Out of the past: Aug. 29

1998

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit against the Woodland School District accusing it of violating a student's right to freedom of speech; Brandon Beussink, 16, of Marble Hill, Missouri, contacted the ACLU in February after he received a 10-day suspension for creating a home page on the World Wide Web that criticized the district.

An overloaded power line arced and snapped just before 8 last night, sending sparks into the air and delaying the schedule of spotlight entertainment on the main stage at the City of Roses Music Festival; Ameren UE workers restored power within a half hour, and the show went on; the first night of the festival served up local musical talent, such as Diana Weaver, a piano performance major at Southeast Missouri State University, and the Paul Thompson Duo.

1973

In attendance at Cape Girardeau's public schools Tuesday were 5,022 pupils, 95 more than reported for classes on opening day Monday; an official count for classification purposes will be taken Sept. 10; classes continue to be held in temporary quarters at Grace United Methodist Church, Red Star Baptist Church and Hawthorn School, where pupils enrolled in schools under renovation were assigned until the remodeling work is at a point where they can be returned to their proper buildings.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Cairo's only hospital has been rescued from its financial troubles and will be kept open by the Pulaski-Alexander Development Corp. (PADCO); under an agreement approved Monday night by the corporation's directors, St. Mary's Hospital of Cairo, Inc., will merge with the development group, leaving PADCO as the surviving corporation; operated by the Sisters of the Holy Cross since Civil War days, the facility was $600,000 in debt and was near folding.

1948

Peter Solomon, native of India, makes a return visit to Cape Girardeau and is guest speaker at the morning worship service at First Christian Church; Solomon was born at Damoh, Central Province, India, in 1914 and baptized at a Disciples of Christ Mission there by a native evangelist; he worked as an evangelist in his native land from 1932 until he came to the United States to complete his education.

Capt. Henry W. Leyhe, 79, who like his brother, Capt. William H. "Buck" Leyhe, was almost part of Cape Girardeau due to ownership of the Eagle Packet Co., dies in St. Louis of a heart condition; not in Cape Girardeau as often as his brother, who was master of many of the boats of the Eagle company, Henry Leyhe, however, was here on many occasions and had acquaintance here and in other Mississippi River towns.

1923

One hundred and seventy pupils enrolled in the freshman class of Cape Girardeau Central High School during registration yesterday, and a number of others are to do the same today; included in this number are boys and girls from the Missouri towns of Lutesville, Glen Allen, Benton, Neelys Landing, Commerce, Egypt Mills, Dutchtown, Jackson, Flat River and other adjoining towns.

Hides valued at $10,000, believed to have been ruined in the fire that swept the Houck building on Independence Street at midnight Monday, may not be as badly damaged as first supposed, according to Jake Pollack, one of the members of the Pollack Brothers firm; a three-month supply of hides had been stored in the basement of the building.

-- Sharon K. Sanders