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    FLYING CLUB EXHIBIT

    FLYING CLUB EXHIBITRecently an exhibit portraying the history of the Seymour flying club was added to the displays at the museum.

    During the spring of 1947 a group of intrepid Seymour citizens met at Hotel Nelson (Hotel Seymour) and agreed to form the “Seymour Flying Club, Inc”. with the slogan, ”Seymour of Wisconsin” as their theme. The Board of Directors included Derbert Coonen, Orville Marnocha, Stewart Droeger and Harold Maass. Officers elected were: Bud Nelson, President, Jarvis N. Selberg, vice-president, and Marvin R. Kuehne secretary-treasurer.

    At the second meeting on June 13, 1947, 19 new members were added to the 23 charter members, making the total membership 42. The club decided to hold regular weekly meetings and invited ladies as guests for the June 23 meeting to be held at Marnocha’s lounge. Entertainment and movies were planned for the evening.

    A large number of women were present for the “ladies night meeting.” They were entertained with two movies, “The Navy Flies On” and “Fight for the Skies.” Bob Jubin, a flight instructor form Oconto, and Ed Wichman, a flight instructor from Oshkosh, gave interesting talks on aviation. It was reported that the American Legion was pleased with the flying club’s offer to provide rides at the July 4th celebration. The committee indicated that it would secure a field for flight use and make arrangements to provide transportation from and back to the fair grounds.

    The club continued to meet on a regular basis holding its first annual meeting in January at the hotel. The major topic at the annual meeting was the possibility of obtaining land near the city of Seymour that was suitable for an airport. By the end of the month several sites were recommended and a goal was established to make a decision by early spring....

    ....As years passed, the land purchased for the airport increased in value and eventually was sold. Descendants of the charter members established two scholarships, with a maximum of $2,000.00 each, for graduates of Seymour High School who pursue a career in an aviation related field. Most recent recipients of the grants are Heather Drephal and Sullivan Stroess.

    The Seymour Community Historical Society has also benefited from the generosity of the flying club. Prior to dissolving, they donated $15,000.00 toward the new museum building fund. This exhibit in the new museum reminds future generations of the days when Seymour had an airport and local flying enthusiasts took to the air over the city.

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