SPRING 2007 CATALOG
Course term: Mar 26-May 18, 2007

• Registration begins 9:00 am Fri, Mar 2 and ends Wed, Mar 14.
• All classes meet once a week, 9:30—11:00, 11:30—1:00 and 2:00—3:30, during the term unless otherwise noted.
• Hand deliver or mail the registration form with applicable check(s), plus the waiver page if you have signed up for a bus trip, to Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, 4210 Roberts Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032-1028

100: Art and Music	200: Economics & Finance	300: History & International Studies
400: Literature, Theater & Writing	500: Languages	600: Religion, Philosophy & Ethics
700: Current Events	800: Science, Health & Technology	900: Other
Special Events	Ongoing Activities	Registration & Membership Info
Registration Form (pdf; this page can be filled out online and then printed)	Acknowledgement Release & Waiver (pdf;  also shows volunteer opportunities at OLLI)	Maps & directions (pdf) or see the Website's Maps & Directions page
Spring Class Schedule (pdf)	Miscellaneous information of interest

101 The Quattrocento: Early Renaissance Italian Painting and Sculpture
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 27–May 15
Tallwood
Instructor: Lola Sherman
The course surveys the first stirrings of naturalism as it emerged from its long medieval sleep—an era in which artistic depiction underwent vast changes, among them a revival of ancient classicism, a rapid succession of technical innovations and emancipated attitudes toward the nature of man and the universe. Participants will first explore the massive, humanistic figures in the frescoes of Giotto. Then, early and mid-Quattrocento (fifteenth century) masters, such as Donatello, Masaccio and Piero della Francesca, will be studied. Their inventions of complex spatial perspectives and intricate light effects strove to capture accurately the three-dimensional natural world. To these contributions must be added the virtuosic representations of dramatic physical action by masters working at the end of the century, Botticelli among them, producing masterpieces in their own right and preparing the way for the glorious efflorescence of art during the High Renaissance.
Lola Sherman taught in the Art Departments at George Mason and Georgetown Universities, and has given lecture series at the OLLIs of both American and George Mason Universities, the Smithsonian Resident Associates Program, the Jewish Community Center and Montgomery College.

102 Sketching With Pencil and Ink
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Instructor: Dick Hibbert
Participants will learn techniques for drawing with pencil and ink and about the materials and techniques useful in sketching still lifes, landscapes and illustrations. Class participation and homework assignments are expected. 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 13 years.

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103 The Genius of Thomas Jefferson Through an Architect’s Eye
Thursdays, 11:30–1:00, Apr. 26–May 17
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Ralph Youngren
Perhaps you have wondered how Jefferson, without a formal architectural education, was able to design the University of Virginia, the two Monticellos and the State Capitol in Richmond. This four-week course will trace his architecture from early naive attempts on Monticello I to his 23-year effort building and rebuilding Monticello II. The instructor will discuss what influenced Jefferson and how he, in turn, influenced the architecture of the United States. The University of Virginia would assure Jefferson a prominent place in architectural history if that were all he accomplished!
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 Jefferson all his life.

104 Beginning Digital Photography
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–Apr. 16
Tallwood
Instructor: Tom Hady
You did it! You bought a digital camera. You figured out how to push the shutter, but you want to know how to take better pictures with it. What are all those markings on the dial and how can you use them to improve your pictures? If photography is painting with light, how can you use the light better? Why are your beach pictures so dark, and how can you prevent it? Once you have captured the digits in your camera, what can you do with them? What’s the difference between a picture to email and one to print? How can you remove redeye or make other simple repairs? This four-week course is aimed at owners of point-and-shoot digital cameras, but the ideas will help owners of film cameras and more sophisticated digital cameras. Bring your questions.
Tom Hady, an OLLI member, developed photographs in the darkroom for 50 years, but has gradually changed to digital photography over the last ten. Black and white prints are his first love, but he also does color prints and used to work in color slides. He has had prints and slides accepted for exhibition more than 1,000 times in locations as far away as India. Tom was elected an Associate of the Photographic Society of America recently and holds their distinction for proficiency.

