Out of the past 5/28/06

25 years ago: May 28, 1981

The city of Cape Girardeau is cracking down on sewer tax delinquencies which city collector John M. Gilbert says amount to $90,000 to $100,000 and date in some cases as long as 10 years; for the first time, sewer users who have failed to pay their bills over an extended period are being summoned to municipal court on charges of violating city ordinances.

A wildcat strike by a number of union employees of the Florsheim Shoe Co. plant in Cape Girardeau enters its second day; pickets protesting the company's suspension of several employees appear at the plant early in the day, but picket lines are removed by mid-morning.

50 years ago: May 28, 1956

Edward L. Downs, an attorney, has been named general chairman of the $200,000 Osteopathic Hospital building campaign; Downs has been practicing law in Cape Girardeau since 1949, and has served as city attorney in the Ford and Greer administrations.

Cape Girardeau's corps of postmen will be host to the annual convention of the Missouri Association of Letter Carriers and its auxiliary, with an attendance of 250 persons expected; convention headquarters will be in the Marquette Hotel.

75 years ago: May 28, 1931

Thirty-one new uniforms are received by members of the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band; they are up to date in style and quite a departure from the old coats, caps and trousers; the new coats and caps are dark blue and have gold and yellow braid, the coats being double-breasted affairs with regulation collars.

A capacity crowd fills the auditorium of Academic Hall, as 134 Central High School graduates receive diplomas; commencement speaker is Julien N. Friant, Cape Girardeau civic leader.

100 years ago: May 28, 1906

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education reelects J. Will Pierce as principal of Lorimier School, but is unable to choose a new superintendent; the seven applicants for that post are Henry S. McLeary, J. Will Pierce and Arthur Bowman of Cape Girardeau, E. Beregan of Minnesota, Hugh B. Smith of Sikeston, Mo., V.M. Brewer of Willow Springs, Mo., and John I. Sample of Portico, Mo.

The baseball game between the Capahas and the St. Louis Mayfields yesterday was one to delight the home rooter; it went in his favor all the way, and only in the ninth inning were the visitors able to score a run; the final score was 15-1.

-- Sharon K. Sanders