Our free programs are on Mondays beginning at 6:30 PM.
If cancellation is required, an announcement will be made on
Lakes 92.7FM, WILW 96.3FM and Facebook.
OUR MISSION
Winchester Academy’s mission is to enrich the community by providing free, intellectually stimulating, informative, and engaging programs.
The name "Winchester Academy" implies a building and physical structure, but there is none. The Academy is a voluntary organization with a Board of Trustees comprised of area citizens that fosters lifelong learning based on ideas originating in Scandinavian folk academies. The Academy offers, on average, twenty-five programs annually. There is no membership required for attendance at programs. All are FREE of charge and open to the general public. Programs are usually held at the Waupaca Area Public Library on Monday evenings at 6:30. Other venues and days of the week are occasionally used for special seminars and musical programs (e.g., churches, or other sites that can accommodate larger crowds). Some programs might include controversial subject matter, but the Academy takes no position and seeks to provide balanced and reliable information.
Fall 2025
Program Information
October 20, 2025
6:30 pm
Waupaca Area Public Library Meeting Rooms
Noble Community Clinics:
Community Health in Action
Speaker: Laura Waldvogel
Laura Waldvogel is President and CEO of Noble Community Clinics in Wautoma since 2015. She chairst he Wisconsin Department of Health Services Medicaid Advisory Committee, where she advocates for policies that support equitable access to care and sustainability for safety-net providers. Community Health in Action offers an overview of the Community Health Center model and its local impact through Noble Clinics. We will learn about the history, mission, and services of Noble, including our work to expand access to medical, dental, and behavioral health care in Central Wisconsin. Laura highlights how federally qualified health centers address barriers to care, respond to local needs, and promote community well-being through collaboration, innovation, and patient-centered values.
This program is sponsored by Patricia Pfeifer & Leslie & Duane Youngstead.
October 27, 2025
6:30 pm
Waupaca Area Public Library Meeting Rooms
The Spirit of Curling in Wisconsin
Speaker: Anne Pryor
Anne Pryor is a former state folklorist of Wisconsin, having served at the Wisconsin Arts Board for 20 years. She is an avid curler based at the Madison Curling Club. She has written and presented on the culture of curling and is actively archiving historic curling materials.Wisconsin is the heart of curling in the United States. Here we have the oldest continuous club in the country (Milwaukee), the largest number of centennial clubs (13 –including Waupaca!), and the only county with five curling clubs (Columbia), among many other distinctions. Anne’s talk will explore that history as well as the culture of curling, in which camaraderie off the ice is just as important as the competition on the ice.
This program is sponsored by Rex and Linda Pope.
November 3, 2025
6:30 pm
Waupaca Area Public Library Meeting Rooms
Forensic Anthropology in Wisconsin
Speaker: Jordan Karsten, PhD
Jordan Karsten is professor of anthropology at UW-Oshkosh and is a consultant for the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories. Forensic anthropologists study the human skeleton in order to assist law enforcement personnel and medicolegal professionals in death investigations. By studying human bones, forensic anthropologists can help identify skeletonized remains, estimate how long an individual has been deceased, and interpret perimortem trauma. Anonymized case studies will be used to demonstrate how forensic anthropologists contribute to death investigations in Wisconsin.
This program is sponsored by Dr. Bob Wubben.
November 17, 2025
6:30 pm
Waupaca Area Public Library Meeting Rooms
Identity Theft:
Protect and Prevent
Speaker: Jeffrey Kersten
Jeffrey Kersten is an Outreach Specialist for the Bureau of Consumer Protection within the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Identity theft continues to be the fastest growing crime in the United States. The more you learn about it, the less vulnerable you are. Kersten will explain the different types of identity theft, how to recognize it and how to prevent it –including information about Fraud Alerts and Security Freezes. Receive tips for safeguarding personal information and how to recover from Identity Theft. Helpful brochures will be available.
This program is sponsored by Barb and Terry Teske.
