PLATO HISTORY, 1980 TO PRESENT

The idea that became PLATO originated in 1980 with Elizabeth Cless, PLATO’s founder, who worked with Rosemary Park and UCLA Extension Dean Leonard Freedman in a study about “lifelong learning” that ultimately resulted in creation of what today has become  The PLATO Society of Los Angeles. The primary goal, always kept in mind, was to provide a forum and vehicle for intellectual pursuits for those who continued to love learning after their formal education , and in some cases their careers, had been concluded. Over time, PLATO added a social aspect as well, for those who were interested in maintaining and developing social connections.