By Monty Siekerman

Do you know where the phrase "saved by the bell" comes from?

During a recent talk at the Ada Public Library, Doris Blum (left) and Kathy Hines explained that a century ago, and previous to that time, it was unclear if a person was truly dead.

So, sometimes a bell was tied to a string and attached to the hand of someone thought to be deceased. A family member or friend stayed up all night with the "deceased."

If the bell rang because the "deceased" moved, then the "deceased" was still alive...saved by the bell.

With today's medical advances, there, happily, is no need for such action. The two women speakers, both officers of the Hardin County Genealogy Society, talked about cemeteries in Hardin County.

They will make another presentation at the library in December, with the date to be determined.