Fall 2008 OLLI Courses

(Newspaper Insert – large PDF file)

Classes Begin week of September 22

AUBURN CITY GOVERNMENT – A08401
(Frances Hale, coordinator, Tuesday, 8:30 -10:00 a.m., Best Western)
At the first meeting Charles Duggan, City Manager, will give an overview of the structure and management of the City of Auburn government. In subsequent sessions, directors of each of the City departments such as Public Works, Planning, Economic Development, and others will present their areas of management.

BETWEEN WWI AND WWII – A08402
(Margie Fitzpatrick, presenter, Monday, 12:45-2:15 p.m., Best Western)
The class will begin even earlier with what happened before WWI that had a direct effect on WWI and WWII. After that, the course will include such things as the conflict between Mao Tse-tong and Chiang Kai-shek, the rise of Communism and Stalin in Russia, the rise of Nazism and Hitler in Germany, and the rise of Fascism and Mussolini in Italy. In general, we’ll study what happened during this time in as many countries as our class time allows. Participants are encouraged to read about these topics. No assigned text.

BRAIN AND MIND: FITNESS AND MINDFULNESS – A08403
(Tom Nielsen, presenter, Monday, 12:45 -2:15 p.m., Best Western)
This seminar class focuses on ideas, issues, and technologies related to the brain, mind, brain fitness, and mindfulness, especially as they apply to memory, thinking, awareness, and consciousness, and to reduction of stress, pain, and suffering. This is a follow-up class to last term’s class, Extraordinary Knowing. Participants will explore and study recommended and discovered resources; review, present, discuss, and evaluate them; and share and discuss their own knowledge, experiences, and practices. For more information, visit www.enfolded.info/Bm .

BROADWAY MUSICALS – A08404
(Alice Leahy, coordinator, Monday, 2:30-4 p.m., Best Western)
Broadway musicals have a magic that has drawn audiences throughout the years. Participants will listen to an assortment of musi­cals featuring original casts and bonus sound tracks of well-known and best loved Broadway tunes. There will be discussion on the musicals, the theatres in which the productions were performed, and the musicians and singers who performed the songs.

CURRENT ECONOMIC TOPICS – A08405
(Sark Kavookjian, coordinator; Monday, 10:15-11:45 a.m., Best Western)
This course will be a member-led, member-driven discussion group, dealing with “Everything you wanted to know about economics, but were afraid to ask.....” Topics will be selected by the group based on current events. Newspapers, magazines, and television will be our sources for discussion. No text.

EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE – A08406
(Emil Wright, coordinator, Tuesday, 12:45-2:15 p.m., Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art)
In the Fall Quarter we will turn our attention to the early medieval period of European history extending from the collapse of the western Roman Empire in 476 to around 1000. Using excellent recorded lectures by Professor Philip Delaider, we will be introduced to the chaotic political, religious, and sociologic currents that culminated in the more orderly institutions of the High Middle Ages which we will address during the second section of this course in Winter Quarter.

ENGINEERING AN EMPIRE – A08407
(Jim Barber, coordinator; Monday, 8:30-10:00 a.m., Best Western)
“From the Parthenon and Tenochtitlan to the Great Wall of China and Chichen Itza, the ancient world created itself in bold strokes of ingenuity and ambition.” This DVD series hosted by Peter Weller examines the most magnificent and sophisticated civilizations in history through the lens of their astounding and innovative engineering feats. Walk through the narrow streets of ancient Greece and Carthage and fol­low the massive expansion of the Roman and Chinese Empires. Trace the rise of antiquity’s greatest leaders and discover the engineering marvels and urban planning accomplishments that altered the course of history. Learn about Byzantine architects driven to glory during the Dark Ages and witness the construction of the Tunnel of Samos, the Kremlin, and Notre Dame. This course chronicles the engineering brilliance that gave birth to modern civilization.

