Spring 2009 Catalog (Mar. 23 - May 15)
Below is a list of the courses, special
events and ongoing activities for spring 2009 at all three locations
(Fairfax/Tallwood, Reston/Lake Anne and Loudoun/Sterling). Fairfax
courses are
denoted by "F", Reston courses are denoted by "R", and Loudoun courses
are denoted by "L". To view non-course information in the catalog,
click the following links for the Schedule
of Classes
(pdf), Registration
Form (pdf) and Miscellaneous
Catalog Information (pdf).
Note:
If you plan to print the catalog rather than read it on your
computer screen, you may prefer to print the Spring 2009
Catalog (pdf) in its normal
two-column format.
Mondays, 11:30–1:00, Apr. 20–May 11
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: Larry Butler
Medieval England was a multicultural mosaic of peoples from all over Europe. We will examine the formation of England through four key monuments of art and architecture, each telling a rich story about its time. The spectacular Sutton Hoo ship burial gives us a glimpse through archeology of the Anglo-Saxon world of Beowulf. The Lindisfarne Gospels, one of the world’s most beautiful manuscripts, memorializes the Celtic Christian heritage of northern England through its artwork. The Bayeux Tapestry records the Norman conquest of England in 1066—but from whose point of view? At Canterbury Cathedral we can reconstruct the world of St. Thomas Becket, and the pilgrimage to his shrine that Chaucer had in mind. Whether your interest is history, art, archeology or literature, come enjoy these illustrated lectures on the formation of medieval English culture.
Larry Butler is associate professor and former director of art history at George Mason. He received his BA and MA at Oberlin College, and his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. A specialist in Byzantine, Islamic and Silk Road art, and one-time Fulbright Scholar in Turkey, he returns often to his first love, medieval England.
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 23–May 11
Tallwood
Instructor: Stan Schretter
Our photographs tell stories. They contain our moods and viewpoints, and we hope they also evoke those emotions within the viewer. The goal of this class is to help us create photographs that cause us and the viewer both to say, “Wow” or “Ooh” or “Aah.” Participants should have a camera that can be set into aperture and shutter-priority modes. Manual operation, tripods and multiple focal length lenses such as wide angle and telephoto are not required but are really desirable. A moderate level of post-processing experience and Internet access are necessary. The main emphasis of the class will be on learning and applying in-camera techniques as discussed in the text, Understanding Exposure, by Bryan Peterson. Weekly photo assignments and in-class critiques will be included to develop your skills and reinforce the classroom lectures. There is a fee of $22, payable with registration, for the Understanding Exposure book. Class limit: 20.
Stan Schretter is an avid photographer and computer enthusiast who has instructed OLLI classes in digital photography for the past two years. This course will also be taught at Loudoun, Course L115 on Wednesdays.
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 23–May 11
Tallwood
Instructor: Dick Hibbert
Participants will learn techniques for drawing with pencil and ink and about the materials and skills useful in sketching still lifes, landscapes and illustrations. Class participation is expected and homework assignments will be given. Class limit: 12.
Dick Hibbert, a graduate of Oregon State University and the University of Oregon School of Architecture, is a private architectural consultant. He formerly served as the chief architect for Navy housing and has previously taught photography in the Fairfax County Adult Education Program. He has been teaching art at OLLI for 14 years.
Tuesdays 9:30–11:00, Mar. 24–May 12
Tallwood
Coordinators: Kathleen Meyer, Keli Ker-Hacklemann
Featuring the talented faculty and students of the George Mason Music Department, this course is designed for music lovers interested in listening to a variety of vocal and instrumental tones, sounds and harmony in a small setting and learning more about various instruments and their genre. To add to the enrichment of the program, biographies of composers, a bit of history and visual art are incorporated. Each session will feature a distinct program by an enthusiastic guest music professor. A preliminary list of presenters includes Dr. Linda Monson, associate chair of the Music Department; Dr. Keli Ker-Hackleman; and Professors Ed Johonnott, Tony Maiello, Patricia Miller and Kate Hearden.
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 24–May 12
Woodlands
Instructors: Louise Richardson, Bern Zeavin
Recent studies have shown that ballroom dancing has both mental and physical benefits. We’ll learn the basic steps plus the foxtrot, waltz and swing (jitterbug). If time allows we may try to introduce a basic rumba into the class. As we will be changing partners frequently, both singles and couples are welcome. Please wear your nametag and bear in mind that leather-soled shoes will slide on the dance floor more easily. See inside back cover for directions to Woodlands.
Louise Richardson has been teaching ballroom dancing for Fairfax County for 11 years. She has loved dancing since her mom and dad started teaching her in her elementary school years. Her father spent WWII in Brazil, so he also taught her many Latin dances as a child.
Bern Zeavin has years of dance experience with Arthur Murray, Instep Dance Studio and other Northern Virginia dance studios.
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 24–May 12
Tallwood
Instructor: Dick Hibbert
Individuals who have taken the beginning class can continue to enjoy sketching with more challenging assignments. Charcoal and color presentations will be added. Class participation is expected, and homework assignments will be given. Participants are required to have taken Sketching with Pencil and Ink. Class limit: 12.
See Course F103 for instructor background.
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 25–Apr. 15
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructors: Catherine Weir, Evans Mandes
This course, a continuation from fall term, explores how your brain works when you look at art. For instance, artists often exaggerate an individual’s features in a portrait to highlight the person’s characteristics and to facilitate recognition by viewers. Many scientists have studied the role of the visual system (eye and brain) when we look at pictures. We will look at experiments that reveal systematic ways we perceive and understand art. Hands-on demonstrations of perceptual effects will be included.
· Mar. 25: Representing Reflections in Art. Catherine Weir. Techniques that brains and artists use to represent reflections of light will be illustrated with the art of Veláquez, Signac and Géricault. We will also learn about mirror neurons that are useful in understanding what a picture means.
· Apr. 1: Color in Art. Evans Mandes. How we see colors and how artists mix colors will be discussed in the context of the history of art. Color constancy and color contrast are two ways the brain modifies the input from the visual world. We also learn from an example of a color-blind artist.
· Apr. 8: Creativity in Art. Evans Mandes. Creativity can be studied in the context of personality and perception. This helps us understand steps in the creative process, both from the cognitive and neuroscience viewpoints. The art of the fantastic, including surrealism, will provide examples.
· Apr. 15: Drawing Lines and Seeing Objects: Spatial Frequency. Catherine Weir. One of the fundamental ways we encode the visual world is through the spatial frequencies present. We will begin to understand spatial frequency through examples of artworks by Dürer, Turner, Doolittle and Close. Different ideas about how we recognize objects in pictures will be described and applied to art.
Catherine Weir has enjoyed teaching perception psychology for four decades in Britain and the United States. Her degrees are from University College London and Colorado College, where she is an emerita professor. She has published experimental reports about perception and learning.
Evans Mandes has been teaching courses on perception, creativity and psychology and the arts for many decades. He is a senior associate dean of science at George Mason and has been a professor there since 1968. Mandes and Weir are writing a book titled Perception through Pictures to be used for interdisciplinary courses in art and psychology, and, more generally, for courses in a liberal arts curriculum.
Note: See related Course R112 offered at Reston on Thursdays. This course will deal with science matters relative to the perception of art, and is also listed with the 800 series courses.
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Instructor: Leonard Justinian
Develop your unused skills and artistic talents in the medium of watercolor painting. This class will provide an introduction to watercolor painting for beginners and offer those with some experience an opportunity to learn more about watercolor painting. Some supplies will be required. A supply list will be available in the office the week prior to class. Class limit: 15.
Leonard Justinian has been painting, showing his works and receiving awards for over 60 years. He has won many awards, including the coveted Grumbacher award. He spends much of his time teaching watercolor painting privately and in classes in the City of Fairfax.
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Instructors: Linda George, Palmer McGrew
Once again, OLLI’s choral group singing in chorus and in ensembles will emphasize popular music, Broadway show tunes and golden oldies. A great voice is not required. Dolores Ecklund will accompany the singers on the keyboard.
Linda George has a degree in music and has taken private lessons in piano and voice for many years. She currently studies voice with Kerry McCarthy, and frequently performs in churches and retirement communities. Linda loves singing in choral groups and working with them, and she thoroughly enjoys the OLLI class.
Palmer McGrew has been a long-time member of Singing for Fun and a substitute instructor/director for the class. He sings in his church choir and barbershop with the Fairfax Jubil-Aires, which he has at times directed.
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Apr. 9, 16
Tallwood (Two sessions)
Instructor: Ralph Youngren
The instructor, who has a passion for architectural history, will present a two-part analysis of the houses known by the Madisons. The first session will cover Montpelier and near-by Barboursville, designed by Thomas Jefferson but now in ruins. Montpelier is a national monument to James Madison, father of the Constitution, architect of the Bill of Rights and the fourth president of the United States. During Madison’s second term as president, the White House was burned by the British in 1814. The Madisons lived for a time in the Octagon House, one of the earliest houses in the capital while the White House was being rebuilt. The second session will address Montpelier from 1836 to the present day. Dolly Madison sold the house in 1844, after which there were a number of owners until William duPont purchased the estate in 1901. He doubled the size of the house and in 1928 left it to his daughter, Marion duPont Scott. She turned the estate into a world center for horse racing. In her will she expressed a wish that the house be restored to its Madison-era appearance. The restoration of the exterior and interior has recently been completed. This course will also be taught at Reston, Course R113, on May 7 and 14. Both sessions are preliminary to Special Event 965 on May 20.
Ralph Youngren, fellow, American Institute of Architects, earned degrees from Harvard and is now a retired architect. He is an OLLI member and has been fascinated with Thomas Jefferson all his life.
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 23–May 11
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Gloria Sussman
Be transported into a world of listening with a difference. No matter what your level of musical understanding, there is always the opportunity to add another dimension to your listening ability. Each class is based on a single musical topic—a composer, style, form or idea. Let the wide assortment of visual and aural samplings lead you to a deeper musical experience.
Gloria Sussman has been providing the play lists for The Ongoing Pleasures of Music since 2000 and continues to enjoy the exploration.
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 23–May 14
Lake Anne Church (Four sessions)
Instructor: Catherine Weir
This course, a repeat from fall term, explores how your brain works when you look at art. For instance, artists often exaggerate an individual’s features in a portrait to highlight the person’s characteristics and to facilitate recognition by viewers. Many scientists have studied the role of the visual system (eye and brain) when we look at pictures. We will look at experiments that reveal systematic ways we perceive and understand pictures. Hands-on demonstrations of perceptual effects will be included.
· Apr. 23: Linking Psychology to Art. What are some of the shared themes of art and psychology? We explore one answer: illusions and allusions in psychology and art. Examples will include paintings by Caillebotte, Picasso and Holbein.
· Apr. 30: Principles of Perception Relevant to Visual Art. Artists exploit the natural way our eyes and brains work when they use technical skills to highlight parts of their compositions. Art of Magritte, Rembrandt and Matisse will be examples.
· May 7: Principles of Cognition Relevant to Visual Art. Our brains can infer the meaning in a picture partly because artists include metaphors in their work. How do artists focus our attention and imagination on the meaning of their work? Art of Van Gogh, Escher, Klee and Cezanne will be among the examples.
· May 14: Face Perception through Portraits. How are portraits more than simply representations of faces for both artists and our brains? Examples of portraits by Magritte, Leonardo and Picasso will be discussed.
See course F107 for instructor background.
Note: This course will deal with scientific matters relative to the perception of art and is also listed with the 800 series courses.
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, May 7, 14
Lake Anne Church (Two sessions)
Instructor: Ralph Youngren
This class is a repeat of F110 given at Tallwood.
Monday, 1:00–2:30, Apr. 20–May 11
Loudoun (Four sessions)
Instructor: Teresa Seldomridge
Inspired by our Spanish Experience course covering Spanish history, we can also enjoy the wonderful sounds of the music of Spain.
· Apr. 20: Music of Spain: Origins to Present—An Overview.
· Apr. 27: Flamenco: The Song, The Dance and The Guitar.
· May 4: Spanish Composers: Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados and Manuel de Falla.
· May 11: Folk Music from the Regions of Spain.
Teresa Seldomridge is a private piano teacher in Potomac Falls. She currently studies with Elizabeth Temple at Shenandoah University Conservatory of Music where she graduated with a bachelor of music degree in piano performance. She has served as organist and choir director. Each year since 1990 she has spent time in Spain traveling and living with relatives, which has nurtured her love of the language, music and culture. Her most recent recital included works by Spanish composers Isaac Albéniz and Enrique Granados.
Wednesday, 11:15−12:45, Mar. 25–May 13
Loudoun (Note time)
Instructor: Stan Schretter
This course is also being taught on Mondays at Tallwood. See Course F102.
Thursday, 10:30–12:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Loudoun
Instructor: Sigrid Blalock
Using water-soluble oil pastels, students will learn how to combine drawing and painting techniques. The course will include a review of the color wheel and basic color mixing. Subjects will include decorative designs, landscapes and still life. Materials needed include the following: 1 set water-soluble oil pastels, 18-24 colors; 1 pad watercolor paper, 9”x12” or larger, 140 lb. wt.; assorted brushes; ruler and pencil.
Sigrid Blalock is an experienced artist and teacher who has been involved with OLLI since 1999. She received a bachelor of fine arts degree from Syracuse University and a master of arts degree from American University.
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 24–May 12
(11:30–1:30, Apr. 7–28 Note time)
Tallwood
Coordinator: Leo Brennan
This course will focus on the basics of investing with discussions on various investment vehicles available to help you achieve your goals. Decisions will not be made for you; rather, issues will be discussed and paths given so that you can make more informed decisions to match your needs.
· Mar. 24, 31: Understanding Fixed Investments. Terry Trenchard is senior portfolio manager at Aegis Capital Corporation and executive director of Streetwise Educational Seminars. If you have fixed income investments, do you understand how they are priced? Unlock the mystery associated with purchasing and selling these investments. Learn about the choices available with corporate bonds, municipal bonds, Treasury securities and other income-producing securities.
