Wilkins to lecture at Barnes museum

The Barnes County Historical Society Lecture Series will present Ward Wilkins: “Seeing America on Four Bald Tires and a Tank of Gas” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Barnes County Museum, Valley City, N.D.

Wilkins’ fourth book, “Four Bald Tires and a Tank of Gas: 16 years and 134,000 miles of Americana,” features stories of Ward’s and his wife Mary Lou’s travels across America.

The author’s first two books, “And Some Went Hungry: a Town Kid’s Memoir of the 1930s,” and “Small Town America: The WWII Years,” featured life in Valley City during those two historic decades of the 20th Century.

Ward Wilkins graduated from Valley City High School in 1945 and from Valley City State College (now Valley City State University) in 1950. He completed his master’s degree at the University of Montana and did postgraduate study there and at several other universities. Wilkins was a career educator in North Dakota, Montana and Minnesota, spending his last 21 years as a principal at Anoka-Hennepin District #11, Anoka, Minn.

Wilkins is a member of the Minneapolis Speaker’s Bureau. He has appeared for different book programs at service clubs, retirement homes and other special groups in the Minneapolis area.

All lectures are held at the Barnes County Museum in conjunction with Valley City State University and are free and open to the public. Elevator service is available.

For more information, contact Wes Anderson 701-845-0966.

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