NEWS

Students headed to patrol jamboree in ’57

Phil Reid

Our sentimental journey today is taking us to 1957 for a look at what was going on in our schools.

Our first item appeared in the Marion Star Friday, April 12, 1957, as a photo with this article under the photo about a fine group of youngsters, Marion’s Schoolboy Patrol.

Marions boys and girls selected to make the four-day trip to the annual National Schoolboy Patrol Jamboree in Washington, D.C., next month are shown here. (I wish I had the photo).

The 28 winners are (first row, left to right) Judy Giles, Dan Powelson, Frank LaVenia, Jeff Tennant and Charles Fields; (second row), Kay Williams, David Hollenbeck, Gloria Wintgens, Franklin Bumgarner and Larry Merchant; (third row), Glynis Brown, James Wilson, Peggy Shirk, Paul Huddle and Linda Arthur; (fourth row), Clifford Clark, Beulah Clark, James Weaver, Betty Lou Steinman and Donald Daniels; (fifth row), Gary Callahan, Brent Sechrist, Richard Kissell and Sherrian Peters and (sixth row) William Bechel, Trude Maish, Barry Everly and Phillip Kelly. While in Washington the children will participate in a huge parade with thousands of other patrol members from throughout the nation and will tour a number of points of interest.

From the Wednesday, November 13, 1957, Marion Star we have another picture showing five Harding juniors with this caption. “FATHER ASSERTS HIMSELF.” Followed by, Ginger’s enthusiasm for sports training runs into family opposition during this scene from “Time Out for Ginger,” the Harding junior class play which will be presented Friday at 8 p.m. in the school auditorium. Pictured (left to right) are these cast members: Curtis Neimeister, Bonnie Flower, Karen Pate, Mike Dudley and Jane Loudenslager.

Tickets for the three-act comedy may be purchased from any cast member or junior homeroom secretary. They also will be available at the door Friday night.

Then from Wednesday, July 17, 1957, we find this on the sports page. “All-Star Team Announced for County Circuit.”

Coaches in the Marion County Summer Baseball League today announced their choices for players on the league all-star team which will meet Prospect in a two out of three game series next week.

Pleasant, Caledonia and Ridgedale each landed three men on the all-star squad while Waldo and Green Camp each placed a pair.

Named from Pleasant were Merle Dutt, Jeff Peacock and Gene Massie. Caledonia placed Terry Swisher, Bill Detwiler and Gary Chappell while Ridgedale had Joe and Fred Moore and Ted Frost. Waldo players include Jim Ward and Fred Bender while Green Camp had Bill Flach and Elmon LeMasters.

Stan Kirby, coach of the runner-up Pleasant Pandas will guide the all-stars in their playoff against the league champion, Prospect Bulldogs. Coach George Hamric of Caledonia and Vern Hensel of Ridgedale will act as coaches.

The all-stars will hold their first practice session Thursday at 7 p.m. at Prospect park. The first game in the series will be staged Saturday at 8 p.m. with the second scheduled for Monday. The third, if needed, will be played next Thursday. All games are slated for 8 p.m. at the Prospect diamond.

Then from the Friday, April 26, 1957, Marion Star we have this item with this headline. “Edison Tracksters Post Win Over Taft.”

Winning a first place in every event but the 440-yard dash, Edison Junior High School’s track squad swept past Taft 83-26 in track action Thursday afternoon at Harding stadium.

Pete Porietis led the scoring for Coach Gene Allison’s winners. He won first place in the 220-yard event. He toured that course in 23.7. The former record was 24.3. Porietis also won the discus with a throw of 95-11½ and the shot with a 46-3 heave. Edison swept all three places in the shot. The Edison ace barely missed another record in the 100-yard dash when he went the distance in 10.9. The present city mark is 10.8.

Other first place finishes for the Edison team were recorded by Vance Creviston with a 17.1 time in the 10-hurdle event, Bill Scott in the 880-yard run with a 2.32 effort, Ron Buckley in the five-hurdle event with a 16.3, Don Kern with a 5-4 high jump, Russell Trent in the broad jump with a 16-8 effort and Don Rice in the pole vault with a 9-6 effort. Cole won the 440-yard dash for the losers with a 56.1 clocking.

Edison won the 880 and mile relay events to add to its total. Next action for Edison will be next Monday against Baker.

And that is all for today, but we might have to report on the baseball tournament and the Baker-Edison track meet next week.

Phil Reid writes about history in Marion County.