· Apr. 7–28: How to Select Your Own Stocks. Terry Trenchard. This course takes you from the basics of how the stock market works to an understanding of how to perform a detailed analysis before buy/sell decisions are made. Whether you own mutual funds or individual stocks, this four-week segment of the course provides you with the knowledge and discipline to make more informed stock market decisions and increase your chances for long-term success. This segment requires a 130-page workbook; a fee of $20, payable with registration, will cover the cost of workbook and handouts. Students will need a calculator to work some light math associated with analyzing stocks for investment.
· May 5: Financial Planning Strategies for Retirees. Terry Trenchard. This session will address the elements of financial planning necessary to better assure your definition of a successful retirement. You have worked hard to build that “nest egg,” now what are the various investment and withdrawal strategies needed to sustain your needs in retirement?
· May 12: Great course, But I Still Feel Like a “Deer in the Headlights”: What now? Tom Crooker and Shirley Smith, two OLLI members, will each give a short presentation based on their experiences and then take questions and guide discussion.
Wednesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 25–May 13
Tallwood
Instructor: Tom Crooker
The forum is an ongoing investment discussion group that meets regularly throughout the year. Discussions are open, and all members are encouraged to participate. Both prepared and extemporaneous discussions are offered. The focus is on topics of particular interest to retirees, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, partnerships and investment trusts. The Investment Forum has its own Web site, www.olligmu.org~finforum/
that provides further information for prospective members.
Thomas Crooker is a retired engineer who has taught at the college level and is a longtime student of the stock market. He has served as moderator of the forum for several years.
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 23–May 14
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: Vee Johnson
Many OLLI members have had their identity compromised or know someone who has. Vee Johnson, a frequent presenter at OLLI, is back by popular demand to discuss this vitally important subject, which affects us all.
· Apr. 23: ID Theft and How to Minimize Your Risk. This class will help you evaluate privacy risks so you can determine what changes you need to make to minimize your risk for identity theft.
· Apr. 30: Identity Theft and Financial Crimes in Fairfax County. Tom Polhemus, investigator with the Financial Crimes Section of the Fairfax County Police Department, will provide an overview of identity theft and other financial crimes committed in Fairfax County. He will discuss how these crimes are committed and what happens when a citizen files a police report.
· May 7: Credit Reports and How to Defend Against Identity Theft. This class will review credit reports and show you how this report can be used to defend against identity theft. Information will also be provided on how to dispute credit report errors.
· May 14: How to Cope with and Recover from Identity Theft. Class members will review laws and resources so they can develop a plan of action to limit the extent of damage to financial resources and their reputation if identity theft strikes.
Vee Johnson is the community outreach liaison and a consumer advocate with the Consumer Affairs Branch of the Fairfax County Department of Cable Communications and Consumer Protection.
Thursdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Instructor: Lee Cutler
While the U.S. economy has never faced all of the conditions in the current marketplace, a calming of the waters has always been enjoyed by the patient and knowledgeable value investor. This workshop will include both lecture and hands-on activities to help you understand the basics of value investing. The instructor will provide the background of the business world in plain English, illustrating pros and cons of various investment vehicles. She will guide attendees toward answering key questions, such as, what is value investing, why does it work and how do you become a value investor. She will provide an understanding of the concept of the time value of money, designed for the novice investor. You will learn how various investment vehicles work and the ownership you may or may not have with each vehicle. The class will gain hands-on experience with the Value Line Investment Survey, Morningstar Analysis and online research providers. Lectures will focus on:
· How to identify excellent businesses.
· Essential mathematical tools for value investing.
· The concept of stock as an equity bond with an expanding coupon.
· Return on equity—the road to riches or poverty.
A financial calculator that can compute the time value of money and compound interest is suggested for participation in class. Disclaimer: This workshop is for educational purposes only. It does not provide financial, accounting or legal advice. The instructor does not provide professional services. While no longer a licensed broker, she is able to provide insights from the perspective of both financial institutions and the individual investor.
Lee Cutler is retired from a professional background in consumer marketing and financial services. She is a graduate of Roanoke College.
Mondays, 1:00–2:30, Mar. 23–May 11
Loudoun
Instructors: Eric Showalter, John Clawson
Eric Showalter and John Clawson will alternate in leading a program of open forum style meetings this term to address new questions and concerns in the retirement community due to the current macroeconomic scenario. Important issues in fixed income investing, stocks versus bonds, and strategies of diversification will all be discussed. To ensure that discussion is pertinent not only to the issues of the day, but also to specific OLLI individual needs, the instructors plan to invite participants to offer suggestions of any “hot topics” they wish to see covered during this series.
Eric Showalter, CFP, is a financial advisor and president of the Washington Association of Money Managers. He has taught a course, Financial Planning and Investing, at Loudoun for several terms.
John Clawson is also a financial advisor and helps clients in long-term income planning.
Wednesdays, 1:00–2:30, May 6, 13
Loudoun (Two sessions)
Instructor: Shirley Smith
An ancient proverb says: “Wise person learns from his own experience; wiser one learns from experience of others.” The instructor will lead two informal open discussions, inviting participants to share both their good and their bad experiences in the effort to hold fast against today’s economic upheavals. Navigating the choppy financial seas of the latter half of 2008, what has helped us get through? What might we do differently in the future? The focus will be on diversification strategies and avoidance of risks to retirement funds. Join us for what is sure to be a lively and informative interchange.
Shirley Smith is a retired teacher and a non-professional in the investment field. She has taught her very popular Basic Investing course at all three OLLI locations.
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 23–May 11
Tallwood
Coordinator: Marian Brobst
· Mar. 23: Historic Sites in Fairfax County. Dr. Elizabeth Crowell, archeologist, manager of the Cultural Resource Management and Protection Section, Fairfax County government, will present a program on historical sites in the area.
· Mar. 30: Keeping Respect Alive in Fairfax Cemeteries. Mary Lipsey, retired history teacher in Fairfax County, now a member of the Fairfax County History Commission, is involved in a campaign to preserve the county’s neglected and sometimes vandalized graveyards.
· Apr. 6: Road from Providence to the City of Fairfax. Hildie Carney, a resident of Fairfax City for more than 40 years, became very interested and active in the history of the city. She is past president of Historic Fairfax, Inc.
· Apr. 13: Restoration of Sears Spindle House in Centreville. Mike Rierson, project manager with Fairfax County Park Authority oversaw the renovation of the Sears Spindle House.
· Apr. 20: All Roads Lead to Fairfax: Tourist Courts and Diners. Prof. Randolph Lytton, associate professor of history at George Mason, will present a fun look at how entertainment and tourism grew in the Fairfax area.
· Apr. 27: Crossroads in History. Mary Lipsey will discuss the Ravensworth Tract, General Braddock’s buried gold, a racetrack in Burke and how Burke did not become Dulles Airport.
· May 4: The Progressive Era: Lorton and Ivakota. Lynne Garvey-Hodge is the immediate past chairperson of the Fairfax County History Commission. A resident of the Fairfax area for almost 30 years, she has been active in preserving area history.
· May 11: Mrs. Robert Walker: Suffragist of the Early Twentieth Century. Lynne Garvey-Hodge will return to tell that story of the struggle for suffrage.
Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 24–Apr. 14
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: Bill Reader
The period from the end of the Civil War to the present has seen major transformations in American life. Some of these are:
· The change from a predominantly rural farm-based economy and society to an urban industrial, and then an information-based, economy and society.
· The change from an economy powered by human muscles, horses and then steam engines to one powered by electricity and fossil fuels.
· The change from a society that moved via slow-moving horses and then trains to one that moved via automobile and airplane.
· The growth of corporations with their organizational innovations, mass production of goods and services and need to create a society of consumers.
· Major technological and medical innovations, such as plastics, air conditioning, antibiotics and the birth control pill.
· The development of new communications media like mass-circulation daily newspapers, magazines, photography, the movies, radio, television and the Internet.
· The development, as a result of immigration and internal migration, of an increasingly ethnically, racially and religiously diverse society.
In addition, the nation experienced World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the post-World War II baby boom, Vietnam and the emergence of new political movements. How did these socio-economic-technological developments, wars, events and political movements affect American society and culture?
Bill Reader has a PhD in American social history from the University of Massachusetts, an MA in European intellectual history from the University of Maryland and a BA in European history from Catholic University. He retired after 37 years with the federal government, where he worked as a visual information records management analyst under the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. Prior to that, he worked for the Defense Audiovisual Agency, the Census Bureau and the National Archives.
Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 21–May 12
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: Ron Beavers
This course will discuss the status and use of local railroads during the Civil War. The first topic will be an overview and the evolution of steam engines, passenger cars (including lady’s compartment, sleeping cars, dining cars, etc.), and freight cars from the 1820s to about 1870. The cost of transportation and types of payment will be discussed. The second topic will cover the three railroads coming into Alexandria before the Civil War and their use during the war. The third topic will be the United States Military Railroad. It was the first quasi-government/private industry endeavor; what it accomplished was key to the Union victory. The fourth topic will be how to feed an army, with an emphasis on the logistics of getting food to the largest armies on the North American continent.
Ron Beavers is a reenactor, amateur military historian, board director of a local railroad museum and a frequent speaker at area Civil War roundtables, historical societies, living history events, local schools and museums. He also is a tour guide to Civil War and railroad sites in Northern Virginia, and a member of numerous historical preservation organizations.
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 24–May 12
Tallwood
Facilitator: Gordon Canyock
Russia continues to play a major role in international affairs, often as a thorn in the side of the United States and its closest allies. This enigmatic nation wields considerable economic power and retains a huge nuclear arsenal. This seminar will examine various aspects of Russia, from its history to contemporary problems, as determined by the class members themselves. Based on input from the participants, short articles or Web site references will be emailed to the class each week that address whatever issues they deem of interest. Class limit: 25.
Gordon Canyock is a long-time OLLI member with a BA in political science from Cornell and an MA in Soviet Area Studies from the University of Kansas. He served as the commandant of the U.S. Army Russian Institute, military attaché in the U.S. Embassy Moscow, and later worked in Russia for the State Department as a special assistant for humanitarian aid.
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 25–May 13
Tallwood
Coordinators: Michael Kelly, Jennifer Epstein,
Emmett Fenlon
During the great cabinet showdown of December 1862, President Abraham Lincoln—ever the consummate politician—emerged the winner, declaring that he had “a pumpkin in each end of his bag.” What did he mean? Back in 1860-61, Lincoln had sought regional balance during a time of sectional division, but he also had reached out to former competitors for the office to which he had been elected. Did he wish to keep his enemies close so that they could not move against him during this nation’s most desperate hour? The larger questions to answer are: who were these men, what were their backgrounds, did they help or hurt Lincoln and what did they accomplish beyond the Lincoln administration? Further, how did Lincoln’s folksy, down-home humor keep these personalities in check, even as crises ripened in great abundance and threatened to drown the President and his cabinet secretaries? We will explore these questions, as we remain mindful of a modern American president who clearly has studied Lincoln’s approach to creating a cabinet. Park Rangers Epstein and Kelly teach regularly at OLLI.
Thursdays, 11:30–1:00, Apr. 23–May 14 Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: Robert Springer
“We travel not for trafficking alone:
By hotter winds our
fiery hearts are fanned:
For lust of knowing what should not be known
We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.”
James
Elroy Flecker
The
Silk Road is the combination of
ancient overland trade routes from China to
Europe. For
1,500
years it provided the only contact between the East and West and was
the route
followed by Marco Polo in his travels. The great camel caravans that
crossed
searing deserts and tortuous mountain passes brought not only valuable
cargoes,
such as silk, spices and jewels, but also ideas, religions and culture.
The
historical significance of the Silk
Road
cannot be overestimated. For example,
the techniques for making gunpowder and paper came to the West from China
over the Silk
Road.
In this course
we provide a general overview of the Silk
Road,
its evolution, history
and impact on the civilizations it touched. We will then discuss a
number
of special topics related to the Central Asian and Middle Eastern
countries
though which the route passed. These include such important
subjects as the
“Great Game” (the contest between Czarist Russia and the British Empire
for
control of the region), Buddhist art along the Silk Road, the art
of
Gandhara (merging Buddhist and Greek art), water problems of the region
and
irrigation, the influence of Russia in Central Asia and the story
of the
ancient city of Petra in Jordan. For those of you interested in
traveling to
this area, we also talk about security, travel costs and travel
companies.
Robert
Springer
is a professor emeritus at the American University
where he taught for
many years and was a department chairman. Before his teaching career he
served
in the U.S. Army. His academic background includes the USMA, West
Point, Stanford University, Georgetown University
and George Washington University. He
and
his wife Sally have lived in or traveled extensively in most of the Silk
Road
countries he
discusses. In 2008 they traveled to Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal,
and Thailand.
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Instructor: Eldor Pederson
Pilgrimage, a visit to a distant site to obtain personal benefit, to give thanks or to pay homage to people or events of the past, is an activity found in almost all religious and cultural traditions. The first two sessions of the course will examine why pilgrimages remain a major force in the development of human societies by looking at their historical, cultural and social dimensions. We will look at the kind of places to which pilgrimages are made. Our next two sessions will examine pilgrimages of non-Christian traditions, particularly of Islam and of Southern and Eastern Asia, following with Christian pilgrimages in Europe and the Americas. Sessions five and six will look at some of the social implications of pilgrimage and of the related arts and literature. We will conclude with a case study of the history, traditions and modern versions of a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, in Spain, and a final session on the prospects of pilgrimage in the contemporary world where journey is now easy and on the problems caused by mass tourism to once remote and isolated centers.
Eldor Pederson holds a BA from the University of Washington and a PhD in geography and urban studies from the University of California, Berkeley. This course has evolved from his personal interests, which have led him to visit numerous pilgrimage sites throughout the world, as well as to make two 800 kilometer walks on Camino de Santiago from France to Santiago de Compostela.
