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

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — Photographer Jack Deo displayed the camera, flash and shutter release used by pioneering night time photographer George Shiras III, who produced some of this best work almost a century ago in Marquette and Alger counties. The camera, on loan from the Shiras family associate, John Hammer, along with dozens of Shiras’ finest photographs, are being displayed at Lee Hall Gallery on the campus of Northern Michigan University. Taken from a boat using bells and trip wires to record his subjects at their most revealing moments, Shiras’ photos startled the world at the turn of the century. His “Midnight Series” took first prize for photography at the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris. Deo, who owns early limited edition reprints of Shiras’ photographs, is a co-organizer of the exhibit.

60 years ago

MARQUETTE — Ten students performed their forensic pieces in the Graveraet High School auditorium and audio visual aids room this week. The students, their selections and categories are as follows – Lyric poetry: Jill Selin and Peggy Kaluz; Dramatic monologue: Merrilee Glass, “The Last Leaf,” and Marie Aho, “The Lark;” Dramatic dialogue: Mary Anguilm, “Death Cell,” and Michele Sneed, “The Mad Woman of Chaillot;” Original Oratory: Gus Sponberg, “Understanding, Compassion and Patience;” Declamation: Paulette Bucholtz, “I am an American;” Humorous reading: Carl Arbogast, “The Night the Ghost Got I;” and Judy Lawrence, “What is a Boy, What is a Girl?” Judges were Lola Morrison, R. Bond Perket, Mrs. Ruth Kell, Paul Kotila, Sarah Bottrell and Toivo Seilo.