OUR MISSION

The Winchester Academy, located in Waupaca, Wisconsin, is a center for lifelong learning. It was inspired by the tradition of the Scandinavian Folk Academy. Our purposes are threefold:
1) to enrich the life of the community by providing intellectually stimulating and informative programs;
2) to serve the public's wish for continued intellectual growth;
3) to provide a lay audience for Wisconsin's scholars and others with developed expertise to share their knowledge and enthusiasms   outside the traditional structure of school and college.

It is not a military school or a building or a campus. It isn't even in Winchester any more. Those who organized the Academy in 1973 saw it as a center for adult education, a community of scholars and experts, (professional and amateur), and a community of learners - folks who enjoy learning outside the formal school structure. The Winchester Academy is a nonprofit corporation, exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is the 18-member volunteer board of trustees, and it is the 450 or so families on the mailing list. It is 40 or 60 or 150 interested people who come to each free public program. With 25 - 30 Monday evening programs a year, it is the 1000 or more people each year who enjoy the opportunity to learn something interesting and engage in dialog with the experts. It is the daytime Community Outreach open forums, twice or thrice annually, which feature interactive seminars with guest scholars. It is a lifelong learning project, offering the opportunity for continuing informal education to everyone in the Waupaca vicinity.

It was organized and housed for 18 years in Winchester, Wisconsin. It took its logo from the coat of arms of Winchester College, the first public school in England. (The lamp of learning and Waupaca's historic gazebo now make the logo uniquely our own.) The Academy moved in 1991, having chosen Waupaca because of its vibrant and growing population. The Waupaca community also gave enthusiastic support to a "trial run" of several series of programs.

The Academy brings free programs to the community to stimulate participants to want to learn more about the topics. The speakers bring superior scholarship or expertise, yet are understandable to people with any level of education. The topics are diverse, mostly in what we call the humanities, but including liberal arts and sciences as well as moral and ethical issues and current events.

Since the move to Waupaca, the Academy has offered around 25 - 30 free public lectures each year, in three series - fall, winter-spring, and summer. The programs do not promote causes or particular beliefs. Neither are they merely for entertainment (although many speakers entertain delightfully).  In 2007 the Academy introduced three daytime seminars expressly to allow more time for audience participation.  Many programs have been videotaped and are available on loan.

The audiences represent a wide cross-section of the people of the Waupaca area. Some "regulars" come from Waushara, Portage, Winnebago and Outagamie counties, and summer residents come from much farther.

A core of people attend regularly; the majority attend because of interest in the particular topic. Many are retired; many are not. Working people, business and professional people, high school students, young people of school age, and whole families attend. They have in common an interest in learning. Numbers vary from as few as 40 to over 150.

Public donations fund the Academy's free programs. Thanks to a broader base of public support, foundation grants have become another source, as well as the Wisconsin Humanities Council.  Occasionally a "special event" for fund raising purposes is held. Each has a unique theme and emphasis. Expenses include publication and mailing costs, telephone and office expenses, post office box rental and corporate filing fees, honoraria and travel costs for speakers, and a modest stipend for the executive director.

Except for the executive director who provides leadership and follow-through to board decisions, there are no paid workers. A volunteer board meets monthly to consider and act on selection of programs and speakers, fund raising, publications and mailing, and to make budgeting decisions. Board members work in committees, prepare publications, seek out and contact speakers, write grant applications, introduce speakers, stuff envelopes for mailing, and serve refreshments following the programs.

Total costs, including honoraria, travel and lodging for speakers was $13,000.00 in 2006.

ˆ  It is free.
ˆ  There is no tuition, no exams, no dress code.
ˆ  It is live and interactive (vs. TV)
ˆ  It is unique - not available in other communities.
ˆ  It promotes social and cultural integration.
ˆ  It offers a fellowship of learning.
ˆ  Outside the school structure, it offers curriculum enrichment at many
   levels.
ˆ  It offers a public forum to local and state-wide experts in many fields.
ˆ  It brings to the community expert sources usually available only in
   metropolitan areas or college towns.
ˆ  It supports and enhances Waupaca's image as a stimulating, rich,
   satisfying community in which to live and grow.

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**  CLICK HERE FOR PERIODIC NEWSLETTER **

WINCHESTER ACADEMY presents the

WINTER/SPRING SERIES -- 2010

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The Winchester Academy of Waupaca will present eight programs from February 8 through April 26, plus two special events. The lecture series includes one Saturday morning program at the Holly Center on March 13 – but all other programs will be held on Mondays at the Library, at a NEW STARTING TIME OF 6:30 P.M. The first of the two special events will be a fund raising gala at The Ale House on April 26 featuring the Lawrence Jazz Ensemble, and the other will be a bird walking venture along River Ridge on May 3. Admission is free for all programs except the Jazz Ensemble. If cancellation is required an announcement will be made on WDUX-AM and FM.

February 8, Monday – “Comparison of the 2009 Recession to the Great Depression.” Professor Marty Finkler, Lawrence University Economics Department, will analyze the causative factors of the economic crisis of the 1930s as contrasted to the precipitating circumstances of today’s financial woes. He will review the similarities and differences in terms of the effect on the national economy and the lives of individual Americans. Library: 6:30 P.M.

February 15, Monday – “The Story of Life in the Dairy Industry in Waupaca County.” Retired officer and owner of Trega Foods, Inc., Richard Wagner, Ph.D., will describe the cheese making process and relate the lessons learned in the dairy business, including land use planning. This program, in addition to being a review of cheese production, is a history of local industry and entrepreneurship. Library: 6:30 P.M.