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105 Advanced Digital Photography
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 27–May 15
Lake Anne Church 
Instructor: Stan Schretter
Often our cameras do not correctly capture what our eyes are really seeing, nor can we easily recreate in print the picture we envisioned when we snapped the shutter. This class is for individuals familiar with the basic operation of their digital camera, computer and photographic editing software. Participants should be willing to take lots of photographs and use “free” software that will help demonstrate the techniques discussed in class. Topics will include composition, the dynamic range of light, exposure, panoramas and creating art quality presentations of your images. One or two classes will be dedicated to photographic excursions in the Lake Anne area. Class limit: 20.
Stan Schretter currently divides his time among his wife of 40 years, grandchildren, docent duties at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, amateur radio, computer software development and digital photography.

106 Table Top Books for Photographers: Basic Course
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 27–May 15
Tallwood
Instructor: Dick Hibbert
The course intent is to acquaint photographers with the basic skills necessary to:

• Organize information gathered from digital and/or film-based cameras which is to be stored, easily found and re-used again.
• Download photos to a computer.
• Download photos to scanners and printers.
• Copy, crop and download to a personal CD R/W.
• Modify photo characteristics to improve picture quality.
• Organize and apply text to photos.
• Develop “story boards” of photos to tell stories.
• Cut and bind single and double-sided photo paper. Individuals will be expected to demonstrate basic course skills through use of the classroom computer/projection system. A fee of $7 is payable with your registration form. This course is a prerequisite to advanced course work, Table Top Books, Beginner 2. Class limit: 18. 

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 13 years.

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107 Great Ladies of Song
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 29–May 17
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Beverly Cosham
Want to learn more about the lives of the great ladies of song both on and off stage? Most people know Ella, Sarah, Judy, Peggy, Lena and Rosemary, but few know the details of their private lives and loves. The instructor, back by popular demand, plays the great music of some of your favorite singers and provides intimate glimpses into their lives. She will also introduce you to some other past greats as well as some new exponents who are keeping the music of the “Great American Songbook” alive and well. To top it off, Beverly concludes each session with her own rendition of an old favorite.
Beverly Cosham is a singer/actress whose 30-year career includes numerous stage roles, concerts and critically acclaimed recordings. Beverly has also taught improvisation classes for children and Acting Up A Song for singers wishing to learn the art of interpretation and performance.

108 Opera Spotlight: Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26, Apr. 2 (Note dates)
Tallwood
Instructor: Candy Leibundguth
Opera Spotlight completes its season with this two-session course, exploring Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni and I Pagliacci by Leoncavallo, two one-act operas that epitomize the passion and realism of Italian verismo. The first class will review the music, plot and characters of each opera, and the second will provide a forum for discussion and analysis of the Virginia Opera performance. A matinee performance on April 1^st at 2:00 is optional. Tickets are $65. See Special Event B.
Candy Leibundguth has worked with the Education Department of Virginia Opera since 1993. She has a B.A. in music from Douglass College of Rutgers University. She has taught many opera preparation classes, written original opera programs for children and produced numerous teacher resource materials and opera study guides.

109 Music Sampler
Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 27–May 15
Tallwood
Coordinator: Kathleen Meyer
This class affords an opportunity for folks in all stages of musical development to further their appreciation for the art and its vast array of genre. Professional entertainers, Mason professors and their talented students present a variety of musical adventures.

• Mar. 27: Mason Professor Stan Engebretson, choral conductor of the Chamber Singers and Vocal Jazz Ensemble will present “Music to Heal,” words of Shakespeare set to jazz compositions.
• Apr. 3: Professional entertainer and novelty pianist Alex Hassan can be seen and heard at various venues in the Washington area.
• Apr. 10: A Mason professor of vocal studies and her students will present arias and songs with a Shakespearean theme to coincide with the Washington Shakespeare Festival.
• Apr. 17: Dr. Linda Apple Monson, associate chair of the Mason Music Department, returns with more musical excitement and enthusiasm.
• Apr. 24: The Troubadours, a barber shop quartet, will harmonize for your enjoyment.
• May 1: To be determined.
• May 8: To be determined.
• May 15: Mason Professor Mark Camphouse is a composer whose works reflect our American heritage and history.
  

