The Sell Family and Marion High School, 1943-1945

By Delores Miller
 
Victor Sell (1928-1973) was the youngest child of Ernst (1885-1962) and Anna  (1893-1985) Sell of Dupont.  Siblings included Goldabelle Fischer (1913-1981), Alice Marchini Hauser (1914-2010). Rozan Flink (1917-1987), Pearl Schewe (1919-2008), and Elvira Graper (1923-1982).  Ernst Sell was born in Brandenburg, Germany and immigrated with his family in 1891.  A son Clifford died on the boat and is buried at sea.   The 1910 census for the township of Fairbanks in Shawano County lists August and Augusta Sell with their children Ernst, August, Gustav, Frank, Augusta, Alfred and Irwin.  Another son was Charlie and daughter Louise.  Three other babies died young, making a family of  12 children.  In 2011 there are uncountable descendants.     At some time the name was spelled 'ZELL'.   The Ernst Sell family rented a dairy farm on Horn Road in Dupont, moving to Quarterline Road about 1946.
 
In the fall of 1941, shortly before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Vic Sell began a 4 year stint at Marion High School.  Because gasoline, tires and automobiles were rationed, Vic Sell, Butch Conradt and Bucky Hintz rode horses to school.  During the day the horses were boarded in Bill Ziehm's cattle barns. 
 
Surviving these last  years are Marion High School year books, the Mario.  The class of 1942 dedicated the book to Miss Edna Schmidt.  L. K. Forrest and T. K. Hocking were the principal and superintendent.  Other teachers were Lloyd Meiners, Michael Foley, Marjorie Baeseman, Delos Kobs, Ruth Nygaard, Mary Gordon, Jeanette Schielke, Earl Clausen and Dorothy Roth.  What happend to them all?  Doris Krueger and Vergene Ruehmling were editors of the year book.    47 seniors graduated.   About 200 students in high school.   These were the years when Big Falls and Leopolis had two years of high school before students transfered to the big school at Marion.    Tom Meyer, Jean Lau,Darold Brockhaus, Bonnie Babcock and Ken Halpop were Presidents of their respective classes.  On a sad note, Tom Meyer (1925-1945) was killed in action on April 15, 1945 while in the U. S. Army, Blackhawk 86th Division, World War II in Germany.
 
Extra activities included Thespians, Future Farmers of America, Future Homemakers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Pep Club, Cheerleaders, Girls Athletic Association, Chorus, Glee Clubs, (complete with gowns), Band (with uniforms), Office Girls, Librarians, Boxing, Football, Baseball, and Track. 
 
 All the grade school children had a group picture in the yearbook.  They   performed in an Operetta called 'Station Cloudville'.   
 
Darhl Jantz and Norman Draeger were the 1941 Football Homecoming King and Queen.  Betty Behling and Clarence Bork were the 1942 Prom King and Queen.  Doris Krueger and William Ehlert were the 1941 Prom King and Queen.
 
Vic Sell was vertically challenged, and the autographs written by class mates in his yearbook, were almost on the edge of harrassing this short person. From the sounds of some of the writings, Vic had lots of fun (and girlfriends).
 
1945 was the year Vic graduated from Marion High School.  The yearbook was dedicated to Dr. Frank Mulvaney (1875-1944) who had recently passed away.  Members of the school board were L. R. Noack, Lucille Schultz, Forest Schafer, Rexford Michaelis and William E. Wulk.  J. F. Holms was Superintendent, Hilman Kittelson, Malcolm Anderson (his first year), Maxine Davidson, Dorothy Heicalis, Fay Lavold, Robert Kunitz, Norman Aderhold, Rosann Kopjar, Carol Ross Fuchs and Frederick Schultze were teachers.
 
Young men left during the school year to serve in the armed forces, Oryn Blashe in the Air Corps, sadly he was killed in action  October 23, 1945. Howard May, Lloyd Schilling,  Russel Hopkins in the Marine Corps, and Arthur Scherbarth.
 
Other activties included Debate, Forensics, French and German Club, Hi Crier, Commercial Club, Science Club,
 
After graduation, and the end of the war,  Vic  and Kenny Erdman bought  a Texaco Service Station (now Kleins) in Clintonville . Later Vic owned his Standard Oil delivery truck.  On August 11, 1948 Victor Sell and LaVerne Krueger were married and lived happily ever after until his untimely death on August 28, 1973.   Two daughters Debbie and Mary.   Vic was a happy-go-lucky fellow who enjoyed life.  He was 45 years old.
 
Information furnished by LaVerne Sell, Mary Rahr, Genealogist and Carol Gruetzmacher