Out of the past: March 21

1990

Walt Wildman, executive director of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association, has extended an invitation to the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors to join his organization.

Dennis Stockard, the owner of the Royal N'Orleans restaurant, hopes to rebuild and preserve the outer brick walls of the historic, fire-damaged structure; he plans to gut the inside of the building and rebuild from scratch, using the standing exterior walls as a shell for the new insides.

1965

Methodists throughout the church's Missouri east conference begin a week of special services that will continue through Thursday; the theme of the week is "Come With Us to Christ"; activities of churches participating will include services with guest speakers and visitation programs.

David M. Trantham and Dean Wright have achieved Boy Scouting's highest rank, that of Eagle Scout; Trantham is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Trantham, while Wright is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Earnest Wright.

1940

Experts of the Missouri State Fire Prevention Association are making a two-day inspection in the city; coming in for close scrutiny is Common Pleas Courthouse; the group finds, in making its inspection, that all the floor and ceiling joists of the courthouse are termite-ridden; that has resulted in the floors in both the first and second story sinking; it is the experts' opinion that about the only way to salvage the building is to completely tear out the interior and rebuild it within its still-strong brick walls.

The sundial of the W.F.D. Batjer memorial at Courthouse Park near the Public Library has been damaged, evidently by youths who had no idea of the offense they were committing; the gnomon, or pointer, of the sundial has been bent to one side, making the dial ugly and unreadable.

1915

The Rev. Trigg A.M. Thomas, superintendent of Home Missions for the Synod of Missouri, occupies the pulpit at the Presbyterian Church in the morning and in the evening.

The Rev. Steven Burke closes out a five-week revival at Jackson; not since the days of the old-fashioned camp meetings at Old McKendree or at old Bethel Baptist Church has a meeting of this kind attracted such wide attention; 516 souls have signified their willingness to unit with some church, among them being prominent businessmen and farmers, county officers and professional men.

-- Sharon K. Sanders