Out of the past 8/25/02

10 years ago: Aug. 25, 1992

Cape Girardeau Public School teachers report today for workshop in advance of opening classes on Thursday; summer vacation ended Monday for 887 students in Scott City, and school starts Wednesday for Jackson pupils; students at Notre Dame High School began classes this morning.

Friends of murder victim Sherry Scheper are offering reward for information leading to arrest of her killers; they say such arrest may help deter local drug activity; Scheper, 47, and her sons, Curtis, 22 and Randy, 17, were killed Aug. 9 in what police say were drug-related homicides.

25 years ago: Aug. 25, 1977

First-day attendance in Cape Girardeau Public Schools is down by 227 pupils compared to last year, with 4,556 pupils showing up for classes this morning; opening day is accompanied by usual amount of confusion - even tears by some kindergartners and first graders, torn by being left alone with strangers - as youngsters settle in.

Realities of predicted Southeast Missouri State University housing crunch strikes home this week as students settle into dorms and off-campus private living quarters, with at least 200 students unable to find a place to live; university officials are appealing to churches to help alleviate shortage of housing.

50 years ago: Aug. 25, 1952

Golden Troopers, competing in American Legion drum and bugle corps contests at New York City, finishes 16th in field of 26 and thus fails to qualify for finals to be held this evening; top 10 units in preliminaries qualify for finals; last year in national contests at Miami, Fla., Golden Troopers finished 13th in field of 21.

Cape Girardeau American Legion Mainliners depart in morning by chartered bus for Bloomington, Ill., where they will represent 8th District in national sectional baseball tournament starting tomorrow; estimated 300 people, plus streamlined Municipal Band, gathered at Frisco Depot to welcome four-state champs as they arrived from Altus, Okla., yesterday at noon; Capt. Walter Joe Ford emerged from coach first, carrying tournament trophy.

75 years ago: Aug. 25, 1927

Steps toward selection of management of new hospital being built in Cape Girardeau are being taken by board of directors of the corporation; at meeting this week physicians of Cape Girardeau, interested in new Southeast Missouri Hospital, organized for selection of equipment; Dr. D.H. Hope was made chief of staff and Dr. H.L. Cunningham, secretary; new hospital should be ready for use by Nov. 1.

Lieutenant James L. Daniels, native of Caruthersville and air pilot from Fort Riley, Kansas, is seriously injured when his plane crashes near Scotts Bluff, Neb.; both of Daniels' legs are broken in mishap, while companion, Sgt. R.L. Barlow, sustains internal injuries; men had been detailed to special duty of carrying mail to summer White House at Rapid City, S.D., and were engaged in this work at time of accident.

- Sharon K. Sanders