EXTRAORDINARY KNOWING: SELF, MIND, COSMOS, AND AN EMERGING WORLDVIEW – A08408
(Tom G. Nielsen, presenter; Friday, 10:15-11:45 a.m., Opelika, Southern Union)
What is extraordinary knowing and what does it reveal about self, mind, cosmos, and an emerging world view? Participants will consider and discuss the scientific evidence for and credible reports of a variety of forms of extraordinary knowing, including: non-local awareness (i.e., remote viewing, telepathy, out-of-body and near-death experiences, and precognition and past life memories), intention, and remote healing and prayer. Participants will also discuss their own extraordinary know­ing experiences. Text: Extraordinary Knowing, E.L. Mayer. Outside reading, two hours per week. For more information, visit www.enfolded.info/EK .

FRENCH CONVERSATION INTEREST GROUP – A08409
(Yvonne Williams, coordinator; Tuesday, 10:15-11:45 am, Best Western)
Want to practice your French? Come join us as we continue speaking and reading. We’re looking for a leader, a teacher, or someone who is willing to assist in our studies. Bring your French dictionary and any texts or references you have, plus articles, ads, or stories in French.

FROM YAO TO MAO, PART IV- A08410
(Bob Hayes and Jack Willingham, presenters; coordinator TBA; Tuesday, 2:30-4:00 p.m., Best Western)
In a world grown smaller, China nonetheless seems to remain as most of us have always seen it: a land far away and exotic, its history and thoughts veiled from most Westerners. Yet behind that veil lies one of the most amazing civilizations the world has ever known. Based on the video-taped lectures, the class continues to study the history of China to the present. Additional videos supplement the lectures, as do guest speakers. No text; no required outside reading.

GENEALOGY ON LINE – A08411
(Richard Robinson, presenter; Monday, 8:30-10 a.m., Best Western)
There are now more sources than ever for genealogy informa­tion on the web. We will explore both the free and commercial sources and ways to manage your personal family history data. No text. Access to a computer with internet access for your own research would be helpful.

HISTORY OF ANCIENT EGYPT: THE PREHISTORIC PERIOD TO CLEOPATRA – A08433
This course has been canceled for Fall Term. It will be offered again in Winter Term 2009.

HISTORY OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE – A08412
(Philip Fretwell, presenter; coordinator TBA; Monday, 2:30-4:00 p.m., Best Western)
This well-paced and lively power point course is an excursion through the 19th and 20th Centuries. The class will include cultural refer­ences to art, literature, and historical figures in an interactive setting that includes discussion. Topics to be covered include: Evolution of Shelter, Form Currents, Structure and Form, International Style, Crystal Palace to MoMA, Streamlined Design, PWA Modern, and, For Better or Worse: 21st Century. No assigned text.

HOW ART MADE THE WORLD: HOW HUMANS MADE ART AND ART MADE US HUMAN – A08413
(Dennis Drake, coordinator; Tuesday, 2:30-4:00 p.m., Jule Collins Museum of Fine Art)
See the world from an utterly new perspective. This class, based on the BBC video series, reveals how the first big artistic discover­ies were made and how they cascaded down the centuries to define the look of the present day. Encompassing everything from cave paintings to ceramics and pyramids to palaces, we’ll probe the global trend for unrealistic depictions of the human body; films; visions of death and the afterlife; how art is used for politics; and crucially, why we use imagery at all. No text; no outside reading.

INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED WATERCOLOR – A08414
(Cindy Mask, instructor; Thursday, 9-11 a.m., Jan Dempsey Art Center, 222 Drake Avenue, Auburn).
Students with previous experience in watercolor will con­tinue instruction in watercolor techniques. Students will be encouraged to choose subjects which will further their learning. Often there will be a theme for the session. There will be demonstrations of new techniques and critiques of paintings with attention to composition, value, and color. Class starts September 18 with no class on October 2. Students should preregister with Cindy Mask at 826-7920. Registration with Cindy or OLLI office is necessary to ensure a place in the class.