Mondays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 23–May 11
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Bill Reader
We live in an age of communication media in which much of what we know comes not from our personal observation and hearing, but from printed or electronic media. What was life like before we had the first form of media—writing? What impact on society did writing have? Many historians consider the invention of movable-type printing to be the most important invention of the past millennium. What impact did printing and the various print media that printing spawned—book, broadside, pamphlet, newspaper, journal and magazine—have on society and our history? The nineteenth century saw the development of the telegraph, the photograph, the telephone, the phonograph, and the motion picture. How did they impact society? The early and mid-twentieth century saw the emergence of radio and television. What was their impact? The late twentieth century saw the development of the personal computer, the Internet, and the cell phone. What impact are they having? Looking into the future, how will these media change our society? This course will seek to shed light on these questions.
For instructor background, see Course F302.
Mondays, 10:30–12:00, Mar. 23–May 11
Loudoun
Instructor: Douglas Foard
This course will present an overview of Spanish history from prehistoric times to the contemporary socialist regime. Included in this survey will be such figures as Seneca, the Cid, Ferdinand and Isabella, Cervantes, Napoleon, Generalissimo Franco and King Juan Carlos. The course will proceed as follows:
· Mar. 23: Spain in Antiquity.
· Mar. 30: Visigoths and Moors.
· Apr. 6: The Reconquista.
· Apr. 13: The Golden Age.
· Apr. 20: Bourbons and Bonapartes.
· Apr. 27: Invertebrate Spain.
· May 4: Civil War and Franco.
· May 11: Spain since the Caudillo.
Douglas Foard is a retired history professor and former executive secretary of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest academic honor society. He holds his PhD in history from Washington University, and taught many years at Ferrum College in Virginia and as an adjunct at George Mason. He has published frequently on the subject of Spanish history (The Revolt of the Aesthetes, New York: 1985) and more recently, a biography of Lord Loudoun for whom Loudoun County is named.
Tuesdays, 1:00–2:30, Mar. 24–April 28
Loudoun (Six sessions)
Coordinator: Susan Jampoler
Maps help us to understand the interesting history of our region. This course guides students from the sixteenth century to the twenty-first century, from hand-drawn to computer-generated maps, from navigation maps to modern decision support systems. The lectures will include presentations on: historical colonial maps, especially related to navigation and exploration; early American maps as the new country emerged; the L’Enfant plan of the new capital city; transportation mapping and its importance to American expansion; the cartography of the Civil War; modern mapping using aerial photography, satellite imagery; interactive mapping including geographic information systems and Internet mapping, and how county mapping efforts support local government and its citizens. Invited instructors include Library of Congress Geography and Map Division staff members, and geographers from academia, local government and local businesses.
Susan McDonald Jampoler, a professional geographer, is a graduate of the University of Maryland and of George Mason. Her master’s degree is in geographic and cartographic sciences. She created the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Certificate Program offered through Mason’s Office of Continuing Education and continues to teach graduate-level GIS Classes as an adjunct professor in their Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science.
Wednesdays, 1:00–2:30, Mar. 25–Apr. 15
Loudoun (Four sessions)
Coordinator: Connie Herrmann
In our lifetime, many significant historical events, have occurred. These individuals have actually “been there” and will discuss their experiences with us. The first session will have two speakers with different topics; the others will consist of a single topic and speaker.
· Mar. 25: I Changed the Designation of Stewardess to Flight Attendant. Celeste Brodigan. A former United Airlines stewardess and union representative, Celeste was fired in 1968 for being married. She was responsible for the national headline, “Stewardesses Can Live in Sin but Not Wed.” Seven days later female stewardesses had the right to marry. Celeste also won multiple discrimination charge filings.
Ray Beery. Mutual Assured Destruction. During the Cold War, both the Western Powers and the Soviet Union developed and deployed thousands of nuclear weapons. This firepower was aimed at targets that, if the order were given, would certainly have incinerated a quarter of the earth...within 15 minutes the opposing quarter would go as well. As an Air Force officer, he experienced operating under this strategy in several defense arenas he will discuss.
· Apr. 1: History of Washington, D.C., in the 1930s and ’40s: Little Known Facts. Teresa Green, a resident of the D.C. metropolitan area in the ’30s and ’40s, will share events, stories and personal experiences. She will make the session an interactive forum for others to speak about their unique D.C. area experiences as well.
· Apr. 8: Polio Epidemic in 1950s. Jody Zogran, RN, BS in communications, has written a booklet about her experience as a polio nurse at Pittsburg Municipal Hospital during the worst epidemic in the nation, 1952-53. Polio, a devastating disease, did not discriminate in its attacks. She will elaborate and discuss at length the care of patients encased in Iron Lungs, rocking beds and Monahan Lungs.
· Apr. 15: Gulf of Tonkin. Ben Gold. The Gulf of Tonkin incident describes two attacks by North Vietnamese torpedo boats against U.S. Navy destroyers in August 1964. This led to the escalation of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Subsequent reports and theories cast doubt on whether these attacks really took place. “I was there—hear what I have to say.” The speaker graduated from Stanford University and was commissioned in the U.S. Navy as a surface warfare officer with significant action in the rivers and shallow coastal areas of Vietnam.
Thursdays, 1:00–2:30, Mar. 26–Apr. 30
Loudoun (Six sessions)
Instructor: Andrew Jampoler
The instructor will present illustrated lectures on American adventures.
· Mar. 26: Travel with Lieutenant William Lynch and his party of volunteers in 1848 on the only U.S. Navy expedition of exploration to the Dead Sea.
· Apr. 2: Explore the Amazon River basin with Lieutenants William Herndon and Lardner Gibbon who traveled from the headwaters in Peru to the Atlantic, in 1851-52.
· Apr. 9: Learn about the flight of John Surratt, Jr., the youngest Lincoln assassination conspirator, across the Atlantic, as he attempts to escape American justice, 1865-66.
· Apr. 16: Sail with Mark Twain and other American “innocents abroad” in 1867 aboard the luxury cruise ship Quaker City into the Mediterranean and back.
· Apr. 23: Hear about Lieutenant Emory Taunt’s travel up Africa’s fever-infested Congo River in 1885 under orders from the secretary of the Navy.
· Apr. 30: Follow President Theodore Roosevelt’s expedition on an Amazon tributary, termed “the river of doubt,” an adventure so ill-planned that it almost killed him.
Andrew Jampoler, a retired Naval aviator, is a maritime historian and author. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. He currently writes full-time. He is the author of Adak: The Rescue of Alfa Foxtrot 586 and Sailors in the Holy Land: The 1848 American Expedition to the Dead Sea and the Search for Sodom and Gomorrah, and of The Last Lincoln Conspirator: John Surrant’s Flight from the Gallows.
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 23–May 11
Tallwood
Instructor: Barbara Nelson
In front of the stout walls of ancient Troy, men and gods have battled side by side to avenge the abduction of Helen of Sparta by Paris of Troy. Now, in the ninth year of the conflict, Agamemnon, the commander of the Achaean forces, angers and humiliates Achilles, the greatest Achaean warrior, who withdraws from battle. This epic tells of their conflict and the terrible consequences. Honor, pride, revenge, friendship, and family obligations—all these themes are explored in The Iliad. This course will be a close reading and study of The Iliad in seminar format. For the first class only, there will be lecture to present background information on the Trojan War and Achilles in order to prepare for a systematic study of the epic. We will use the Fagles’ translation of The Iliad, which will be available from the OLLI office. Class limit: 25
Barbara Nelson taught The Odyssey in the fall term and The Oresteia during the winter term. She is a rower, gardener, traveler and avid reader. She taught and coached in Fairfax County Public Schools for many years, the last 20 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. She is currently completing training to become a docent at the National Portrait Gallery and is a proud advocate of lifelong learning.
Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 24–May 12
Tallwood
Instructor: Kathie West
This class will have eight in-depth sessions on telling and writing your life story. You will be writing something for each class as well as introducing us to your life. This will bring you into accord with yourselves, others and the mystery of life and the universe around you. A life story is the story we tell of our entire life experience, remembering as much about our life as we feel is important to us now and that we want others to know. We will be using some material from the University of Maine’s Life Story Center. Come and let us learn about each other. You will receive a syllabus by email before the first class.
Kathie West, an OLLI member and former actress, has taught and directed theater both locally and abroad. She was a drama teacher at Lee High School and most recently at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. She currently coordinates Readers’ Theater and the Drama Club.
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 24–May 12
Tallwood
Moderators: Mike McNamara, Jan Bohall
The Poetry Workshop allows beginning and experienced poets the opportunity to read their work and to receive criticism from the group on how best to improve their poetry. Members should bring an original poem for discussion in draft or revision, or a poem they admire by another poet, to each session. At each meeting, the workshop will also briefly explore some major aspect of poetry and examine the mysteries of how to get published. Some members have won prizes in poetry competitions and have had poems published.
Mike McNamara has been published in Mindprints, a Literary Journal; Write On!!; Spitball, The Literary Baseball Magazine; Patrolling, The Journal of the 75th Ranger Regiment and Fairfax Ink. He has won four prizes in the past two years in the Poetry Society of Virginia annual competition.
Jan Bohall has been published in Passager: A Journal of Remembrance and Discovery; The Orange County Register; Write On!!; The Poet’s Domain; and Fairfax Ink. She is a member of the Poetry Society of Virginia and edits the OLLI catalog.
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 24–May 12
Tallwood
Instructor: Carolyn Sanders
Let’s read David Baldacci, one of the world’s best-selling fiction writers. His works have been translated into over 35 languages. He and his wife started the Wish You Well Foundation which fosters and promotes literacy. We will read Wish You Well and several others of his books. Start reading one now and be prepared to tell us about your
favorites.
Carolyn Sanders is an OLLI member who loves to read and share authors with you.
Thursdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Coordinators: Kathie West, Karen Hauser
If you love the theater and are intrigued by the idea of trying to step into someone else’s shoes, join our exhilarating group and develop your reading skills, learn more about plays and play-reading and enjoy interacting with other “hams.” Each week members of the class either perform as one of the characters in a play or become part of the audience. For successful performances, participants should plan to set aside time to rehearse with the other performers before presenting the play to the class. While we don’t memorize scripts or include action, making scenes come alive between two or more characters requires some practice. Class limit: 25.
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26, Apr. 2
Tallwood (Two sessions)
Instructor: Peter Poole
The first of two sessions will
be devoted to discussing stories written by members of the
class. If
feasible, the instructor will circulate the email addresses of class
members
beforehand so that you can email your story to the other
students. By
reading the stories before class, we will be able to make the best
use of
our limited class time. The second session will be devoted to
marketing
strategies. The four main types of markets for short stories are
regular
print magazines, online magazines, contests and anthologies including
collections of stories by a single author. None of these markets
are easy
to break into, but it can be done. Handouts on writing
and marketing techniques will be provided.
Peter Poole, has published a few short
stories and won some short story contests. He has also
worked for
two New York publishing
companies. For the past eight years, he has edited Fairfax
Ink,
a small literary magazine published by OLLI. However, most of
his
career has been spent in government, and most of his publications
are
non-fiction.
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Apr. 23–May 14
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: Linda Evans
What happens behind the scenes of a theatrical performance is not always apparent to the untrained eye. Become a well-informed audience member by taking part in a series of workshops that teach how a play evolves technically from the script to the stage. An introduction to the design and technical aspects of creating functioning scenery, lighting, properties and sound for a production will be taught in the first workshop. There will be fun for all when class members become part of a design and technical production team for a short one-act play. Class members will be guided through steps of how properly to research a script and produce a technical production book. The final workshops will follow a hands-on approach with the fabrication of scenic properties for the play.
Linda Evans is an OLLI member and professional artisan who has worked as a theatrical lighting and properties designer for events and museums at The Smithsonian Institution and in professional regional theater for over 30 years. Her theatrical design credits include many productions with several local equity theaters including The Folger Shakespeare Theatre, The Theater of the First Amendment at George Mason, the Source Theatre, Interact Theatre Company and the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. Since 1988, she has taught and trained young people in design and technical theater in the secondary schools across Fairfax, Arlington and Montgomery Counties.
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Apr. 21–May 12
Lake Anne Church (Four sessions)
Instructor: Esther Daniels
The human voice has the ability to use volume, meter and attitude to enchant others with its power. Your voice can do that. Find a poem, part of a short story, a book you want to bring alive for your grandchildren or an essay that you feel is important, and let us hear it. Your voice will give it life. This class will help you put emphasis in the right places, attitude behind the words and light in your listeners’ eyes.
Esther Daniels is a graduate of the University of Florida, with a masters’ degree from Florida Atlantic University. For a time she was an actress in New York City, and has taught in high schools in Florida, New York City and locally in Fairfax County. Those of you who have been classroom teachers know how important voice control is, as do those who read aloud to grandchildren.
Wednesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 25–May 13
Reston’s Used Book Shop at Lake Anne
Moderators: Janice Dewire, Carol Henderson
Discover the allure of the short story as this long-running class continues an anthology begun over a year ago: The Story and Its Writer, sixth edition (2003), edited by Ann Charters. This book includes good stories, old and new, from around the world, as well as commentary on the stories from the authors and other writers. Stories this term range from Katherine Mansfield to Alice Munro and from Guy de Maupassant to Tim O’Brien. Reading a few stories each week, it will be next year before the class completes all the great fiction and illuminating commentary in this impressive paperback. The moderators have collected inexpensive (under $10) used copies of the sixth edition for class members. Students new to the course will be advised after they register how to obtain and pay for their books. Class limit: 20.
Janice Dewire and Carol Henderson are enthusiastic Literary Roundtable participants and former OLLI Board members who took on the moderator role several years ago for this popular course, one of the longest running at Lake Anne.
Thursdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Jane Catron
Toward the end of Thornton Wilder’s play, Our Town, Emily asks the Stage Manager, “Do any human beings ever realize life as they live—every, every minute?” To which he replies, “The saints and poets, maybe—they do some.” This class will focus on poems that realize time; in every case, each poet will have expressed some essence of time: its stages, its passages, its peaks. Attention will be given to the background behind each poem and to its particulars of poetic expression. The expectation is that participants shall find enjoyment and reflection.
