We have been learning about Marland Burckhardt, who grew up in rural Russell. He attended Russell Public Schools (RPS) and described some of his early school experiences in relation to where they were living.

“When I started 1st grade we were living in a downtown apartment. This was right after WWII and Dad was working in Iowa in a veterans-preference job. Then we moved to a farm site on the east side of town. Finally, we moved to the farm north of Russell. I was in third or fourth grade. It was about two miles to school. I used a school bus and sometimes my bicycle to get to school.”

RPS grew during his tenure and again shortly after he graduated.

“I was in RPS throughout — all 12 years in the same building. The school, built in 1919, was a big, square structure on a hill overlooking the town. We were all in that building when I started. Then they expanded it with a kitchen and cafeteria with more classrooms above. The year after I graduated they built a gymnasium.”

Marland explained the original school did not have a true gymnasium.

“Before building that gym we had a crackerbox gymnasium on the ground floor with a stage on one end. They called it the auditorium. The floor was probably half the size of a standard basketball court. We played our (basketball) games in the town hall. The year we knocked Marshall out of the district tournament we practiced in that town hall.”

Marland recalled that RPS classes were small and grew smaller in the upper grades

“We had 19 in our graduating class, but started with around 25 students in 1st grade. Not all continued through high school. That was not uncommon at that time. Sometimes classes were combined. For instance half of 3rd grade combined with 2nd grade and the other half combined with 4th grade.”

Lunchtime and recess were school day highlights.

“During elementary school I carried my lunch. We’d get little cartons of milk from the school. My lunch was generally a thermos of soup my mom prepared. We had our lunches in the classroom. During recess time we’d go outside and play softball and touch football. There was a jungle gym and some other old playground equipment. We had great snowball fights in the winter!”

He remembered all his elementary school teachers, but one stood out.

“My 3rd grade teacher was Mrs. Brantner, who drove from Marshall. She introduced us to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. That was the first time I realized our region had a history. She read us a chapter a day. Later, I read those books to my children.”

Some of Marland’s lasting friendships began in elementary school.

“One was my wife’s brother, Darwin ‘Buzz’ Livingston. He’d been held back in 2nd grade when I caught up with him. I was a nerd, trying to keep out of sight in back. Buzz was a busy little fella whom the teacher had in front to control him. She moved me behind Buzz, thinking I’d have a good influence on him. It backfired. (Marland chuckled) I kind of went his way. I also met Jerry Langstrom and Larry Mitzner, from the Balaton area. We all became lifelong friends.”

Marland recalled that Russell’s downtown had two grocery stores, two dry goods stores, a hardware store, and a drugstore. It also included a produce plant, two cafes, a bank, the post office, two gas stations, a Chevrolet dealer, the Co-operative Creamery, a couple insurance agencies, a meat locker, two barbershops, and a cobbler. The railroad line serviced three grain elevators and a passenger/merchandise depot.

Members of Marland’s family worked at downtown businesses.

“My great-uncle, Wesley Zvorak, ran the Municipal Liquor Store. My uncle, Alvin Burckhardt, worked there as a bartender. Later my mother-in-law, Lucille (Peg) Livingston, managed it for years, followed by my cousin, Julie Burckhardt. It was a community gathering place. Another great-uncle, Jack Zvorak, ran the Rainbow Café. The depot offered passenger rail service during my early years. My Uncle Alvin was section chief of a railroad work crew. He took his children on the last passenger run from Russell to Marshall so they’d know what it was like to ride a passenger train.”

Marland described the family’s regular trips to Russell.

“Saturday night was when you went to town to trade. Mom traded eggs for grocery money. There was also Maurice Nicholson’s Produce where my folks marketed eggs and chickens on occasion. In the summer, we’d also go to town Wednesday nights to do more shopping and listen to the Russell Community Band in the old bandwagon.”

Those band concerts did not always hold the attention of the young boys.

“We’d play rough games in a vacant lot downtown on Wednesday nights. We used to play a tackle game where everyone would line up on one side of the open lot with one fellow in the middle. On his signal we’d would run across the lot and try to evade the guy in the middle who tackled as many of the runners as he could. Those he tackled would join him in the middle and help tackle the runners in the next round. This continued until there were no more runners. Then we’d start over again. (Marland laughed) I’m not sure what the adults thought of our game. It was rough and dirty play.”

Marland attended RPS through high school, becoming involved in school activities and gaining more independence. But none of this prepared him for a family tragedy that reshaped his family and future.

©2025 William D. Palmer.