Out of the past: Dec. 17

1993

Organizers for Toybox have issued an urgent plea for toys; the final tally of applications revealed 70 families more than expected, and volunteers have exhausted the supply of toys already donated.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Clarence Carnell, 66, a resident of Dutchtown, worked long hours and stayed up many nights to coordinate the efforts of hundreds of volunteers -- including National Guardsmen -- who filled sandbags and built a wall to hold back the flood of '93 at Dutchtown; yesterday, he was one of 48 Missourians honored by Gov. Mel Carnahan and Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson for their summer of courage and compassion in fighting the Mississippi River flood.

1968

By noon tomorrow -- and possibly sooner -- Cape Girardeau will have in operation a fully-equipped vehicle to provide emergency ambulance service and to the City of Jackson and Cape Girardeau County; it will be manned around the clock by special shifts of Cape Girardeau firemen with advanced first-aid training; likewise, the Jackson City Council last night directed that city police use police cars for ambulances; the two towns and the county have been unable to come to terms on a contract with the Cape County Private Ambulance Service; as a consequence, the service stopped emergency runs on public roadways at 5 p.m. yesterday.

Entertainment was provided by Bob Crosby, brother of Bing Crosby, and his Bobcat Band, followed by dancing, at the annual Christmas dinner and party of the Cape Girardeau Rotary Club last night at the Purple Crackle Club in East Cape Girardeau, Illinois.

1943

The War and Navy departments announce two Southeast Missouri men are missing in action; Seaman Thomas E. Streeter of near Sikeston, Missouri, and Pfc. Lester King of near Allenville are both missing, the latter in the Mediterranean area.

In view of the prevalence of colds and influenza among pupils and teachers, it is decided to dismiss Cape Girardeau's public schools until after Christmas and New Year's; classes will resume Jan. 2; 699 pupils are absent from school because of illness, as well as 10 teachers.

1918

The war is over at Southeast Missouri Normal School so far as the Student Army Training Corps is concerned; members of the military unit are busy putting Albert Barracks on a peace footing, and it will once more officially be known as Albert Hall, men's dormitory.

Mayor H.H. Haas requests The Missourian issue another appeal in fighting the influenza epidemic; "Tell the people that unless we have better assistance from those who have influenza or have been exposed to it, we will have to put on a ban that will clear the streets entirely of people," the mayor says; there have been 10 deaths here in the past seven days.

-- Sharon K. Sanders