I was honored to represent the Eagle Historical Society at an event in Madison sponsored by the Center for East Asian Studies, Wisconsin China Resource, and UW–Madison Libraries, celebrating former Eagle resident John Earl Baker. His humanitarian work in China during the 1920s–1940s—including keeping roads and food‑supply lines open during the Japanese invasion—helped prevent the starvation of millions.
The program, “Chinese Badgers/Badgers in China,” highlighted three Chinese scholars and Baker, all UW–Madison graduates from the early 1900s. With its long-standing strength in agriculture, UW–Madison has been an important resource for Chinese scholars for generations.
This short four‑minute video is my way of honoring the event and the warm welcome I received.
Mike Rice, Historian
Eagle Historical Society