Jane Catron is a retired teacher from McLean High School where she taught AP English and creative writing. She holds a master’s in liberal studies from Georgetown University where she continues as a liberal studies fellow. She is also a docent at the Folger Shakespeare Library. The idea for this class, the twelfth she has taught for OLLI, results from her recent passage from her home of 34 years to the retirement community of Ashby Ponds.
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–Apr. 30
Lake Anne Church (Six sessions)
Instructor: Debbie Halverson
Mention Scott Fitzgerald and readers nod and mumble something about “The Great Gatsby.” The fact is that the Gatsby novel wasn’t very successful in Fitzgerald’s lifetime and secured very little cash or fame for him. Fame came late for this most lyrical of writers who financed his life, between novels, with 140 magazine short stories. Now considered one of the best American writers of all time, he lived at a time of other greats, including Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner. Writing against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties’ lifestyle, speakeasies, flappers, bathtub gin and then the hard times of the ’30s, Fitzgerald spoke for the characters who lived through those times. We will work with a volume of short stories that can be purchased the first day of class. The instructor wishes to credit OLLI members Stanley Zimmerman, research assistant, for his background work on Fitzgerald, and Esther Daniels for her theatrical director’s role in setting up dialogues taken from the texts of the short stories.
Debbie Halverson is an American literature graduate of Middlebury College and loves the subject. She is a former OLLI president, current Board member and Membership Committee chair.
Tuesdays, 1:00–2:30, Mar. 24, Mar. 31
Loudoun (Two sessions)
Instructor: WW Cooper
What makes a poem a poem? How does it come to be and why does it move us so? In this two-part presentation, poet WW Cooper will talk about poetry, what it is and isn’t, how it happens and what it does. He will use examples from English language poetry, including his own works. His presentation will touch on the varied forms of poetry, its uses—from the serious to the ridiculous—and its values to the individual and society. Each of the two sessions will include time for questions and discussion.
WW Cooper is an accomplished poet and taught an earlier poetry class at OLLI-Loudoun.
Wednesdays, 1:00–2:30, Mar. 25–Apr. 22
Loudoun (Five sessions)
Instructor: Abbie Edwards
This course is based on the premise that great books rest upon the conviction that history is made by great individuals, events and ideas. We will explore these ideas through a discussion of some of the most seminal writings in history, books that have shaped the minds of great individuals and events of historic magnitude. What ultimately makes a great book is its ability to speak to you as an individual. A great book gives the reader the personal wisdom to be a better individual and a better citizen of a free nation. In each class we will watch a half-hour lecture by
J. Rufus Fears, professor of classics at the University of Oklahoma, followed by discussion. This lecture series, Lessons from the Great Books, is from the Great Courses Series produced by The Teaching Company of Chantilly. There are 36 lectures in total but we will have time to watch only five, which will include the following:
· Mar. 25: Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison.
· Apr. 1: Henry David Thoreau, Walden.
· Apr. 8: Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
· Apr. 15: Lord Acton, The History of Freedom.
· Apr. 22: Cicero, On Moral Duties (De Officiis).
Abbie Edwards has taught a variety of classes at OLLI since 2001, including Digital Photography, World Religions, Napoleon, Journey of Man, Guns, Germs and Steel and Evolution.
Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 23–May 11
Tallwood
Instructor: Dermot Rollison
This course is a continuation of Reading Latin from the winter term. With an emphasis placed on reading from the Cambridge Latin Course, Unit II, this course makes it possible to communicate with other Roman provinces through the use of their language. With a reading focus, the student will begin to realize how close we are to the Romans. Learning more complex Roman grammatical forms will give one the ability to start reading stories that are based on Roman literature, and it will become possible for any student to read parts of scripture. The simplicity of the approach assures that a student will never have to speak or write Latin (unless he or she really wants to). The included vocabulary will give a wider understanding of our familiar English. A variety of texts and videos will be utilized in such a way that the course should be both stimulating and entertaining. Cambridge Latin Course: Unit 2, Fourth Edition is needed for this term.
Dermot Rollison has taught for 34 years and very often describes his experience in secondary education as having taught everything but math and science.
Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 23–Apr. 13
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: Joanne Becker
In a world where Spanish is becoming more and more necessary on a daily basis, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The instructor will introduce you to some strategies, basic expressions and vocabulary to cope in Spanish in various situations. You will learn how to recognize words that are similar in Spanish and English. Learn some tricks to help you decipher words and understand what they mean. The class will include some fundamental expressions to help you with greetings, introductions, asking for directions and making purchases in a store or market. All topics will be covered at the discretion of the instructor according to the needs and pace of the students.
Joanne
Becker is
a certified teacher
in Virginia
and has taught
in the Fairfax County
schools system
for 22 years, teaching at Thomas Jefferson High
School
for Science and
Technology for the last ten years of her career. She studied and
traveled in
several Spanish-speaking countries, including home-stay study programs
in Mexico
and Spain.
She has
received certificates of achievement in study programs for Spanish
teachers at
universities in Spain,
including the University of
Salamanca,
the University of
Santiago de Compostela
and Deusto University in
Bilboa.
Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 20–May 11
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: Joanne Becker
This course is for those who have some background in studying or using Spanish in some capacity. There will be a review of common expressions and grammatical concepts. Practice in conversing will be included. Come join us if you wish to practice your Spanish.
See Course F502 for instructor background.
Mondays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 23–May 11
Tallwood
Instructor: Beverley Persell
French conversation class is for those of you who have an understanding of French and want to improve your conversation level. Each week we will have a different topic, including current events in France and French literature samplings. All students will be encouraged to speak about a subject of their choice.
Beverley Persell lived in France as a child and went to school in Bourges. She earned her BA degree in French from Mary Washington College and is certified to teach beginning French through advanced placement. She has taught at the Congressional School in Falls Church and at Flint Hill Prep School, where she was the Foreign Language Department Chairman. She studied in France at several teachers’ institutes and also at the University of Toulouse and the Sorbonne. She has been an OLLI member since 2004.
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 24–May 12
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Virginia Gonzalez
Since Spanish is becoming a popular language, we are offering a Spanish class for beginners. We will learn vocabulary and phrases that will help us get acquainted with everyday usage of this language.
Virginia Gonzalez was born in Mexico City. She finished her studies in Spanish literature and business at the University of Mexico City. She worked as an editor of an international medical journal for ten years, with responsibility for the translation of articles sent for publication. She came to the United States in 1980 to Indiana, where she taught Spanish to eighth graders and worked as a Spanish tutor for students of all grades, including students of Notre Dame University. In Virginia, she worked as a director of conventions and exhibitor services and reviewed the translations into Spanish of all the documents and commercial advertisements for the association.
Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 23–May 11
Tallwood
Coordinator: Bob Lawshe
We are extremely pleased to once again present a series of lectures by the faculty of the George Mason Department of Philosophy. The series is intended to provide participants with insights into specific philosophic topics of special interest to the individual faculty members. We are confident participants will find themselves looking at things in entirely new and challenging ways. Scheduled lectures include the following:
· Mar. 23: Ethics and Climate Change. Prof. Andrew Light.
· Mar. 30: Philosophical Aesthetics: The Beautiful Soul. Prof. Irmgard Scherer.
· Apr. 6: A Good God. Prof. Ted Kinnaman.
· Apr. 13: Theory of Knowledge. Prof. Emmett Holman.
· Apr. 20: Justice and the Search for Knowledge. Prof. Rose Cherubin.
· Apr. 27: Justice and Health Worker Migration. Prof. Lisa Eckenwiler.
· May 4: Economic Efficiency and Justice. Prof. Derek Boyd.
· May 11: Ethics after the Death of God. Prof. Debra Bergoffen.
Mondays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 23–May 11
Tallwood
Facilitator: Bob Lawshe
Plato’s Republic is one of the most important and influential philosophical works in all of human history. Plato attempts to answer two seemingly simple questions—“What is justice?” and “Why is justice better than injustice?” He wants to answer in a manner that will show that justice is worthwhile in and of itself. Class members are expected to have their own copy of the Republic and to read assigned portions of the work prior to classes. During class we will discuss the week’s reading and try to figure out just what is going on. There will be no rushing; if a particular section takes a bit longer to get through, we will spend the necessary time on it. While this is a continuation of Plato’s Republic: Part II from the winter term, new class members are welcome. As this class uses the study group format, in-class participation in the discussions is expected.
Bob Lawshe holds a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers and a master’s from American University. An OLLI member, he has previously taught several classes in philosophy at OLLI.
Mondays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 23–Apr. 13 Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: Linda George
“Let me carry Your love in my life as a harp does its music, and give it back to You at last with my life.” In 1913, Tagore became the first Asian to receive the Nobel Prize for literature. Among the candidates considered and passed over were Tolstoy, Ibsen, Yeats and George Bernard Shaw; what is even more remarkable is that the literary work that thrust this Indian Hindu reformer into the limelight is a book of prayers. It is no exaggeration to state that Rabindranath Tagore was, during his lifetime, and continues to be, a national treasure of India. He dedicated his life to promoting dialogue and harmony among people from all levels of society, all corners of the globe and all spiritual and religious backgrounds. Tagore’s voluminous writings, musical compositions, public lectures and the revolutionary university he founded in Bengal all point to his commitment that one’s soul can best belong to God by serving God actively in the world.
Linda George was ordained with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 1981. She served in full-time pastoral positions for 30 years, 24 of which were as a chaplain in the U.S. Army. Linda is writing her PhD dissertation on Rabindranath Tagore.
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 25–Apr. 15 Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: John Rybicki
The ancient Hebrew prophet, Isaiah, lived 2,800 years ago and preached about the excesses of society and the need for change. In this course, we will review the Book of Isaiah and discuss its differing Jewish and Christian interpretations. We will also consider the Book of Oracles, the Book of Comfort and what some view as postexilic warnings and apocalyptic promise. We will discuss the prophetic messianic expectation of Isaiah and his contemporaries. Put on your listening and thinking caps for a great trip into the past.
John Rybicki is a frequent OLLI speaker whose popular religion courses have often included discussion sessions as well as lively, informative lectures. Over the past years he has taught numerous aspects of Christianity and comparative religious philosophy. In the spring ’08 term he taught Learning from Prophets of the Hebrew Scripture. He has three master’s degrees, including one in theology, and teaches at many organizations in the metropolitan area.
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 22–May 13 Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructor: John Rybicki
A number of documents appear in the earliest known copies of the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures—the Septuagint—that do not appear in the later Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Scriptures. Some of these missing documents appear in Christian Old Testaments; others are simply not accepted as canonical by any faith although their influence on the development of belief is evident. In this course, we will consider a selection of these largely forgotten texts to reveal their impact. Let’s study, learn, and participate together.
See Course F604 for instructor background.
Wednesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 25–May 13
Tallwood
Coordinators: Jack Underhill, Bruce Reinhart
In spite of the nation’s huge wealth, America has one of the highest levels of relative poverty, inequality, homelessness, poor health and hunger among the advanced nations of the world. A factor is the attitude of Americans toward the poor and the role of government in addressing inequality compared to other advanced nations. The course will seek to describe the extent of these problems in the United States and describe some solutions.
· Mar. 25: Why the United States Has the Highest Rate of Relative Poverty and Inequality among the Advanced Nations of the World. Jack Underhill, PhD, OLLI Board member, retired from 33 years at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
· Apr. 1: Progress and Poverty among African-Americans: An Unfinished Revolution. Jack Underhill. In 50 years African-Americans may have made greater advances than any group of people in history, but enormous problems remain in health care, family status, segregation, education, incarceration, crime victimization, housing quality, incomes and wealth.
· Apr. 8: Hunger in America. George Braley, authority on hunger and an official from Feeding America. We now have 30 million people using food stamps, private food pantries are inundated and millions are hungry.
· Apr. 15: Homelessness in America. Martha Burt of the Urban Institute is a leading authority on homelessness. More than 600,000 persons in the United States are estimated to be homeless on a given night, and during the course of a given year 1.6 million people may experience homelessness.
· Apr. 22: Family Structure and Poverty. Adam Thomas, research director for the Responsible Parenting Project, Brookings Institution. The breakup of the family is a major cause of poverty in the United States. Only 40 percent of black children lived with both parents in 2007.
· Apr. 29: The Least among Us: How Faith-Based Organizations Address Poverty. Jennifer Goff, director of communications for Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Faith-based organizations such as this and the Protestant group, Sojourners, are bringing a moral voice to the issue of poverty and the need for public policies that help and empower the poor.
· May 6: Legal Assistance to Families and Individuals with High Unmet Needs. James Ferguson, executive director, Legal Services of Northern Virginia.
· May 13: From Poverty to Prosperity: A National Strategy for Cutting Poverty in Half. Joy Moss, policy analyst, Poverty and Prosperity Program, Center for American Progress. The European experience and past U.S. experience indicates that it is possible to reduce poverty, assuming that we have the wisdom and will to do it.
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Instructor: Steven Goldman
“If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16). “What is truth?” (John 18:38). “How then can man be justified with God?” (Job: 25:4). “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee.” (Micah 6:8). These are some of the grand questions that are addressed in the Bible. Yet there are major disagreements regarding how the answers the Bible provides are to be properly understood. This course examines some of the major doctrines of the Bible and how Jewish and Christian denominations and those who have no faith often reach different conclusions by reading the same texts. Issues to be discussed include the nature and character of God, the attributes and mission of the Messiah, the immortality of the soul, what God requires of human beings to be declared righteous in His sight and others. The course will also examine difficult biblical texts that present major ethical challenges.
Steven C. Goldman retired from federal service in 2007 as director of the Office of Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance at the U.S. Department of Commerce. His avocation for many years has been in the area of biblical studies.
Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 24–May 12
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Bruce Boston
Over the past ten years, a batch of new books, articles and essays has been mounting a renewed and vigorous (some would say vicious) assault on God, belief and religion in general. Such outspoken works as Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion, Christopher Hitchens’s God is Not Great, Daniel Dennett’s Breaking the Spell and Sam Harris’s The End of Faith have challenged any and all arguments in favor of any deity; many theologians have been put on the defensive. Through lively writing and pointed argument (sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes seriously flawed) these and other authors (e.g., physics Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg) have urged believers of all stripes and creeds to throw away the “God crutch” and grow up. This course will look at old and new arguments now being advanced for atheism by these and other thinkers, as well as some of the counter-arguments and rejoinders from different faith communities and other thinkers (e.g., John Polkinghorne, David Aikman and Huston Smith). You are invited to take a front-row seat on the debate.
Bruce O. Boston holds a PhD from Princeton Seminary and has taught about a dozen courses for OLLI over the years. While willing to give the atheists their due, he remains a believer—but promotes no specific
doctrine.
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 24–Apr. 14
Lake Anne Church (Four sessions)
Instructor: Steven Goldman
This course will continue a discussion of issues presented in the fall term of 2008. Catholic, mainline Protestant and Jewish understandings will be examined, as well as the perspectives of other believers, seekers and skeptics. Topics to be addressed will include:
· God: Unity, Trinity or “other”?
· Marriage: Sacrament or concession?
· Women: Restricted from clergy?
· Life: Begins at conception?
· The laws of Hebrew Bible: Everlasting statutes or temporary rules?
· Salvation: By grace alone?
· Revelation: Only the Bible?
· The “Lord’s Supper”: “Body and Blood” of Christ or symbolic remembrance?
· Mary: “Intercessor and Mother of God”?
· The New Testament: Anti-Semitic?
See Course F607 for instructor background.
Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 23–May 11
Tallwood
Moderator: Phil True
Do you have an opinion on what’s happening in the world today? Would you like to express and share your views with others? If so, join other news junkies each week to discuss, debate and, yes, sometimes disagree, as to the significance and meaning of events both great and small. All views are welcomed in a spirit of give and take. Class limit: 33.
Phil True is an OLLI member and frequent lecturer who for more years than he cares to remember has been informed, intrigued and sometimes irritated by what he reads and hears.
Mondays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 30–May 11
(Please note start date) (Seven sessions)
Church of the Good Shepherd
Coordinator: Carlyn Elder
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.” (George Orwell).
· Mar. 30: Pakistan’s Tribal Areas. Dr. David Kilcullen, senior fellow, Center for a New American Security.
· Apr. 6: A Premature Evaluation of President Obama. Dr. Jeremy Mayer, associate professor, School of Public Policy, George Mason.
· Apr. 13: Russia’s Ominous New Doctrine. Strobe Talbott, president of the Brookings Institution.
· Apr. 20: What Is Happening to America and the World Economy? James P. Gauthier, CFA, director and portfolio manager, BlackRock Private Investors.
· Apr. 27: The Conservative Movement and the Christian Right. Max Blumenthal, Nation Institute fellow.
· May 4: India and Her Neighbors—A Dangerous World! Ashley Tellis, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
· May 11: Persian Dreams: Moscow and Teheran Since the Fall of the Shah. Dulles, Virginia. Potomac Books, Inc., 2008. The author, John Parker, chief of the Division for Russian and Eurasian Analysis at the Bureau of Intelligence and Research within the U.S. Department of State, will lead the discussion of his book.
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 24–May 12
Tallwood
Coordinator: Rosemary McDonald
“Nearly every observer of Afghanistan, from the most senior U.S. military officers to Washington think tank analysts and all in between, agrees that stability in that country demands a multipronged approach involving the military, diplomatic efforts and economic assistance.” (Mark Ward, The Washington Post, December 27, 2008). The eight speakers in this course will present their views on the present situation in Afghanistan.
· Mar. 24: Afghanistan: Its History, People, and Culture. Dr. Marvin Weinbaum, scholar in residence at the Middle East Institute, is a former Afghanistan and Pakistan analyst at the Bureau of Intelligence, U.S. Department of State.
· Mar. 31: Why Is It So Hard to Put Humpty Dumpty Together Again? The Politics of Afghanistan’s Recovery. Paula Newberg, executive director, Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, and the Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. Dr. Newberg is a specialist in governance, rights, development and democracy in fragile states.
· Apr. 7: Stabilization and Counterinsurgency Strategy in Afghanistan. John Schweiger, senior planning officer with the State Department’s Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization since 2006. He currently works with an interagency team to develop, exercise and promulgate the U.S. Government’s Interagency Management System for Reconstruction and Stabilization.
· Apr. 14: Security, Government, and Reconstruction in Afghanistan: Challenges and Opportunities. Dr. Ashraf Haidari is political counselor at the Embassy of Afghanistan and coordinates the government of Afghanistan’s defense, security and law enforcement relations with U.S. counterparts.· Apr. 21: The Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Triangle: Overcoming Regional Rivalries and Working toward Greater Regional Integration. Lisa Curtis, senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation. She previously worked on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for Senator Richard Lugar and has also worked in the U.S. embassies in Pakistan and India.
· Apr. 28: Governance and Rule of Law in Afghanistan. Scott Worden, USIP (U.S. Institute for Peace). Scott joined USIP in 2007 as an advisor in the Rule of Law program where he focuses on transitional justice issues. Previously he served as an adviser to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan on human rights and election issues.
· May 5: Pakistan/Afghan Relations. Dr. Walter Andersen, acting director of the South Asia Studies at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at the Johns Hopkins University. He has worked as division chief for South Asia in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, U.S. State Department.
· May 12: A Hard Slog after Initial Success: The Military Situation in Afghanistan. Retired Colonel Mike McNamara was called back by the Defense Department in 2002-3 to assist in the reconstruction of the Afghan forces and has continued to follow developments in this area and in the operations of the Allied forces in that country. He is an OLLI member and regular instructor.
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Moderators: Gordon Canyock, Ted Parker
For more than 50 years, the Foreign Policy Association has sponsored discussion groups throughout the United States to investigate some of the world’s greatest challenges affecting our lives. This year’s eight topics for discussion are: U.S. and rising powers, Afghanistan/Pakistan, energy and the global economy, the Arctic, Egypt in the twenty-first century, global food supply, Cuba after Castro and universal human rights. A briefing book and video cover each week’s topic to set the stage for class discussion. There is a $20 materials fee payable with your registration form. This class will also be offered at Reston, Course R712, and at Loudoun, Course L713. Class limit: 20.
Gordon Canyock is a retired military intelligence officer, former State Department consultant and long-time member of OLLI.
Ted Parker is a retiree from the U.S. Department of Education. He had a 40-year career in education, which in addition to his federal tenure included teaching and managing at the local, state and collegiate levels. He has been a member of OLLI for several years.
Thursdays, 11:30-1:00, Mar. 26, Apr. 9, 23, 30, May 7, May 14 (Note dates) (Six sessions)
Church of the Good Shepherd
Coordinator: Phil True
The Vietnam War still resonates with some passion as to our objectives, military strategies, the political decisions that led to war and the aftermath—did we win or not?—following our withdrawal in 1975. The reasons for this are intertwined with Vietnamese history and culture, our lack of understanding of this history and the political dynamics after France’s withdrawal in 1954, the military strategies we employed and the bitterness engendered by the anti-war movement. The theme will be what lessons were learned—or not learned—from our involvement in Vietnam.
· Mar. 26: Vietnamese History and Culture. Meredith Lair is an assistant professor, Department of History, at George Mason. Her book on non-combat experiences of American soldiers in Vietnam, Beauty, Bullets, and Ice Cream: Re-Imagining Daily Life in the Nam, is currently in press review.
· Apr. 9: The United States and Vietnam: Entering and Exiting the Quagmire, 1946-75. Frederick Z. Brown founded the Southeast Asia Studies program at The John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in 1991 and is currently a fellow at The Johns Hopkins Foreign Policy Institute. He was a State Department Foreign Service Officer in Vietnam, 1968-73.
· Apr. 23: The Evolution of Allied and Communist Military Strategy in Vietnam, 1960-73. Dr. Erik Villard is an historian at the U.S. Center of Military History, specializing in Vietnam. He is currently writing a history of the Tet Offensive.
· Apr. 30: TBA.
· May 7: Take It to The Streets: Sources and Results of the Anti-War Movement, 1966-1973. Richard Rubenstein is a professor of conflict resolution and public affairs at the Institute for Conflict Resolution at George Mason. He is the author of many books, including one in progress that will examine the Vietnam anti-war movement.
· May 14: Post April 1975: U.S.-Vietnam Relations—Past, Present and Future. Frances Zwenig is counselor, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, responsible for Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. She previously served as chief of staff for Madeline Albright at the United Nations and was chief of staff for the Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, U.S. Senate.
Thursdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 26–Apr. 16 Tallwood (Four sessions)
Moderator: John Coffey
Taking as its text Eliot A. Cohen’s Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime, this course examines the leadership of Lincoln, Clemenceau, Churchill, Ben-Gurion, Vietnam, the Gulf War and Iraq. Students must purchase the book, which will be available in the OLLI office, prior to the course and come prepared to offer a thoughtful discussion of the reading for the week. The article by Defense Secretary Gates will be emailed to students prior to the class. This is a discussion seminar. The moderator will not lecture, but rather lead discussion with questions and offer comments as appropriate.
· Mar. 26: Supreme Command, chapters 1-2.
· Apr. 2: Supreme Command, chapters 3-4.
· Apr. 9: Supreme Command, chapters 5-6.
· Apr. 16: Supreme Command, chapter 7 and Afterward, plus Robert Gates, “Reflections on Leadership,” Parameters, 38 (summer 2008).
Class limit: 20.
John Coffey received his PhD in history from Stanford University and taught for 20 years before spending 15 years in government, retiring from the State Department in 2005. He has published widely regarding foreign and defense policy.
Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 23–May 11
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Bruce Mercer
This class will provide participants with the basic framework of integrity awareness, the principles of creating an anti-corruption plan, analyzing and reporting on a fictional corrupt country case study, examining internal controls and discussing why people and organizations become corrupt.
This class focuses on analyzing integrity awareness concepts and international anti-corruption measures, sharing of individual experiences, examining integrity models, and working on case studies. Strong emphasis is placed on class interaction and networking among participants.
The class will examine a wide range of anti-corruption topics:
· Anti-corruption and integrity awareness issues.
· International anti-corruption initiatives.
· Developing an anti-corruption plan.
· New Andrewland case study.
· Justice Efren Plana: A Philippine Success Story?
· Integrity Leadership.
· The Hong Kong Experience: A Study in Excellence.
· Corruption in the United States.
Class limit: 25.
Bruce Mercer worked for the federal government for 31 years. He created the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) International Anti-Corruption and Integrity Program at the Department of Homeland Security. As director of the program, he worked with government leaders in more than 50 countries and helped develop anti-corruption units and integrity programs and provided anti-corruption training to country personnel. In 2003 he received the World Customs Award for his international anti-corruption and integrity work. Bruce has been a member of OLLI for the past two years.
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 24–Apr. 14
Lake Anne Church (Four sessions)
Instructor: Tom Hirschfeld
Four
lectures describing problems that will compete with many others
for the
attention of an overworked president, as follows:
·
Cosmology: How
we treat other countries depends on
how
we see them.
· Russia: A
corrupt,
gaseous, oil-soaked nuclear puff adder, or a necessary partner—or
both?
· North
Korea:
Managing
transition: pursuing denuclearization with an opaque government,
in the
face of possible regime change.
Arms Control: A
necessity now, because of growing world interest in building
nuclear
power plants.
Tom Hirschfeld
is a retired officer of the Senior Foreign Service with postings
at
embassies in Europe and Southeast
Asia.
He served as deputy
assistant director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and
was a
member of the secretary of state’s policy planning staff for
Secretaries
Kissinger and Vance. His last assignment was as head of the U.S.
delegation to
the Vienna negotiations
on force reductions, between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Since
retirement,
Tom has been a visiting professor at the University of Texas
(Austin) and
at American University; a senior analyst at the RAND Corporation
and at
the Center for Naval Analyses; and a lecturer for four cruise lines.
Sponsored
by the Ford Foundation, he recently lectured at several
institutions in Brazil,
including the Brazilian War College.
Tom has
degrees from the University of
Pennsylvania and
Columbia University,
and served as
a Marine Corps Lieutenant in Korea.
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 26–Apr. 16
Lake Anne Church (Four sessions)
Instructor: Richard Kennedy
This course will provide an inside look at housing and community development in the United States. It will feature personal and inside stories from Richard Kennedy, who has spent almost 40 years at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Insights into the budget process and the difference between legislation and regulations will be included. Or, put another way, how do things actually happen and what becomes of your tax dollars in this field? With a smidgeon of history, the course will focus on developments in the last 20 years, particularly the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG). A few case histories will be discussed, including extraordinary funding of $3.8 billion of CDBG aid for recovery of lower Manhattan from the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and $20 billion in aid for recovery from Katrina. Use of assisted housing funds in Fairfax County will also be presented in one session by a county representative. Discussion, questions and interaction will be encouraged.
Richard Kennedy joined OLLI immediately after retiring from HUD in 2008. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2002 and finished his career as the acting deputy assistant secretary for grant programs.
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 23–May 14
Lake Anne Church (Four sessions)
Coordinator: Luci Martel
More then 45 years ago a man had a dream. Today, the dream is alive, home to more than 60,000 people and a work location for over 150,000 individuals. The dream is called Reston. This program will cover Reston history from day one to the present, Reston today and what Reston will become in the future. At the first session, Bob Simon, the visionary, will talk about how it all started. In the second session, Joe Ritchey, the principal of Prospective, Inc., a real estate and consulting firm, has been invited to discuss the current development of Reston and its future as he sees it. Our intent for the last two weeks of the program is to provide attendees with insight into the plans and programs that are being developed to celebrate Reston’s 45th birthday this year. Those speakers will be announced at a later date.
Thursdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Lake Anne Church
Moderator: Art Hill
We live in an age of information overload from TV, radio, the Internet, magazines and newspapers. Many of us depend most on our newspapers to bring us news about world events, popular trends and advances in science, business, sports and entertainment. In this discussion group we will look at hot topics of the day. All opinions are welcome for what should be a lively news discussion.
