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[ Applause ]
The wonderful superintendent and I, Tony Evers, have met on various occasions
over time. And even though the time is always short, I know that his leadership
has touched every one of us here in the state of Wisconsin, and I thank Mr. Evers
for his wonderful leadership of the DPI, helping all the students and all the
citizens of the state of Wisconsin achieve and succeed in their educational efforts.
So let’s have a clap for the state superintendent.
[ Applause ]
I am deeply honored and thrilled to be given this award.
And let me say that the Wisconsin public schools made me who I am today.
And every day, as I read the papers, I check the news, and so I am greatly aware
of the wonderful education that has been my joy to receive here in Wisconsin
through the public school system.
Now, education. First, reading.
I sat on a couch with my mother in a little log cabin on the Wolf River.
She had a magazine. She was laughing, and her eyes were going back and forth.
So grabbed the magazine, and I made my my eyes go back and forth,
but nothing was happening. [ Laughter ]
And my mother -- I said, well, what’s wrong here? I was either 4 or 5 years old.
I was always an inquisitive kid, and I always wanted to take part in everything.
Okay. So she said, “Well, Ada, you can't read yet.” Oh. Well, what’s that? And she
said, “Well, that’s when you take books and papers, and you can read them.
But you haven't been to school yet, and so you can't read. But you'll get there.”
So I thought, wow, reading, fun! And that was my beginning orientation to reading.
I’m a lifelong reader. And I really appreciated my mother telling me that.
Now, my family moved to Milwaukee during the second World War, and I
started school there. It was a great experience. The teachers were dedicated
to their students. They loved their profession and were proud to be
public school teachers. I still remember --
[ Applause ]
I still remember a number of their names from those early years. They were
respectful, patient, and accepting of all of us students. And let me say, that’s the
first time that I met another member of a tribe. There was a little girl sitting a row
away from me. And I went up to her, and I said, “Hello. I’m Ada Deer, and I’m a
Menominee. And who are you?” And she said, “[Audrey Skinadore] and Oneida.”
And so I said, wow, that’s good. And I was really happy that my intercultural
experience started in the public schools meeting other tribal people.
[Ruth Howell], [Evelyn Olson], Mrs. [Gurney], [Mildred Rosh],
my fourth-grade teacher, helped mold me into the person I am today.
And as you proceed in your daily work -- administrators, leaders, teachers --
remember you are molding, every day, character, love of learning,
and appreciation of our great state and great nation.
In fact, getting back to Miss [Rosh], my fourth-grade teacher,
she was the star at my congressional campaign announcement.
She was over 90 at the time, and she made the visit to take part in that.
And so she, to me, illustrated -- and she’s now passed on -- the deep connection
that many teachers have with their students beyond the classroom.
And so we all need to appreciate that and to carry it out.
Now, moving back to the reservation after World War II, we enrolled in the Shawano
elementary school. Mrs. Olga Brener -- I’m page one now, and I only have a page
and a half left, so I’m going to do this as quickly as I have [laughter], so I don't know.
I haven't heard the gavel or the bell yet. Okay.
She was the principal of Lincoln Elementary School, and she warmly welcomed us.
She was an outstanding educator, and her values shaped the school and Shawano
community. In fact, she was so well-respected throughout her tenure
there that they have named one of the schools the Olga Brener School.
So I am deeply appreciative that the community has recognized her efforts
all the years, which continue on in the minds and hearts of the students
that she encountered and assisted. Like my Milwaukee teachers, the
Shawano teachers were dedicated to their profession and to us. They were
knowledgeable in their subject matter, skillful, and held us all to high standards.
I still remember many of my high school teachers, and I’m happy to say that I just
attended and helped organize the 60th reunion of the high school class.
And one teacher, who was 92 at the time, attended that event.
She was the English teacher. And I was very happy to see that.
So again, we all have connections starting from the family all the way up.
And educators have an extremely important connection to make at all these levels.
So just remember that as you go through your days and your times at the school.
Now, I finished my public education in Wisconsin by attending and graduating
from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, a world-class institution,
then and now. And as you can see, as time has gone on,
it has become even more global, internationally, in many areas.
The university opened the doors of the world to me with first-class professors,
students from all over the world, and fabulous libraries.
And it’s been my honor to serve at the university to work as a lecturer in the
School of Social Work and American Indian Studies. And it has given me a
great deal of pleasure to see the work in -- expressed in some of the students.
And I’m very happy to tell you that David Connors was a little freshman when I
encountered him a number of years ago, and we maintained contact. He graduated,
and he got a master’s degree, and he is now the Indian Studies consultant to the
Department of Public Instruction. So, yay, David!
[ Applause ]
He’s a member of the Bad River Band of Ojibwe Indians and the first person in his
extended family to receive a -- receive -- they always say receive.
I want to say earn a college degree and a master’s degree.
And he’s, again, spreading his influence and expertise across the state
in his responsibilities.
Now, I’m mindful of the time -- public institutions -- [laughter]
Public institutions. Let me say I attended my
50th anniversary of our class of 1957. And Steven Ambrose, the noted writer,
was a member of my class. And he reminded us all that our tuition
at that point was $90 a semester [laughter]. You know, so that was then, this is now.
Okay. [ Laughter ]
Public institutions supported by Wisconsin citizens open to all races
and classes, turning away no one, providing a solid foundation for success.
What a wonderful, great educational system our state has had over the years
and will continue to have.
We all know that education directly correlates with securing good jobs,
but there’s more. Families moving to a new location
want to know how good the school system is. Property values are
higher in communities with good schools. Adults take enrichment classes at the
local schools. Non-English-speakers take English classes, earn a GED,
or learn to throw pots. Good schools are a community anchor and deserve the
highest level of support. And let me say, I’m very happy to also announce that two
members of my tribe, Jerry Waukau, the clinic director and the superintendent of
our schools, his brother, Wendell Waukau, are both here, and they are among the first in
their families also to achieve education and to achieve high levels of leadership in
our tribe. So thank you for coming.
[ Applause ]
Now, our task. Education, motivation, encouragement, inspiration for the next
generation. Each of us can name a teacher who changed our lives.
I had many more than one. I am forever grateful to them. And by the way,
for all of you English teachers out there, I can still diagram a sentence [laughter].
Thank you.
[ Applause ]