Out of the past 5/12/03

10 years ago: May 12, 1993

Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce membership is over 1,100 mark again, following one-day recruitment blitz yesterday that resulted in at least 78 new members.

Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played Rudi on NBC's comedy series "The Cosby Show," was guest yesterday at party for fifth-grade students from area schools; Pulliam, 14, who serves as spokesman and honorary president of Smoke-Free Class of 2000, encouraged students to hold fast to their oaths to eradicate cigarettes and tobacco products from their lives.

25 years ago: May 12, 1978

City manager W.G. Lawley told firefighters yesterday he is under instructions from city council to hold line on pay increases to no more than employee play plan authorizes; that desire, along with other factors, are cited as reasons for not honoring firefighters' full request.

Women will remain in their role as non-voting members of Trinity Lutheran Congregation as result of defeat of motion to allow them right of suffrage Thursday night at Voters' Assembly meeting; two-thirds majority would have been necessary to change bylaw.

50 years ago: May 12, 1953

Ordinance adopting plans, specifications and estimate of cost for construction of stormwater sewer in area through new high school tract and adjacent to it is expected to receive its final reading to be passed by city council at its meeting Monday.

Calliopes -- two of them -- and wild animals, including herd of African elephants in graduated sizes, are among main attractions of Diano Bros. Circus parade through Cape Girardeau's business section during noon hour; rather sparse crowd, still afraid of possible rain, forms thin line along streets to view first real circus parade in Cape Girardeau in several years.

75 years ago: May 12, 1928

Cape Girardeau Township special road commission this week secured final land for right of way to carry Highway 61 through township from end of concrete slab three miles south of Cape Girardeau to new bridge over Williams Creek on Cape-Jackson road, about seven miles west of town.

Dorothy Quarles and Hunter McKay won first places in annual oratorical and essay contests for members of Teachers College graduating class at college auditorium yesterday; there were four entrants in each contest; Quarles' essay was on "The Fantasy of Dunsany and Barrie."

-- Sharon K. Sanders