Frank Nickell

It seems like Almost Yesterday that James T. Conway was the 34th Commandant of the United States Martine Corp and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that the State College Golden Eagles Marching Band became national media stars. In 1971, the 160 member Golden Eagles band was selected to perform at the Super Bowl in Miami, Florida.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that intercollegiate debate began on the campus of Southeast Missouri Normal School. A turning point in that process was the arrival on campus of Professor Arthur Winn Vaughn, who served as the motivation for the expansion of debate from an on-campus activity to competition with other colleges.

It seems like almost yesterday that a large weather front stalled over the Ohio Valley, covering much of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. Heavy rain fell during the first three weeks of January, 1937, elevating the Ohio River to record levels from Pittsburgh to Cairo, and into the lower Mississippi.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that I first heard the song “On the Wings of a Dove.” This haunting melody was written by Robert Ferguson of Willow Springs, Missouri. In 1958 Ferguson was the manager of another Missourian, country singer Ferlin Husky.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that a contract was issued for the construction of the headwaters of the Little River Drainage District. The date was November 27, 1912.

It seems like Almost Yesterday when Professor A. C. Magill stated on February 19, 1955, that colleges are not buildings, classrooms, nor even libraries. Colleges, in his view, consisted of people: teachers, students and staff.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that Congress passed the “Hospital Survey and Construction Act” which became Public Law 725. This act provided funds to hospitals, nursing homes, and chronic care facilities, which had declined during the Great Depression and World War II.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that strangers entered the bank of Campbell, Missouri and made off with some of the community’s money. It was just a few moments after 3:00pm on November 11, 1933 when two men in fancy dark suits walked into the lobby of the small bank on Campbell’s Main Street.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that Holy Family Catholic Church was dedicated. The building, which still stands on South Sprigg Street was dedicated on Sunday October 6, 1940 as a mission of St. Vincent’s Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau.