Out of the past: Nov. 12

1996

Biking enthusiasts from all over the world may be pedaling through Cape Girardeau soon, depending on completion of a new seven-state link; called the Mississippi River Trail, it is a north-south route from Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, to New Orleans, about 1,000 miles over country roads near the nation's mightiest river.

Jackson School District broke ground Monday on the expansion project at North Elementary School in Fruitland; knowing construction of a nearly $1 million addition to the school will be a major distraction, teachers will are committed to making it as much of a learning experience as possible; students likely will do drawing, writing and spelling assignments that revolve around the project.

1971

The State Highway Department District 10 office at Sikeston, Missouri, has agreed to make a traffic count at the Bloomfield Road-Kingshighway intersection to determine the feasibility of traffic lights there; the count will be made when work on realignment of the intersection is complete and it is determined traffic is again at its maximum.

Area artists will show 258 paintings in the 25th annual Missourian Art Exhibition Nov. 20-21, and already nearly 50 for them have been hung in the newspaper office as preparations for the event move forward; in addition to the area artists' work, the show will feature 29 paintings by guest artist Virginia Moberly Schlueter of St. Louis.

1946

Petitions asking for a special election in Illmo and Fornfelt on a proposal that the two school districts be consolidated are in circulation; this climaxes agitation of several months during which some opposition has developed; both towns have both a high school and grade school, all in separate buildings; in the Illmo schools there are 360 pupils enrolled, 75 in high school, while in Fornfelt there are 240, of whom 90 are in high school.

A shortage of motor car batteries in the area is becoming more serious, dealers say; one wholesaler, who normally handles 400 batteries a month, received 60 last month and so far in November has gotten none; one store retailing batteries has 300 orders on file and hasn't received a shipment in two weeks; with cold weather coming on with its consequent greater strain on the battery, some cars may spend the winter in the garage unless the situation improves.

1921

Pinckney Parrott, a carpenter, is nursing a sprained hip and bruises to his arms and body; yesterday, Parrott was blown off the roof of the new garage building being erected on Pacific Street, south of Broadway, a distance of 30 feet to the ground; Parrott was putting some metal sheeting on the roof of the building, and as he lifted the metal to lay it in place, a gust of wind caught it and swept it and the carpenter to the ground.

Members of the Christian Church, Themis and Sprigg streets, are asked to meet at the church Monday evening to take final action on the matter of purchasing the Kelso and Nussbaum properties, which adjoin on the east and north sides, respectively; the Bible school has outgrown the church room and more space is needed; many members of the congregation favor buying both properties, so that when a new church is eventually built, there will be plenty of room for a large edifice.

-- Sharon K. Sanders