Out of the past 4/9/08

25 years ago: April 9, 1983

The Mississippi River creeps up to 41.19 feet in the morning; the Coast Guard has issued a "slow traffic" order on the river, forcing barges to proceed at a lower speed in order to create smaller wakes.

About 200 firefighters gather at Jackson for the Southeast Missouri Annual Regional Fire School; classes are offered in principles of firefighting, pumping operation, rural water supplies, flammable liquid emergencies and vehicle fire suppression.

50 years ago: April 9, 1958

Missouri's first two-year school of nursing, integrated with the regular curriculum, will open at State College next fall; Helen E. Kinney, until recently director of the Department of Public Health Nursing, Missouri Division of Health, will be the director.

Missouri Utilities Co. will place dirt from the new gas main excavation on Broadway to the north side of the trench and haul away concrete as it is broken; this will provide additional surface for movement of vehicles, sufficient to allow parking on the south side of the street and still maintain two-way traffic.

75 years ago: April 9, 1933

Lillian Milde and daughter Gretchen of Jackson motor to Osceola, Ark.; they find traffic congestion near the state line comparable to that on U.S. 61 near St. Louis on a Sunday afternoon; automobiles bearing Arkansas and Tennessee plates come into Missouri by the hundreds, the occupants bent on finding a place were beer is being sold.

Twenty-two people are confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church during Palm Sunday services; two others in the class — Lorene Haman and Gladys Mauer — will have to wait until they have recovered from measles.

100 years ago: April 9, 1908

The I.E. Burroughs grocery has been sold to Claude Winningham and Emil Teichman; the old Schwepker Boston Stores passes into their hands in the morning, a cash deal having been made; Burroughs will retire from business.

The board of education at Appleton, Mo., last week ordered the closing of the black school there because the average daily attendance didn't come up to state requirements.

— Sharon K. Sanders