Have you been asked to help out with a specific project for the Manning school history book? Have you been given a form to write about your teaching history or some other aspect of the history book? Maybe you were asked to dig up some pictures or to contact someone about the school history project. Are you heading up a small group to help us complete a specific aspect of the book? Maybe you volunteered to do some interviews.

In the spirit of cooperation - if you answered yes to one of these situations or have committed to help with a specific part of the book could you please take some time and finish that work and turn in things you were going to dig up or work on.

I realize you are busy but for those of us who are in charge of the larger aspects of the project we need to spend time contacting new people and work on new projects and don't always have time to remind you or get back to you to see how you are progressing. So please take some time to finish your part so we don't have to spend so much time reminding you.

Continuing support from out of town
Impressive support from people who live out of town and out of state continues. We recently received some pictures and information from Lester Carter who taught at Manning in the 1970s. He responded to a letter campaign we started about a month ago when we mailed information about the school history book project and requests for pictures and information to former Manning teachers.

Lester Carter

Lester was hired by Superintendent Paul Bjorkgren and taught high school science (college prep physics and chemistry to juniors and seniors, and physical science to freshman) at Manning for three school years (1976 through 1979). He also started a photography course complete with a darkroom lab where students processed B&W film and prints. Photography was a serious hobby for Lester and he always taught classes to students at the schools he was employed.

Teaching at Manning High School was a very positive experience for Lester. His rigorous, upper level courses (chemistry and physics) had students who were motivated to learn. The ninth grade physical science was a "hands on" inquiry-based course that he felt was very successful. Lester had fun teaching and he felt that his students had fun learning as well.

Manning at that time was the smallest school (class 2A) in the Midwest Conference that was made up of mostly class 3A schools. There was a sense of school pride, as MHS teams would compete very competitively and successfully in most sports. Lester served as the timer and clock operator for the varsity basketball and football games.

The Carters have fond memories of their many friends in the faculty and the community. They bought their first house on May Street and their first child, Erin, was born in the summer of 1977 and delivered by Dr. John Hornberger. Lester and Marcia were members of the Presbyterian Church in Manning. They liked to play golf and were members at the Manning-Manilla Country Club. They still keep in touch with several people from "their Manning years."

Lester and Marcia moved to Pella, Iowa, after the 1978-79 school year. Lester taught high school science including AP physics and chemistry and retired in 2005 after 33 years of teaching. In the fall of 2006, he was an adjunct instructor (General Chemistry lab) at Central College in Pella. His wife, Marcia, has taught Kindergarten in Pella for over 26 years.

Their son, David, was born in Pella in 1980. Both of their children graduated from Pella High School. Erin graduated with a BS in Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Biology from Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. She earned her master's in Human Genetics from Sara Lawrence College in New York City and presently works as a genetic counselor in a Manhattan hospital. David graduated with a BA in Political Science from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, and currently is finishing work for his PhD at the University of Rochester in New York.

Marcia & Lester in the Netherlands

I have said time and again that I can usually get more old Manning history from people who have moved away from Manning and have kept the old pictures because they wanted to remember where they came from - while many Manning residents, because they have stayed here, did not see as much importance in keeping the old family and historical pictures so they are gone.

This next picture Wes has is a perfect example of old Manning history that connects several families. The picture is identified in relationship to Wes' mother Inez (Ehlers) Cooper who graduated from MHS in 1934.

Herman Hagedorn married Ann Vinke and they had 3 children: Norma, Barbara, and Donald. Sophie Rust emigrated to Manning in 1942 and below is her alien registration card. She came from Popenhagen, Hanover, Germany.

Wesley was confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Manning on April 11, 1954. Below are the students who were confirmed with Wes.