Out of the past 4/1/06

25 years ago: April 1, 1981

Despite its observation that the Cape Girardeau Police Department has made "substantial improvement in such areas as organization, training and performance," a report summarizing a probe into the department also pointed to a number of problem areas; copies of a 200-plus page final report from the Public Administration Service of Chicago were delivered yesterday and distributed among the city council and the press at the council's study session that evening.

Montgomery Ward, which has operated a retail store at its present location at Main and Independence streets since 1933, will close the store on Dec. 24.

50 years ago: April 1, 1956

The Cape Girardeau County Lutheran Churches, Missouri Synod, sponsor two Easter sunrise services, one at the Star Vue Drive-in Theater on U.S. 61 north of Cape Girardeau and the other at the Park View Drive-in Theater at Jackson; speaking at the Cape Girardeau service is the Rev. Walter F. Wolbrecht, secretary of higher education, St. Louis; guest speaker at the Jackson service is Dr. M. H. Scharlemann, professor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

The First Church of God holds an Easter sunrise service at Cape Rock, beginning at 6 a.m.; speaker is Lucille King, a member of the Youth Group.

75 years ago: April 1, 1931

Unless further objection is made, plans to build a gasoline filling station on a Broadway lot, just east of West Broadway School, will proceed; the city council, by its action Monday, removed all legal barriers to construction of filling stations on Broadway between Pacific and Park.

Joseph Gelven, 78, who helped establish the first greenhouse in Cape Girardeau 19 years ago, dies at his home in Springfield, Mo., after an illness of several months; his death follows that of his wife, who was 77 years old, by five days; Joseph Gelven came here in 1911 with his family from Sedalia, Mo., and, assisted by his son, Charles, established the Gelven Greenhouse at Pacific and William streets; they later sold the business to John Knaup.

100 years ago: April 1, 1906

The Rev. August Wilder, lately of Indiana, is installed as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau; he takes the place recently vacated by the Rev. Henry Lobeck.

The Rev. W. Schultz of St. Louis occupies the pulpit at the German Methodist church; Schultz was pastor of the local congregation 32 years ago and was then widely known in Cape Girardeau.

- Sharon K. Sanders