Historical Society of Walworth and Big Foot Prairie Dinner Meeting, April 22

The meeting is at The Village Supper Club, 1725 South Shore Dr., Delavan Township. The event starts at 6 p.m. for socializing, followed by dinner at 6:30.

Apps, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has written more than 25 books dealing mainly with rural history and country life. He also is former publication editor for UW-Extension, an acquisitions editor for McGraw-Hill Book Company and editor of a national professional journal.

He was born and raised on a Wisconsin farm and graduated from a one-room country school in Waushara County, Wis. His early work experience was as a county Extension agent for Green Lake and Brown counties, followed by a publications editor for the state 4-H office. Continuing with his education, he received a Ph.D. in education and rural sociology at the UW-Madison and went on to chair the Department of Continuing and Vocational Education in the 1970s.

Apps’ works include Barns of Wisconsin, Ringlingville USA, One-Room Country Schools, Teaching from the Heart, Every Farm Tells a Story and more recently Old Farm: A History. The last one has won numerous awards.

In addition to writing books, Apps has had more than 800 articles published, appeared on PBS, The History Channel and National Public Radio and has spoken several times in Walworth County.

The meal of beef and baked chicken will be served family style and complemented by a salad, relishes, mashed potatoes, fresh bread, beverage (coffee, tea, or milk) and dessert. The cost is $20 per person.

The public is invited to the meeting. To make a reservation, send a check (made out to Historical Society of Walworth and Big Foot Prairie) to the society at P.O. Box 336, Walworth, WI 53184. Reservations must be received by April 14.