Out of the past 7/8/03

10 years ago: July 8, 1993

Missouri National Guard's 1140th Engineer Battalion in Cape Girardeau has been placed on alert and its Company D at Farmington activated to assist flood-fighting along Mississippi River; in addition, U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson is trying to corral assistance -- from President Clinton, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy and Gov. Mel Carnahan -- to help victims of Midwest's current flooding.

Carl Ben Bidewell of Poplar Bluff, whose term on Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents expired recently, has been named development liaison for Harry L. Crisp Bootheel Education Center in Malden.

25 years ago: July 8, 1978

Marble Hill, Mo. -- Only licensed day care center in Bollinger County opened its doors yesterday for open house before beginning regular hours on Monday; Children's World Day Care Center in Marble Hill was initiated by Youth Community Conservation Improvement Program contract, administered by East Missouri Action Agency's Manpower Program.

Number of developers have individually approached city councilmen to express concern about Clean Water commission's refusal to grant permits for operation of private sewer lift stations or sewage treatment facilities.

50 years ago: July 8, 1953

Wooden Indian -- not of cigar store variety -- has been delivered to Southeast Missouri State College, where it will be displayed as mascot; six-foot, seven-inch hand-carved model is intended to symbolize college's athletic teams, the "Indians"; art was created by wood carver Lenart Johanson, native of Sweden, who now lives in Minneapolis, Minn.

Field trip to Frank Milde farm near Jackson is on tap for this afternoon for Conservation Education Workshop, being held this week; workshop, attended by more than 150 teachers at State College, is sponsored jointly by college and Missouri Conservation Federation.

75 years ago: July 8, 1928

Climax of dedication services for First Baptist Church are reached with observance of "Homecoming Day"; good crowd attends both morning and evening services and about 800 persons are seated in new auditorium for baptismal service.

First of series of union worship services sponsored by churches of Cape Girardeau is held in evening at Courthouse Park; the Rev. W.O. Schulze, pastor of Grace Methodist Church, preaches on "Liberty Still Calls"; providing music for service is quartet composed of F.W. Wagner, W.J. McBride, E.L. Happel, and William Krueger, from Grace Church.

-- Sharon K. Sanders