Cape Girardeau History and Photos

May 26, 2013

Memorial Day 2013

This photograph from Dad’s scrapbook wasn’t what I had planned to post tonight. Dad’s scrapbook has photos in it from when he was a pupil at May Greene School and on through at least 1934 when he graduated high school from the old, old Central on Pacific Street.

I don’t know who his buddy was. The mid-30s would have put it between World Wars I and II.

A flash of the Vietnam War

When I visited Athens, Ohio, this winter, there was something on the county courthouse that wasn’t there when I was in the town: a plaque dedicated to the memory of Athens County residents who lost their lives in Vietnam. The fading flowers were what caught my attention. I shot a few obligatory shots and didn’t think anything about it until I got back to the hotel and looked at the photos on the computer screen.

At the bottom of the plaque (not shown here) was the name of Robert N. Smith, MIA. I was rocked back. I remember shooting Smith’s wife and daughter when they were waiting for word about his fate. About a decade or so later, the daughter tracked me down and I think I sent her copies of the pictures. I didn’t think of them again for three decades.

The story has an incredible twist that I’m going to save for when I find the film of the Smith family. I’ve spent two weeks going through negative files day by day and haven’t located them yet.

Thanks to all of you who have served. And, thanks to those like the Smith Family who have waited so long to be able to write the final chapter in a loved one’s life.

Stories appropriate for Memorial Day

May 25, 2013

When Old Men Played Checkers

The September 9, 1966, Missourian had five of my pictures showing old men playing checkers in Matthews, down in New Madrid county. Editor Jblue must have felt generous (or calculated that it was cheaper to throw me an occasional extra photo at $5 than to give me a raise). Here’s the caption describing the photos (paraphrased to reflect that they aren’t running left to right):

Motorists who have had occasion to pass through Matthews in the past 20 years or so have probably noticed a small congregation of men huddled around a table in the Methodist Church courtyard. A well-worn checkerboard perched on this small table provides recreation for the retired Matthews’ residents.

The “regulars” are, from left, A.R. Curtis, farmer; W.L. Hubbard, retired farmer; James W. Shell, retired blacksmith; Burl Taber, retired farmer, and Gobel Trail, retired construction worker.

The kibitzers watch avidly (combatants are required to relinquish the board after two wins), occasionally offering advice, occasionally gripping the table top to hard their knuckles turn white.

A tip of the hat

But in today’s game, it’s Mr. Hubbard all the way against his opponent, Mr. Taber. The checker playing moment of truth was [in the group shot at the top of the page]. Even the spectators were silent, but by the next move, Mr. Hubbard’s tip of the hat and the sly grin indicated that he had the problem worked out to his satisfaction.

The move was fatal

The retired farmer’s manner leaves no doubt that his opponent’s move was indeed fatal.

Ready for the next game

All that remains is the formality of cleaning up the board and stacking the checkers for the next game.

“Shad-up and move”

Mr. Taber, concentrating on his initial strategy, issues the age-old challenge, “Shad-up and move.”

Where are these men today?

Not THESE men, obviously. They’re still playing checkers, but they are doing it with harp music playing in the background. I mean the fellows who have taken their places. I remember a similar group of men playing checkers in the Advance town square, but it’s been years since I’ve seen them.

Are they in the shopping malls?

Are they sitting in the shopping malls watching the passing traffic? On days when Mother is bored, she’ll park in one of the Big Box shopping center lots to watch the characters walking by.

How about the whittlers?

About half-way over to Kentucky Lake there used to be a flashing light stop sign with a small store on the south side of the road. Every time we went by, there would be a small gaggle of old men sitting and whittling. The stop sign is gone; I think the store is closed. On my way through, I’m going to pull in long enough to see if their shavings are still there.

Maybe instead of sitting in the courtyard of the Matthews Methodist church, this generation is sitting in front of a virtual checkerboard playing against someone a thousand miles away.

May 25, 2013

Majorettes and Others

Here’s a fact of Internet life: you get a lot more search engine traffic if you have the word “Majorettes” in the headline than if you say “Boring Guys in Suits.”

You’re going to get a mixed bag today. All the negative sleeve says is Jaycee Golf Awards – CHS majorettes, teachers 64-65.” I’m going to guess they were shot for The Girardot rather than The Tiger.

Your homework assignment

I know that school is out soon, but you have one more assignment before the final bell rings: identify these people and what they are doing. I could root through the old Girardots, but that’s what I have you folks for.

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May 24, 2013March 2, 2021

Ford Maverick – $1995*

These guys were ready to sell you ‘the first car of the 1970s at 1960 prices.” Step right up and drive off with a Ford Maverick for $1995. There’s an asterisk after the $1995, so that’s probably where they tell you that the tires, engine, steering wheel and seats are extra.

Are car salesmen born or made?

I hated shooting advertising photos. Partially because you ended up having to take hokey shots like this; partially because the next time you ran into them at a news event, they thought they still owned you. It gave me a great deal of pleasure to disabuse them of that idea.

These were taken for The Athens Messenger in April 1969. Based on the expression, these guys didn’t seem to think there was anything unusual about pretending to be roped cowboys (I’m not sure I understand that symbolism). I guess they figured anything goes so long as they met their quota.

Cape car dealer ads

Here are some Cape car ads that ran in the 1956 Sesquicentennial booklet. I think one of the most curious slogans was in the Clark Buick ad: “We will deal until we deal.” They must have offered a pretty good deal to get Dad to buy our 1959 Buick LaSabre station wagon from them. Whoever did the Goodwin Motor Co. ad didn’t quite know the difference between the “roll” and the “role” of a Mercury-Lincoln dealer (it “is of ever increasing importance to Cape Girardeau”).

If you want to read about the early days of automobiles in Cape, follow this link. Here’s a piece on “Rusty” and Rueseler Chevrolet.

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