Uncle Stan Milam saves the tradition of Washington Seminar field study providing expert leadership working with Kate Bennett, Parker AP Government teacher and Washington Seminar director, has planned to overcome that challenges of the pandemic shutdown developing a virtual field study experience for WS 2020!
I begged Stan Milam, long-time journalist and radio personality, to travel with the 27th Washington Seminar spring 1999. Not only did Stan provide WS 1999 excellent coverage in The Janesville Gazette, but he was fully engaged with the seminar! He worked helpfully with the students. His supportive help to the students resulted in an endearing and grateful special identity: Uncle Stan. The 2020 seminar is Stan’s 21st WS Field Study.
Last Sunday, the Ides of March, Stan filed a special report with The Janesville Gazette which was published on page 2A entitled, “Parker Washington Seminar goes virtual.”
TRUTH BE TOLD, Uncle Stan has been a key supporter of the WASHINGTON SEMINAR field study program since 1999. It is impossible to articulate the myriad of ways Stan has enriched and expanded the program as he worked with me and then Joe Van Rooy and now with the current Director, Kate Bennett. Stan has also supported the Craig High School field study program.
Stan Milam has again come to the rescue of Parker High School’s WASHINGTON SEMINAR implementing Kate Bennett’s idea of the virtual field study as an effective response to the coronavirus pandemic. Read Stan’s article to learn about the creative ways that the goals of the WASHINGTON SEMINAR field study will be fulfilled for the 48th WS students which will maintain the countdown to Parker WASHINGTON SEMINAR’s 50th anniversary in 2022.
As the founder of WASHINGTON SEMINAR field study in 1972-73 and director until my retirement in June 2000, I am profoundly grateful to Stan Milam for his commitment to the field study learning model. He has demonstrated in so many ways with his work as a journalist (he is now writing a column for the Janesville Gazette every other Sunday – the next column is due on Sunday, 3/29) and as a radio talk show host through the years continuing now on “Your Talk Show - Stan Milam Show (3:15 – 5 pm daily on BIG RADIO- WCLO - 1230 AM).
I hope readers of this WE THE PEOPLE column who are alumni of Parker’s WASHINGTON SEMINAR will share comments of experience they had with Uncle Stan on WS. Please identify the year you were on WS.
Also, since Stan Milam has been here and there all over Janesville and covering our state capitol for the Gazette, anyone who has a comment to share about Stan Milam, please comment.
One day at a time, here we go… FORWARD!
John W. Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor assigned with the online/distance education faculty of Viterbo University, LaCrosse. He continues his personal mission supporting democracy/civics education in Wisconsin K-12 schools through Project Citizen, We the People, Discovering Democracy (Milton HS) and WI Academic Decathlon. John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff or management.
