Out of the past: Jan. 30

1994

Southeast Missouri State University students can graduate without ever taking American history; that concerns some of the university's history professors; but Southeast officials say while it's possible to graduate without having taken American history as a course, all students are exposed to various aspects of American history in the school's University Studies or general education curriculum.

Black History Month is kicked off in Cape Girardeau with "The Church the Foundation of the Community" program at St. James AME Church in the evening.

1969

A thoroughly water-logged Cape Girardeau looks at more dark skies as residents and city workers start the cleanup from the heaviest single-day rainfall here in two and one-half years; the downpour yesterday, which varied from heavy to light but rarely stopped, measured 2.81 inches at the airport; another 1.03 inches falls through the early hours today.

Despite yesterday's inclement weather, around 2,000 people turned out for the annual Kiwanis Club Chili Day at the Arena Building; proceeds from the event will be used for youth activities, including play equipment for parks and the "Learn to Swim" program.

1944

Army Air Forces primary flight training program at Harris Field will be suspended upon the completion of the training class of cadets now at the field, about March 14; official notice of this was received yesterday by Fulton M. Moore, vice president and general manager of the Cape Institute of Aeronatics Inc., operator of the field; the order similarly affects the Army's training program at Parks Air College in East St. Louis, Illinois, and McBride Field in Perry County, Missouri.

Members of Grace Methodist Church approved definite plans at a congregational meeting to retire the church building indebtedness by Thanksgiving Day.

1919

C.D. Mann, bridge engineer for the State Highway Commission, after inspecting the drainage ditches where they cut the Rock Levee Road south of Cape Girardeau, told commissioners for the Cape Special Road District yesterday that the most feasible plan for a temporary crossing would be a suspension bridge; such a bridge could be put in for about $6,000 and would serve until a permanent span can be built.

At the regular meeting of the city board of health, Health Officer Charles Stone makes his monthly report, showing there had been a total of 1,842 cases of influenza in Cape Girardeau since Oct. 7, the day the first case was placed under quarantine.

-- Sharon K. Sanders