Out of the past: Sept. 21

1996

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Greer Chapel Church members have decided to rebuild; the question now is where, says Alice Henry, a longtime member of the church, which was destroyed in an arson fire Sept. 13; church members met last night to discuss the congregation's future; members of the Missionary Baptist congregation are trying to decide whether to stay on the site about two miles north of Sikeston on Highway ZZ or to find another site for the church.

The leading candidates in the 8th District congressional race are debating over debates; despite weeks of negotiations, Democrat Emily Firebaugh and independent-Republican candidate Jo Ann Emerson haven't reached agreement on a series of debates; both candidates fired verbal volleys at each other Thursday via faxes, accusing each other of holding up the debates.

1971

Nearly $4 million in federal funds has been approved by the House-Senate Public Works Appropriation Conference Committee for continuation of several water projects in Southeast Missouri; included are the study of the proposed Mississippi River harbor at Cape Girardeau and emergency repair of a dirt levee in the Little River-Hubble Creek-Ramsey Branch area south of here.

Application was made with the Jackson City Council last night for a franchise to operate a cable television system in Jackson; the application was made by Frank Wirey of Cable TV Inc. of Richmond, Missouri; the council took no action on the request.

1946

Southeast Missouri State College comes into being officially; the Board of Regents yesterday voted to eliminate the word "Teachers" from the college name; President W.W. Parker proposed the name change to the board, the change being authorized by passage in the Legislature of Senate Bill No. 7; the school name was officially changed from "Normal School" to "Southeast Missouri State Teachers College" in 1919.

Driving forward with plans to construct new buildings to provide housing for student war veterans, the State College Board of Regents has employed the firm of Wischmeyer & Lorenz of St. Louis as architects to design at least two large structures, a men's dormitory to house from 250 to 300 men, and a large student service center, which will have a cafeteria as its main feature.

1921

Despite an early-morning rain, horse racing at the Cape Fair starts at 2 p.m., and the track is in good condition; all other business at the fair is proceeding full force with a fairly large attendance; because the train is late delivering Fog Horn Clancy and California Frank Hafley and the wild west show, along with the wet conditions, Clancy and Hafley refuse to put on "a half-way parade"; instead, they'll parade tomorrow morning, starting at Good Hope near Sprigg and proceeding to Spanish, Independence, Main to Broadway, and from there down Broadway to Fairground Park.

Indications are that the murder case of Luther Little at Jackson, charged with slaying Cape Girardeau patrolman Willis Martin last February, will likely go to the jury late this evening; Little takes the stand in his own defense, telling practically the same story presented by his brothers, denying the accusations and endeavoring to incriminate Ralph Brashear, star witness for the state.

-- Sharon K. Sanders