Out of the past 5/23/02

10 years ago: May 23, 1992

Less than eight years after performing before 340 people at Southeast Missouri State University, comedian Jay Leno will take center stage Monday night as new host of "The Tonight Show"; Leno performed at Academic Hall on Nov. 13, 1984; he was paid $3,400, university records show.

Seven Southeast Missouri State University faculty members retired at end of spring semester; they are Richard Blankenship of elementary and secondary education department; Daniel McNair, physical education; Joan McPherson, health and leisure; Max Cordonnier, English; E. Otha Wingo, foreign language; Harley Rutledge, physics, and Robert Parkinson, earth sciences.

25 years ago: May 23, 1977

Rain - which has been in short supply this spring - paid return visit here yesterday, but for Cape Girardeau and most of area it was too little, very brief and extremely spotty; rains were concentrated south of Cape Girardeau County, although there were very short periods of intense showers in parts of city and county.

New city attorney for Cape Girardeau has been hired and will assume duties June 1, replacing Thomas M. Utterback, who has been city's legal adviser for past four years; Robert C. Fick of Maryland Heights has been selected for position; Utterback has resigned to take U.S. government job with attorney general's office in Virgin Islands.

50 years ago: May 23, 1952

Of 67 parking meter citations on file at police station, 43 are owed by eight people, police say; each of eight has failed to pay three or more parking tickets; 17 citations await payment by one individual; two others owe five fines each; police say as ordinance now stands, there is no penalty for delay in paying parking meter fines, nor does penalty increase for repeated violations.

Graduation exercises were held last night at State College auditorium for Central High School's 1952 class of 145 boys and girls; they received their diplomas from Dr. A.C. Magill, president of school board and main speaker.

75 years ago: May 23, 1927

Marble Hill - What officers describe as complete liquor still, operated by steam boiler, was seized in raid near Stoddard County line, near Advance, Saturday by Sheriff Sam A. Baker and posse; still, according to officers, was located in swamp, surrounded by water and mud, and almost inaccessible; between 1,000 and 1,200 gallons of mash were destroyed, and still was dismantled and brought here in motor truck.

School board hires teachers to fill vacancies which will occur in Cape Girardeau Public Schools; Normal Proffer is new head of mathematics department at Central High School; Eloise Lamb will teach advanced work in one of new schools; Marie Kinder will teach in lower grades; and Conchita Farquhar will also fill one of vacancies in lower grades.

- Sharon K. Sanders