PLATO Weekly Update 

September 26, 2023

CURRICULUM

FALL COURSES
Fall Courses are underway! Have Questions? Find answers on the Fall Course 2023 Schedule on the Courses webpage.

NOTE – COURSE UPDATES
Five Great Thinkers: In Person on the Good Life with Booth Fowler on Tuesday mornings at Oakwood has been cancelled.

For Courses that meet at Capitol Lakes from October 10 – 13:

· Global affairs and the Media will meet in the Premier Room for all of its Wednesday classes this Fall.

· History of the Hollywood Musical: The Tuesday, Oct.10 class is cancelled.

· An Amazing Walk through Prehistoric Time: The Tuesday, Oct.10 class is cancelled.

· PLATO Travel: The Friday, Oct.13 class is cancelled.

SPECIAL EVENTS

WALKS
Our next walk will be Tuesday, October 10 at Lakeshore Preserve on the University Campus. The walk will proceed from Picnic Point to Frautschi Point and back. Learn some of the history and future plans from our leader Bryn Scriver, volunteer and outreach coordinator at the UW-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Learn more and register here. 

LECTURES
Community Conservation: From Wisconsin to the World on Monday, October 16 from 1:30 – 3pm at Capitol Lakes. Discover how conservation in Wisconsin has influenced conservation around the world with Dr. Teri Allendorf, Executive Director of Community Conservation. Registration is not required and parking is free. Learn more here.

On Early Childhood Education: The Importance of Nutrition & Trauma-Informed Care on Monday, November 6 from 1:30 – 3:30pm at Bethany United Methodist Church. Learn about the benefits of the School Family Model with Abbi Kruse, Executive Director of The Playing Field. There will be a presentation with Q&A for the first hour and a tour of the Playing Field Preschool during the second hour. Registration is not required and parking is free. Learn more here.

Cozy up with previously recorded PLATO Lectures on these rainy Autumn days.

THEATER TRIP
Mark your calendar for Scrooge The Musical on Friday, December 8, 2023 at The Fireside Dinner Theater! More details coming soon.

BREAKFAST GATHERING
NEXT MONTH! Second Friday Breakfast – enjoy coffee, breakfast snacks, and conversation on Friday, October 13 from 9:30 – 11:30am at Lakeside St. Coffee House located in the Bay Creek neighborhood. Seating is on both the main floor and downstairs levels. You will need to climb a flight of steps in order to be seated on the downstairs level. Learn more and RSVP here.

THE AGORA
PLATO's Literary & Fine Arts Journal,
celebrating 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 fall reading, viewing, or listening pleasure,
curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee. 

DID YOU KNOW? for September 19 – October 2, 2023 

Dr. Mary Walker (November 26, 1832 – February 21, 1919) was the first woman to be employed as a contract surgeon in the US Army. It was a struggle to be hired in this role – after earning a medical degree in 1855 from Syracuse College, Walker sought to volunteer for service as a surgeon or a spy during the Civil War but was turned down. Since the only option offered her was to serve as a nurse, Walker began treating the wounded and sick as a volunteer civilian doctor and finally the Army recognized her skill and hired her as a contract surgeon.

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

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable historic events and 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).