INTRODUCTION TO DRAWING – A08415
(Cindy Mask, instructor; Wednesday, 1-3 p.m., Jan Dempsey Art Center, 222 Drake Avenue, Auburn).
Students will be introduced to elements of drawing. Instruction will include use of value, line, and form. Classes will alternate between careful rendering and a freer use of materials. Use of pencil, charcoal, erasers, and papers will be covered. There will be eight class meetings starting September 17 (no class October 1). Cost for the class is $60, payable to the Auburn Arts Association at the first class. Materials will be provided for the first class and materials list will be provided and discussed at that time. Questions may be addressed to the instructor, Cindy Mask, at 826-7920. Registration with the OLLI office is necessary to ensure materials for the first class.

INTRODUCTION TO WATERCOLOR – A08416
(Cindy Mask, instructor; Thursday, 1-3 p.m., Jan Dempsey Art Center, 222 Drake Avenue, Auburn)
This class will give the basics of watercolor. Students will learn the use of paints, paper, and brushes. Instruction will include use of color, value, and techniques of watercolor. There will be demonstrations on different subjects such as landscapes and still lifes with consideration for students’ needs. Experimentation with materials and techniques will be encouraged. Session begins September 18; there will no class on October 2. Cost for the class is $60, payable to the Auburn Arts Association at the first class; materials will be discussed at that time. Materials will be provided for the first class. Questions may be addressed to the instructor, Cindy Mask, at 826-7920. Registration with the OLLI office is necessary to ensure materials for the first class.

INVESTING DURING DIFFICULT TIMES – A08417
(Sonya Green, guest lecturer; coordinator TBA; Tuesday, 2:30-4:00 p.m., Best Western)
Everyone has an “Investing Journey.” From our working days through our retirement days, learning the fundamentals of investing will provide a foundation for all stages of life. This course is designed for investors of all levels of experience. It will begin by taking class participants down the road of setting and maintaining financial goals. It will spend time focusing on the retirement years and cover steps to take toward establishing a legacy. Also, basic investment principals will be introduced, explained, and discussed. Required text: Your Guide to Understanding Investing, $7.95, payable to the instructor at first class meeting.

JOY OF SCIENCE – A08418
(Charlotte Ward, coordinator, Monday, 8:30 -10:00 a.m., Best Western)
The first part of a three-quarter survey of modern science, based on lectures by Professor Robert M. Hazen from The Teaching Company. These lectures have been specifically designed to introduce and review all of the scientific principles that are included in the Content Standards portion of the National Science Education Standards. Time will be provided for questions and discussions.

KARATE FOR SENIORS – A08419
(Robert Martin, presenter; coordinator TBA; Wednesday, 9:00-10:00 a.m., Best Western)
We welcome new participants as we continue to focus on the history, tradition, philosophy, and application of classical Japanese Karate-do (Empty Hand Art). Each session will be divided into two distinct segments. First, learn the origins of karate from Okinawa to Japan and into the modern era. Second, get training in basic blocks, punches and kicks, and become familiar with basic Kata (prearranged “forms”). All activities are age appropriate and strictly non-contact and non-competi­tive. Any loose, comfortable clothing is suitable. Sensei Robert is the AU HPER Karate instructor. Call him at 821-4258 for more information.

KI – A08420
(Robert Martin, presenter; coordinator, TBA; Wednesday, 8:30-9:00 a.m., Best Western)
Ki is a system of physical training, philosophy, preventative and therapeutic health care, the Japanese equivalent to Chinese Tai Chi and Chi Kung, the slow-motion, “internal” martial arts. Ki training is intended to increase the flow of energy through the body. Exercises are executed at a slow, rhythmic pace, with an emphasis on correct breath­ing and general limbering of the body. You should experience increased stamina, better digestion, improved circulation, more restful sleep, bal­anced internal energy and reduced anxiety. Any loose, comfortable cloth­ing is suitable. Call the presenter at 821-4258 for more information.

MOZART’S COMIC OPERAS – A08421
(Billy Tamblyn, presenter, Monday, 10:15-11:45 a.m., Best Western)
Class participants will consider the comic operas of Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Cosi fan tutti. Each of these operas will be viewed in class. Information will be given about Mozart, his life and his work, and about the audiences for whom these operas were written.

