November, 2011
Volume 2, Issue 11
Diverse News
November is American Indian Heritage Month
Did you know the name "Wisconsin" is an Algonquian Indian word? It comes from the Ojibwe
name for the Wisconsin River, Wishkonsing. The Ojibwe are not the only native people of this
region, however.
The original inhabitants of the area that is now Wisconsin included:
DISHCLOTHS
FOR DIVERSITY
SALE ON
NOVEMBER 3RD –
11AM TO 2 PM
ON ALL MSTC
LOCATIONS.
DISHCLOTHS $2,
SETS $5. ALL
PROCEDES GO
TO THE
DIVERSITY
SCHOLARSHIP.
In this issue:
Volunteering
2
Book Pick
2
Diversity Summit 3
Jennifer’s thoughts
3
Veterans Day 4,5
The Dakota Sioux tribe
The Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) tribe
The Menominee tribe
The Ojibwe tribe (also known as Chippew
The Potawatomi tribe
The Fox and Sauk tribes
Other Indian tribes driven into Wisconsin after Europeans arrived included:
The Cheyenne tribe
The Huron tribe
The Illini tribe
The Munsee tribe
The Stockbridge tribe
The Oneida tribe
Here are some native greetings in the tribal languages of Wisconsin:
Chippewa: Boozhoo! (pronounced "boo-zhoo") or Aaniin! (pronounced ah-neen)
Dakota: Hau! (pronounced "how")
Ho-Chunk: Haho! (pronounced "hah-ho")
Menominee: Posoh! (pronounced "po-so")
Mohican: Aquai! (pronounced "ock-why")
Munsee: He! (pronounced "hay")
Oneida: Shekó:lih! (pronounced "sheh-ko-lee")
Potawatomi: Bozho! (pronounced "bo-zho")
Sauk and Fox: Ho! (pronounced "hoe")
Diverse News
Page 2 of 5
You Want Me to What?
How could my mother be so mean as to “force” me to “volunteer” during my free time in the summer? My Mom signed
me up to work at the Senior Center in our town when I was 16, doing whatever they needed me to help do. How boring
was that going to be? Surprise! Once I was there, I was given the job of painting flower pots for an upcoming craft
project. I do love to paint, and interacting with the seniors was very interesting, they really did appreciate it, and I felt
really good about investing some quality time into my community. I was hooked on volunteering! Forward 30+ years and
I am signing up my boys to volunteer. And my teenage son is asking me how I can “force” him to “volunteer”.
There are so many opportunities to volunteer locally. I consider our family to be so blessed with good health and a
decent income that we have a responsibility to give to those that have not been as fortunate in life. In our family, we
assist the United State Postal Service each year in their annual food drive. We are well aware that there are many
people in Portage County that do not have the funds to purchase the basics like food for survival. These are things that I
believe my children would take for granted if not for the chance to volunteer and witness the need.
Each summer my family assists at Special Olympics and this has been an amazing experience in witnessing true, pure
commitment to athletics, team spirit, and living life to the fullest. We always come away from Special Olympics humbled
and renewed spiritually. I will never forget the sight of my 14 year old, leading a blind woman to the track to run a race.
There may not be any correlation, but I believe his interest in track developed after that summer.
Our family frequently volunteers for our church, the school system, United Way, and the Red Cross. My children have
learned real life lessons that they never would have internalized from a book or hearing me say it. They have learned
respect, appreciating diversity and adversity, character building, a sense of community, and have become better people
in their selfless acts. Oh, I still hear each time we volunteer the “why do I have to do this”, but I only hear it before we
go, not during and certainly not after.
I asked my 12 year old to tell me what he thinks of volunteering and he told me it is something that feels good for him.
He gets to do things that help people and even if he doesn’t want to do it, he sees how grateful people are for the help.
He reminded me of the time we raked leaves for an elderly woman and she was so thankful that she brought us sodas
to drink. She couldn’t have done it without us.
I challenge you to share your time, talent, and energy helping out in your community. It benefits your community and the
best part is how YOU will benefit as well.
Linda Kedrowski – MSTC Instructor
Book Pick by Kay Grundhoffer
The Space Between Us, Thrity Umrigar's poignant novel about a wealthy woman and her downtrodden servant, offers a revealing look at
class and gender roles in modern day Bombay. Alternatively told through the eyes of Sera, a Parsi widow whose pregnant daughter and
son-in-law share her elegant home, and Bhima, the elderly housekeeper who must support her orphaned granddaughter, Umrigar does an
admirable job of creating two sympathetic characters whose bond goes far deeper than that of employer and employee.
