Lakeside Link: ‘69 alum closes the book

A 1969 graduate, Phyllis (Heiliger) Huska came back to LLHS in 1992—the year her eldest was a junior— and developed our library into an all-day helpful and comfortable resource for students and staff alike. After 29 years, she’s closing the book on her Warrior career, but she agreed to one last report—on her own history—before checking out.

LL: What was your beginning like?

PH: [Prior to fall ‘92], the library was open one period a day because Linda Seeklander had one free period.

Principal Nelson wanted more and put out a plea to the Federation for anyone interested in helping. Our family had just moved to Lake Mills from the west side of Madison (we had two students at LL, Our Redeemer wasn’t federated yet and busing was only from Eastside and Holy Cross). So I answered the plea, organizing the library on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Only about half the books were cataloged on a simple library software program. There were stacks of donated books filling the storage rooms. I gradually weeded out the books that weren’t appropriate or useful and got the rest on the computer.

LL: How else has the library changed over the years?

PH: The most significant was in 2003; when science and music rooms and the East gym were added, the library also expanded, more than doubling and allowing access to the new courtyard.

When I started, there was one computer in the library, and that was for the librarian. Several years later, we had two computers for student research or word processing use. After the ‘03 addition, it jumped to 12 student computers. Now all students have Chromebooks under our 1:1 initiative.

Years ago, students used free time in study halls to look at magazines, read newspapers, browse books like the Guinness Book of World Records or read a book. Now? If students have free time, they’re watching YouTube videos, Netflix, or playing online games.

LL: Describe some of your favorite times in the library.

PH: My favorite day of the school year was Valentine’s Day (or a school day close to it) when I ran Library Speed Dating for Freshman English. Mrs. Schommer would tease them ahead of time—making them think we were really going to set them up with a human date—so some of them would be really nervous when they arrived. Some may have been disappointed to find out that their dates were books, but everyone seemed to have a good time. Not being able to do that this year was sad.

Mr. Doering has used the library for his end-of-the-semester Government mock trials so they have a more courtroom-like setting. I always enjoy seeing students take on their roles of witnesses, lawyers and jurists. Over the years, some students really were memorable for how deeply they got into their characters.

One student has always stood out as a success story: adamant that they hated reading and proud they had made it to senior year without really reading a book, they were assigned a report and had to find a book. I recommended one, and when returning it, the student thanked me, saying that they didn’t know there could be interesting stories, but they had read the whole book and really enjoyed it— might even want to read another book!

LL: Tell us about family & plans.

Sarah (‘94) is a CPA and husband, Eric, is a pilot. Peter (‘96) is an engineer and wife, Kathryn, a speech therapist; they have two boys. Meghan (‘99) is a graphic designer and husband, Paul, a pastor, with two boys and a girl. As for retirement plans, if the pandemic ever ends, Jim and I will travel. After all, we have five grandchildren. Need I say more?