George Marcum graduated from Centralia High School in 1954 where he was an outstanding all around athlete. George attended Centralia Junior College, now Kaskaskia College, from 1954-1955 and gained national recognition as a member of the men's basketball team.

George was the second leading scorer in the nation; averaging almost 30 points per game and hitting over sixty-five percent of his field goal attempts and over eighty-five percent of his free throw attempts.  George was named to All-Conference Team, the NJCAA Region Two All-Star team and was named to the NJCAA All-American Team.   Illinois and Missouri comprised NJCAA Region Two at that time.

After George's first year at Centralia Junior College, he received a basketball scholarship to Kentucky Wesleyan College. George was a starting guard his junior and senior years averaging 15 points per game.  The 1956-1957 Kentucy Wesleyan College men's basketball team finished second in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.