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110 The Ongoing Pleasures of Music
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–May 14
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Gloria Sussman
Fix yourself a cup of tea or coffee, pick up a cookie and enter a world of specialized listening. With the help of DVDs, CDs and video clips, we will explore the performances of the great musical artists of today and yesterday. A wide sampling of recorded music is taken from an extensive personal collection. Previous music courses are not needed to enjoy and learn from this class.
Gloria Sussman was the accompanist for the Reston Chorale in the ’70s. After a visual problem prevented her from performing at the piano, she became the rehearsal coach for Musica Concordia, a nine-voice a cappella ensemble. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, with an M.S. in music education, she taught piano in the ’70s and ’80s. In recent years she has given informal four-hand recitals with her piano duet partner, Ellen Winner.

111 Singing for Fun
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 29–May 17
Tallwood
Instructor: Joyce DeVoll
Once again, OLLI’s choral group, singing in unison, 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.
Joyce DeVoll, a retired music teacher and an OLLI member, has a bachelor’s degree in music education from Michigan State University, a master’s degree in educational administration from Virginia Tech and Orff certification from Mason. She has had considerable experience in her church choir and English hand bell group.

112 Recorder Workshop
Fridays, 10:00–11:30, Mar. 30–May 18
Tallwood
Instructor: Norm Rosenberg
This class is a follow-up to prior recorder classes. All players are welcome to join in and improve their skills in playing soprano, alto, tenor and bass in consort with each other. The class is designed to learn ensemble playing and performance. Since its inception the group has performed at several OLLI functions and were well received. All participants must have instruments. The purchase of music is necessary; the cost of music will be under $20. If you have any questions, call the instructor at 703-361-4572. Class limit: 12.
Norm Rosenberg has been playing music, from early baroque through pop and jazz, on recorders for many years. He has played with many musical groups. Norm is an OLLI member and has led this group since its inception.

(Note: The following class was a late addition to the spring program and does not appear in the pdf catalog or in the printed catalog)
113  Beginning Watercolor Painting
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 29–May 17
Tallwood
Instructor: Leonard Justinian
Develop your unused skills and artistic talents in the medium of watercolor painting. If you ever wished you could, you can. Some supplies will be required; the supply list will be available in the office one week before the first class.  Class limit: 15.
Leonard Justinian has been painting, showing his works and receiving awards since childhood. Now retired, he spends much of his time teaching watercolor painting privately and in classes in the City of Fairfax Department of Parks and Recreation. He is eager to assist OLLI members who want to develop their untapped talents.

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402 Verdi, Gounod and the Bard
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 28–Apr. 18
Tallwood
Instructors: Candace Reeder, Rick Davis
Join us as we continue our study of opera and Shakespeare. For nearly four hundred years, the plays of Shakespeare have offered a source of inspiration to composers, artists and writers. The Bard was one of Verdi’s favorite poets, as well as the poet who “will go on explaining us, in part because he invented us,” according to author Harold Bloom. This four-week class will examine two operas (Verdi’s Falstaff and Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet) based on Shakespeare’s plays (The Merry Wives of Windsor and Romeo and Juliet). We will also discuss the lives of Shakespeare, Verdi and Gounod; explore the similarities between Shakespeare and opera; and view highlights from the operas and plays. Candace Reeder will lead the discussion on opera, and Rick Davis will be our Shakespearean resource.
Candace Reeder was an opera singer for more than 15 years, performing such roles as Carmen, Rosina, Orlofsky, Lola and La Principessa. She earned music degrees from Eastman School of Music and Indiana University. She taught voice at Illinois State University and Levine School of Music, and created an opera program, “OPERAKIDS,” where middle-school aged children perform operas from the standard repertory, and study a curriculum based on each opera.
Rick Davis is associate dean of Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, as well as artistic director of Theater of the First Amendment and the Center for the Arts. An active director of theater and opera, Rick also has translated plays by Calderon and Ibsen. He holds degrees from Lawrence University and the Yale School of Drama. He has taught drama and other subjects at Mason since 1992 and has been a frequent lecturer at OLLI.