This book was recommended to me by one of my old high school English teachers who is an avid reader,
and whose recommendations have always been fabulous! The reader gets a realistic sense of the
complexity of the socioeconomic and gender issues faced by women in India. It’s an unforgettable story
and one that’s difficult to put down.
Page 3 of 5
Diverse News
WTCS Diversity Summit
Dates: March 8th & 9th, 2012
Location: WCTC Campus-RTA Center
The WTCS Student Diversity Summit is designed to
empower, inspire, and prepare student leaders within
the Wisconsin Technical College System to be
champions for diversity in their college and
community. Institutions are encouraged to bring teams
of students with an advisor to meet, share, learn, and
celebrate diversity together.
Caption desc
We will be looking for interested students to attend
this conference with members of the MSTC staff. If
you have questions please email:
[email protected]
The Essence of Education and Delayed Gratification
By Jennifer L. Rivera
I grew up in a family where education was greatly emphasized. I remember my Dad would tell me
that there is no greater gift I can give myself than a good education. That education is a good
foundation for a better future. In today’s student life, many are like me who tries to balance
school, work, family and other obligation. Who experienced several sleepless nights to get
through a test the next day? Who had worked more than an 8 hour shift to catch up on bills?
There are also student moms who need to wake up in the middle of the night to care for their
infants and wake up early in the morning to attend to their school kids. I myself worked 2 jobs
while working my way of getting a nursing degree. So what is delayed gratification? To those who
have psychology classes, this word was mentioned several times. According to Wikipedia, Delayed
gratification is the ability to wait in order to obtain something that one wants. This makes me
reflect to myself why I am going through all this hard work? What do I want to accomplish? Is it
worth the wait? Many would empathize with me if I say “working student” life is not an easy life. I
don’t have much time for family gatherings, friends, night life and even watching my favorite
television series. A lot of sacrifices are involved. There are times giving up cross my mind and
would rather have a simple life. But it is a choice that I myself chose. I chose this life with a goal in
mind that in the long run I will benefit from my hard work. That one day I will land a job that I am
passionate of doing not to mention the paycheck that goes with it. Therefore, delayed
gratification is a motivating factor that helps me go through all this. To those who are on the
same boat with me, let’s give ourselves a pat in the back, we deserve it!
Diverse News
The history of Veterans Day
Page 4 of 5
World War I – known at the time as ―The Great War‖ - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28,
1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an
armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of
the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of ―the war to
end all wars.‖
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following
words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the
country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the
opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"
The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of
business beginning at 11:00 a.m.
The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926,
with these words:
Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human
annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never
again be severed, and
Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and
exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and
Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be
it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to
issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November
11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with
appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.
An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal
holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day."
Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the
greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression
in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the
word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1,
1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" which
stated: "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and
the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of
Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman
may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads
of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way
possible."
Page 5 of 5
History of Veterans Day, cont.
Diverse News
On that same day, President Eisenhower sent a letter to the Honorable Harvey V. Higley,
Administrator of Veterans' Affairs (VA), designating him as Chairman of the Veterans Day
National Committee.
In 1958, the White House advised VA's General Counsel that the 1954 designation of the VA
Administrator as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee applied to all subsequent
VA Administrators. Since March 1989 when VA was elevated to a cabinet level department,
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has served as the committee's chairman.
The Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on June 28, 1968,
and was intended to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four
national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and
Columbus Day. It was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel,
recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production.
Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their
original dates.
The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25,
1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and
patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975,
President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual
observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This
action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major
veterans service organizations and the American people.
Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week
on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only
preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important
purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love
of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
From: The US Department of Veterans Affairs
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition traces its origins to a 1621
celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. There is also evidence for an
earlier harvest celebration on the continent by Spanish explorers in Florida during 1565, as
well as thanksgiving feasts in the Virginia Colony. The initial thanksgiving observance at
Virginia in 1619 was prompted by the colonists' leaders on the anniversary of the
settlement.[7] The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest.
In later years, the tradition was continued by civil leaders such as Governor Bradford who
planned a thanksgiving celebration and fast in 1623.[8][9][10] While initially, the Plymouth
colony did not have enough food to feed half of the 102 colonists, the Wampanoag Native
Americans helped the Pilgrims by providing seeds and teaching them to fish. The practice
of holding an annual harvest festival like this did not become a regular affair in New
England until the late 1660s.[11]