Out of the past: March 24

1998

Southeast Missouri State University's administration hopes to push ahead with $40 million in campus construction projects; the administration is scheduled to review the plans with the Board of Regents on Wednesday; Dr. Ken Dobbins, Southeast's executive vice president, says the campus needs a face-lift if it wants to compete with colleges that are sprucing up their campuses; projects include Greek Housing-Towers renovations, expansion of the Student Recreation Center, construction of athletic fields, a polytechnic building, a student center, a restricted path for the university's shuttle buses and a parking deck.

The Diversion Channel south of Cape Girardeau is out of its banks, the floodwater from the rising Mississippi River pushing the channel into fields along Interstate 55; the river is expected to crest at Cape Girardeau today at 36.8 feet.

1973

Forty-two employees of Ludlow Corp. on Nash Road are to return to work Monday following ratification of a new three-year work contract between the company and Teamsters and Chauffeurs Local 574; the new work agreement provides a wage increase of 17 cents an hour the first year and 16 cents the remaining two years.

The founder of Lueders Studio, Herbert L. Lueders of Cape Girardeau, died unexpectedly last night at the Lutheran Home, where he had been a patient several weeks; Lueders was 83 years old; he began his photography career as a teenager working with an uncle, P.G. Lueders, in Perryville, Missouri; he later worked at the Gerhardt Sisters Studio in St. Louis, where he received most of his training; Lueders opened his own studio in Edina, Missouri, in 1918 and another at Lexington, Missouri, in 1923; he established Lueders Studio here in 1925, retiring in 1957.

1948

Two newcomers to politics -- Walter H. Ford, junior high school teacher, and D.F. Clay, insurance salesman -- advanced to the general election April 6 by out-balloting four other candidates yesterday in the race for Cape Girardeau mayor; in the competition for the three commissioners' posts were the incumbents -- Charles A. Schweer, Philip H. Steck and Frank Batchelor -- and three political novices, Cleo E. Jones, Louis Brune and Roy Smith.

Although slowing its rate of rise, the Mississippi River passes flood stage at Cape Girardeau and continues upward; overnight, the river rose exactly one foot, to a stage of 32.7 feet; anticipating a stage that will cover its tracks on Water Street, Frisco Railroad crews laid a temporary, movable track which can be quickly put into place on top of the present rails; the permanent tracks will be inundated at a stage of 35 feet.

1923

Charles Bess, Cape Girardeau Teachers College orator, won the right to represent Missouri in the inter-state oratorical contest in May by defeating the Springfield representative at the college last night in a state contest; it was the 14th victory for the Cape Girardeau college in the 16 annual contests which have been held; Dr. C.C. Cunningham of Northwestern University, judge of the contest, said, "Although Bess was faced by an audience which was hostile to his point of view, and he was dealing with a difficult subject, he overcame these difficulties by a straightforward discussion of the question"; Bess' subject was "Russia," and he presented a plan for American aid in that country.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The regular dinner of the Sikeston Lions Club on Thursday night in the banquet room of the Baptist Church turned into a celebration over the landing of a branch factory of the International Shoe Co.

-- Sharon K. Sanders