50 YEARS AGO

Feb. 11, 1976

Marion Archaeological District has been nominated to be included in the National Register of Historic Places. It has been approved on the state level and now is awaiting national recognition.

A group of archeology and anthropology students from Wichita State University will excavate four sites this spring. One site is west of town, two sites are on Thole property north of town, and one is south of Marion and north of Dead Man’s Bridge.

Janice Wiens celebrated her 14th birthday Friday by inviting several friends to a pizza supper at the Wiens home. Guests were Kelly Bartlett, Julie Hett, Carla Jost, Neletha Nelson, and Elaine Nuss. The girls attended the Marion-Centre basketball game and then returned to the Wiens home for a slumber party.

The school board has decided that the bell and belfry of the old stone school building will be preserved. The belfry will be glassed-in to keep birds out, and the bell will be mounted on a cut limestone stand in front of the building.

Salina High School did something outstanding in the line of orchestra work back in 1927 — Oct. 29, to be exact. On that date, none other than the great band leader, John Phillip Sousa, gave the Salina High School orchestra a loving-cup trophy.

The trophy was found in bushes on the east side of Marion Cemetery a few days ago. Tom Pryor, city policeman, has attempted to reach the high school but has had no answer.

How or when the trophy got away is a mystery. It is rather battered as if it has had a long life of being kicked around.

The trophy is at the office of the city clerk in Marion.