract for painting the exterior of the Cape Girardeau federal building; the contract figure was $208.

100 years ago: March 26, 1906

A landslide occurs in the morning on the Frisco Railroad near Seventy-Six, Mo., in Perry County; it takes nearly three hours to clean off the dirt.

Mrs. Catherine Maria Frielinghaus, formerly Miss Unnerstall, died yesterday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Knaup on South Pacific Street; she was 78 years old; the funeral will be held tomorrow at St. Mary's Catholic Church, with interment at the Old City Cemetery.

-- Sharon K. Sanders