Out of the past 5/22/07

25 years ago: May 22, 1982

Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. in Cape Girardeau, recently acquired from Gulf and Western Industries by Lone Star Industries Inc., will continue to be headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., and will maintain its corporate identity, functions and personnel.

The president of the Ozark Society's Mississippi Valley chapter, Bob Strong of Cape Girardeau, will testify in Washington next week before House and Senate subcommittees about a proposal to set aside 17,500 acres in Southeast Missouri as a federal wilderness area.

50 years ago: May 22, 1957

Tornadoes swirled around the Cape Girardeau area yesterday, doing some damage but bringing no loss of life; one tornado dipped into the Byrds Creek settlement, 5 miles west of Jackson, damaging farm homes; another came to earth near Lutesville, Mo., causing some property damage; a third was observed in the skies north of Cape Girardeau.

Commencement exercises are conducted for the graduating class of College High School at the State College auditorium; diplomas are presented to 27 graduates.

75 years ago: May 22, 1932

Baccalaureate exercises for the graduates of the Teachers College are held at Academic Hall auditorium; Dr. Joseph A, Serena, president of the college, as is his annual custom, delivers the sermon.

A joint memorial service is held in the evening at Grace Methodist Episcopal Church by patriotic and fraternal organizatins of Cape Girardeau; the principal speaker is the Rev. J.W. Ellis, pastor of the church, who discusses "Silent Memories."

100 years ago: May 22, 1907

The Rev. France V. Nugent, formerly president of St. Vincent's College at Cape Girardeau, was perhaps fatally injured yesterday at Austin, Ill., a suburb in the west end of Chicago; Nugent was crossing the track when an elevated train struck him and dragged him 50 feet before it could be stopped.

The 35th annual commencement exercises of the Third District Normal School are held in the morning at the school's auditorium; the commencement address is delivered by the Rev. Henry S. Bradley, D.D., pastor of St. John's M.E. Church in St. Louis.

-- Sharon K. Sanders