Out of the past 5/22/11

25 years ago: May 22, 1986

Gov. John Ashcroft says he has requested President Reagan to declare five Southeast Missouri counties -- Cape Girardeau, Scott, Madison, Bollinger and New Madrid -- major disaster areas as a result of recent tornadoes, severe storms, high winds and torrential rains.

The Cape Girardeau City Council is considering adopting stricter development regulations in the aftermath of last week's flash flooding here; builders would be required to include retention ponds or other storm-water control devices in new developments.

50 years ago: May 22, 1961

"Operation Photo Story of Cape Girardeau" gets underway as photographers from all over the nation receive their assignments and begin taking the thousands of pictures of Cape Girardeau and its residents as part of the University of Missouri School of Journalism's annual Photo Workshop.

Finis Engleman, executive secretary of the American Association of School Administrators, is the keynote speaker for commencement exercises at State College; 272 graduates receive their diplomas.

75 years ago: May 22, 1936

Details of an improvement program that will make the Cape Girardeau plant of the Marquette Cement Manufacturing Co. one of the cleanest in the nation are made public; the program calls for construction of a monolithic concrete stack 350 feet high that has been started, as well as three new coal-pulverizing units to serve the kilns and a new stone-washing or stone-scrubbing plant.

Workers are replastering the walls and ceilings of the residence of May Greene, 324 Themis St., after which they will be papered; two windows have been built on the west side of the house.

100 years ago: May 22, 1911

Postmaster E.W. Flentge has received word from the post office department that postal savings bonds of denominations of $20, $50, $100 and larger that can be purchased with postal savings by depositors will be ready July 1 for distribution; the bonds bear 1 1/2 percent interest.

The ladies of the United Daughters of Confederacy give another of their delightful functions at the home of Mrs. W.T. Wilson on Lorimier Street, where the game 500 is enjoyed by a large number of guests.

-- Sharon K. Sanders