Out of the past: Oct. 1

1998

Only a handful of people turn out in the evening for a town hall meeting at St. Vincent's College, called to discuss transforming the site into a visual arts campus; if voters approve funding for the River Campus project, Southeast Missouri State University will be able to expand its arts and academic programs, and the college buildings will be preserved.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department announces the promotion of a longtime member of the force to the rank of captain; with his wife and the chief of police pinning on his captain's bars, Randy Roddy is officially promoted; Roddy, a St. Louis native, has been with the Cape Girardeau force 20 years; he joined the department after attending Southeast Missouri State University.

1973

The Cape Girardeau Historical Society rededicated the Jolliet-Marquette marker in Trail of Tears State Park yesterday as part of the Mississippi River tricentennial celebrations; the audience was treated to an Indian dance and frontier lore demonstrations.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sikeston, which earlier this year sought to take the Missouri Highway Patrol's Troop E headquarters from Poplar Bluff, ended up with second best as a new Troop E satellite office opens here in the morning; the Sikeston office is the first of its kind; it will serve primarily as a communications link.

1948

Helen D. Bedford, chairman of the exhibits committee for the State College diamond jubilee, asks that merchants having glass-enclosed showcases which they would be willing to loan out to contact her; the showcases will be used to exhibit fragile momentous on loan to the college during the celebration this month; one of the most interesting exhibits will be the first football sweater issued a letterman; owned by E.E. Dunn of Cape Girardeau, who lettered in 1908 and 1909 at left halfback, the white sweater has a red "CG" on it; the 1909 squad was the first to receive sweaters, although letters had previously been awarded.

While crop dusting in a Cub airplane near Matthews, Missouri, Glenn Hopwood, a pilot with Robinson Flying Service, narrowly escapes serious injury when his plane strikes an electric high line; it is reported Hopwood is thrown or jumped from the plane, which is badly damaged; he isn't seriously injured.

1923

Ginning of the 1923 cotton crop in Cape Girardeau County and vicinity has started in earnest in Cape Girardeau; R.W. Willett, a farmer of near Illmo, brings in a load of the staple in the morning, and it is ginned at the Cape Mill Manufacturing Co. gin on North Main Street while he waits; three loads of cotton were brought in Saturday by Will Weber and John Temple, farmers of near Cape Girardeau, and J.H. Brennecke of near Allenville.

G.W. Tallent, prominent Broadway barber and circus impresario, is in receipt of a letter from C.W. Finney, his personal friend who is general agent for the Sells-Floto Circus, saying he has been in communication with the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and has proposed to have the circus close its season here Monday; this is a big event for circuses, and for several days after the show disbands the hundreds of showmen remain to arrange for the winter season; Sells-Floto proposes to close the season here, providing the Chamber pays for the license, the lot and the water.

-- Sharon K. Sanders