Out of the past 8/26/03

10 years ago: Aug. 26, 1993

Because of temperatures that soar past 90-degree mark, first day of classes at Cape Girardeau Public Schools are cut short; elementary students are dismissed at 11:30 a.m. and secondary students at noon; with mercury rising to 95 degrees, feel-like temperatures in city classrooms are around 103 degrees.

Cape Girardeau City Council voted Wednesday to place on April 5 ballot two measures that would fund nearly $19 million in sewer improvements; voters will decide whether to fund sewer work by extending quarter-cent capital improvements tax through year 2020.

25 years ago: Aug. 26, 1978

Signs of drought unlike any which have been experienced in area in many years are becoming visible and have farmers worrying about possibility of drastic yield reductions at harvest time; lack of rain, coupled with scorching temperatures and unbearably high humidity readings are taking their worst toll on soybean crop, although other crops are also ailing.

Employees at Superior Electric Co. will return to work Monday after being idle 12 days; three-year contract was accepted and ratified by majority of 500 members of International Brotherhood of Electrical workers yesterday; vote was 279 for to 168 against.

50 years ago: Aug. 26, 1953

Congregation of Grace Methodist Church last night approved purchase of tract of ground between Caruthers and Cordelia avenue and lying 125 feet south of Broadway as site for future construction of new church; price was $14,000; tract covers major area of section bought two weeks ago by Dixie Contractors for school district.

In line with other colleges throughout country, State College is expecting increased enrollment, not only based on growing number of Korean War veterans but on highest number of high school graduates last year in history; about 50 Korean veterans were at college last spring and these will return, for most part.

75 years ago: Aug. 26, 1928

Last of outdoor union services for summer is held at Courthouse Park; speaker is Lydia Kies of Jackson, returned missionary from Jackson; Kies spent six years in India, having been sent out by Evangelical church.

Approximately 1,000 members of 140th Infantry, Missouri National Guard, return to their homes in Southeast Missouri after spending two weeks at annual encampment at Camp Clark in Nevada, Mo.; high honors came to regiment; Sgt. Maj. Herbert Wickham was one of three men picked as expert rifleman at camp; other two honored were Sgt. Myran Latimer of Marston and A.D. Sheppard of Doniphan.

-- Sharon K. Sanders