Dippell, Victor William (1874-1966)

Victor William Dippell was born in Huntington, Indiana on February 17, 1874 to Peter and Martha (Merman) Dippell. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he ultimately earned a doctorate in Semitic languages, his course of study taking him at one point to the University of Breslau. Dr. Dippell taught at Temple University in 1896 and 1897, prior to receiving his Ph.D. He then entered the Lancaster Theological Seminary, and upon graduation became pastor of St. John's Reformed Church in Lebanon. It was from there that he was called in 1910 to Franklin and Marshall College, where he became head of the Department of German. During World War I, Dr. Dippell was commissioned as a first lieutenant in Army Military Intelligence. He served for nearly 15 years on the Lancaster Board of Public Assistance (1939-1946, 1948-1955). During his active teaching career, he served as a supply pastor in many area churches, including St. Paul's Church of Hamlin, PA. After his active teaching career, he filled the pulpit of the Maytown Evangelical and Reformed Church about ten years. During this period he was a member of the faculty of the area college of Pennsylvania State University. He taught German in the school years of 1946-47 and 1947-48 to Penn State freshmen attending classes at McCaskey High School. Dr. Dippell found time for many community activities. He served the Lancaster Kiwanis Club, of which he was a member for nearly 30 years, as its president in 1944. He headed the speakers bureau for such campaigns as the Lancaster General Hospital campaign in 1947 and the Community Chest in 1951. He was a member and a former secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Thaddeus Stevens Trade School. He was an organizer of the University Club in Lancaster. In addition, he belonged to the Sphinx Club, the Fortnightly Club and the Cliosophic Society. While at F&M, he was a member of the Modern Language Association, and the Association of Teachers of German. He also was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity and of the Masons. For many years, Dr. Dippell coached the golf team at the college. He served one term as President of the former Eastern Synod, and for many years on classical and synodical committees on examination and licensure supervising students for the ministry. He maintained a summer home on Lehigh Ave. in Mt. Gretna where he helped to organize the widely known Pennsylvania Chautauqua Association at Mt. Gretna and served many years as its president. Dr. Dippell contributed many articles to magazines, secular and religious. After World War I, he compiled a register of Soldiers, Sailors and Nurses of Lancaster County. He prepared a history of the activities of local Red Cross chapter in both World War I and World War II. He also authored a book, "Phonetically Written Proper Names," published by the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Dippell was married to Marion Fox Dippell, of Hummelstown, in 1902. They had an adopted daughter, Mary Lorene Fox Dippell.