PLATO Weekly Update 

May 2, 2023

CURRICULUM

SUMMER COURSES
NEXT WEEK! On Tuesday, May 9 the Summer Course schedule will be posted on the Courses webpage and registration begins the same day.

NEXT MONTH! Most Summer Courses will begin the week of June 5.

NEW ARTICLE
Visit the Curriculum Showcase to read "Two decades of Experiencing Great Literature” written by PLATO members as a reflection of a beloved course that has recently ended. 

SPECIAL EVENTS

BREAKFAST GATHERING
NEXT WEEK! Second Friday, May 12 at 9:30am, join fellow PLATO members and guests for breakfast and conversation at at Lakeside Street Coffee House in the Bay Creek neighborhood. Seating is on both the main floor and downstairs levels. You will need to descend a flight of steps in order to be seated on the downstairs level. RSVP and learn more here.

SPRING WALK
NEW! On May 19th @ 9:30am we will enjoy the gifts of Spring at the Pheasant Branch Conservancy Walk and Lecture. Learn about the addition of a farm and its conversion to a prairie and catch-basins in an attempt to reduce the phosphorus and other contaminants. Driving and parking instructions coming soon.

LECTURES
Join us on Thursday, May 25 at 2:00pm for We Gotta Get Out of this Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War.This presentation by Doug Bradley and the Vets on Frets explores how and why U.S. troops in Vietnam turned to music as a way of connecting to each other and the world back home. This special event will be held at Oakwood Village West Performing Arts Center. Registration is not required and there is free parking. Learn more here. 

Check out recorded PLATO Lectures on many important subjects.

FIELD TRIP
NEXT MONTH! On Wednesday, June 21 we will celebrate summer by driving through Wisconsin’s beautiful driftless area to visit Historic Dubuque, Iowa and the Mississippi River Museum. Learn more and register here.

BIKE RIDERS
Explore self-guided bicycling routes around Madison at your leisure.

ELECTION FOR PLATO 2023-24 BOARD
OPEN NOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

Online voting is now available for the election of officers and two new At-Large PLATO Board members. If you haven't already voted and are a PLATO member, please vote today through the E-Ballot that was emailed last week. Read about the nominees by clicking on the Nominee Biographies link below. 

THE AGORA
A juried literary magazine published by PLATO 
celebrates members’ creativity and diversity of thought.

Visit The Agora Features webpage for highlights from this past season, created and curated by fellow PLATO members for your enjoyment. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS
Select from a range of topics and formats 
for your early Spring reading, viewing, or listening, 
curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for April 25 – May 8, 2023

Florence Lois Weber (June 13, 1879 – November 13, 1939) was an American silent film actress, screenwriter, producer and director. In 1914, Weber became the first American woman to direct a full-length feature film and in 1917, she became the first American woman director to own her own film studio. Weber has been noted as one of "the most important and prolific film directors in the era of silent films".

Visit the Social Justice page for more about Florence Lois Weber
or past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributions made by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com).