BILLIE POLLARD AND LITERACY EDUCATION SERVICES, INC.

Tom Stenklyft, author of The House that Billie Built, discussed how Billie Pollard was a true treasure to this area until she passed away on November 11, 2012. In the spring of 2008, Billie approached Tom about writing the history of Literacy Education Services, Inc. (LESI). This began a three year process learning and writing about the history of Billie Pollard in Wisconsin. Billie was born March 8, 1914 in Eau Claire. At the age of 9, Billie and her widowed mother moved to Appleton. It was a time when women were given the right to vote and there were challenges with single parents trying to raise children on a teacher’s salary. Billie worked her way through college at Lawrence University teaching swimming, tennis and dance. She graduated in 1937 and began her teaching career at Medford High School. She married a war hero and raised two sons. Billie buried her husband of 50 years and was fired from 2 jobs. As Field Director for the Girl Scouts in Illinois, the organization was to adopt segregation policies. Since Billie did not agree with this, she was no longer needed. Billie returned to Wisconsin to accept this same position and she met her husband. In the early 1970’s, a teacher’s salary required a summer job or to be married to someone who had a job in order to make ends meet. Billie was one of 84 that were fired for going on strike. This freed her up to devote her time to literacy. At age 60, Billie started a 30 year career. She was a member of First United Methodist Church at the time when Vietnamese and Hmong refugees where coming to Appleton to make a new life for themselves. This gave Billie the opportunity to teach English, culture and prepare people for citizenship. First she had to come up with teaching materials, curriculum, space to teach and volunteers. The mission was about building relationships, a hands on process in which teachers and students live out of what they have. Billie felt that when treated right volunteers will outperform paid staff. LESI has one part-time paid employee. LESI also offers scholarships for students and children of students looking for specialized education to go to technical college or a university. . Billie received many awards for her work in literacy. At age 79, she was named one of the most admired senior citizens of Wisconsin. At age 95, she received the Community Service Award for unique and lasting service to the Fox Cities. Billie lives today through the memories of her family and the work of LESI.