NAPOLEON – A08422
(Charlie Rose, presenter; coordinator TBA; Tuesday, 10:15-11:45 a.m., Best Western)
The course will deal with the life and times of Napoleon Bonaparte, with an emphasis on how he revolutionized warfare through strategy and tactics still viable today. Factors bringing about the Emperor’s victories and conquests will be described, including the corps structure (innovated by Napoleon), the use of skirmishers and battalion formations, combined arms tactics, utilizing the central position and the employment of sweeping outflanking movements, and Napoleon’s vital­ity and charisma as a commander. We will focus in detail on three crucial campaigns and battles, two victories and a defeat: Ulm/Austerlitz, Eylau/Friedland, and Ligny/ Quatre Bras/ Waterloo. Finally Napoleon’s place in history will be opened up for discussion.

OLD TESTMAENT: HISTORY, LITERATURE AND RELIGION – A08423
(Lee Hermes, coordinator, Tuesday, 2:30–4:00 p.m., Best Western)
This lively video-based course is taught by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine of Vanderbilt University Divinity School. Professor Levine acquaints us with the different approaches to biblical research and interpretation while telling the rich and compelling stories of the Old Testament. We will learn about source and textual criticism, literary conventions, stories of etiology, folk tales, and comparisons with other religions of the ancient world. As Dr. Levine says, “This is good stuff”.

PEARL S. BUCK – HER WORK, HER LIFE, AND HER TIMES – A08424
(Shan Rumph, coordinator, Monday, 2:30-4:00 p.m., Best Western)
Immerse yourself in her writings by reading a book a week (all short). Presenter has books to share; books are also available at the Auburn Public Library and the AU Library. Three of her books were made into movies: The Good Earth, Dragon See, and Wave. The PBS documen­tary about the life of Pearl S. Buck will be viewed. An accomplished writer, Pearl S. Buck won a Pulitzer and a Nobel Prize for Literature. Each week, writings for discussion will be given to class members.

POETRY APPRECIATION – A08425
(Jennifer Soule, coordinator; Tuesday, 12:45-2:15 p.m., Best Western)
Poetry is written for communication and enjoyment. This hap­pens when we read it alone, by the lake, or in a group around a table. The purpose of this class is to share and enjoy poems with others. Members will bring poems that resonate for them to read and discuss. We appreci­ate poetry by remembering that it is fun to play with words. No text; no required reading. “If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.” Emily Dickinson

SPANISH CONVERSATION: BEGINNING AND ADVANCED BEGINNING, PART I – A08426
(Judith Hale, presenter; coordinator; Monday, 12:45-2:15 p.m. Best Western)
Relax, have fun and learn enough Spanish to get along bet­ter while traveling, dining, and meeting the natives of Spanish speaking countries. This is the first of three quarters of instruction. Our text and classroom conversation in Spanish insure success and progress. Texts: Easy Spanish Reader and Dictionary of Spoken Spanish Words, Phrases and Sentences. Outside reading and study, one hour per week.

SPANISH CONVERSATION: INTERMEDIATE – A08427
(Bill and Ellen Sherling, presenters; Monday 8:30-10:00 a.m., Best Western)
For those with previous Spanish instruction. Improve your speaking and reading skills in Spanish by practicing with others. Increase your ability to communicate with native Spanish speaking people, while traveling or here at home. A text will be selected; bring your Spanish dictionary.

STORY TELLING – A08428
(Gibbs Couch, coordinator; Tuesday, 10:15-11:45 p.m., Best Western)
Do you recall a time when listening to a story told by a par­ent, grandparent, or teacher was a gift? Family stories, folk tales, myths, fairy tales and historical events are memorable because someone seized an occasion to tell us a story. Join others who remember the joy of hear­ing stories and learn to share your favorites with us. Participants will have the opportunity to select stories or write their own, learn story telling techniques, and tell stories to the class. The only prerequisite is a playful spirit. No text, no required outside reading.

