I have been an active member of PLATO for over 10 years and have lived in St Louis for nearly half that time. About 8 years ago, our daughter’s company transferred her to a better position in St Louis. Although my wife and I had at that time only lived in the Madison area for a few years, we were most reluctant to leave because of our large circle of friends and my deep involvement with PLATO. At the same time, we knew that we wanted to remain close to our grandchildren. Ironically, the pandemic laid the groundwork for my continued work with PLATO and living near our daughter and growing family.

Using Google Meet and Zoom I have been able to participate in all my PLATO meetings. In addition, I remain an active member of the Agora Board and as a judge I submitted literary and artistic materials along with other Board members. Likewise, as a long-standing member of the Curriculum Committee, I continue to evaluate new course proposals and mentor new course coordinators. On most Wednesdays, I enjoy lively discussions in the Continuing Philosophy class.

Good internet connections and other modern technologies make these internet meetings and classes run smoothly. For example, technologically oriented PLATO members like Paul Thompson and Bill Colwell can set up hybrid courses like Continuing Philosophy so that students can meet in Madison or participate via the internet. This hybrid course works remarkably well, and students can fully participate in lively discussions independent of their location. After the first few hybrid meetings, we adopted a few simple rules. First, students must use the electronic raised hand sign if they want to speak. Second, another student volunteers to watch for ‘raised hands’ and to ensure that all students are recognized.

So, no matter where you live, you can enjoy PLATO.

~ Written by Bill Eisinger