Wisconsin School for the Deaf - The Wisconsin Times Vol. 134 No. 1 Fall 2012 | Page 12

Milton A. Lee Gymnasium
by Maryann Barnett

On October 13, 2012, the WSD Landmark Committee dedicated the former ‘old gym’ in honor of Milton A.
Lee.
Mr. Lee began attending WSD when he was seven years old. At that time, this gym was only two years old
and was called ‘the new gym’. After graduating from WSD in 1953 and working as a Physical Education
teacher at WSD for 29 years plus two years in other positions, that same gymnasium has been named: the
Milton A. Lee Gymnasium.
Mr. Lee says he was deeply moved by this honor. He knows the other two finalists well and has worked with
both of them closely through the years. He said, “Both Ms. Patricia Blackmer and Mr. Leonard Peacock
have very impressive accomplishments”. Our current ‘new gym’ was named Neesam Gymnasium in 1997.
Reflecting back, Milton Lee explained that when he began school in 1939, Mr. Frederick Neesam was his
math teacher and football coach. Now, both gentlemen have a gymnasium named after them.
In addition to teaching, Mr. Lee has coached both basketball and track and field. He was the Assistant Boy
Scout Master and served as the Junior and Senior Class advisor for 24 years. The Junior National Association
of the Deaf chapter at WSD was established in 1966 by Mr. Lee.
He is WSD’s very first official Archivist; spending many hours with white gloves on his hands in the small
room known as the cage, under the Administration building. There he filed items, dated photos, looked up
alumni information and read countless articles. Since he began this work, WSD has established a museum
inside Kastner Hall.
He was honored with WSD Yearbook dedications in both 1978 and 1997.During the WSD 150th Anniversary
Celebration in 2002 he served as the co-chairperson and treasurer. The National Fraternal Society of the DeafDelavan No. 80 had the honor to have Mr. Lee as their president for five terms, twice earning national honors
as the “Division of the Year”. Mr. Lee was inducted into the National Fraternal Society for the Deaf Hall of
Fame in 1991. In 2008, Milton A. Lee and his wife, Joy Lee were inducted into the Wisconsin School for the
Deaf Alumni Association Service Hall of Fame.
When asked about his accomplishments, Mr. Lee always says that he married his childhood sweetheart,
Joy Erickson, on June 13, 1959 and they have raised four children. Since his retirement in 1997, Mr. Lee
continues to substitute at WSD. He enjoys traveling with his wife, is a proud family man and cherishes time
spent with his family.

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