Out of the past 5/1/12

25 years ago: May 1, 1987

An early morning two-alarm fire destroys a landmark business building at 503 Maple St.; the two-story brick building had most recently been used by Cletus Winchester, who operated a motor vehicle transmission overhaul and repair shop there.

Despite bids much higher than estimates, the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents has approved a contract with Kiefner Brothers Construction Co. to build a 13,000-square-foot, three-story addition to its nursing building.

50 years ago: May 1, 1962

The fringe of a major storm front that roared through the Midwest overnight caught the Cape Girardeau area, but little local damage was reported; Cape Girardeau had wind gusts of about 40 miles per hour before midnight.

State College and residents of the Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Malden, Mo., areas have taken steps to begin what may be a permanent junior college extension program in that area; 164 people are enrolled in the morning in English, algebra and American history classes.

75 years ago: May 1, 1937

For the second time in two nights, a heavy rain and hailstorm swept Cape Girardeau last night, again flooding the streets and sending streams in the area out of their banks.

The Superior Oil Co. holds a formal opening for its new super-service gasoline filling station and "lubritory" at Morgan Oak and South Sprigg streets; manager of the station is Irvin Hanny, and his assistants are Russel Lewis and Herb Dennis.

100 years ago: May 1, 1912

The Cape Girardeau School Board last night raised the salaries of its teachers; all grade teachers in Jefferson, Broadway, Washington and Lorimier schools now will receive $50 monthly; the eighth-grade instructors will get $55; grade teachers at Lincoln School will get $40 instead of $35, and the principal of that school will receive $70 in place of $65; the principal of Washington School will receive $60, Broadway $75, and Jefferson and Lorimier principals $70 and $83, respectively.

Rush Limbaugh, who recently won the inter-Normal School oratorical contest here, leaves for Emporia, Kan., where he will represent Missouri in the interstate oratorical competition.

-- Sharon K. Sanders