At the initiative of his local pastor, Father Bešar, he then enrolled in the classical eight-year secondary school in Ljubljana, during which time he lived in Our Lady's Student Dormitory (Slovene: Marijanišče).
After two years (1929–1931) he was no longer able to pay the monthly tuition at the institution, and so he had to return home and work on family farm.
With the help of his sister, who had joined the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, he learned about the Salesians and the possibility of older students attending their secondary school.
Although he was already older, he joined the group and performed in the institute's orchestra, where he played the violin and prepared talks for various ceremonies.
At the end of the war, in May 1945, he retreated with other Home Guard members to Carinthia, from where he was returned from the camp at Viktring by the British and handed over to Yugoslavia.
[4][5][6] Already while living at home, and especially during school, Šerjak showed displayed creative talent, which he developed through study and training.