Out of the past 5/20/11

25 years ago: May 20, 1986

While residents who suffered damages from Thursday's flash flooding may obtain cleanup assistance from the Red Cross and Salvation Army, businesses are cleaning up alone; at least one business has opted to clear out of the flood zone; Lon Maxey, chief executive officer of General Sign Co., 39 N. Broadview St., says he plans to relocate.

Melvin Gateley, immediate past president of the Missouri State Teachers Association and principal of Schultz School for 21 years, will retire effective June 30.

50 years ago: May 20, 1961

A technical legal defect has been found in the ordinance incorporating a cooperation agreement between the Cape Girardeau City Council and the local public housing authority, calling into question the legality of the ordinance; the council will go to court to determine if the defect is serious enough to void the ordinance.

Two former students of State College will be recognized at Monday's commencement exercises; the Alumni Association Awards of Merit will be presented to Rush H. Limbaugh, Cape Girardeau lawyer, and Dr. A.C. Ivy, head of the Department of Clinical Science, University of Illinois.

75 years ago: May 20, 1936

President Roscoe Pulliam of Southern Illinois Normal University at Carbondale, Ill., delivers the annual commencement address to graduates of State College; the new college head spends more than an hour discussing the social order of the world.

The city of Cape Girardeau is planning to purchase material from the former J.H. Himmelberger dwelling on Bellevue Street to place a hardwood floor in the east room at police headquarters, used as an office.

100 years ago: May 20, 1911

The Frisco places a gang of 10 men to work at the foot of William Street in the morning, excavating in front of the mouth of the large sewer which empties into the river at that point; by noon they have a large, oblong section of dirt removed and are making steady progress toward the river; a concrete sewer will be built to carry the sewage from the pipes to the river.

Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Cummins of South Spanish Street leave for Milwaukee to attend the Storekeepers National Convention.

-- Sharon K. Sanders