TAI CHI FOR ARTHRITIS (BEGINNERS), HEALTH AND FUN – A08429
(Connie Salts, presenter; Tuesday, 8:30-9:15 a.m., Best Western)
Created by Dr. Paul Lam and a team of tai chi and medical specialists, Tai Chi for Arthritis is easy and enjoyable to learn, bringing with it many health benefits safely and quickly. Medical studies have shown this program helps to reduce pain significantly and improves many aspects of health through increased muscle strength, flexibility, stamina, as well as improved relaxation, balance and posture. For this reason, arthritis foundations around the world are giving it their full support. Although especially effective for arthritis, it is also suitable for anyone interested in beginning tai chi. Wear loose comfortable clothing and flat shoes suitable for walking or exercising.

TAI CHI FOR ARTHRITIS (INTERMEDIATE), HEALTH AND FUN – A08430
(Connie Salts, presenter; Tuesday, 9:15-10 a.m., Best Western)
See above description. It is expected that participants will be familiar with Part I of the Tai Chi for Arthritis Sun Style. This class will continue with the reverse of Part I and the new nine step form of Tai Chi for Arthritis Part II.

THE AGING PROCESS, SENSATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS – A08431
(Charles Knecht, coordinator, Monday, 2:30–4:00 p.m., Best Western)
Behavior is based on external stimuli but also the perception of those stimuli in the brain. These perceptions may be innate or acquired. This course, based on The Teaching Company sessions taught by Professor Francis Colarita, emphasizes how the process of aging influences the sen­sory world and our perceptions based on sight, hearing, smell, taste, and other sensations. The emphasis is on factors that may affect our percep­tion and therefore our behavior. We may be amazed on how age affects us in so many ways.

THE HEALTH CARE DILEMMA – A08432
(Marilyn Garrett, coordinator, Tuesday, 10:15-11:45 a.m., Best Western)
With health care costs skyrocketing and a huge and growing number of Americans without any health coverage, the American health care system is long overdue for some reforms. We will explore how we have arrived at our system of health care, how it is different from oth­ers in the developed world and examine some proposals. We will have outside speakers, lectures, a video and discussion. No textbook or reading is required but some resources will be available.

THE ROARING TWENTIES – A08434
(John Tidwell, coordinator, Monday, 10:15-11:45 a.m., Best Western)
What’s so special about the “Roaring Twenties”? Who is the first person you think of when you hear “Roaring Twenties”? - Al Capone? Louis Armstrong? “Big Bill” Tilden? Margaret Gorman? What about these terms - prohibition, depression, bathtub gin, moonshine, speak easies, and by all means, FLAPPERS? And who can forget these events - The Sacco-Vanzetti Case and the “Monkey Trial” featuring William Jennings Bryan, Clarence Darrow and, of course, John Scopes? How about the deaths of Vladimir Lenin, Harry Houdini and Rudolph Valentino? How can we forget women gaining long ignored rights, Benito Mussolini becoming Prime Minister of Italy, Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch, Lucky Lindy and the Spirit of St. Louis, Mahatma Gandhi being sent to jail and Queen Elizabeth II’s birth? This class will be informative and entertaining.

THE SAVVY TRAVELER: PLANNING TIPS FROM EXPERIENCED OLLI TOURISTS -A08437
(Bill Baird, coordinator, Tuesday, 8:30-10:00 a.m., Best Western)
Join us as we discuss what we have learned from our trips. How to plan, pack, prepare, and enjoy both domestic and trips abroad. Your tour guides will be Charlotte Ward, Evie Pouncey, Paul and Peggy Turnquist, Bill Baird, and guest travelers. Among our topics will be pack­ing lists, use of travel agents, pre-planned tours with Elderhostel, VBT, and other agencies, as well as going it alone. Language and currency issues, passports, airport security, local guides, car rental, avoiding pitfalls, and traveling safely in many places are also covered. Your questions are welcome in each class session.

