Out of the past 5/16/12

25 years ago: May 16, 1987

With the Show Me Center rapidly nearing completion, plans for its formal dedication and a series of special events surrounding a grand opening are being put together for August.

The train in Arena Park will soon bear the nickname of Jim Johnson's great-grandfather, Virgil "Hoppy" Hopkins; the name was chosen from more than 1,200 entries; Hopkins worked on the train when it was in operation at Marquette Cement.

50 years ago: May 16, 1962

The sale of the L.A. Tucker Truck Lines Inc. is announced by the owner and president, H.G. Schmitz; the buyers are Harry Messmer and Charles N. Harris of Cape Girardeau and Walter Schmidt, a former Girardean who now heads the line's Memphis division.

The Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. will begin this week to install a new underground duct line from the 800 block of Broadway to Caruthers Avenue to meet the expanding demand for service in the developing sections of the city.

75 years ago: May 16, 1937

Candidates for degrees from Teachers College and for graduates of College High School hold their baccalaureate exercises in Academic Hall in the morning; guest speaker is Dr. John McIvor, pastor of Second Presbyterian Church of St. Louis.

Dr. R.H. Daugherty, pastor of Centenary Methodist Church, delivers the sermon at the annual Central High School baccalaureate in the evening in the auditorium of Academic Hall.

100 years ago: May 16, 1912

The Naval Reserve training ship Isle de Luzon is traveling up the Mississippi River to St. Louis; it left Caruthersville, Mo., last night and will likely reach Cape Girardeau tomorrow evening or Saturday morning; the length of its stay at Cape Girardeau will depend upon the stage of the river north of here.

The appointment of E.W. Flentge to succeed himself as postmaster of Cape Girardeau has been confirmed by the Senate.

-- Sharon K. Sanders