Bill Crook has been drawing for over 40 years, filling sketchbooks of his pen and ink illustrations that he says, “explore the interests of my heart.” Bill is a native of Springfield and has earned a reputation as an outstanding artist. People easily recognize Bill, often seeing him sketching at a site in Springfield, creating […]
Cinda Ackerman Klickna
Cinda Klickna is a former teacher from Springfield and past president of the Illinois Education Association.
Posted inArts & Culture
Illinois books make the season bright
Books with an Illinois or Springfield connection make great holiday gifts, whether you’re looking for something for children, photographers, cooks, Lincoln buffs or sports enthusiasts. There are books that inspire, instruct and inform. There are ones that tell a story, and ones that take you on a trip back in time. Local book stores and museum […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Colorful stories from Rochester history
Cotton, Violins & Shots in the Night – A Timeline Visit to Rochester, Illinois By Raymond and Pamela Bruzan. 467 pages If you live in Rochester, you should pick up this book. If you live in Springfield or another town nearby, you, too, should pick up this book. What a delightful trip through history with […]
Posted inNews
Stair climbing duo
It is noon. Terry Purcell of Springfield and John (Oz) Osborn of Rochester stand at the bottom of the stairs of a 14-story building, ready to race to the top – for the 10th time in the past hour. At 12:01:20 they arrive at the top. One minute and 20 seconds to climb 14 stories? […]
Posted inNews
High schoolers race for business success
Who would rise early to get to a class at 7:30, leave at 9 to spend a full day at school, return in the evening and even weekends to fulfill requirements, while also finishing homework, participating in sports and other extracurricular activities, and possibly even working a job? Well, 50 amazing high school seniors from […]
Posted inNews
What’s behind bad behavior?
Educators are beginning to get answers to questions they have always asked: Am I doing something wrong? Why does a student react violently to a simple request? Why does another student retreat and sleep in class? And why, even after repeated disciplinary consequences, do some students continue with inappropriate behavior? The answer is that it […]
Posted inNews
Stay in the fight
Patience and persistence add up to inspiration. That is what describes John Barber, who has been fighting cancer for several years and a series of chemotherapy treatments for over 18 months, some that just didn’t work. He can teach us all a lesson – to work hard, to not give up and to face each […]
Posted inArts & Culture
It’s hard to build heaven in Illinois
Can one ever really form a true utopia – and will it actually survive? Randall J. Soland of Springfield explores six utopias formed in Illinois between 1839 and 1942, in an interesting, well-researched book, Utopian Communities of Illinois – Heaven on the Prairie. Six groups of people attempted their own “heaven on the prairie”: the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
State fair beginnings
Barkers called out their wares and vaudeville actors entertained spectators while carriages pulled by horses rolled down the street. Then when it was dark enough, balloons attached to small lights were released into the sky. This was the nightly scene along Adams Street and the grounds of the Old State Capitol during the early years […]
Posted inNews
Lessons from Finland’s schools
When I was offered the opportunity to participate in an education study tour of the Finland school system, sponsored by the National Education Association Foundation, I welcomed the opportunity to see what is known as the No. 1 education system in the world. I had never put Finland on my bucket list, but now, I […]
Posted inArts & Culture
It’s OK in my book
A friend laughed when I said I was reading a book about OK. “I can see a paragraph,” he said, “but a whole book?” Well, yes, that is exactly what Allan Metcalf, professor of English at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, has done – written a 200-page book called OK: The Improbable Story of America’s Greatest […]
Posted inOpinion
Setting the facts straight about pensions
The media continue to publish inaccurate statements about the pension systems in Illinois. I would like to set the record straight. What is TRS? The Teachers’ Retirement System – established in 1939 by the state to protect retirement security of Illinois educators. Why is there a problem with the pension funding?Studies, task forces, etc., have […]
