Out of the past: Sept. 14

1996

Walter Phillips was barely a year old when his parents took him to see the livestock and exhibits at Fairgrounds, now Capaha, Park; since his first visit, Phillips hasn't missed an attraction at the SEMO District Fair, except when there wasn't one; the fair was canceled for about 10 years during the Great Depression and World War II.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Jo Ann Emerson for Congress; Emerson announced the business group's endorsement at a news conference in front of local business owners at The Crossroads shopping center in Cape Girardeau yesterday; the U.S. Chamber previously had backed her late husband, Bill Emerson, who served as 8th District congressman for 16 years.

1971

For the second consecutive year, enrollment in Cape Girardeau's public schools shows a decline; it is down to 5,326 from 5,520 in 1970-71; the pattern is reflected somewhat in other area schools, with only Illmo-Scott City schools showing an increase of 20.

To get an early look at exhibits, concessions and entertainment, thousands of viewers flock to Arena Park, opening day of the SEMO District Fair; on the midway, Blue Grass Shows are in full swing, the laughter of children and adults ringing out above the catchy tune of the merry-go-round calliope; this evening in front of the grandstand will be the first part of a garden tractor rodeo, followed by the first tractor-pulling contest.

1946

The SEMO District Fair will wind up its week-long stand at Arena Park tonight, with the final entertainment being "The Laff Parade of 1946"; despite cool weather, a sizable crowd of patrons turned out yesterday, many of them from district communities, with 4,545 persons actually paying admission to the grounds; this brought the total for the week to 20,608 paid admissions.

More trouble is turning up as the moving Christ Episcopal rectory house proceeds slowly to its new site; the building is more than half way up the steep, unpaved hill between North Street and Washington Avenue, but the front wall has broken loose from the rest of the structure; the softness of the ground has made the move more difficult, and wooden planks have to be laid on the ground to prevent the rollers from sinking into the earth.

1921

Following yesterday's inspection of the Black schools of Cape Girardeau County, Professor C.G. Williams, state inspector of Black schools, reports the schools -- especially Lincoln School here -- are among the best organized and best equipped in the state; this is the first year in the history of the state that there has been a Black school inspector, the law authorizing the inspector having been enacted at the last legislative session.

The case of the state of Missouri against Luther Little, charged with the murder of Cape Girardeau police officer Willis Martin, is taken up by the circuit court at Jackson; seeing how long and drawn-out the examination of potential jury members was proving to be, Judge Frank Kelly declares hearing the evidence won't begin until Monday.

-- Sharon K. Sanders