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Winchester Academy announces winter-spring series

Winchester Academy will resume its series of free, educational programs on Feb. 18.

This year’s winter-spring series includes an astronomer on the unmanned mission to Mars, a historian on Soviet espionage, a filmmaker on documenting the Holocaust, a teacher’s experience at the iditarod, music of the Vietnam War and nutrition and heart disease.

All programs are held at 6:30 p.m. Mondays at the Waupaca Area Public Library.

Feb. 18 – Randy Olson, professor of physics and astronomy and director of the Blocher Planetarium and the Pejsa Observatory at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will discuss “The Curiosity Mission: Discoveries on Mars”.

In 2012 the Mars Science Laboratory, named Curiosity, landed on the red planet equipped with a dozen cameras and 11 instruments. Olson will highlight the discoveries made in the past six months by the Curiosity rover.

Feb. 25 – Peter Blitstein, associate professor and chair of the Department of History at Lawrence University, will present “Now We Know? Soviet Espionage in the United States in the Early Cold War.”

He will discuss what historians have learned about Soviet espionage in the U.S. since the collapse of the Soviet Union, focusing on several sensational and politically sensitive cases we know and why it might be impossible to know.

March 4 – Catherine Tatge, Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, will speak on “The filming of Austrian Jews and the Holocaust.”

This lecture chronicles Tatge’s work at Lawrence University with film studies students. She will present clips of the students’ work with four holocaust survivors who spoke about their experiences. Tadge influenced American television with her Emmy-winning series, Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers. A 1972 Lawrence graduate, she is currently finishing a two year stint there as artist-in-residence.

March 18 – Michael Gitter, Appleton-area cardiovascular specialist, will present “Nutrition and Cardiovascular Dangers.”

Gitter will inform the audience about the connection between sugar and other foods in the American diet and the effects they have on the cardiovascular system. He received his MD from the University of Wisconsin- Madison.

March 25 – Craig Werner of the University of Wisconsin-Madison will present “We Gotta Get Out of This Place: Music and the Experience of Vietnam Veterans.”

Werner builds his presentation around a countdown of the Vietnam veterans’ top 20 songs. He examines the role of music in the experience of Vietnam veterans while they were out of the country and when they returned home.

A member of the nominating committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Werner has contributed to numerous radio and television documentaries on topics ranging from the Harlem Renaissance to Motown.

April 15 – Linda Fenton, the Waupaca third-grade teacher chosen as “The 2013 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail” relates her first-hand adventures with the Alaskan Iditarod sled dog race.

Fenton was familiar with the Iditarod race, having used it as a teaching tool for the past 11 years. She sees it as an engaging framework for students to learn technology, map and research skills, math, science, reading, writing and drawing.

April 29 – Scott Craven, Wisconsin Public Radio personality, wildlife ecologist, will speak on “Wildlife around your Home.” He will cover bird song and activity, providing homes and food for wildlife, damage to gardens, ornamentals and other property.

Craven has appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio for 25 years, first on “Wonderful World of Nature,” which ended in 1993, and now appearing on the first Wednesday of each month on Larry Meiller’s show.

The Academy was created in 1973 to provide the public with engaging and informative free programs. Speakers from all over Wisconsin and sometimes beyond, bring scholarship and expertise to their audience.

The volunteer Board of Trustees relies on sponsorships, bequests and donations from the public to finance 20-25 programs annually. Contact the executive director at [email protected] to receive emails on all Winchester events.

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