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201 An Introduction to Investing for Retirees

Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 27–May 15 (11:30–1:30, Apr. 17, 24, May 1, 8 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. 27: What Areas Do I Need to Consider for my Financial Well-being? A panel of three, Tom Crooker, Lee Cutler and Leo Brennan will each give a short presentation based on their experiences and then take questions. Issues that cannot be answered directly will be fielded; guidance on how to get answers will be provided in subsequent classes. Tom and Leo are both OLLI members, and Lee is a frequent instructor at OLLI.
• Apr: 3, 10: 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. 17–May 8: 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 $10 with your registration form will cover the cost of workbook and handouts. Students will need a calculator to work some light math associated with analyzing stocks for investment. Note: If you have already taken this segment, “How to Select Your Own Stocks?” the $10 fee is waived. Just bring your book to class.
• May 15: How Do I Select Mutual Funds That Meet My Needs? A panel of three OLLI members, Tom Crooker, Bruce Reinhart and Craig Zane will each give a short presentation on their experiences and provide guidance on sources of information to assist you in making informed decisions.

202 Investment Forum
Wednesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 28–May 16
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. Investment Forum has a website at www.olligmu.org/~finforum which will provide more information.
Thomas Crooker is a retired engineer who has taught at the college level and is a long-time student of the stock market. He has served as moderator of the forum for several years.

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301 The First Frontier
Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Robert Webb
In 1783, the newly independent United States found itself with an unexpected bonanza from the departing British—millions of acres between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River that were home to tens of thousands of wary Indians and a handful of Europeans. The occupation and settlement of that massive midland by white Americans is the subject of this course—the preliminary French and Indian Wars; the Revolutionary War in the west; the great Northwest Ordinance; the ensuing land hunger and the birth of new states; the politics of east vs. west; Indian defeat and removal; a surging new economy powered by a national road, a honeycomb of canals and railroads, and navigation and industrialization of the mighty Great Lakes.
Robert Webb was a Washington Post editor for 32 years and has taught LRI/OLLI courses on colonial history, the Civil War, the Dutch Republic, the press and other topics.

302 Wannigans, Waterwheels, Wheat, Hematite, Holsteins and Hops
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 29–Apr. 19
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Tom Hady
This four-week course will trace the development of the upper Mississippi valley. In 1812, the upper valley was still a wilderness, known only to its native inhabitants and a few fur traders. A hundred years later it was a thriving economy that included five states—Minnesota, Wisconsin, parts of both Dakotas and Michigan—and was home to five million inhabitants. We will discuss the glaciers that shaped the landscape, the lives of the people who settled the area and the livelihood they made from lumbering, milling, crop farming, mining, dairying and brewing. We will learn of lumber camps and bonanza farms and the iron mines that fed the industrial age of the United States. Did you know that on the same night the Chicago fire killed around 300 people a forest fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, killed about 1,500?
Tom Hady, an OLLI member, went to school in Minnesota and Wisconsin from the first grade near Milwaukee through a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. He and his wife Marilyn still return for their “Minnesota fix” every summer—and sometimes in the winter.

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303 America and the Holocaust
Thursdays, 11:30–1:00, April 26–May 17
Tallwood
Instructor: Stan Schretter
From 1933 until 1945 Adolf Hitler and the Nazis created a broad swath of death in Europe, brutally persecuting and murdering over 11 million people. Where was the United States while this was happening? Could any of this have been predicted and prevented? In this four-week course, we will explore racial attitudes (anti-Semitism, eugenics), immigration policies and their implementation by the State Department, the effect of news media coverage and our participation in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, as well as the controversy about President Franklin Roosevelt’s role.
Stan Schretter currently divides his time among his wife of 40 years, grandchildren, docent duties at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, amateur radio, computer software development and digital photography..

