Marching Panthers chosen for 50th inaugural parade

50 Years Ago

From the Herald and Democrat in 1968

The Atomic Energy Commission granted Arkansas Power & Light Company a construction permit to build the first nuclear-fueled electric generating station in the southwest.

The permit was issued by the Atomic Energy Commission's Division of Reactor Licensing in Washington, D.C. The reactor was to be built on the north bank of Dardanelle Reservoir on the Arkansas River about six miles west of Russellville. The site covers approximately 1,100 acres.

When completed, AP&L's nuclear plant would be the largest single industrial investment in the history of Arkansas. The total cost of the plant and associated project facilities, including the first fuel core, was estimated at $169 million.

30 Years Ago

From the Herald-Democrat in 1988

A team of six students at Siloam Springs Junior High School competed on Dec. 7 in the Knowledge Master Open, an academic competition involving thousands of schools across the nation.

The local team scored 1,391 of 2,000 possible points on a test covering all secondary school disciplines. The score earned the team the #3 junior high ranking in the state behind Sloan-Hendrix Junior High with 1,418 and Bryant Junior High with 1,405. The team placed in the top 30 percent nationwide.

Team members included Brad Lawson, captain, Jeremy Burns, Kevin Philpot, Danny Wilson, Bret Dahl and Brett Lawson.

The contest was run on Apple II computers at secondary schools in all 50 states, Canada and the Pacific Basin. The computers tallied the students' scores based on speed and accuracy. This was the second year that Siloam Springs Junior High had entered the Knowledge Master Open competition.

10 Years Ago

From the Herald-Leader in 2008

The Siloam Springs Marching Panthers were invited to play in the upcoming inaugural parade in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20.

"No matter what candidate was elected we knew that we wanted to be a part of it," Rutledge said. "This is the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's inauguration which makes it even more special for our kids and community."

According to a release from Katherine Lyons of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, president-elect Barack Obama and vice president-elect Joe Biden's inaugural committee officially extended an offer to the Siloam Springs High School Band to march in the 50th Inaugural Parade.

"I know of two college bands from Arkansas that applied but got turned down because we were accepted," Rutledge said. "The process is extremely selective and generally only one band from each state is picked to go."

Two bands from Obama's home state of Illinois were invited to march in the parade and three bands were chosen from Delaware, Biden's home state.

Community on 12/12/2018