Out of the past: Oct. 13

1998

Dr. C. John Ritter and his wife, Marcia Southard-Ritter, arrived in Liberia in July with plans to work as volunteers-in-mission at a rural hospital until the end of December; but a flare-up of the west African nation's continuing political unrest forced the Ritters to flee before the end of September; the Cape Girardeau couple left Liberia on Sept. 24, fleeing to the neighboring Ivory Coast and then home; the unlucky mosquito bite that gave the doctor malaria didn't make the trip any more pleasant.

An ad hoc committee to the Cape Girardeau Board of Education is seeking public input on a name for the school district's newest elementary school, which is under construction near Sprigg and Bertling streets.

1973

Southeast Missouri State University students wait in soggy Capaha Park for their floats to be judged. The Centennial Homecoming parade was washed out, but the float competition continued. (Southeast Missourian archive)

Southeast Missouri State University students wait in soggy Capaha Park for their floats to be judged. The Centennial Homecoming parade was washed out, but the float competition continued. (Southeast Missourian archive)

With Southeast Missouri State University in the midst of the biggest, most glittering Homecoming celebration ever in commemoration of the university's centennial year, the rains come; elaborate floats decorated with bright crepe paper sit dismally in Capaha Park in the morning, the colors bleeding; the parade, scheduled for 9 a.m., is canceled because of the rain, although the float competition continues.

Jackson's proposed annexation of 3,400 acres to the city of 2,100 acres is "clearly unreasonable" and that large an additional area "cannot possibly be served within a reasonable period of time by the City of Jackson," a memorandum filed in Circuit Court at Jackson by the City of Cape Girardeau asserts; the memorandum contradicts Jackson's allegations in an earlier motion that Cape Girardeau's attempt at intervention "is clearly a ruse or subterfuge to prevent the City of Jackson from moving ahead."

1948

The first contingent of Cape Girardeau County men to take examinations for possible military service under the new draft law report in the morning, along with four men from Madison County, for processing at the Army and Air Forces Recruiting Station re-induction center; the men are met by Lt. Max Frazier, who instructs them on the processing procedure and hands them various forms to fill out; this is followed by physical examinations, mental tests and x-rays; it is expected that all will be able to return to their homes late today.

Police chief William A. Mills announces the appointment of a new police officer for Cape Girardeau; Patrolman Paul Cook goes on duty in the morning, serving with Sgt. Benson Hendrickson in a patrol car.

1923

KELSO, Mo. -- The 18-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Dohogne of Kelso is doing well after falling from a second story of their house to a concrete pavement below, about 15 feet, yesterday; Urban Leo Dohogne suffered only a laceration of the forehead and a bruise to his hip in the accident.

Louis Hecht leaves in the afternoon for New York to buy new merchandise; before departing, he wired for baseball tickets and next Monday will attend the World Series game in New York; the Yankees are tied with the Giants, each with two victories in the Series.

-- Sharon K. Sanders