Out of the past: Feb. 10

1994

Southeast Missouri State University will eliminate summer commencement for undergraduates beginning in 1995; university officials plan to implement a scaled-down ceremony for graduate students.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle announced yesterday he will seek re-election to a third term this year; the 38-year-old Republican announced his re-election bid at the sheriff's office before a group of 53 people.

1969

Gene Penzel, chief engineer for the Cape Special Road District, says littering is worse on the roads and highways adjoining Cape Girardeau than at any time in his memory; because of the mess left on its roadways by some residents of the city, the road district board posts a $250 reward for apprehension and conviction of those responsible.

R.W. Williams, who has been manager of the downstairs store at Buckner-Ragsdale Co. nearly 40 years, dies at a local hospital at age 78; he had been with the company 51 years.

1944

While exact figures aren't available, subsidy payments for production of milk in Cape Girardeau County have amounted to approximately $12,000 since October; more milk producers are applying for the subsidy all the time, with 850 separate applications having been turned in to the AAA office in Jackson.

A contingent of 115 members of the Navy V-12 Training Unit, completing work at State College, is scheduled to leave shortly and another contingent, composed of 150 men, is to arrive simultaneously; those leaving will go to various other posts to continue their work; all of the incoming troops will be college freshmen.

1919

The fight for and against the bill in the Legislature to amend the drainage law so it will be the unquestioned duty of drainage ditches to build bridges over the established highways they cut is raging; it is said no bill now before the Legislature has such strong opposition.

The Kempe family of Cape Girardeau was made happy Saturday afternoon by a cablegram from Alvin Kempe, who had not been heard from for more than six months; the cablegram was sent from Le Mans, France, and stated young Kempe was enjoying good health.

-- Sharon K. Sanders