304 Fairfax History Potpourri
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 29–May 17
Tallwood
Coordinator: Marian Brobst

• Mar. 29: Introduction to Fairfax County Historic Preservation. Mayo Stuntz, longtime Fairfax historian, author and a founding member of the Fairfax Historical Society. Resources Available in the Virginia Room. Suzanne Levy, resource librarian at Fairfax City Regional Library and a Virginia Room librarian since 1981.
• Apr. 5: Here Lies Fairfax County. Jack Hiller, active in Fairfax County historic groups, will trace the earliest contact between Europeans and Native Americans in the Fairfax area. He holds an M.A. in history from Carnegie-Mellon University, and is retired from teaching in Fairfax County schools.
• Apr: 12: Murder at the Mill. Jack Hiller will return to discuss a murder in 1855 that reveals aspects of life in rural Fairfax County and the history of Keene’s Mill.
• Apr. 19: History of Milling in Fairfax County. Mason Maddock, full-time miller at Colvin Run Mill, is an authority in the craft and a board member of the Society for Preservation of Old Mills.
• Apr. 26: History of Laurel Grove School: Tidbits of History in the Franconia Area. Phyllis Walker Ford holds an M.B.A from Trinity College, Washington, D.C., and is a direct descendent of the family who donated the land in 1881 for The Laurel Grove Colored School, established to serve African American children in the Franconia area.
• May 3: The Origins of Springfield. Jack Hiller will explain how Springfield began as a 920-acre farm acquired and named by Henry Daingerfield, a prosperous Alexandria entrepreneur in 1851. The Civil War, scandal and family tragedy forced the sale and subdivision of the farm.
• May 10: History Through Material Culture. Jeanne Niccolls, M.A. from the University of Wisconsin, is the collection manager for the Fairfax County Park Authority Museum Collections.
• May 17: Civil War in Fairfax and Amusing Anecdotes. Don Hakenson, a Washington, D.C., native, has lived much of his life in Franconia. He has spent years tracking and researching obscure Civil War and Revolutionary War tales.
  

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305 Historic Homes
Tuesdays, 11:30 –1:00, Mar. 27–Apr. 17
Lake Anne Church
Coordinator: Sheila Gold
This four-week course will investigate three historic homes in the Northern Virginia area and how these homes are restored and furnished.

• Mar. 27: Sully Plantation. A docent from the Sully Plantation will discuss its history.
• Apr. 3: Historic Home Furnishing. Ellen Donald, a noted consultant for decorating historic homes, will discuss the research, planning and execution required to furnish historic homes. She has worked on plans for such famous sites as Gadsby’s Tavern, Gunston Hall, The Octagon and many other museums, including the Eisenhower farm in Gettysburg.
• Apr. 10: Dodona Manor, Former Home of Gen. George C. Marshall. Rachel Thompson, director of education at Dodona, will provide a presentation on the recent restoration of Dodona Manor in nearby Leesburg. She will describe the home and the gardens.
• • Apr. 17: Gunston Hall Plantation. OLLI member and Gunston Hall docent, Barbara Farner, will describe the history of the building and grounds and introduce us to the famous Virginian who built the home, George Mason.

306 Virginia Women in History
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 27–Apr. 17
Tallwood
Instructor: Rita G. Koman
Women have been an integral part of Virginia history since its earliest days. Their experiences were different from men. Often they worked behind the scenes. For centuries, history was defined by heroic deeds, great warriors and famous statesmen. If women were included, they were considered the supporting cast. Then as the number of women historians grew in the ‘70s and ‘80s, history became further defined to include the valuable contributions of women. In this four-week course, discover what Virginia women from Pocahontas to Anne Holton Kaine provided to the state and nation during 400 years of history.
Rita Koman has a B.A. in history from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and an M.A. in history from the University of Maryland. She taught history and government at high school and community college levels for 18 years. She has been a curriculum specialist for the past 12 years.

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307 Occupation of the Heights: The Civil War Defenses of Washington
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 28–May 16
Tallwood
Coordinator: Michael Kelly
A soldier had selected the site for Washington City, and a military engineer had designed its layout, but vexing problems remained for those charged with defending it during the American Civil War. Major John G. Barnard chiefly supervised the “occupation of the heights” by the thousands of soldiers, engineers and laborers who converted the quiet countryside into a bustling city unto itself with 68 forts, 93 batteries, 20 miles of rifle trenches and 30 miles of connecting military roads. Many of these silent sentinels, named for people and places forever connected with U.S. history, survive today among the city’s neighborhoods and parks. Washington, D.C., Park Rangers will trace the development and construction of these fortifications and discuss the people associated with them.

