Out of the past 7/2/03

10 years ago: July 2, 1993

Under Missouri's new education law, Leopold and Altenburg school districts have two years to meet minimum guidelines or close their doors; but superintendents for both districts say schools easily will meet deadline for improvements; Leopold and Altenburg are among three dozen small, rural school districts that don't meet state's minimum standards under classification system that labels schools unclassified, AA and AAA.

Heavy rains that continue in Upper Mississippi River watershed north of St. Louis have forced National Weather Service to revise its flood crest at Cape Girardeau for third time this week.

25 years ago: July 2, 1978

The Rev. Michael McDevitt, associate pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral and teacher at Notre Dame High School, will take year's leave of absence from his duties, effective July 15; the Rev. Robert A. Landewe, who has served St. Henry's Catholic Church in Charleston, will become associate pastor at St. Mary's.

Desire to put Christianity into their teaching takes Guy and Vickie Fisher out of Kansas Public School system and brings them to Cape Girardeau and Bethel Christian School; Mr. Fischer will direct Accelerated Christian Education School and work with upper grades, while Mrs. Fisher will be working with two other teachers in lower grades.

50 years ago: July 2, 1953

C.W. Bauerle of Excelsior Furniture & Music Co. announces sale of retail furniture business at 533-37 Broadway by himself, his wife and Arthur R. Folsom to new company composed of local business men and headed by Dean McNeil; Bauerle's firm retains title to building, on which new company has signed long-term lease with options.

Health department is besieged by complaints about garbage that wasn't been picked up yesterday, day new law prohibiting feeding uncooked garbage to swine took effect; many people whose garbage had been picked up by private operators were left to shift for themselves.

75 years ago: July 2, 1928

Brick, made 74 years ago, was found by Harry Foster, young son of Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Foster; brick presumably came from walls of old house at corner of Fountain and Independence, which is being razed; brick bears inscription "Cape Girardeau, June 21, 1854," and also has inscribed on its side name "N.G. Cline"; house, owned by Juden estate, is being torn down following collapse of retaining wall on Independence street side.

Ellsinore, Mo. -- Still grasping shattered "stick" of his airplane and with packet of Houston Democratic convention pictures at his side, Leslie Smith, air mail pilot of St. Louis, was found dead with his wrecked plane on wooded hillside near here yesterday; plane was smashed to bits, fuselage and wings clinging to tree, motor and undercarriage having landed 50 feet beyond.

-- Sharon K. Sanders