Alumnus Donation Helps Make for Rich Wildcat History

Leaving a legacy gift can mean different things to different people, but it does not have to be given after one has passed away or be only monetary in nature.  A legacy gift can be done within one’s lifetime and, in the case of alumnus Jack Fischl, it can be a gift that extends Belleville students’ understanding of their alma mater high school.  For Belleville High School’s library, which is interested in building a small archives to illustrate its Wildcat history, Fischl’s recent gift helps contribute to telling the Wildcat story as an example of Wisconsin history at the local level.  It is a gift that captures a moment in time and offers present day students a chance to open a time capsule of sorts to better understand their school’s history.

Building a small library special collection like this alumni-focused archives offers not only a way for donors to give back and help educate students about the school’s history, but it also serves as a way for alumni to be remembered.  As Belleville High School seeks to tell its current students its story, textile and realia donations provide a unique way for students to slip into a memory of what it used to be like to be a Wildcat back in the day.  While many schools rely on merely housing a high school’s yearbook collection for historical context, the gift of artifacts like Fischl’s gift extends beyond the traditional high school library holdings and offers present day students the opportunity to see and touch history through examining primary resources.

In the case of Fischl’s recent donation, one is instantly transported back to the early 1960’s through the gift of his letterman jacket and mementos of his time as varsity football player #32.  Fischl played defense as the team’s left end in the early to mid-1960’s.  Among the items today’s students will enjoy include:  The 1962 Undefeated State Line League Champions team photo where Fischl himself stands proudly in the center back row, copies of the 1962 8-man playbook and the 1963 11-man playbook (also State Line League Champions) from Coach Dillman; Athletic Banquet programs (1964-1965); an official Homecoming game program – “Belleville Vs. New Glarus,” coasters from the family business Fischl’s Tap and champion and Wildcat logo patches.

As gifts like Jack Fischl’s come in through the caring help of alumnus Bart Morrick, the Belleville High School library is making plans on how to best preserve, house and display these unique items from the school’s history.  Acid-free storage boxes and tissue are some of the first supplies to be ordered so that collections can be safely maintained for generations to come.

“Once Ms. Perry can get these archival donations properly stored and cataloged, she hopes to create UV-protected display cases in the library for students to enjoy the Wildcats’ rich history.  It is nice for Marie to bring her knowledge as a former archivist for the State of Minnesota into her work here in Belleville,” acknowledges District Administrator Nate Perry.

In the meantime, there is a lot of dreaming going on about how a special collection like this one can be used in the classroom to teach history.  Developing a living history from artifacts that are relatable to students is a great way to start.

Perry notes, “Looking ahead as a school librarian, we are in the beginning stages, but it is an exciting process to create a school archives here in Belleville.  Through doing so, it is my hope to get students excited about Wisconsin history and a heritage they share with alumni.  We are grateful to Jack Fischl for remembering the Wildcats with such a personal donation.”