Out of the past: May 12

1999

A 14-member Complete County Committee — including two Cape Girardeau city staffers, a councilman and the mayor — has been formed to help get an accurate count of the city’s population for the 2000 Census; a lot rides on getting a good count, everything from congressional representation to federal grants and funding; chairman of the committee is John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

Area movie enthusiasts and helpful relatives have light sabers and jovial attitudes in place as they wait for advance tickets to the newest Star Wars movie; 300 people began lining up outside the Cape West 14 Cine as early as 8:30 p.m. yesterday to be the first to purchase advance tickets for “The Phantom Menace”; some brought light sabers and other props, a couple dressed as characters, others brought books and toys.

1974

Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish in Jackson recently celebrated the silver anniversary of Sister Rose Francis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brockmeyer of Cape Girardeau, as a School Sister of Notre Dame; the celebration included a special Mass with the Rev. James Seyer and the Rev. Alois Stephens, pastor, con-celebrating; after the Mass, a covered-dish dinner was attended by many parishioners, family members and sisters from Cape Girardeau and Cairo, Illinois.

The solemnity and splendor of academic rites combined with the festival of a century of tradition greet hundreds of onlookers and participants in the centennial commencement of Southeast Missouri State University; the 100 voices of the University Women’s Chorus highlight the baccalaureate service in the morning at Academic Auditorium; at the commencement exercises in the afternoon at Houck Stadium, Dr. Mark F. Scully, president of the university, delivers the main address, entitled “A Short Look Back — A Long Look Ahead.”

1949

The Jackson Board of Education has filled some vacancies on the faculty; Arthur Strobel, a former resident of Advance and a World War II veteran, was named teacher of science in the high school; Pauline Brommer, who taught music four years in Boonville, will be second grade teacher and elementary music teacher; and Eleanor Vogel will be librarian; two vacancies still exist, an eighth grade physical education teacher and an English-guidance teacher in the high school.

A parade of dance bands, all donating their services without charge, will play at a dance for the benefit of the welfare fund of the Coffee Drinkers Friendship Club at the Arena Building tonight; there will be 45 minutes of dance music by each band; bands participating are Champ Gilliland’s Orchestra, Martin Johnston’s Orchestra, Herb Suedekum’s Orchestra, Pete and His Streamliners and the Southern Playboys, the latter being a hillbilly band.

1924

A new plan for the endowment of the Will Mayfield College at Marble Hill by the graduating class each year was inaugurated by the 1924 class in an announcement made at graduation exercises there Friday night; Garland Fronabarger, president of the class, announced the class had taken out a 20-year pay insurance policy on Ruth Clinkenbeard, 18, of Whitewater, the youngest member of the class, in which the college is named as the beneficiary; the policy will cost each of the nine members of the class $5 per year for the next 20 years, and at the end of that time the college, as beneficiary, may draw out the policy under an endowment feature; if future graduating classes do the same, it will provide the college a steady stream of income.

The fund for the series of band concerts to be given in the park by the Cape Girardeau Community Band this summer is growing; since last report, nine residents have volunteered to give, the first being Mrs. Ollie Kopper; the fund stands at $109.50.

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.