Art Hill is a retired attorney now active in community organizations in Reston. He classifies himself as moderately news obsessed with an emphasis on politics and actions of government.
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–May 14
Lake Anne Church
Moderator: George Heatley
Note: This class is a repeat of Course F704; the dates and location are changed. There is a $20 materials fee payable with your registration form. Class limit: 20.
George Heatley is a retired Foreign Service Officer and a long-time member of OLLI who has taught many classes here. He hopes that class members will volunteer to lead some of the weekly discussions.
Tuesdays, 10:30–12:00, Mar. 24–May 12
Loudoun
Moderator: Bill Aird
Note: this class is a repeat of Course F704; the dates and location are changed. There is a $20 materials fee payable with your registration form. Class limit: 20.
Bill Aird is a professional meteorologist who also has master’s degrees in engineering and education. He served 27 years in the U.S. military. Other career positions have been with the New York Times, IBM, Control Data Corporation, the American Institute of Architects and the U.S. State Department. In these positions, he has traveled extensively to foreign countries gaining background information on their culture, political atmosphere, climate changes and customs.
Wednesdays, 10:30–12:00, Mar. 25–May 13
Loudoun
Moderator: Marilyn Eckert
Informal discussions of articles from current or archive copies of The New Yorker magazine will be led by participants. Choices will vary among feature articles, biography, fiction, cartoons and advertising. Reading material will be duplicated and distributed one week before each class. Pick up copies of the first Wednesday’s article in the office before that class begins.
Marilyn Eckert will coordinate the series after leading the first class. She has taught T’ai Chi Chih classes and lectured on aging. She is a member of OLLI-Loudoun’s Executive Committee.
Thursdays, 1:00–2:30, Mar. 26–May 14
Loudoun
Moderator: Len Blistein
The world is changing rapidly every day. Financial and political events, both at home and abroad, are affecting our daily lives. This panel discussion gives you a chance to share your opinion on these events. All opinions are encouraged and welcome for a spirited discussion of the important news items of the day. Each participant will be encouraged to raise a weekly topic to be discussed by the group.
Len Blistein, who will act as panel moderator, is a retired federal employee who considers himself to be a news junkie, spending several hours a day reading the newspaper and numerous Internet sites.
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 24–Apr. 14
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Coordinator: Marion Grabowski
· Mar. 24: Conserving the Golden Lion Tamarin (GLT). Jennifer Mickelberg, research assistant, GLT Conservation Program, National Zoological Park. GLTs are a small, endangered primate endemic to Brazil’s Atlantic Coastal Forest. In the 1970s, with only 200 GLTs estimated in the wild, extinction seemed inevitable. Due to extensive conservation efforts, however, they have come back from the brink of extinction. This talk will discuss these efforts to protect this species as well as the challenges that lay ahead.
· Mar. 31: Seafood Choices: Nutrient and Contaminant Tradeoffs. Ann L. Yaktine, PhD, senior program officer, Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, The National Academies. When making food choices, consumers are faced with the dilemma of reconciling differences between health benefits and exposure to potential toxins. Amounts of important nutrients as well as levels of certain contaminants in meats, poultry and seafood vary. This presentation will examine how selecting from a variety of choices among meats, poultry and seafood and consuming these foods in amounts consistent with current dietary guidelines and advisories will help consumers meet their nutritional needs while reducing exposure to any single type of contaminant.
· Apr. 7: Recent Market and Technology Trends in the Telecommunications Industry: Ramifications for Society and Government. Jean-Pierre Auffret, PhD, managing director, Center for Advanced Technology Strategy. This class will discuss the latest developments in telecommunications products and services, technology, competition, regulation and economics. Then we will examine the associated ramifications for society, including on culture, consumer electronics and healthcare; and for government, including government services and citizen engagement.
· Apr. 14: Dual-Use Space Technologies and Systems: Spectrum Management and the Case of Global Positioning System. Dana Johnson, PhD, senior analyst, Northrop Grumman Analysis Center. This class will address the nature of dual-use space technologies and systems and the role of spectrum (radio magnetic spectrum) decision-making and management in balancing economic competitiveness with national security. “Dual-use” refers to those systems and technologies originally developed for one community (e.g., the military) but having potentially far greater utility for another community (e.g., commercial applications). A case study of international spectrum management decisions made in the UN’s International Telecommunications Union at recent World Radio Communications conferences, and affecting the Global Positioning System, will be examined. Issues of technology dominance and dependence, export control and opportunities for change will be discussed against the backdrop of the changing international security environment.
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Apr. 21–May 12
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Coordinator: Oscar Hayes
· Apr. 21: Smart Grid Policy. This class will describe the latest concepts in Smart Grid policy proposals, including time-of-day pricing of energy used, to encourage off peak usage of electricity; time-of-day pricing for energy delivered to the grid by the customer, either from their solar panels or Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) battery pack or other method; and the technology needed to make these features possible. Charlie Garlow is the vice president of the Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington, D.C., and has been the proud owner of several earlier electric vehicles over the last 18 years. He is in the process of building another one now.
· Apr. 28: Electric Vehicles. Charlie Garlow discusses, in greater detail, what PHEVs are: in short, hybrid electric vehicles, like the Toyota Prius or Ford Escape Hybrid, but with a bigger battery pack and charging system to charge up the batteries from a wall socket. We will also explore what kinds of battery technologies are currently available, their costs and drawbacks/benefits (greater power and energy usually costs more). We will also take a look at the future of EVs (electric vehicles), reviewing what models will be available for purchase in the near future.
· May 5: Imported Oil, a National Security Issue. The United States imports two-thirds of its oil consumption and pays approximately $364 billion annually for it—assuming oil priced at $100/barrel. (Oil prices peaked at $145/barrel in 2008.) We have designed our economy, military and our industry to need imported oil to survive and prosper. We borrow funds abroad to pay for these imports. Is this sound national security strategy? Wars have been and are being fought over oil supplies. Our security is at risk to potentially hostile adversaries agreeing to sell us oil at reasonable prices. Without imported oil, our economy will not grow and may collapse. Why shouldn’t we do something to reduce our demand and improve our own security? That will also make the world safer for the rest of the world. This session will present the issue and postulate what we can do to ameliorate this issue. Oscar Hayes earned a bachelor of electrical engineering with honors from the University of Florida and an MS electrical engineering from the University of Southern California. After serving four years in the USAF, he worked at Sylvania EDL and in 1969 became a cofounder of QuesTech, Inc. of McLean, Virginia. His 43-year career has emphasized government electronics systems design rather than electrical power engineering.
· May 12: How to Implement the New Energy Policy. President Obama has articulated a new energy policy. Oscar Hayes describes and explains the policy. What are its parts? What does each part really mean to us as consumers and citizens? Can it succeed? How long will it take to make a difference? What changes will it bring? What benefits will accrue for implementing it? What is the citizen’s role in this new policy? How can we help make it more likely to succeed?
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 22–May 13
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructors: Jayne Hart, Evans Mandes
Walter B. Cannon, pioneering American experimental physiologist, described the many complex processes involved in the functioning of the body as the “wisdom of the body” or “homeostasis.” Of critical importance in these complex processes is the gathering of information from both inside and outside the body so that the nervous system can make decisions about how to respond appropriately. The structures responsible for gathering information, sensory receptors, and the parts of the nervous system involved in sensory processing, are the topics of this unit of the series.
· Apr. 22: Sensory Receptors. Although different receptors respond to different specific stimuli (temperature, touch, pain, light, various chemicals, gravity, stretch and pressure), all have certain common physiological features. All code their particular stimuli into electrical impulses in nerves that travel into the central nervous system. How are these signals organized so the nervous system can keep track of what the original stimulus was and where it came from in the body? What are the differences between general and special senses, visceral and somatic senses?
· Apr. 29: Vision and Optical Illusions. The receptors for light, located in the retina at the back of the eyeball, respond to different colors, as well as intensities of light. Also, the lens, iris, pupil, vitreous and aqueous humors and extrinsic eye muscles contribute to vision. The rods and cones in the retina produce nerve impulses in the optic nerves that travel via specific pathways to the visual cortex at the back of the brain. Here the light information is interpreted into what we see. But why should seeing not always result in believing? Dr. Evans Mandes will discuss optical illusions.
· May 6: Smell and Taste. Taste receptors are located on the tongue while smell receptors are in the nasal cavity. Both respond only to certain specific chemicals. How can these receptors distinguish between different chemicals? What are the purposes of taste and smell, other than for enjoying food and flowers? Do all people taste and smell the same things? Why is taste sensation altered when you have a cold?
· May 13: Hearing and Equilibrium. Embedded in the temporal bones of the skull are the fluid-filled inner ears where unique “hair cell” receptors for sound, equilibrium, and head position are located. The “hairs” bend in response to sound waves or fluid movements when the head moves. What goes on in the middle ear, location of the hammer, anvil and stirrup? What do the ear drum and the ear on the outside of the skull have to do with hearing? Why can’t humans hear everything that dogs, bats and whales hear? What types of hearing loss can occur?
Jayne Hart, PhD, is a George Mason professor emerita of biology and a four-year OLLI member who has taught and coordinated many science, technology and health courses.
Evans Mandes, PhD, is a George Mason experimental psychologist and current associate dean of the College of Science. He is also coteaching Course F107 in this OLLI term.
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 25–Apr. 15
Tallwood (Four sessions)
Instructors: Catherine Weir, Evans Mandes
Note: Those interested in the science/art connection may want to check the full description of this course listed under Art and Music.
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 26–Apr. 16
Lake Anne Church (Four sessions)
Instructor: Andrej Macek
“It has been proven scientifically.” Today, this statement usually ends the argument. It was not so a few centuries ago. How did we get here? It is generally agreed that the origins of “modern” science date to the seventeenth century. Its philosophical foundation was to a great extent charted by Descartes with his insistence on (a) observation and measurement and (b) mathematical expression of physical relationships. During the subsequent three centuries, the philosophers described the basis of science by two different fundamental assumptions: determinism up to 1900 and its opposite, indeterminacy and probability, in the twentieth century. We will emphasize two points. First, during the process of its emergence, science detached itself from philosophy (and religion). Second, the building blocks of science are measurable physical entities that were either not recognized earlier, or known differently and re-defined by science in mathematical language; we shall call them physical concepts. Specific topics presented in this course will include (a) the relation of science to philosophy and religion over three centuries since Descartes, (b) the resulting definition of physical science, and (c) a non-mathematical description of Newtonian mechanics, as the prototype of scientific approach, with its five basic concepts: velocity, momentum, acceleration, force and energy.
Andrej Macek has been a professor in the chemistry departments of the American University in Washington, D.C., and Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He has performed scientific research at the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory, the Atlantic Research Corporation, the National Bureau of Standards and the Department of Energy.
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 23–May 14
Lake Anne Church (Four sessions)
Instructor: Catherine Weir
Note: Those interested in the science/art connection may want to check the full description of this course listed under Art and Music.
Mondays, 10:30–12:00, Mar. 23–Apr. 13
Loudoun (Four sessions)
Instructor: Garrett Cochran
In 1995 the government declassified information about, and photography from, the world’s first spy satellites. Much has been written about this pioneer program, code-named CORONA, but critical components remain poorly described or ignored. In 2002 data on two follow-on systems was released, allowing the public to learn how the combined efforts of thousands of people generated the intelligence needed to monitor the treaties that ended the Cold War arms race.
Garrett Cochran, a CIA retiree and long-time OLLI member, was directly involved in the activities that will be discussed.
Mondays, 10:30–12:00, Apr. 20–May 11
Loudoun (Four sessions)
Coordinator: Ram Krisn
This is a broad-ranging discussion of selected topics in science and technology.
· Apr. 20: Climate Change and a Green World: Planet in Peril. Scientists have predicted a disaster if we do not appreciate the effects of long-term climate change that impacts our environment. We are breathing polluted air and eating pesticide-laden food. The likelihood of melting ice in the poles, increased ocean water levels, possibilities of more tsunamis and earthquakes around the world are a major concern for the future of humanity. Learn from an expert how to make our own contributions to the environment. Bill Aird, an OLLI member, is a professional meteorologist (See Course L713 for his background). He will lead the group in a discussion of solutions using as a guide, Hot, Flat and Crowded, the latest book by three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas Friedman.
· Apr. 27: The Evolution of Electronic Gadgetry and Nanotechnology. A wide gap is developing between new and old generations with the evolution of electronic gadgetry. A visit to an electronic store today is mind boggling. A variety of televisions (and accompanying remote controls), computers, cell phones, navigation devices, video and audio players, wireless electronics and many other gadgets confuse the mind and affect our financial budgets. OLLI member Ram Krisn is a retired engineer from the State of Maryland and received an MBA degree from Michigan State University.
· May 4: Sustainable Alternate Energy: How to Avert an Energy Crisis. It is impossible for Americans to be dependent on the currently existing sources of energy, electricity, petroleum and natural gas in the coming years. A long-term policy is required to reverse this trend. The new energy future promises to invest in wind power, hydrogen, compressed gas, woodchips, offshore drilling and marine algae. How can each individual and the industry help in conserving energy? Can conservation result in cost savings or inflation? Bill Aird (See above) will lead the discussion.
· May 11: Sustainable Agriculture in the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution ushered in during the twentieth century raised the major cereal crop yields and production to unprecedented levels. However, irrational use of farm inputs and improper farming methodologies led to gradual decline of the gains attained by the Green Revolution. To ensure food security for future generations and socio-economic benefits to small-scale farmers, it is imperative to protect the natural resource base and achieve sustainable crop production. Various farming techniques conducive to sustainability in agriculture form the theme of the presentation. Our speaker, Dr. Seshu Durvasula, recipient of a Rockfeller Foundation Fellowship for post-doctoral research, served with the Indian Council of Rice Breeders and Geneticists for 20 years, and was on the scientific panel of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. He also served as a visiting professor at Cornell University and is a dedicated scientist who has had a rice variety named “Seshu” in his honor.
