Out of the past: June 15

1997

Lay ministers Jack and Carole Jo Byrd of Jackson are retiring from their assignments at Fairview and Gravel Hill United Methodist churches; Dr. David M. Stewart of Marble Hill, Missouri, has been assigned lay speaker for those churches; the Byrds have served the churches 19 years.

The Southeast Missourian will be the only newspaper in Missouri participating in the contest for the Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot Award; the contest is strictly for amateurs, but any photo taken since Jan. 1 is eligible; all residents of the Missouri counties of Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Scott, New Madrid, Perry, Stoddard and Madison, and the Illinois counties of Alexander, Pulaski and Union are eligible to enter.

1972

Cape Girardeau County attorney Jack L. Oliver is an incorporator of the not-for-profit Missouri Press-Bar Commission, formed by the state's news media, attorneys and court judges to promote the constitutional guarantees of a free press and a fair trail; the commission, incorporated yesterday at Jefferson City, succeeds the former Missouri Free Press-Fair Trial Commission.

Chances of a serious drought were dampened somewhat yesterday with the area's first rainfall in more than a week, and the largest amount of rain recorded for the whole month of June; at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport, .65 of an inch of rain was recorded, while at Jackson the rainfall was reported to be 1.19 inches.

1947

Foursquare Church in Cape Girardeau has purchased a 20-passenger bus from a city bus line in Kansas City, Missouri; it will be used to provide free transportation to Sunday school for children in and around Cape Girardeau; the Rev. D.J. Ballinger, pastor, purchased the bus Thursday and drove it here yesterday.

Dream Acres, a highly developed suburban tract on Cape Rock Drive, has been sold by George Kimbel to Dr. D.R. Seabaugh; the 21-acre tract, acquired by Kimbel, head of Kimbel Truck Lines Inc., several years ago, has one dwelling and three barns, as well as a small lake.

1922

Cape Girardeau Public Library, undated.G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive

In spite of the very warm weather, around 150 citizens turn out for the formal opening of the Cape Girardeau Public Library in the evening; the Cape Girardeau Central High School Orchestra, under the direction of Frieda Rieck, provides music for the occasion; punch and cake are served by Alma Schrader, a member of the library board who has charge of the evening's program; many children are present, anxious to get a chance at the many books in the library chosen just for their benefit.

Contract for construction of a new garage building by the Bell Telephone Co. here is let to Adam Halter, local contractor; his bid was $6,700; others bids were received by Gerhardt Construction Co., W.W. Taylor and Sons and Herman Pape; the building will be of brick and concrete and will be built on the back lot of the office of the company, Broadway and Ellis Street.

-- Sharon K. Sanders