1938 songs
"Jeepers Creepers" Al Donahue (Paula Kelly, vocal)
Artie Shaw "Begin the beguine"
Ella Fitzgerald "A-Tisket-A-Tasket"
"God Bless America" Kate Smith
Louis Armstrong "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen on The Ed Sullivan Show - originally sung in 1938
Shep Fields & his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra "Whistle While You Work"
"Thanks for the Memories" Bob Hope
"The Umbrella Man" Kay Kyser (Harry Babbitt & Ginny Simms, vocal)
Tommy Dorsey "Music Maestro, Please"

I just found out about the passing of Jean Carstens - 1938 class member - I didn't think there were any more members of this class living.
I don't have any pictures of her but do have a couple of pictures of the Carstens family.
I added quite a few pictures and information for various members of the class of 1938, one of whom was my dad, Amos Kusel.

So take a trip back 84 years ago to see a little of that era of Manning's history...
I added some songs from 1938 that will give you another idea of the time-frame.

These are some of the children of members of this class who are living in/around Manning: Glen Struve (Kevin), Amos Rutz (Karl), Robert Hoffmann (Dean), George Campbell (Harry), Iola (Taylor) Stammer (Calvin), Amos Misselhorn (Keith), Amos Kusel (David), Wesley Lage (Brian, a nephew), Helen (Hinz) Wegner (Connie Wegner Singsank), Helen (Kuhn) Weible (Tim Weible), Orren Ramsey (Kay Ramsey Rutherford)

I think I have Jean's family background figured out, but if I'm in error please let me know.
Thanks,
Dave

I'm including some non-family pictures and information from the class of 1938 to give a little insight into the time-frame when Jean attended Manning Schools...
As far as I know, Jean was the last living member of this class.

Jean Williams

Jean Williams formerly Jean Doris Carstens, passed away on Friday, September 9, 2022, at the age of 102.

Born January 28, 1920, in Manning, she was the daughter of Jacob and Wilhelmine (Brüggmann) Carstens. She graduated from Manning High School in 1938…the last surviving member of that class.

She passed peacefully with the help of Kaiser Hospice, San Francisco, California. Jean's family was there throughout the process. They plan to have a Celebration of Life later this year.

Although most of her friends have passed, she was quite popular and known for her kindness, accepting personality, energy, and of course endurance. She attributed her lifelong values from growing up in Manning.

Her determination, confidence, and spirit of adventure have been passed on to her family. Even though, she experienced various trials and tribulations of the "Greatest Generation," she often said that she had a" Wonderful Life."

Jean was married to John W. Williams and their daughter, Margie, preceded her in death (1952 - 2010).

Jean had a brother Harry Jacob Carstens and a sister Milda Dorothy (Carstens) Dethlefs.

Jacob and Minnie (Brugmann) Carstens
Jean's parents

Peter & Mary (Peper) Carstens February 19, 1902
Jean's uncle/aunt

Malinda (Carstens) Dethlefs
Jean's cousin - daughter of Peter & Mary

Milda & Harry Carstens
Jean's siblings

High School notes

1938 MHS graduates: James Armstrong, Merlin Asmus, Betty Boock, Jeanne Boss (salutatorian), George Campbell, Jean Carstens, Lois Chamberlain, Gene Claussen, Merle Curtis, Neva Dietz (valedictorian), Lyle Eckley, LaVerne Frahm, Virginia Fritz, Grant Grundmeier, Alvan Hansen, Harry Hass, Helen Hinz, Robert Hoffmann, Helen Hoover, Billie Hunter, Arlene Jensen, Arnold Juels, Helen Kuhn, Amos Kusel, Wesley Lage, Amos Misselhorn, Dorothy Rowedder, Amos Rutz, Donald Schrum, Lilah Schrum, Lester Siem, Merle Stoelk, Claudina Struve, Glen Struve, Ruth Struve, Iola Mae Taylor, Virginia Thompson, Warren Timmerman

1938 former students: Mary Algren, Luella Anton, Helen Asmus, Darrell Bailey, John Allen Bailey, Gordon Barnes, Jimmie Crider, Lyle Dudgen, Kenneth Esser, Ione Fister, Mary Freese, Elroy Graninger, Craig Grover, Dewey Hargens, Harry Hargens, Jacquetta Hockett, Carl Jones, Jonnie Jones, Bernice Karsten, Bernard Kuhse, Neal Markley, Vernet McMahon, Melvin Mitchell, Vernie Mock, Martha Murphy, Louis Plotz, Clifford Precht, Orren Ramsey, Velma Ranniger, Margaret Rasmussen, Bernice Schumann, Edna Sextro, Ila Sievers, Betty Jean Torgerson, Phyllis Ulman, Bobby Wailes, Dorothy Wheeler, Marcella Wiese, Virgil Wiley, Reva Wrigley, Ralph Zender

Jean must have been one of the oldest if not the oldest living MHS graduate.
If anyone knows of someone 100+ who graduated from Manning or attended Manning Schools - please e-mail me.

