Out of the past 3/30/07

25 years ago: March 30, 1982

Maybe it was due to the Oscars, or the NCAA basketball championship, but for whatever reason, not a single person showed up last night for a public forum on Cape Girardeau County's reassessment program at the Jackson courthouse; the program was called off when it became apparent the only audience would have been two reporters.

Students from area schools begin arriving for the start of the Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair, and the ballroom of the University Center at Southeast Missouri State University is soon a hub of activity.

50 years ago: March 30, 1957

Elvis Presley drove through Jackson late yesterday in a new black Cadillac, and not a teenage girl knew about it until he was rolling on north through the hills of Highway 61; in another car were members of his band; they were on their way from Memphis, Tenn., to St. Louis.

Moderate election interest has been built up in some Southeast Missouri communities for Tuesday, but many voters apparently will slumber through the election; the only statewide issue is a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution, which would raise the pay and mileage money for state representatives and senators.

75 years ago: March 30, 1932

The Lions Club Easter egg hunt is again postponed because of inclement weather; weather permitting, youngsters will hunt the brightly colored eggs Friday at Sunset Terrace.

Bonds and interest coupons totaling $14,411.25 will be burned when the Cape Girardeau Board of Education meets within the next few days; under provisions of the law, these must be burned before witnesses, and a record sent to the state auditor.

100 years ago: March 30, 1907

The Rev. Schultz goes down to Chaffee, Mo., in the afternoon to hold Easter services there tomorrow; a Catholic church will soon be built in Chaffee.

The Ely & Walker Shirt Co., in a full-page advertisement in The Daily Republican, advertises for girls to work at the local plant; the ad promises applicants a "nice, clean factory" in which to labor, with evenings and Sundays off; also, according to the ad, girls with just a few weeks' experience can earn at least $4 per week.

-- Sharon K. Sanders