Out of the past: March 18

1999

More than 20 years after the death of Leroy Mason, longtime director of Southeast Missouri State University's Golden Eagles Marching Band, a university scholarship named for Mason isn't fully endowed; Vicki Litzelfelner Abernathy, who was a majorette and drum major for the Golden Eagles from 1966 to 1971, has organized a benefit '60s dance aimed at raising some of the approximately $3,600 still needed to fully endow the scholarship at $10,000; the dance is set for April 16 at the Show Me Center.

Winners of the Missouri State Teachers Association Meritorious Service and Community Teachers Association Leaders of the Year awards are announced during a banquet in the evening; Larry Nickell, Anna Crawford, Mary Wilhite, Martha Short, Ruthie Davis and Gene Brunkhorst all are honored for superior contributions to education and MSTA during the event, held in the University Center Ballroom at Southeast Missouri State University; Carolyn Harris, Pamela Ferrell and Debra Lusk are recognized as the outstanding CTA leaders for the year.

1974

Cape Girardeau residents may be faced with driving hazards on William Street for the next three years, but the $1.5 million widening and resurfacing project, started in September, will result in the city's first four-lane east-west artery; William, from Sprigg Street to South Kingshighway, was stripped of trees and work begun to relocate gas, water, electric and telephone lines late last year with work expected to last two seasons; now, however, Carl Penzel of Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson says the project may take three seasons to complete, mainly because of the problems involved in relocating utilities.

The cost of feeding prisoners in Cape Girardeau County jail last month is once again a cause for concern among County Court judges; County Auditor H. Weldon Macke draws the courts attention to the fact that it cost $1,488.01 during February to feed prisoners, nearly 50% more than the $1,000 monthly allotment; Macke warns that if the current high spending continues, the budgeted funds for feeding prisoners will be exhausted in five months.

1949

The fifth snowfall of the winter and the fourth in eight days melts off Cape Girardeau's streets in the morning after creating slippery driving conditions during the night, when rain turned to sleet and then snow; as with other snowfalls in the past week, this morning's melts rapidly; it was slightly less than an inch.

Work resumes on the excavation for footings for the new physical education building and field house at State College; rain yesterday forced suspension of the work; a heavy dragline machine is breaking up the old concrete floor of the burned Houck Field House and also taking out the concrete foundation walls; a fence has been built between the stadium gates and the stadium, ringing the construction area to keep observers at a safe distance.

1924

With fewer than 300 votes cast by 2 p.m., it is predicted there will be no more than 1,000 votes cast in today's regular city primary election in Cape Girardeau; none of the candidates will be eliminated by the balloting, and this is said to account for the apparent lack of interest among voters.

Martin Gemeinhardt of Fruitland has sold his flour mill and saw mill plant in that village to Warren Jeter and his son, Hazen Jeter, of Wittenberg in Perry County; Jeter & Son will operate the enlarged plant and do a general flour and feed business, with milled lumber as a side line.

Southeast Missourian librarian Sharon Sanders compiles the information for the daily Out of the Past column. She also writes a blog called "From the Morgue" that showcases interesting historical stories from the newspaper. Check out her blog at semissourian.com/history.