Here are pictures of some of Jean's classmates, teachers, and information that will give you an idea of her time at MHS.

If you are old enough you will remember the "sunken" room in the old high school which was on the south half of the building.
This was originally the gym when the school was built in 1917.
This image shows the stage that was on the east end of the gym.
The stage was converted into an administration office and the sunken room was my science room in 1972-73.
The new gymnasium was built in 1937 and the class of 1938 was the first class to use it for PT, sports, and to walk down the aisle for graduation.
Other pix & information down below.

Back: Wally Kruse, Donald Schrum, Betty Grelck, Francis Zerwas, George Pfoltner, Amos Rutz
Third: on tuba Frank Miller, Pat Wood, LaRae Vandeman, Virginia Vandeman, Dorothy Dethlefs, Elaine Schroeder, Jean Schrum, Lester Siem, LaVerne Meyer, Dorothy Scanlan, LeRoy Hass on tuba
Second: Harold Turpin - bandmaster, Lorraine Kuhl, Margaret Lake, Dale Bingham, Lilah Schrum, Ruth Schelldorf, JoAdele Meyers, Louise Schrum, Louise Kuhl, Naomi Ross, Doris Reinhold, Shirley Bailey
Front: Ray Schrum, Jim Ansorge

When you see my constant pleas to get your old Manning connected pix to me to scan - these next two images below are a perfect example, along with the rest of the pictures that follow. These 2 gym pix came from the Dean Hoffmann collection (his dad was Robert who graduated in 1938 and Bob's dad, Henry was on the school board for 30 years).
So if you like to see the hundreds of thousands of pix I can show - think if NO one had shared with me and how many more pix I could show if more Manning connected people would let me scan their Manning pix.

Here you see one man raised the large steel girders using a gin-pole

From Lola (Hansen) Ahrendsen's collection (Lola's brother Alvan graduated in 1938)

1937-38 Back: Wayne Schelldorf, Gene Claussen, Francis Zerwas, Lyle Arp, Wayne Schrum, Coach Joe Rogers
Front: Harold Hoffmann, Robert Hoffmann, Richard Ohm, Bill Hunter, Amos Misselhorn, Harold “Horse” Nickum

High school before the gym was added on...

This picture was taken on the north end of the gym - now part of the Manning Rec Center gymnasium

1937 Student Managers: Roy Schoening, Wayne “Jack” Schelldorf
Back: 18 Duane “Tommy” Bartels, 26 George “Oppie” Opperman, 19 Amos “Messy” Misselhorn (Captain), Coach, 12 Harold “Horse” Nickum, 25 Richard “Dick” Ohm, 13 Grant “Sleepy” Grundmeier
Middle: 28 Arnold “Ichabod” Juels, 21 Gene “Yenze” Claussen, 15 Lyle “Red” Arp, 29 Francis “Frisco” Zerwas, 20 Alvan “Hans" Hansen, 17 Amos “Keezil” Kusel, 14 Harry P. Hass, 23 Raymond “Snaky” Joens, 24 Merlin “Heel” Asmus
Front: 22 Amos “Pickel” Rutz, 16 Wayne Accola, 11 Merlin “Percy” Welch

May 12, 1938 Manning Monitor ad
507 Elm Street - location of the original Casey's Store

New Service Station under Construction 1937
A new, modern, attractive service station is now under construction on highways 46 and 141 at the southeast edge of the city. Albert Puck, manager of the Farmers. Union Service Ass'n., and also owner of the Twin Gables Station, is owner of the new structure. Herman Puck is in charge of the construction.
The area around the station was built up last fall and a large concrete runway put in. For some time carpenters have been working on the new building which will include a lunch room as well as complete service for cars.
It will be some time before the structure is finished and complete details have not as yet been worked out by the management.

April 7, 1938 Monitor ad

Bill Campbell - Ag instructor

Left to Right: Amos Kusel, Alvin Musfeldt, George Opperman, Merlin Musfeldt, Bill Campbell (Ag Teacher) taken in the Ag room in the basement of the old gym.

Monitor Article
IN DOUBLE VICTORY
The Carroll county 4-H crops judging team which will represent Iowa in the competition at the National 4-H club congress in Chicago, Illinois, next December will be representing the state in the second interstate competitive event this year. The same three boys who won the state 4-H crops title will be Iowa's livestock judging entrant in the National Future Farmers' competition in Kansas City, Missouri, next month. They are members of the Manning High school team. Left to right are: Amos Kusel, Alvin Musfeldt, George Opperman, and Merlin Musfeldt who was the highest rated individual judge in the contest, and their coach, W.R. Campbell Manning High school vocational agriculture instructor and 4-H leader.