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Updated 3/2/2010
From the Assistant Director, Jennifer Weaver
Note: These programs are going on as normal, they are not affected by the contruction!
Details of Upcoming Events.
Evening Programs and EventsMarch 12, 6:00 - 8:00 PM Polish Egg Decorating Class
Springtime is nearing and that means the Society's most popular class is being offered again. Using wax, special dyes and tools participants will learn this long honored art. All materials for the class will be provided. This class costs $8 for the public and $6 for WCHS members. Please sign up in advance by calling 507-454-2723 ext. 0. Space is limited.
The eggs, also called, Pisanki, are created by drawing intricate designs with melted wax and by using powerful, natural dyes. The tradition of egg decorating for Easter has been practiced for centuries. Pisanki can vary by region, just as traditional Polish dress can, and designs and coloring techniques have been typically passed down from mother to daughter, but fathers and sons are welcome to join in the fun. The design patterns all have special meanings and the art form stems from pagan springtime traditions and were absorbed into Christian tradition for Easter.
April 15, 7:00 PM: The Ku Klux Klan in 1920s Minnesota
The Ku Klux Klan claimed that 100,000 Minnesotans were Klan members in the 1920s. Although the Klan was a secret organization, evidence can still be found of their activities throughout the state. In a recent Minnesota History article, Elizabeth Dorsey Hatle and our speaker, Nancy Vaillancourt, documented the rise and decline of the Klan in the area. Nancy's presentation will give an overview of Klan tactics and activities in Minnesota, as well as specific information on events in Winona County. This program will be held at the Winona County History Center. It is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Nancy is a native of Winona with branches of her family have lived in Winona County since the 1870s. She is a graduate of Brigham Young University. She has worked at the Owatonna Public Library for 16 years and is now the branch manager of the Blooming Prairie Branch Library. Nancy volunteers at the Steele County Historical Society and is currently on the board of directors. She has written a centennial history of the Owatonna Public Library and co-authored the book Steele County: Crossroads of Southern Minnesota.
Food For Thought Lectures
The Food for Thought lecture series takes place in the
Armory Museum’s May Murray Room. They begin at
12:05 p.m., and last approximately one hour. Attendees are
welcome to bring their own lunch. They are all free and
open to the public.
March 17: Grace Watkins King: A Woman Ahead of Her Time with Jodi Brom
Grace was the daughter of J.R. Watkins the founder of the Watkins Company and wife to E.L. King the founder
of Winona National Bank. She shot lions in Africa and clay pigeons with Annie Oakly. Yet, it was the early 1900s and
she was a woman. Brom will explore Grace's fascinating life and the trials of being a woman ahead of her time through
images and objects in the WCHS collection.
March 31: Red Stars Over Minnesota: The Gorbachevs Visit the Twin Cities with Greg Gaut & Marsha Neff
Published in the December 2009 issue of Minnesota History; Greg will discuss the research for the article done
with co-author and his wife, Marsha Neff about the Gorbachevs' visit to the Twin Cities after meeting with George
Bush in June 1990. Minnesotans hoped that the end of the Cold War would lead to more cooperation between the U.S.
and the Soviet Union. Of course things turned out differently. (rescheduled from January 20)
March 24: Food For Thought Book Chat, An Ordinary Manby Paul Rusesbagina
For former hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina, words are the most powerful weapon in the human arsenal. For good and
for evil, as was the case in the spring of 1994 in Rwanda. Over 100 days, some 800,000 people were slaughtered,
most hacked to death by machete. Rusesabagina's inspiration for the movie Hotel Rwanda used his facility with words
and persuasion to save 1,268 of his fellow countrymen, turning the Belgian luxury hotel under his charge into a
sanctuary from madness.
April 7: Pagans to Beads: History of Mardi Gras - and Winona's Connection - with Jim Erickson
Mardi Gras has a reputation which does not totally reflect its long history. This program will review highlights of
Mardi Gras' interesting past, plus share some images and information about today's festivities and how Winona plays an active part.
April 14: From the Smokeboats to the Nukes: the Evolution of U.S. Submarine Warfare with William Crozier
Crozier will examine the interesting history of the submarine and its effect on warfare. Archivist and professor emertirus of history at St. Mary's university, Crozier also is a graduate of the US Navy Submarine School at New London, CT. He served on the USS Chopper (SS342) and the USS Sea Poacher (SS406) during the Korean War.
April 28: Food For Thought Book Chat: The Old Man and the SeaBy Ernest Hemingway
The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal -- a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream.
