Out of the past: Sept. 19

1997

Cape Girardeau will be on television in Senica, Slovakia; three television journalists from that town are spending four days here to learn about the way people participate in the running of the city; they are incorporating what they learn into a documentary.

The Southeast Missourian captures 14 awards in National Newspapers Association competition, including the top prize of general excellence among daily newspapers that entered; the awards are presented at Fort Worth, Texas, during the 112th annual NNA convention and trade show; in all, the newspaper received six first-place awards, two second-place awards, two awards for third place and four honorable mentions.

1972

Although it will cost money after Jan. 1 to get into all of Missouri's 56 state parks and historical sites, Missouri Park Board officials say it will be worth it; those fees should provide the board with much-needed revenue to carry out a five-year capital improvements program, including renovation of the mill at Burfordville and additional camping facilities, plus upgrading of utilities at Trail of Tears State Park.

It's up, up and away for the fourth in a series of six stratospheric balloons, as the 15 million cubic foot capacity balloon and its payload are launched from the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport at 2:10 a.m.; unlike the three previous launchings here, in which balloons carried apparatus to study cosmic radiation, today's flight carries equipment to study gamma rays -- high energy x-rays -- and to detect neutrons.

1947

Under favorable weather, the million dollar building program at State College is gaining momentum; construction work on Meyer Hall, the dormitory on North Henderson Avenue, is being pushed; already 70% of the footings and foundation work has been completed; pouring of the walls will begin Monday; trees have been cleared from the site of the student service center, to be located just south of the Agricultural Building; excavation work for the basement and footings should being about Oct. 1.

A professional diver, Vernon Parker of Metropolis, Illinois, was here yesterday making a check of damage done to the Marquette, a small towboat of the Marquette Cement Mfg. Co., which sank in the Mississippi River at the plant docks in February; Capt. John Luchow, marine superintendency of the company, says Parker found the boat wasn't greatly damaged and virtually intact, although heavily laden with mud; he will recommend to the insurance company that the craft, now in 12 feet of water, be raised by the "lift method."

1922

Tulane University football eleven, one of the best gridiron teams in the South, has asked for a game with the Southeast Missouri Teachers College team, to be played on Tulane Field in New Orleans on Nov. 4; a wire accepting the date set by the Tulane physical director was sent late Monday by Coach C.F. Courleux.

Cape Girardeau County's greatest fair opens at Fairground Park in Cape Girardeau; turnstiles click early, ushering in the first arrivals, while all exhibits, cattle and hogs, were placed ready for the grand opening; the racing men are having space trouble; 48 harness horses arrived yesterday, crowding the stables, with more horses expected; the racing program will begin tomorrow, along with livestock judging and auto polo contests.

-- Sharon K. Sanders