FOLEY, Ala. — There they were — four local students pictured with their science fair projects — above the fold and dead center on the front page of The Onlooker’s Feb. 16, 1961, issue.

Mary N. Walker’s project was “Plant Cells Under the Microscope.” Priscilla Thomas’ project was “Production of Artificial Calculus.” Joe Greulich hoped to win with “Characteristics of Vacuum Tubes,” while Arthur Hart had high hopes for “Galvanic Skin Resistance.”

The headline to the right of the students’ pictures made it clear these were not the only Science Fair entrants: “Foley Science Fair will feature 500 exhibits.”

According to the story that ran in that ‘61 paper, the Foley Science Fair was a preliminary to the Mobile Regional Science fair to be held in March at Spring Hill College. The Foley Fair was a three-day affair to be held in the Foley High School Auditorium — Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Why three days? That was due to the “number of exhibits, and the small space available in the High School Auditorium in which to exhibit them.”

Sixteen science fair winners were to be selected from the 500 Foley projects and they would move on to the Mobile Regional Science Fair. The Foley projects could be in any of four fields: math, chemistry, physics and biology. Five of the winners would be from junior high entries and 11 from senior high entries. Elementary school students also entered projects.

The following week, in the Feb. 23, 1961, issue, The Onlooker carried another article that listed the local Science Fair winners and honorable mentions. Each student who entered a project got a certificate of recognition it was reported.

Actually, the Science Fair is still a big deal, according to Dr. Jack Fix, dean of the College of Science at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. He serves as the director of the Alabama Science and Engineering Fair.

“We make a big deal here at the awards ceremonies. We try to pump up the kids who get to the state level,” he said this week.

According to Fix, there are five regional Science Fairs and winners from those compete at the Alabama Science and Engineering Fair held annually at UAH.

Two to three hundred students usually end up competing at the state level with the goal of reaching the International Science Fair which will be held this year in San Jose, Calif., in May.

Asked about reports that American students typically don’t do as well in math and science as students from certain other countries — “trailing,” “mediocrity,” “poor,” and “academic failure” are words often used in the comparison - Fix said, “The best of our students compete with the best in the world.”

He describes students competing at the state level as “excited” and “strongly competitive. It doesn’t look as though there has been a drop in the talent level,” he said.

“We always get a lot of good competitors out of south Alabama.”

Fix is of the opinion that the Science Fair is flourishing at the high school and middle school areas, but notes there is no elementary school component.

A check of area schools today shows a mixed report card where the Science Fair is concerned. Principal Russ Moore at Foley High School said FHS does not have a Science Fair, but that teachers encourage students to enter projects in the county Science Fair. Robertsdale High School and Gulf Shores High also do not have Science Fairs.

Foley Middle School does not have a Science Fair, but a spokeswoman at Elberta Middle said that school does; that all students in grades four through eight are required to participate. Summerdale School likewise has a Science Fair.

Indeed, in 2009 two Summerdale School students won awards at the state level: Victoria Brasington, 3rd Place in the Medicine & Health Sciences category, and McKenzie Morris, an honorable mention, in the Behavioral & Social Sciences category. Zach Kibler of Elberta Middle won a 4th Place at state last year in the Physical Science competition.

Referring to Mary, Priscilla, Joe and Arthur, the four local students who appeared on the front of The Onlooker nearly 50 years ago, Fix said it would be interesting to know what happened to them. If they pursued science as a vocation, he is of the opinion they were probably mobile and perhaps dispersed across the globe as a result of their interests.