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 24–May 12
Tallwood
Coordinator: Thom Clement
Gone are the days when all someone needed in order to teach was chalk, a blackboard and a textbook. Join faculty members from the George Mason School of Education and Human Services for an exciting update and discussion about many of the issues related to education in the United States in the early twenty-first century. Topics will include: school law, special education, assistive technology, international education, health and fitness, drug/alcohol abuse prevention, sports management and sports law, and gifted education. Participants in this course will gain an appreciation for the complexity of working with students in today’s era of high expectations.
Wednesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 25–May 13
Tallwood
Coordinator: Virlinda Snyder
Enjoy traveling around the world through the eyes of fellow OLLI members.
· Mar. 25: Scotland. In September, 2008, Dan and Jean Feighery joined a National Geographic Photo Expedition to Scotland. In the highlands they saw craggy mountains, lochs and fields of heather. They were at the opening ceremony of the Blairgowrie and Rattray Highland Games. They visited several castles, Inverewe Garden, the Isle of Skye, a lighthouse and a single malt brewery and stayed in a hunting lodge and a small fishing village. They enjoyed an additional day in the historic part of Edinburgh. Dan is a leader in the Photography Club and Jean plays bridge at OLLI.
· Apr. 1: Cruising in the Adriatic and Black Seas. Among the fascinating ports of call visited by Lorrin and Ann Garson was Dubrovnik (Croatia), nicknamed the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” with its Old Town steeped in stunning architecture and sculptural detail. Then came the ancient city of Butrint (Albania) with its Greek and Roman ruins. They sailed through the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara and the Bosporus. In green hills overlooking the long pebbled beaches of Sochi, Russia’s Black Sea resort, they saw Stalin’s once-secret, brooding dacha still standing in its original camouflage green. The Garsons have traveled around the world on extended cruises to many out-of-the-way places.
· Apr. 8: Ireland from the Ring of Kerry to the Walls of Derry. Tom and Marilyn Hady spent 15 days last fall touring Ireland from Cobh in the south to the Giants Causeway in the north, and the Cliffs of Moher in the west to Dublin in the east. They found out why Ireland is the Emerald Isle; it rained nearly every day, but Tom was still able to get pictures. They both kissed the Blarney Stone, so expect much eloquence. They have both been active in OLLI for a number of years.
· Apr. 15: A GI in Heidelberg. Beautiful Heidelberg was devastated in the Thirty Years War of the 1600s, became alma mater of the storied Student Prince in the 1860s and has served as headquarters for the U.S. Army in Europe since 1945. Bob Webb, drafted in 1954, was assigned as an Army reporter in Heidelberg and began making a film to share his good fortune with his parents (and many others since). “A GI’s Heidelberg” is the story of one soldier’s life in postwar Germany, of good times after hours and of the lovely, eternal Heidelberg. Bob has presented many OLLI programs on early American and Civil War history and the press.
· Apr. 22: An India Pilgrimage. Sharon Roslund made two pilgrimages to India in 2007 and filmed her first documentary with an HD camera, an artist’s eye and a passion for visiting scenes from Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda. She interviews a Hindu sadu on the banks of the Ganges, takes you into humble huts of the Calcutta poor and climbs the Himalayan foothills to Babaji’s cave. Train and rickshaw rides, fishermen on the Bay of Bengal and ashram dining on tin plates are just a few glimpses of what you will see. Background reading: Autobiography of a Yogi.
· Apr. 29: A Dummy’s Guide to French Cathedrals. Join Brian Payne, a research forest economist who lived in Paris for three years and became intrigued with cathedrals, visiting and photographing some two dozen of them. What are cathedrals anyway? When, where, why, how and by whom were they built? Cathedrals, especially French ones, are beautiful, impressive, inspiring and definitely worth a visit. Go Gothic, and be prepared to vote for your favorite façade, nave, rose window or flying buttress.
· May 6: A GI’s Europe in 1956. Return to the Europe of the mid-1950s and ramble with starry-eyed but reasonably observant GI Bob Webb and friends through Germany, Spain, Italy, Monaco, France and the Netherlands. These are not travelogues, but rather stories for the home folks—tape-recorded impressions of history from ancient Rome to the Cold War with glimpses of Nazi ruins, pre-Wall Berlin, Franco’s dictatorship and Grace Kelly’s wedding.
· May 13: Great Southwest Elderhostel Trips. Are Elderhostel trips for you? Fred and Marty Kaiser will present an overview of three southwest Elderhostel trips: Utah’s parks and monuments, Arizona’s Sedona and the Grand Canyon and Colorado’s historic railroads. Pictures and discussion of Elderhostel programs will be included. OLLI members for ten years, Marty and Fred have traveled extensively in Europe and in Africa, and have particularly enjoyed the Elderhostel trips.
Mondays, 9:30–1:00, Mar. 23–May 11 (Note time)
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Ron Kral
If you’d like to refresh your game, learn some newer conventions and practice your playing skills, join us for eight weeks of hands-on learning. This class is for those who have played before but would like to improve their game. The class will consist of a 30-minute lecture followed by one and one-half hours of play (a double session) with a brief lunch break. Please bring your lunch. Class limit: 28.
Ron Kral has been a tournament bridge player for more than 30 years. He is a certified “Easybridge!” presenter, an American Bridge Teachers Association Master Teacher and has taught bridge at the Smithsonian. He is a Silver Life Master possessing over 2,000 ACBL Masterpoints.
Monday, 1:00–2:30, Mar. 30
Loudoun (One session)
Instructor: Audrey Markham Sullivan
Widowed, divorced or single attendees will enjoy this class. The instructor has guided hundreds of “learners” since 1991 to Learning in Retirement, now OLLI. With compassionate guidance to getting on with your life, you will find new ways to give back as well as get. “It’s payback time.” Learn the difference between loneliness and being alone. Expanding your networks for companionship leads to discovering your unexpected talents. Come to this class and pick up your “Golden Ticket.” Life at this stage is a bittersweet juggling act.
Audrey Markham Sullivan, a charter member of Learning in Retirement, is founder of Widowed Persons Service of Northern Virginia, which is believed to be the largest outreach program in the country for widowed men and women.
Tuesdays, 10:30–12:00, Mar. 24–Apr. 28
Loudoun (Six sessions)
Coordinator: Connie Herrmann
Based on personal situations and preferences, life’s transitions can be very different from person to person, but all simplifying starts with getting the right information. Come for any one or attend all of these six open discussions concentrating on decision-making techniques and astute planning.
· Mar. 24: Helen Flynn will describe the emotional impact of life events and their effect on decision making. She will focus on effective coping strategies related to change, loss, grief, loneliness and health issues. Helen (MEd, MSW, certified coach and founder and president of Clareau Coaching), blends her interests and skills in her focus on seniors and their adult children who may be overwhelmed by the idea of transition to a new life style.
· Mar. 31: Helen Flynn (See Mar. 24) will answer questions and discuss ways of making informed decisions related to challenging “senior” issues (housing alternatives, including retro-fitting the current home, moving to a smaller home in a senior community, an independent living facility with assisted living and long-term care extensions, etc.).
· Apr. 7: Adele Denny and Barbara Watts will present information on Five Wishes for Advanced Care Planning, a document which will help you prepare to educate your family, or others as appropriate and to communicate effectively with your physician. Adele is a clinical social worker supporting patients and families in end-of-life care, and Barbara is an RN and board-certified hospice and palliative care nurse. Both serve as staff and lay community educators for Evercare Sterling and Vienna clinical offices.
· Apr. 14: Janet Schiesl and Lauri Mennel will discuss de-cluttering and the processes of de-cluttering space and paper. Handouts such as The 10 Rules of Organizing, IRS Record Retention Periods and Helpful Books and Websites, as well as additional local resources, will be provided and discussed. Janet (Bachelor of Fine Arts) started Basic Organization in 2005 and works with people who want to simplify their lives. She was voted Volunteer of the Year by the local chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Lauri owns Bluebonnet Professional Organizing and has extensive experience in residential organizing for seniors. She is also a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.
· Apr. 21: Janet Schiesl and Lauri Mennel (See Apr. 14) will speak on the definition of downsizing. The decision to downsize in place, or alternative housing arrangements, along with space planning and getting the right kind of help for a move will be presented for discussion. A local resource list will be provided.
· Apr. 28: Adele Denny, Barbara Watts. (See Apr. 7). Palliative care is a fairly new term currently getting much attention. The benefits of palliative care for all situations will be explored interactively, including how palliative care is paid for and by whom.
Thursdays, 10:30–12:00, Mar. 26–Apr. 16
Loudoun (Four sessions)
Coordinator: Ram Krisn
The International Olympics; the impact of sports in schools, college and society; Wimbledon tennis; and the National Hockey League and other championship games are witnessed by millions of fans around the world. These events promote many types of economic activities. Many people are unfamiliar with these very popular games and events, which the media promotes and on which a large part of our population dwells with great interest. Through audio-visual and lecture presentations, the following sports, concepts and their basic rules, as applicable, will be explained:
· Olympics.
· Golf.
· Tennis.
· Ice Hockey.
If you’d like to learn more about these sports and concepts to better enjoy them with family and friends, sign up for this class.
Ram Krisn, a retired engineer for the state of Maryland, received an MBA degree from Michigan State University. He is a member of the Loudoun program Planning Committee and brings a broad reservoir of lifelong-learning interests to his teaching.
Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Velma Berkey
David Maxwell is a caregiver of approximately 50 rosebushes and an active member of the Arlington Rose Foundation. He will focus his presentation on an overview of rose selection, planting, pruning, spraying and fertilizing. Having grown roses for the past 20 years, Dave will share his expertise on how easy and rewarding it is to nurture these flowers. He plans to bring a potted rose or two to demonstrate pruning. To accent the program, he will present a hands-on demo on “how to prepare for a rose show.” The Arlington Rose Foundation is known to exhibit live roses that resemble fine china. David Maxwell is an electrical engineer with degrees from Cornell and Johns Hopkins who spent nearly 40 years in the aerospace industry.
Friday, Mar. 27, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Health literacy provides tips and tools on advocating for your health, planning ahead and making the most of short appointment times. You will learn how to improve communication with your medical professionals. Regardless of your age, education or gender, this talk will improve your understanding of how to better communicate with health providers and assist yourself and others in improving your health outcomes. Recommendations for journaling symptoms, asking three questions and writing answers before exiting the doctor’s office will be included. Eileen Wilkinson is director of marketing at Comfort Keepers. As a “trailing spouse” she has lived in seven states and two countries holding positions in health care marketing for various agencies over the past 20 years.
Wednesday, Apr. 1, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Jane Tombes
Eric Pankey will read from The Pear As One Example: New and Selected Poems 1984-2008, then open the event for a question and answer session to discuss the state of poetry, the habits of poetry, the frustrations of poetry and the pleasures of poetry in the twenty-first century. Eric Pankey is the author of eight collections of poetry. His individual poems have appeared over the last 30 years in journals such as The New Yorker, The New Republic, The Paris Review, The American Poetry Review and Poetry. His work has been supported by two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships, and fellowships from the Ingram Merrill Foundation and the Guggenheim Foundation. He is a professor of English and holds the Heritage Chair in Writing at George Mason.
Bus Trip
Friday, Apr. 3, 8:00–5:30
Coordinator: Florence Adler 703-455-6658
Virginia’s historic Capitol Square is an “architectural and artistic setting for events shaping America’s individual liberties, political institutions, judicial traditions and social progress.” Kenneth R. Plum, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, 36th District, has graciously agreed to lead us on a tour of Capitol Square. The tour will include a visit to the newly restored State Capitol Building with its new Visitors
Center, as well as the old House and Senate chambers, a mock session in the House Chamber and other points of interest on Capitol Square. Lunch will be on our own. Delegate Plum is a long-time friend of OLLI. In 1990, he was one of the members of the Steering Committee involved in the organization of Learning in Retirement. He has also taught many classes at OLLI and will be teaching a course again in the near future. The bus will leave promptly at 8:00 from Fair Oaks Mall, Parking Lot 44, outside the circular road across from the Macy’s closest to Sears. Please be at the bus no later than 7:45. The fee of $23, payable to OLLI with your registration form, includes bus fare and driver gratuity.
Friday, Apr. 3, 2:00
Coordinator: Mark Weinstein
Mark Weinstein, a docent at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., will lead a private tour of the museum arranged for OLLI. The group will meet at the Visitors Center. There is no charge for the tour, which will last approximately an hour and a half. The museum is accessible by Metro and there is some street parking (two-hour limit).
Wednesday, Apr. 8, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Instructor: Evelyn Avery Rophael
Evelyn Avery Rophael, a Coptic iconographer and writer, will discuss the fascinating history and unique culture of the Coptic Church, using many slides to illustrate the ancient monasteries, churches, artwork, biblical manuscripts and holy places of Egypt. The Coptic Church is the Christian Church in Egypt; it was established around 60 CE by St. Mark the Evangelist, considered to be the first Coptic patriarch. For several centuries, Egypt was a predominately Christian nation that contributed much to world Christianity. The speaker will also discuss the role of the Coptic Church in today’s Egypt and in the United States.
Wednesday, Apr. 15, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Our speaker, Phillip J. Kenny, is an attorney with a real passion for bluebirds. He is on the board of the Virginia Bluebird Society and will discuss the history of bluebirds, their near extinction and their conservation status today. His slide presentation and video will show how they have been brought back from the edge of extinction by people putting up nest boxes and carefully monitoring the boxes and the bluebirds. All of the video was taken by a “nest box cam.” Mr. Kenny will be available to assist anyone interested in putting up their own bluebird box, or who may be interested in a tour of one of their many trails in Northern Virginia.
Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Thom Clement
Members of Generation Y are different in many respects, from their upbringing to their use of technology to their politics. But it might be their effect on the workplace that makes them truly exceptional—more so than any other generation of twenty-somethings that we have seen yet. They are ambitious, demanding, and high-maintenance—yet they are creative and high performing. Michelle Marks, associate professor, School of Management at George Mason, will discuss the character-shaping events and perspectives that distinguish four generations in today’s workplace, and the socio-economic conditions that make generational clashes more likely now than in previous times. Dr. Marks will elaborate on generational conflict in the workforce today, and share organizational strategies and practices for recruiting, retaining and motivating the younger generations.