308 Civil War Generals of Note but Not Renown
Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 27–May 15
Tallwood
Instructors: Dick Chobot, Bob Persell
Are you a Civil War buff and would like to know more about some of the names you’ve encountered? Or would you just like to know more about some fascinating people who played roles in one of our country’s most pivotal events? If so, then this course will interest you. The lives and careers of Generals Hood, Hampton, Gordon, Cleburne, Meigs, Haupt, Pope and Thomas will be examined.
Bob Persell has been an OLLI member for five years. A retired naval officer and former director of training and development at NASA, he has had a long-time interest in the Civil War. He holds a B.A. in history from the University of Virginia and an M.S. in international relations from George Washington University. He has been a member of the Bull Run and Alexandria Civil War Roundtables.
Dick Chobot is currently the executive director of OLLI. In his prior life he has more than 20 years experience in all aspects of instructional design, development and delivery.

309 Deep Roots: Mythology, Pagans and Us
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 29–Apr. 19
Tallwood
Instructor: Bob Bohall
Mythology, creation stories, early beliefs, legends and a seemingly confusing set of gods are common to all cultures. These oral epics and sagas helped explain the nature of the universe and humanity. Paganism is more commonly associated with Western civilizations. It brings to mind polytheism, decadent practices and rituals that would be considered repulsive by today’s standards. However, pagans were likely rational persons coping with problems not unlike persons of today. Pagan cultures and experiences eventually led to the evolution of major monotheistic religions including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Currently Wiccas, Neo-pagans and other groups embrace nature and the term pagan for themselves. We enjoy and perform rituals at our major annual holidays and celebrations that predominately have their roots in mythology and paganism. This four-week course will touch on religion but will be secular and non-theological in approach. Reference material will include the discussions of Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell, writings of Karen Armstrong and Robin Lane Fox and selected and hopefully valid gleanings from the Internet.
Bob Bohall, an OLLI member, is an economist with interests in history and human behavior.

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400: Literature, Theater & Writing

401 King Lear’s Journey to Enlightenment
Thursdays, 9:30–11:30, Apr. 5, 12, 19, 26, May 10, 17 (Note dates, time and place)
Jewish Community Center
Instructor: Kathryn Russell
Shakespeare’s King Lear chronicles the saga of a ruler who, though “every inch a king,” violates the bonds of trust between father and children, as well as between ruler and citizens. In the aftermath of his heedless decisions, Lear experiences both a downfall and ultimate restoration. This six-week course will trace the tragic hero’s journey from ignorance toward enlightenment as he suffers, and then becomes wise against his will. We will explore Lear’s odyssey through video performances of various actors, close reading of passages from the play and critical interpretations. We will use the New Folger Library edition of the play, which will be available for purchase at the Tallwood office.
Kathryn Russell taught high school English in Fairfax County for 21 years. An avid Shakespeare fan, she has taught several Shakespeare plays at OLLI, including Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Taming of the Shrew, Henry IV, Henry V and The Tempest, as well as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and works by Conrad, Faulkner and Hardy.

