March 16, 1984

The Senate today overwhelmingly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to sanction silent prayer in the public schools. It agreed to vote Tuesday on President Reagan's proposal for vocal prayer. The vote would end two weeks of Senate debate and supporters' fears that Senate roll-call vote is on page B5. the amendment could be filibustered to death. ''I hope we're sort of coming down the final mile,'' said Howard H. Baker Jr., the Senate majority leader, who is the Senate sponsor of the President's proposal. Mr. Baker made the motion to table, and thus kill, the silent prayer proposal, and negotiated the agreement that assured next week's vote on the President's proposal.

Industrial production rose 1.2 percent in February from January, the second strong increase in two months, offering what one analyst called further proof of ''a superb business expansion.'' The February increase in output by the nation's factories, mines and utilities, reported today by the Federal Reserve Board, indicated the economy was much stronger than many analysts had predicted in December. Last month's production was 15.8 percent higher than a year earlier. The February increase duplicated the 1.2 percent rise in January, which had been the best since a 1.3 percent jump last September. All figures are adjusted to allow for normal seasonal variations.

John Glenn, once considered the principal challenger to Walter F. Mondale for the Democratic Presidential nomination, plans to withdraw from the race, top campaign aides said today. Senator Glenn, whose campaign is more than $2 million in debt, has scheduled a news conference here on Friday morning to announce his decision. His aides said he was not likely to endorse either of the two leading candidates, Senator Gary Hart of Colorado or former Vice President Mondale. ''Almost all the advice went in the direction of withdrawing,'' said one of the Ohio Senator's aides, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified, ''but the decision was his.''

-West Africa - If southern Africa's optimists are to be believed, the stirrings of political independence for South-West Africa are again in the air. But if the testimony of the diamond mines that stretch through surf and pale desert northward from here are any indication, the economic counterpart of such freedom will prove even more elusive. Oranjemund is a company town, and the company is De Beers, the diamond-mining concern under Sir Harry Oppenheimer that controls not only the diamond production of southern Africa but also the marketing of the stones throughout the world, including the Soviet Union. For the first time in at least four years, De Beers allowed journalists to tour its vast complex here in South- West Africa, also known as Namibia.

A White House guard tonight shot and wounded a man on the sidewalk outside the White House grounds after he drew a loaded sawed-off shotgun, a spokesman for the United States Park Police said. President Reagan was in the White House at the time but may not have been immediately aware of the incident, White House officals said. Larry Speakes, the chief White House spokesman, said the President was informed later of the shooting but did not say when he was informed. The gunman, identified by the Park Police as David Allen Mahonski, 25 years old, of Williamsport, Pa., was taken to D.C. General Hospital, where he was under police guard. A hospital spokesman said Mr. Mahonski was in fair condition with a gunshot wound in the right forearm.