G. I. A.
G. I. A.’s, as most sub-ordinate Divisions call themselves, is so called because they are wives of Locomotive Engineers. The proper name is Grand International Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Strangely enough, while Marceline is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee, so is the Grand International Auxiliary, which was organized October 16, 1887. On February 3, 1939, a charter was granted to the wives of members of B. L. E. Div. 616, Brookfield, Mo., and B.L.E. Div. 806, Marceline, Mo., for the purpose of organizing the subordinate Division known in Marceline as Marce-Brook Div. 314, but was organized in the city of Brookfield by Grand Organizer Inspector Jessie M. Marsh of Ft. Madison, Iowa, who now is reigning Grand Pres, of the G. I. A.’s. The charter members of Marce-Brook Div. from Marceline are as follows: Helen Austin, Lee Olinger, Jessie Dabner, Callie Wambold, Sue Payden, Zita Flynn, Elizabeth Pitts, Lena Dieterich, Lulu Smith, Opal W. Frisby, Emma McKiernan, and Florence Gosmeyer. In December, 1953, Brookfield charter members withdrew from the Div. and applied for a new charter to organize their own Div., now known as the Hawthorne Div. of Brookfield, Mo. Marceline Div. retained the name Marce-Brooke Div. 314. Members meet twice a month in Veterans Hall, Marceline. Hazel Thome is the president. The G.I.A. is dedicated to dispense charity and assistance to its widows, orphans, and aged dependent sisters, to promote fraternal love and sociability within the families of its members, as well us mutual protection and interest in the loved ones of the B.L.E.
Silver Spur Riding Club
The Silver Spur riding club was organized in September, 1945 with 20 members. Glen McCandless – who was living in Kansas City at that time – submitted the name of the club. The first president was Bill Stonger. The club has sponsored basket dinners and horse shows each year. We were the first riding club to take the horses and members to the Lake of the Ozarks for a four day outing in September of 1950. We also made another trip to the Ozarks in 1951 and in October, 1952. In October, 1953 a trip was made to the Missouri State Saddle Club horse show at the J-Bar H rodeo arena at Camdenton. A Western round and square dance was held at the Masonic Temple in 1952. The Club sponsored the Rodeo Kids of Independence, Missouri, in 1953 at the Lions field. In 1958 the Club sponsored a trip to the American Royal. In 1961 the Club sponsored a trip to the J-Bar H rodeo. In 1962 the Club members made a trip to Branson, Missouri, and attended the Shepherd of the Hills play. Each year a turkey dinner is held by the group at Christmas time. A ham dinner and membership drive is held each year during March. Regular meeting time is the third Tuesday of each month at the Country Club. George Wiggins is the President of the Club at this time.
Band Boosters 1963
Band Boosters is an organization to co-operate with the Board of Education and Band director to further the interest of instrumental music in the Public Schools of Marceline, Missouri. The first regular meeting of Band Boosters was held at the high school on Thursday night, December 8, 1938. The meeting was called to order by the president, Mr. Clair Bond. The other officers were Mrs. Harry Foster, vice-president; Mrs. Vergie Stephens, secretary; Mrs. Iva Cantwell, treasurer. The three representatives at large with the elected officers to form the Executive Board were Rev. Novak, Dr. Adamson, and Mr. Ross Wooten. The regular meeting time for the Band Boosters, at the present time, is the first Monday in the month while school is in session. While the band uniforms have been the primary ob¬jective of the organization, we have helped the school to buy several instruments, the type of which the individual student doesn’t care to own. The organization replaces emblems, cords and other needed parts of the uniforms and have the uniforms cleaned and stored at the end of the school term. Band Boosters have paid rental for bus trips to Band Day at Columbia and to contests at Kirks¬ville. Drapes were made for the band room by Band Booster members in 1961. The organization sponsored a band member to All State Band in 1961. One of the outstanding characteristics of Band Boosters since its beginning is its interest in ways and means for making money. And the tninutes tell the story. We have done about everything from frying hamburgers at football games to performing in Minstrels and Home Talent Shows, sponsoring the Blackburn Brothers, pop¬ping corn and making candy, serving dinners, having rummage sales, selling home-made mincemeat, selling cookbooks and not forgetting Tag Day and selling pen¬nants at Homecoming. The first 41 uniforms were purchased in 1938 at $21.95 each. On April 1956, 65 uniforms were ordered at $58.75 each. Fourteen new uniforms, drum majors uniform and plumes for majorettes were ordered in 1962 amounting to $1050.00. Shakos for all twirlers were purchased in 1954. Plumes were purchased in 1959 for $95.00. At least $6000.00 has been spent to uniform the band since 1938. With the help of merchants and organizations the Band Boosters have made this possible. The instrumental music program in the Marceline Public Schools consists of a fifth grade beginning band, a sixth grade intermediate band, a seventh and eighth grade junior high band, and ninth through twelfth grade senior high band. In the fall the senior high marching band performs at all the home football games and marches in several parades. At Christmas time all of the bands perform at a special Christmas concert. This program is followed by the winter and spring concerts presented by all the bands. Then in the spring there are the district and state music contests where many soloists and ensembles take part.