Out of the past: Nov. 9

1996

Approximately 35 concerned citizens, headed by KFVS-TV general manager Howard Meagle, have created a task force to restructure and revitalize the Cape Girardeau Civic Center; the center was dealt a near-fatal blow in May, when the Area Wide United Way refused to supply the second half of a $35,000 funding allotment due to the center's inability to provide adequate expenditure reports and financial statements; group members are working anonymously to organize a financial plan and seat a new board of directors.

For the first time in nearly 150 years, Spring Farm, off County Road 208, is no longer part of the Ranney family heritage; Susan and Fred Vincel bought the farm in August from the family, after assuring its members they were committed to preserving the 146-year-old house as much as possible.

1971

State College has received funds to continue its Migrant Educational Records Center, part of a nationwide program to upgrade the education of children of migrant farm workers; a grant of $325,194 was released by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare to the Missouri Department; State College administers the program for the state department since most of Missouri's migrant children are in the college's district.

The Cape County Board of Visitors tours the Cape Girardeau city jail in the afternoon, having previously toured both the County Juvenile Detention Home here and the county jail at Jackson; following today's tour, the board meets briefly and decides to confer with the County Court regarding the county facilities and with the Cape Girardeau city manager regarding the city jail; while no long-range recommendations have yet been made.

1946

BENTON, Mo. -- Some thin strands of a mattress cover, tied together to form a rope, provided the means of escape last night from the women's detention quarters on the third floor of the Scott County courthouse of a woman prisoner serving a 60-day sentence for peace disturbance; bars on the outside window were pried loose, and the woman climbed down the improvised rope approximately 30 feet to the ground.

The Coca-Cola Bottling Co. plant, 2027 Broadway, is operating about two days per week, due to the shortage of syrup used for sweetening.

1921

Work is soon to start on the construction of another building, to be added to the International Shoe Co.'s group here; the plans call for a three-story brick structure, which will harmonize with the existing business; the new structure is needed so that more room can be provided for the over-worked cutting department.

The second phase of the revival being conducted by the Rev. Burke Culpepper at Centenary Methodist Church opened last night, when the evangelist began a real, old-fashioned exhortation and began to "gather in the sheaves"; it was the first night that he invited and urged "sinners" in the congregation to come forward to the mourners' bench; about 30 persons -- girls, women, children and several men -- came forward, including a young married couple with a baby in the gallery who Culpepper singled out.

-- Sharon K. Sanders