Out of the past: July 31

1996

Cape Girardeau teachers received an average 3.5% raise yesterday when the Board of Education approved a salary schedule for the 1996-97 school year; the Community Teachers Association had unanimously approved the salary package earlier in the day.

Tomorrow will be christening day for the new Dorena-Hickman Ferry -- The Dorena -- which will run between Hickman, Kentucky, and a landing near Dorena, Missouri; the boat is a 40-foot vessel, 13 feet wide, powered by a pair of 250-horsepower John Deere engines, and includes the latest safety equipment: radar, radio and other communications and safety lighting.

1971

Another stimulus for working faster to complete plans for the new St. Francis medical center came to hospital officials yesterday, when they learned a $335,539 federal grant has been approved for a vocational rehabilitation department in the proposed facility; groundbreaking for the new hospital at Gordonville and Mount Auburn roads is anticipated in 1972.

Southern Express, a trucking firm owned and operated by Harvey Henry and which has its headquarters here, has moved into new and permanent quarters, a building on South Kingshighway purchased from Burton J. Gerhardt; the structure was originally built for Bi-State Equipment, which suspended local operations a couple years back.

1946

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- The grim search for bodies continues as a Coast Guard marine board of inquiry presses deeper into the causes of the tragic barge train-ferryboat collision which brought death to at least 11 persons Sunday night; two additional bodies were recovered yesterday.

Catalogs of the SEMO District Fair are delivered by the printer and will be available at once, say fair officials; Dizzy Dean, whose grammar has reputedly come under fire by an organization of teachers, has been invited to spend a day at the fair and announce events on the afternoon and evening program; the former major league pitcher, whose broadcasting of ball games is as unique as his hurling used to be brilliant, resides in St. Louis.

1921

Cape Girardeau and vicinity experience the worst windstorm of the season, the gale doing much damage to trees and badly crippling the telephone, telegraph and electric services; in Cape Girardeau there are about 150 telephones put out of commission, and many more are rendered useless in the county.

Jean Dale pitches phenomenal baseball, yielding only one hit in nine innings and getting perfect support from his teammates; the Capahas defeat the visiting Murphysboro, Illinois, club 7-0 at Fairground Park; only 27 batsmen face Dale, the smallest number possible in a regulation nine-inning game.

-- Sharon K. Sanders