Out of the past 5/29/07

25 years ago: May 29, 1982

About 450 high school seniors donned caps and gowns in Cape Girardeau last night and were officially proclaimed graduates during commencement ceremonies for Cape Girardeau Central and Notre Dame schools; there were 343 graduating students at Central and 98 at Notre Dame.

Cape Girardeau County's total assessed valuation, excluding railroad and utility assessments, is expected to jump almost $13 million this year over last.

50 years ago: May 29, 1957

A retaining wall, built to hold back tons of earth in a fill on the northwest corner of the new National Guard Armory in Arena Park, gave way unexpectedly yesterday and fell against a brick wall of the building.

In a third try, voters in the tri-city area of Illmo, Fornfelt and Ancell approve one proposition and turn down another in a special school election; a tax levy of 55 cents on the $100 assessed valuation for a period of one year is approved; defeated is a measure which would have given the school board power to work out an agreement with companies whereby they could buy now and pay later, as taxes come in 1958, 1959 and 1960.

75 years ago: May 29, 1932

The Rev. Charles H. Morton, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, observes the 30th anniversary of his ministry; he has been in Cape Girardeau for 12 years.

A large number of persons join in the formal Memorial Day exercises in the afternoon in Cape Girardeau; the program begins with a band concert at Courthouse Park and ends at Old Lorimier Cemetery, where a number of soldiers are buried.

100 years ago: May 29, 1907

The new office building of the Himmelberger-Harrison Lumber Co. at Broadway and Fountain Street in Cape Girardeau is progressing rapidly and will probably be ready for occupancy about Sept. 1.

C.M. Buckner and W.B. Ragsdale, the gentlemen who have bought the E.W. Flentge & Co. stock of goods, are in Cape Girardeau invoicing the stock; while these men have no experience in the dry goods business, they brought with them Roy Noell, who owns a large store at Paris, Mo.

-- Sharon K. Sanders