March 8, Monday – “The Manly G.I: Photojournalism in the Second World War.” This talk concerns the image of the American G.I. in Europe during WWII. Professor Mary Lou Roberts, University of Wisconsin - Madison, will explore how intimate relations helped both to secure and to challenge the American presence during the years 1944 to 1946. Sex became a factor in the exercise of – and resistance to – the United States bid for dominance on the European continent. Library: 6:30 P.M. (Sponsor: J. Ingrid Lesley, in honor of her husband, Van)

March 13, Saturday – “What Can Monkeys and Their Teeth Tell Us?” University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Biological Anthropologist Inne Choi will explain how microwear dental patterns give clues not only to feeding habits but also mating patterns and social organization. Holly Center: 9:00 A.M.

March 22, Monday – “The Role of Women in the Civil War.” Although not allowed to serve in the Army, women played a vital role in the Civil War as maintainers of every aspect of the home front, nurses, and, in rare cases, spies. They were expected to support the soldiers medically, spiritually, and economically. Professor Brett Barker of University of Wisconsin - Marathon County, will describe women’s hardships and arduous lives when America was mostly agrarian and without electricity or running water. Library: 6:30 P.M. (Sponsors: Ann and Vance Linden)

March 29, Monday – “Wisconsin’s Glacial Landscapes.” David Mickelson, retired Professor of Geology and Geophysics at University of Wisconsin – Madison, will cover the glacial history of Wisconsin. Today’s soil, hills, and valleys owe their existence to the glacier which 20,000 years ago covered two-thirds of the state. The glacial features along the 1200 mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail will be highlighted. Library: 6:30 P.M. (Sponsor: Joyce Woldt)

April 19, Monday – “Gray Wolves In the Great Lakes – An Endangered Species?” Collette Adkins Giese, Litigation attorney in Minneapolis, will discuss the ecological significance of Wisconsin’s wolf population, and the ongoing recovery of Great lakes wolves. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has repeatedly sought to remove gray wolves from coverage by the Endangered Species Act, but through litigation wildlife protection advocates have thwarted these attempts. Giese is both a conservation scientist and an attorney, and she will review both the legal and natural history aspects. Library: 6:30 P.M.

April 26, Monday – “Vocal Jazz.” The Waupaca High School Music Department, under the direction of Dan Wolfgram, will present a spring program at The First United Methodist Church, 720 Demarest Street. The Vocal Jazz group is also known as “The Madrigals” during the Christmas season when they perform at many local events. Time: 7:15 P.M.

May 3, Monday – “River Ridge Bird Watching Stroll.” In celebration of our long awaited spring, there will be a casual stroll with Jim Anderson, Mosquito Hill Naturalist. This date should be ideal for spotting many returning summer migratory species or summer inhabitants. Bus service to River Ridge Trail (Swan Park) will be provided – time and details to be announced.

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

“JAZZ BAND DANCE FEST”

On April 16 the Academy’s spring fund raiser will feature Lawrence University’s Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Professor Fred Sturm. He is a world-renowned composer and guest conductor, and he and his musicians have generously offered to further our organization’s cause by providing an evening of outstanding music for listening and dancing. The event will be held at the Ale House.

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THE MISSION OF THE WINCHESTER ACADEMY

The purposes of the organization are:

1. To enrich the life of the community by providing intellectually stimulating and informative programs;

2. To serve the public’s wish for continued intellectual growth;

3. To provide a lay audience for Wisconsin’s scholars and others  with developed expertise to share their knowledge and enthusiasms   outside the traditional structure of school and college.

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WINCHESTER ACADEMY’S EIGHTEENTH YEAR IN WAUPACA

The Academy had its roots as an adult education curriculum in Winchester, Wisconsin, in 1973 under the leadership of Professor Neil Eckstein. It moved to Waupaca in 1993 and has continued to present 25-30 programs annually.

During the recent Sesquicentennial Year 2007 many long-time residents reflected on the changes in the community in the last fifty years. Characteristic of most small Wisconsin towns in the 1950s, Waupaca had little industry and survived on tourism and the daily business of approximately 5000-7000 “town folk” and nearby “country people.” But things have changed dramatically! The area now numbers 10,000-12,000, we have some businesses with world markets, and the school system is among the best in the state.

Winchester Academy is no small part of this progress. Over the last eighteen years we have attempted to provide opportunities for everyone to expand his/her learning experiences to keep pace with the rapidly changing world dynamics – from “Art to Zoology.” Programs have ranged from the “The Song of Bullfrogs” to “Ethics – The Foundation of Freedom.” We feel that Waupaca is among the state’s top five small communities. Ongoing adult education is a key component, and it is the Winchester Academy Board’s objective to help fulfill that role.

*WINCHESTER ACADEMY BOARD OF TRUSTEES*
Robert Benada - Richard Bidwell – Georgia M. Calvo -- Robert Cloud – Rose Marie Dorow
(Pres.) – Carol Elvery -- (Sec.) – Gloria Gruer – David S.
Hathaway (Ex. Dir.) – Bettie Hill – Pat Hollenbeck – J. Ingrid Lesley --
Vance Linden – Teri Moe (Treas.) – Patrick Phair -- Ray Robinson – Joan
Wasserberg -- Maurice Wozniak (VP)

*Emeriti: Neil Eckstein – Gerald F. Moede – Carl Strassburg – Marwin
Wrolstad*

Winchester Academy offers its programs to the public free of charge. It depends on the community in the form of individual and corporate gifts. Contributions are tax deductible under section 501©(3) of the federal tax code. Donors of $300 or more earn ‘sponsorship’ status. The Academy makes every effort to select speakers or topics as requested by the sponsors. For more information please contact David Hathaway, MD (Executive Director – 715-256-1312). General information available at www.waupaca.com/winchesteracademy.html   and http://www.waupacalibrary.org/community/winchester.asp

        Recipient of the 2003 Governor's Award for Excellence in Programming in the Humanities