Out of the past 9/8/11

25 years ago: Sept. 8, 1986

The 131st annual SEMO District Fair opens with the traditional parade down Broadway and out to the fairgrounds at Arena Park; admission is $2, and children younger than 12 years old are admitted free.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission presents the deed for a 21.34-acre tract of land currently in the county park system to the state of Missouri as the site of a veterans nursing home; receiving the deed on behalf of the governor is Richard Rice, director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

50 years ago: Sept. 8, 1961

About 300 students preregister at State College to officially mark opening of enrollment for the fall semester, but the main group of students won't begin enrolling until Monday; more than 3,000 students are expected to attend the college, and school officials say that figure could go higher.

The largest plane to ever use Municipal Airport -- a C-119 flying boxcar -- landed here this week; it was a Mississippi Air National Guard plane from Jackson, Miss., and transported an engine for a C-47; the latter craft was owned by the Alabama Air National Guard and landed earlier in the week when one of its engines was disabled.

75 years ago: Sept. 8, 1936

Thirty more pupils enroll in Cape Girardeau public schools today than were on hand the opening day a year ago; there are 2,871 in classes today.

With the crowning of Dema Parker of Sikeston, Mo., as queen last night before a crowd estimated at from 7,500 to 12,000, the 17th annual Jackson Homecomers celebration got away to a record-breaking start.

100 years ago: Sept. 8, 1911

Two work crews are being kept busy, one loading the cars and the other unloading and spreading the dirt along the river, as the Frisco makes the big fill to straighten out its tracks; the work will continue until the fill has been extended far out into the curve of the river.

The Sikeston (Mo.) Standard newspaper issues its first edition; the publication is owned by the Naeter Brothers of Cape Girardeau.

-- Sharon K. Sanders