Out of the past: Sept. 16

1996

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The community is already promising to help rebuild a historic Black church destroyed by fire early Friday morning; the fire that destroyed Greer Chapel Church has been ruled "incendiary in nature" by the state fire marshal's office.

An estimated 99,412 people enjoyed this year's SEMO District Fair at Arena Park; with 78 fair volunteers pulling up the last stakes and rolling up the last tents yesterday, it was time to think of restoring the park; it usually takes about a week to get the park back to the shape it was in before the fair.

1971

It's Cape Girardeau Day at the SEMO District Fair; thousands of children with a half day off from school flock to the fairgrounds in Arena Park to take advantage of free admission at the gates and reduced prices on some midway rides of the Blue Grass Shows; featured this evening in front of the grandstand will be Lee Mace's Ozark Opry.

"I'm the head dog, not the underdog, and I'm going to be the next governor of Missouri," said State Sen. Earl R. Blackwell; the bullish, brash Democrat from Hillsboro was all confidence yesterday when he brought his "people's campaign" to Cape Girardeau; this, despite the polls which generally show him running second behind Lt. Gov. William S. Morris in the race for the Democratic party's 1972 gubernatorial nomination.

1946

JEFFERSON CITY -- Harry G. Cracraft of Jackson is appointed Cape Girardeau County assessor by Gov. Phil M. Donnelly; he succeeds the late Leo P. Steimle.

The 1946 edition of the SEMO District Fair is tucked away in the files, and the fair board, checking up on the outcome, will hold a meeting Thursday night at the Chamber of Commerce building; the exposition ended in clear weather, every day being fair, but cool, with chilly nights; paid attendance totaled 27,954, with gate receipts amounting to $13,063.

1921

W.F. Bergmann announces Cape Girardeau merchants will close their stores Wednesday and Thursday afternoons next week for the Cape Fair; it is hoped customers will do their shopping in the morning and will then visit the fairgrounds; Cape Girardeau public schools will close at noon Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Dancing at Teachers College has been stopped until further notice, President Joseph A. Serena announces at a college assembly; this includes dancing at student parties which have been held on Friday nights, dancing in either of the dormitories or in any of the receptions that may be held, Serena says; he explains that he believes it is best for the college to dispense with dancing for the time being, owing to the sentiment against dancing in this college district.

-- Sharon K. Sanders