Bus Trip
Friday, Apr. 24, 10:00–5:00
Coordinator: Florence Adler 703-455-6658
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the largest Roman Catholic Church in the United States and North America, and is one of the ten largest churches in the world. It measures a total of 459 feet long and covers an area of 77,500 square feet. The height of the nave, from the marble floor to the apex of the central dome, is ten stories. Its architecture is Romanesque-Byzantine and its construction is entirely of stone, brick, tile and mortar—without steel structure beams, framework or columns. Designated by the United Conference of Catholic Bishops as a National Sanctuary of Prayer and Pilgrimage, the Basilica is the nation’s preeminent Marian shrine, dedicated to the patroness of the United States—the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception. It is often affectionately referred to as America’s Catholic Church. After our guided tour, we will have lunch on our own in their cafeteria or you may bring a brown bag. We will then bus to another unusual site: the Romanesque-Byzantine style monastery, church and gardens, built by the Franciscans in 1899, which was dedicated to major Christian sites in Europe and the Holy Land. This meditative oasis in the city, includes magnificent flower gardens on the grounds as well as indoor re-creations of the Roman catacombs below the church; an outdoor replica of a grotto in Lourdes; and built into a hillside of the grounds, a re-creation of a third-century grotto chapel near the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem. Be aware, there will be much walking, wear comfortable shoes. The bus will leave promptly at 10:00 from Fair Oaks Mall, Parking Lot No. 44, outside the circular road across from the Macy’s closest to Sears. Please be on the bus no later than 9:45. The fee of $22, payable to OLLI with your registration form, includes bus fare, driver gratuity and a small donation to the Monastery.
Saturday, Apr. 25, 2:00
GMU TheaterSpace
Coordinator: Florence Adler 703-455-6658
Say Goodnight, Gracie, written by Ralph Pape, directed by Ed Gero and performed by the GMU Players, is a very funny play with an undertone of dismay and bewilderment. The comedy-drama captures a generation at a turning point in 1976. The place is a shabby apartment in New York’s East Village in which five high school friends gather with the intention of attending their high school reunion that evening. As they while away the hours before time to leave, they talk, smoke pot and discuss their dreams, insecurities, past events and favorite TV shows. Children of the idealistic ’60s, they are unable to come to terms with the uncertain ’70s and try to evade, with ever-funnier and more biting comments, the sobering truth that haunts them all—that there are no clear and simple answers anymore. There will be a post-performance discussion with the director and members of the company. Tickets are $8, payable to OLLI with your registration form. The theater is on the lower level of the Performing Arts Building adjacent to the Concert Hall. From Level 2 of the Parking Deck take the bridge. Enter first door on the left and follow the hallway, go through the gray doors and downstairs.
Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Instructor: James Browning Seeley
Recent movies, including the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, have increased public interest in this maritime disaster. But what about the ship’s second class passengers, of whom there is no mention in the film? Did the orchestra really play “Nearer My God to Thee” as the ship sank? Did First Officer Murdock really commit suicide? Was the captain trying to set a speed record? How could this tragedy have happened in the first place? James Browning Seeley, a member of the Titanic Historical Society and frequent lecturer on maritime history, will answer these questions and more. He’ll also show pictures of the ship’s fake funnel as well as paintings, newspaper headlines and photos containing glaring inaccuracies.
Friday, May 1, 3:30
Fairfax Town Hall
Coordinator: Rosemary McDonald
Illuminare, a women’s early music vocal ensemble based in Falls Church, will present a concert of works by DuFay, Palestrina, Ciconia, Brahms and others. Pianist Diane Winter Pyles will be on hand to accompany Brahms selections. Director Vera Kochanowsky will give spoken commentary on the composers and works to be performed. Illuminare focuses on early vocal repertoire (Medieval through Baroque) composed or arranged for women’s voices. The ensemble strives to “illuminate” the glorious music of the past, rarely performed today. Carmina director and harpsichordist Vera Kochanowsky is a graduate of the Oberlin and New England Conservatories and holds the doctor of musical arts degree from Stanford University. She also received a Fulbright grant for harpsichord and early music studies in Europe. In 1997, Dr. Kochanowsky founded the early music ensemble Carmina. In 2006 she founded a second vocal ensemble, Ilumanare, and is director of both ensembles.
Wednesday, May 6, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinators: Mike McNamara, Jan Bohall
The Poetry Workshop will continue the celebration of Poetry Month (April) with the presentation of work by its members. Many in the workshop have recently had their poems published or accepted for publication. Non-workshop members in the audience will also be given time to present their own original poems. These should be limited to a page or less, with no more than three poems from any one individual. Non-workshop readers are asked to contact either of the above coordinators and advise of their wish to participate.
Wednesday, May 13, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Instructor: Bob Webb
For three years, John Singleton Mosby and his band of Confederate raiders bedeviled the Union Army in our backyard, striking out of nowhere and vanishing into the mists. His exploits are legendary—often romantic, sometimes brutal, largely true—and traces of Mosby can still be found throughout Fairfax, Loudoun and Fauquier counties. In this first part of the Mosby program , we will discuss Mosby’s early life, his flamboyant Civil War career and his surprising postwar life over the next 50 years.
Robert Webb was an editor for eight years at the Detroit Free Press and 32 at The Washington Post and has taught OLLI courses on colonial history, westward expansion, the Civil War, the Dutch Republic, the press and other topics.
Bus trip
Friday, May 15, 10:00–4:30
Coordinators: Bob Webb 703-437-5509
Ray Hine 703-860-0691
In this second part of the Mosby program, we will saddle up and ride into the heart of Mosby’s Confederacy, through the beautiful countryside between Rte. 50 and I-66 as far as the Blue Ridge Mountains and south to Mosby’s gravesite in Warrenton. On board we will discuss Mosby’s wartime exploits in more detail, stop at key Mosby sites and explore back roads where Mosby still “speaks from the undergrowth.” There will be several dismounts, rest stops and short easy walks. Bring a bag lunch and liquids for consumption on board or at Sky Meadows Park. The bus will depart promptly at 10:00 from Fair Oaks Mall, Parking Lot 44, on the outside of the circular road across from the Macy’s closest to Sears. Please be at the bus no later than 9:45. The fee of $23, payable to OLLI with your registration form, includes the bus fare, driver gratuity and parking fee.
Bus Trip
Wednesday, May 20, 7:45–6:00
Coordinators: Eric Henderson 703-318-4892
Ralph Youngren 703-437-1150
Visit the newly restored and
recently reopened Montpelier in the foothills of the Blue Ridge
Mountains in Orange County,
Virginia. The home of
James Madison, the
nation’s fourth president and the father of the Constitution, has
undergone a
complete architectural restoration returning it in size, structure and
appearance to the way it was during the years that James and Dolley
lived
there. We anticipate special celebrations during our visit because May
20 is
Dolley Madison’s birthday. Besides a guided tour of the house, we will
have
free time to explore the house and grounds, as well as the gardens, the
new Visitors Center, Education Center and
DuPont Gallery. From Montpelier, the bus will proceed to
Barboursville Vineyards for lunch at Palladio Restaurant. Named for
Andrea
Palladio, the sixteenth century architect who inspired Thomas
Jefferson’s
architecture, the restaurant was created to present Barboursville wines
as part
of an elegant menu of classic Northern Italian cuisine. After a taste
of
sparkling Barboursville Brut, we will enjoy a three-course meal with a
glass of
a different Barboursville wine chosen to complement each course. The
group will
have an appetizer, a choice of a fish, poultry or meat main course (or
a
vegetarian option) and dessert. Since this restaurant, the equivalent
of a
Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe,
changes its menus seasonally, more information about the menu will be
provided
to registrants in early May. Following lunch, Ralph Youngren will lead
a
walking tour on the Barboursville grounds of the ruins of the grand
plantation
home of James Barbour, a governor of Virginia. This home designed by Jefferson with an octagonal parlor, burned in 1884; the picturesque
ruins are
surrounded by amazing boxwood hedges. Another after-lunch option is
to join Eric Henderson
in the
Barboursville tasting room and gift shop for those who wish to purchase
wine or
buy a tasting of those wines not sampled at lunch. Grounds at both
locations
include uneven and slightly hilly surfaces and steps. The bus will
leave
promptly at 8:00 from Fair Oaks Mall, Parking Lot No. 44, which is
outside the
circular road across from the Macy’s closest to Sears. Please be at the
bus no
later than 7:45. The fee of $110, payable to OLLI with your
registration form,
includes the tour of Montpelier, the three course lunch with four wines
at
Palladio, bus fare and driver gratuity.
Second Wednesdays
10:00–11:30, Mar. 11, June 10
1:30–3:00, Apr. 8, May 13
Tallwood
Coordinators: Kathryn Russell 703-323-0168
Ceda McGrew 703-323-9671
On March 11 we plan to discuss Geraldine Brooks’ Nine Parts of Desire. The April 8 selection will be Big Cherry Holler by Adriana Trigiani; the May 13 selection is Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. On June 10 we are planning to discuss One True Thing by Anna Quindlen.
Fridays, 10:00–11:30, Mar. 20–Jun. 19
(No class on May 8)
Tallwood
Coordinator: Kathie West 703-451-6419
Drama Club is open to all OLLI members. We are called “The OLLI Players.” Its concept is lessons in acting, diction, improvisation, blocking and performance. The focus is on becoming a better actor and learning the tips and techniques that go with becoming a truly great thespian! We perform comedy and serious scenes with all the emotion and giggles that the scenes require. We are now working on presentations of one act plays. We have great fun. Join us for a trip into theater that you can only imagine.
First Wednesdays
10:00–11:30, Mar. 4
2:00–3:30, Apr. 1, May 6
Tallwood
Coordinator: Bob Persell 703-941-9349
The club welcomes OLLI members who are interested in discussing historical events and sharing reviews of articles, books or interesting topics. The club compiles a book list of suggested reading, which can be viewed at www.olli.gmu.edu/historyclubbooklist.pdf. If you’d like to receive email notification of upcoming History Club meetings, contact bpersell@bellatlantic.net.
Fridays, 11:00–12:30, Feb. 27–June 19
Tallwood
Coordinator: Sibyl Vanneman 703-506-0699
This book club with a different twist—no outside reading required—meets every Friday to read aloud “great books” to each other. We will continue reading Shakespeare’s plays with The Winter’s Tale and The Tempest as well as other classics to be considered. New members are welcomed.
Third Saturdays (except May & Dec.) 12:30–3:30
Mar. 21, Apr. 18, May 9, June 20
Tallwood *(except June, July, Aug.)
Coordinator: Paul Howard plhoward@verizon.net
Focusing on Windows computers and related electronics technology, we are partnering with an established organization to bring broad subject matter expertise to both groups. More details are available on the group’s web site, http://www.olligmu.org/~opcug/ Target audience: beginners to intermediate amateurs. Methodology: “users helping users.” A one-time fee of $5 is payable at the first meeting attended. *(Meetings in June, July and Aug. will be held at the Fairfax County Government Center.)
Fourth Fridays
9:30–11:30, Mar. 27, Apr. 24, May
22
Tallwood
Coordinator: Dan
Feighery
703-250-1491
The Photography Club welcomes all members, whether they have a basic camera or specialized equipment. Interests include documenting trips, capturing the beauty of nature, seeing the commonplace in unique ways and much more. Some folks take their film/digital chip to a local store for processing. Others are interested in a digital darkroom. We have discussions, instructions, field trips and help on technical aspects of photography, as well as the more artistic aspects of visual design. Contact the coordinator, Dan Feighery, at dfeigher@gmu.edu for further information.
Second Fridays
10:00–11:30, Mar. 13, Apr. 10
Tallwood
Coordinator: Shelly Gersten 703-385-2638
The club welcomes any and all OLLI members who are interested in traveling, either domestically or internationally. OLLI has a vast wealth of experience in both traveling and living in other parts of the USA and the world. Come share your experiences and learn from other members about their travels and experiences living overseas. We also try to find common interests so members can plan to travel together.
Fridays, 10:00–11:30, Feb. 27–June 19
Tallwood
Coordinators: Robert and Louise McLean
703-768-6297
If you have been a part of the Consort, or have played the recorder and would like to expand your abilities and play in the group, join us on Fridays. Music may need to be purchased.
Wednesdays
10:00–12:00, Feb. 25–Mar. 18
1:30–3:30, Mar. 25–May 13
10:00–12:00, May 20–June 17
Tallwood
Coordinators: Susanne Zumbro 703-569-2750
Gordon Canyock 703-425-4607
Drop in anytime and enjoy the friendly atmosphere of “party bridge.” Skill levels vary from advanced beginner to aspiring expert. Partnerships are rotated every four hands. Note the time change. We meet mornings when classes are not in session, and afternoons during the term.
Tuesdays
Coordinator: Sheila Gold 703-860-8798
Do you love to knit, crochet or needlepoint? Do you want to learn? We welcome both beginners and more advanced needleworkers. There is always someone who is happy to teach the new student. Come and join us on Tuesday mornings. For time and location for this week, please contact Shelia Gold.
Last Fridays, Feb. 27, Mar. 27, Apr. 24
Loudoun
Coordinator: Mary Coyne 703-729-6855
In an OLLI Loudoun tradition, join us at a local restaurant for either breakfast or lunch on the last Friday of the month. This is a great time to get together and get to know our classmates better. Exact time and location will be announced via email in the Loudoun notes. To join us, please sign up on the sheet in one of the classrooms or call the OLLI Loudoun office.
Fourth Fridays
10:30–12:00, Feb. 27, Mar. 27, Apr. 24, May 22
Cascades Library, Loudoun
Coordinator: Sigrid Blalock 703-723-6825
On Feb. 27 the group will discuss George Orwell’s Animal Farm. The selection for discussion on Mar. 27 is Waverley written by Walter Scott. Apr. 24 we will discuss John O’Hara’s Butterfield 8, and on May 22 the discussion will cover Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald.