Gateway to Minnesota History
Session 1: Thursday, October 3 @ 7-8:30pm
Introduction and Personal History
Workshop Leaders: Gary Goodman, Emily Krawczewski
Session 2: Thursday, October 10 @ 7-8:30pm
Childhood Memories
Workshop leaders: Frank White
Session 3: Thursday, October 17 @ 7-8:30pm
Hometown Stories
Workshop leaders: Meg Heaton and Eleanor Wilhelmi
Session 4: Thursday, October 24 @ 7-8:30pm
Ancestors and Family Stories
Workshop Leaders: Bill McGrath
Bonus: Saturday, November 2 @ late afternoon or evening (TBD)
A celebration of the workshop participants’ hard work and provide them with the opportunity to read a portion of their writing, share an outline for a future project, or anything else they’d like to share that they created during the series. Details to come!
Outline for Each Session
7-7:15pm: Workshop leader introductions
7:15-7:30pm: Discuss recommended reading (if applicable)
7:30-7:50pm: Individual writing time
7:50-8:15pm: Break into small groups for feedback and sharing
8:15-8:30pm: Group share/wrap up
Participants
We are planning to cap the series at 20 participants.
Series Pricing
$125/person for non-WCHS members for full workshop series
$100/person for WCHS members for full workshop series
Participants will need to sign up for all four sessions in the series. No exceptions.
WCHS will provide pens, pencils, notebooks, and enthusiasm!
The topic for this workshop session will focus on stories about your hometown and other important places in your life.
Bill McGrath lived in Stillwater from 1952 until 1966, and has retained strong ties with the town. He has worked as newspaper reporter, author of car repair manuals, small business owner, grave-digger and musician. Since 1978, he’s been in Northfield, where he now lives with his wife Janet. His grandfather, James E. McGrath, is considered one of Minnesota’s last lumber barons, and Bill grew up in the McGrath mansion although by then the money was gone. “Stillwater was a magical place to grow up,” says Bill, and he can tell stories about the Catholic parishes of both St. Michael and St. Mary, along with paper routes, garage bands, the downtown, neighborhood grocery stores, his first date, skating rinks and of course the St. Croix River.
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