Out of the past: Jan. 27

1997

Twenty-five years of elaborate musical productions at Notre Dame High School inspired an elaborate thank-you yesterday to the woman who has directed those shows; drama and English teacher Cindy King was given a surprise party by more than 100 friends, students, former students and family members at the school gymnasium; she was seated in an easy chair at the foot of Notre Dame's stage, and a series of former students sang songs from some of the productions King has directed since 1973.

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education gets its first look at the proposed redrawn attendance areas for the city's elementary schools; the board tables until Feb. 24 a proposal that tries to balance racial inequities in addition to reducing six elementary schools to five; board members want to hear concerns and suggestions from residents about the plan.

1972

Freezing rain forces Cape Girardeau public schools to close in the morning, but only after many pupils had already arrived; this is the first time a situation like this has developed in recent years, says Vince Raddle, director of elementary education; he says the weather's "bad timing" is the chief cause for the late announcement of the school closing.

If Cape Girardeau is to preserve its heritage, a historical survey of the city must be given the first priority, Jerald S. Stepenoff, a research analyst for the State Park Board, and W. Phillip Cotton, a St. Louis architect and historian, who headed such a survey, said at a meeting in Cape Girardeau last night; the two met with a revised Historical Advisory Committee which is to study methods of preserving historical sites and landmarks here and give recommendations to the City Council.

1947

A delegation from the Cape Girardeau City Council and Board of Health, asking the County Court to help in establishing full-time milk inspection on a county-wide basis, is given a promise by Judge Albert C. Rau: "We'll take it under consideration"; however, there appears to be little chance of establishing any sort of public health agency at the present time because of what is described as an unexpected call upon county financial resources for the coming year.

Charles and William Brune, brothers and both veterans of World War II, open the Brune Dry Cleaners new plant at 220 N. Main St.; modern machinery in the line of boilers and dry cleaning equipment has been installed.

1922

Jesse A. McCullough, 43, formerly a merchant at Crump, near Whitewater, and a resident of this county until a year ago, was instantly killed yesterday when a train ran over him at New Franklin, near Columbia, Missouri; no details of the accident have been received; the body will be returned here for burial in the cemetery at Crump.

Cape Girardeau shippers and freight receivers are almost unanimous in the opinion that the reduction in freight rates, suggested by the Frisco Railroad, aren't sufficient, and that the movement for still lower rates is to continue; it is pointed out that the Frisco's tentative offer of a schedule for reduced rates into Cape Girardeau is only low enough to meet the rates over the Missouri Pacific at Jackson, including the truck charges for hauling the freight to this city.

-- Sharon K. Sanders