EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — On Sunday at Richard Jopling American Legion Post 44 here, Fran Bureau won’t be expected to serve members and visitors at a post function for a change. That’s because it will be Fran Bureau Day at the post. “Of course I’ll enjoy it,” the Marquette woman said. “But I might not like it as much as working. I like to keep busy.”

Bureau, who said she loves to help people, has been chosen to receive the Legion Auxiliary’s Michigan Unit Member of the Year Award. She was nominated for the award by the local Legion Auxiliary, which is made up of wives of men who have served in the armed forces. They chose to honor Bureau for her “hard work and dedication,” according to the nomination letter. Bureau worked for more than 300 hours on last year’s Christmas raffle, which earned $940 for her organization to use for charity. Legion members see her every Friday evening at the post, where she acts as hostess for the weekly fish fry.

She returns on Saturday morning to take care of the bookkeeping from the previous evening’s dinner and raffle ticket sales.

Bureau, 77, has held several offices during her 25 years with the auxiliary, and now serves on the nominating committee.

60 years ago

UPPER PENINSULA — A special premiere of the 20th Century-Fox film, “Miracle of the Hills,” will be held in the Upper Peninsula. This region was chosen for the premiere because the movie has mining country as its setting. Starring Rex Reason and Nan Leslie, the film is described as a fast-moving story of heroism, excitement and adventure.

The plot involves a young and courageous clergyman in a small mining community who makes the town a better place in which to live as he fights for a home for three orphaned children and obtains better working conditions for the men in the mines. “Miracle of the Hills” opens tomorrow for a four-day showing at the Delft Theatre in Marquette. Shown with it will be Walt Disney’s “Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” starring Bing Crosby. The movie also opens tomorrow for four days at the Vista Theatre in Negaunee, where a northwoods featurette, “Paul Bunyan,” will be the companion piece. The Ishpeming Theatre will show “Miracle of the Hills’ and “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” for three days, starting Sunday. Other Upper Peninsula theaters in which the movie will be premiered are in Houghton, Iron Mountain, L’Anse, Munising, Newberry, Iron River, Ontonagon, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, and Ironwood.