Out of the past 5/30/08

25 years ago: May 30, 1983

Speaking to one of the largest crowds in recent years at a Memorial Day observance here, Col. Herbert Wickham III reminds his listeners of "the list of loss, injury and sacrifice which are woven into the fabric of this great nation"; Wickham, deputy commander of the 35th Engineer Brigade of the Missouri National Guard, speaks at the dedication of the new flag memorial at the Cape County Farm Park.

Members of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People mark Memorial Day with a march from Capaha Park to Common Pleas Courthouse park, where a rally is held.

50 years ago: May 30, 1958

When taps sounds at the conclusion of the Memorial Day service on the riverfront, there is more significance to it than closing the ceremony in honor of the war dead; it may also have marked the last time such services are held at the edge of the Mississippi River; construction of the high floodwall will likely prevent holding such an event in the future.

A capacity crowd overflows the seating space at the Jackson High School stadium for the third annual horse show sponsored by the Jackson Retail Merchants Association.

75 years ago: May 30, 1933

Elam Templeton, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Templeton, has written his folks about the first few days at Jefferson Barracks, as he and other youths from Southeast Missouri prepare for the conservation corps; he says life so far isn't unpleasant, except that vaccinations of various sorts are coming thick and fast.

Flames flare up from an oil stove in the kitchen of the dwelling of Marj Miles, 123 S. Park Ave., to end a 23-day fireless period in Cape Girardeau.

100 years ago: May 30, 1908

Decoration Day. City and county offices, the post office, banks and all other places are closed for the holiday.

The decoration services are well attended, and the exercises are fine; the Ladies Auxiliary provides a great quantity of flowers to decorate graves, and the old veterans, the Sons of Veterans and many school children march to the old cemetery on the hill behind a band and pay their devotion to the departed comrades; Robert M. Sawyer of Jackson is the main speaker.

— Sharon K. Sanders