Out of the past 3/29/06

25 years ago: March 29, 1981

APPLE CREEK, Mo. -- A groundbreaking ceremony is held after the 9 a.m. Mass for a new St. Joseph Catholic School here; the new school will be 100 feet by 60 feet, with four classrooms, a kitchen and a cafeteria; it will be on the site of the old school, which was destroyed by fire in December 1979.

An estimated 1,000 people brave the rainy weather to attend the open house at Cape Girardeau Fire Department's new station at Sprigg and Independence streets.

50 years ago: March 29, 1956

The Lions Club served flapjacks to 3,301 people during its annual Pancake Day yesterday, topping last year's total of 2,650; proceeds from the event are used to purchase milk for the city's school children, as well as promote Scouting and recreational activities.

Special Maundy Thursday services are held in a number of churches in the evening; communion services are held at Centenary and Grace Methodist churches, and at Trinity Lutheran and First Presbyterian churches; Holy Thursday Masses are celebrated at all three Catholic churches in Cape Girardeau.

75 years ago: March 29, 1931

The first anniversary of the dedication of Christ Evangelical Church, which was erected a year ago, is celebrated with a reunion service for all members and friends of the congregation in the evening; tomorrow afternoon, the Ladies Aid of the church will give a birthday tea.

The Rev. A.H. Beardsley assumes his duties as new rector of Christ Episcopal Church; he moved to Cape Girardeau last week with his family from Xenia, Ohio, where he had been in charge of a congregation; he succeeds the Rev. Carl D. Lathrop, who resigned to take a position with a church in Fort Smith, Ark.

100 years ago: March 29, 1906

For over two weeks, not a railroad car of coal has been received in Cape Girardeau; the Normal School has run out of coal and is burning wood; both the street car company and the water and light company have adequate supplies, but it is the private families who are suffering the worst in Cape Girardeau; many are without fuel and are falling back on wood-burning stoves.

In the evening, the wives of the locomotive engineers meet at the Masonic Hall and form an auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; president of the group is Mrs. N.H. Carle.

- Sharon K. Sanders