Out of the past 5/8/07

25 years ago: May 8, 1982

Old St. Vincent's Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Clemson University president Bill L. Atchley delivered the commencement address at the 108th annual spring commencement of Southeast Missouri State University; he admonished the graduating class of more than 900 to "tackle the world with a positive attitude" and with an "innovative spirit."

50 years ago: May 8, 1957

Reduction of the personnel of the Naval Reserve Division at Cape Girar-deau on July 1 has been ordered, and unless the unit is brought up to required standards, it will be abolished at the end of the coming fiscal year.

THEBES, Ill. -- Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the old post office building at 1:30 a.m.; the building was owned by A.T. Smith and was more than 50 years old; it had been occupied by the post office and a barber shop owned by Pat Patterson until the first of this year; it was formerly occupied by the Bank of Thebes.

75 years ago: May 8, 1932

Mother's Day was observed at several Cape Girardeau churches; a musical program was featured for the observance at First Presbyterian Church, with Dr. J.H. Ruff singing "Mother O' Mine."

Ray Casson and Frank Martini of Chicago were forced by approaching darkness to make a landing near Jackson with their airplane last night; unfortunately, they chose a plowed field on the Walter Knox farm, and when they tried to take off this morning, their ship failed to pick up speed in the plowed ground and finally turned over.

100 years ago: May 8, 1907

In the last election, the Democrats gobbled up all the city offices in Jackson; at the first meeting of the new city council, all the Republicans were excused from further municipal duty except one, and it is said that no available man could be found for his place; Fred Kies is the only Republican member of the Jackson council.

Hugh Logan, manager of Cape Girar-deau's shirt factory, is receiving the thanks of members of the baseball team for making their uniforms free of charge.

-- Sharon K. Sanders