THE TUDOR WOMEN: HENRY VIII, HIS MOTHER, HIS SISTERS, HIS WIVES, HIS DAUGHTERS – A08435
(Reynolds McLeod, presenter, Tuesdays, 2:30-4:00 p.m., Best Western)
The Tudors were surrounded by strong-willed, often very intelligent, and certainly very determined women who often played an important role in shaping politics and religion, but also in influencing the course of historical events. We start with Henry’s mother, Elizabeth of York; and then look at his sisters, Mary and Margaret; his six wives in their fascinating glory; his two daughters Elizabeth I and Mary. These were women of character, frequently of tragic proportions, and certainly of considerable historical interest. We will survey them in turn, look at their personalities and their role in the Tudor world. No text; no outside reading.

THIS I BELIEVE: WRITING, SHARING, TELLING – A08436
(Mary Belk, coordinator, Tuesday 2:30-4:00 p.m., Best Western)
Based on the NPR series and best selling book, this class will encourage members to write essays about their own strongly held beliefs, ideas, opinions, and dreams. Following the guidelines for the series, statements will be brief, under 500 words. In introducing the origi­nal series, host Edward R. Murrow said, “Never has the need for personal philosophies of this kind been so urgent.” This statement is as true today as in the 1950s. We’ll support each other in the work of crafting very personal pieces, about our individual beliefs. Once written, we’ll have the opportunity to share them with the group orally, and in compilation book. Text, This I Believe, available from NPR or from the AU Bookstore. Outside reading, one hour per week.

UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSE: AN INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY – A08438
(Gordon Johnson, coordinator, Monday, 10:15-11:45 a.m., Best Western)
Join us for an unrivaled opportunity to experience an intro­ductory college course on astronomy in a video series format taught by world-class teacher and researcher Dr. Alex Filippenko. Much has happened in astronomy in a few short years. Many of these new dis­coveries are scientifically sophisticated, but the comprehensive scope of this course allows you to absorb the scope of these findings in a learner friendly and comfortable environment. This course will cover three terms.

WHAT’S NEW? A CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION GROUP – A08439
(W. C. McPherson, coordinator, Tuesday, 12:45-2:15 p.m., Best Western)
Participate in a lively class of weekly discussions about current events. Topics to be addressed will be determined by class members who will then research and present their findings about the subject. Discussions will be moderated using rules similar to those used in the Great Decisions study groups.

WILDFLOWERS – A08440
(Caroline Dean, presenter, Friday, 8:30-10:00 a.m., Opelika, Southern Union)
Learn to identify wildflowers and invasive plants. We will use PowerPoint programs, live specimens, and hard work in class. Participants may bring specimens to class for study and identification. Learn some morphology, some taxonomy, and some definitions from a botanical glossary. We will occasionally have some specialists to come present part of the program.

WISDOM OF HISTORY, PART II – A08441
(Jacob Walker, presenter, Monday, 12:45-2:15 p.m., Best Western)
In this Teaching Company DVD series, Professor Fears will continue reviewing the decisions made by great nations and important religious, so that we may now benefit by their successes and avoid their mistakes. He emphasizes that in order to do so we must learn to think historically. The last eight lectures relate to American history, and warn us the US is subject to the same lessons of history as other great powers.

WRITING OUR LIVES – A08442
(Cathy Buckhalt, instructor; Terry Ley, coordinator; Tuesday, 8:30–10:00 a.m., Best Western)
“Our lives are like a patchwork quilt, and it is only in the evening of life that we can see the pattern of what we have woven” (Richard L. Morgan, Saving Our Stories: A Legacy We Leave). We all have stories to tell! Here is an opportunity to reclaim your memories, write about them, and share them with a receptive audience of peers. We will write each Tuesday morning, responding to stimulus prompts provided by the instructor. Text: Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression, Mildred Armstrong Kalish. Recommended homework: finishing and revising what you have begun in class and reading self-selected memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies.

Class Grid - FALL 2008
(Updated as of 9/9/08)

Monday classes meet at the Best Western.
Tuesday classes meet either at Best Western or JCS Museum.
Friday classes meet at Southern Union.

Textbooks will be available for sale at the General Membership Meeting and the first day of classes at the Best Western.