402 Verdi, Gounod and the Bard
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 28–Apr. 18
Tallwood
Instructors: Candace Reeder, Rick Davis
Join us as we continue our study of opera and Shakespeare. For nearly four hundred years, the plays of Shakespeare have offered a source of inspiration to composers, artists and writers. The Bard was one of Verdi’s favorite poets, as well as the poet who “will go on explaining us, in part because he invented us,” according to author Harold Bloom. This four-week class will examine two operas (Verdi’s Falstaff and Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet) based on Shakespeare’s plays (The Merry Wives of Windsor and Romeo and Juliet). We will also discuss the lives of Shakespeare, Verdi and Gounod; explore the similarities between Shakespeare and opera; and view highlights from the operas and plays. Candace Reeder will lead the discussion on opera, and Rick Davis will be our Shakespearean resource.
Candace Reeder was an opera singer for more than 15 years, performing such roles as Carmen, Rosina, Orlofsky, Lola and La Principessa. She earned music degrees from Eastman School of Music and Indiana University. She taught voice at Illinois State University and Levine School of Music, and created an opera program, “OPERAKIDS,” where middle-school aged children perform operas from the standard repertory, and study a curriculum based on each opera.
Rick Davis is associate dean of Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, as well as artistic director of Theater of the First Amendment and the Center for the Arts. An active director of theater and opera, Rick also has translated plays by Calderon and Ibsen. He holds degrees from Lawrence University and the Yale School of Drama. He has taught drama and other subjects at Mason since 1992 and has been a frequent lecturer at OLLI.

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403 Russian Culture
Mondays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Coordinator: Gordon Canyock
Known to most Americans as a Cold War adversary bristling with nuclear missiles aimed at our cities, Russia is also a nation with a long cultural tradition that has produced poets from Pushkin to Pasternak, artists from Rublev to Kandinsky, composers from Musorgsky and Tchaikovsky to Rachmaninov and Stravinsky, as well as authors Gogol, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov and Solzhenitsyn. We shall examine both historical and contemporary aspects of Russian culture, providing a glimpse into the Russian soul.

• Mar. 26: Capital of the Tsars and Soul of Mankind: How the Two St. Petersburgs Defined Russian Culture. John Brown, Ph.D., Princeton University. Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, University of Southern California Center on Public Diplomacy.
• Apr. 2: Blood and Magic: Western and National Influences in 19th Century Russian Music. Hubert Beckwith, Ph.D., University of Maryland. Mason adjunct professor of music.
• Apr. 9: The Cultural Influence of the Russian Orthodox Church. Julie Christensen, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley. Mason associate professor of Russian.
• Apr 16: Survey of Russian Art. Judy Canyock, B.S., Cornell University. Former Russian language teacher in Fairfax and Moscow, she has been a student of Russian culture for more than 40 years.
• Apr. 23, 30: Russian Literature: The Works of Gogol and Chekhov. Kristin Johnsen-Neshati, D.F.A., Yale School of Drama. Mason associate professor of theater.
• May 7: Culture in Contemporary Rural Russia. Margaret Paxson, Ph.D., University of Montreal. Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center.
• May 14: Stravinsky’s Russian Music. Thomas C. Owens, Ph.D., Yale University. Mason associate professor of music.

404 It’s the Pits! Dante’s Inferno and Gloria Naylor’s Linden Hills
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Apr. 9–May 14 (Note dates)
Tallwood
Instructor: Elizabeth Hudgins
Dante’s view of Hell differs greatly from Gloria Naylor’s twentieth-century African-American view, yet Naylor’s entire novel draws on Dante’s construct for its form. While Dante’s view is beautifully logical, based on philosophical presuppositions, Naylor’s is, in many ways, darker and more unsettling. Any edition of the texts will be fine, but please read the first 12 cantos of Dante for the first class. We will spend 3-4 weeks on Dante and 2-3 of the six weeks on Naylor. There will
probably be a nod or two toward Milton’s view and Solzhenitsyn’s (in The First Circle) in passing.
Elizabeth Hudgins taught English in the public schools for 32 years. She loves reading, Russian icons, writing and travel.

405 Examining American Experiences
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 27–May 15
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Jane Catron
This class will read and discuss a wide variety of American writers who examined their own experiences and responses and who left a rich legacy of their efforts. Beginning with selections from Henry Thoreau’s Walden, we will continue with other essayists who evaluate their own time and place and the impact on their personhood. Among these will be Annie Dillard, Theodore White and a phalanx of lesser known journalists. We will include Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, a remarkable dramatic achievement that holds up ordinary life in a small New Hampshire town at the turn of the last century to reveal its ongoing cosmic implications.
Jane Catron is a retired English teacher from McLean H.S. where she taught AP English for the last years of her career. She holds a master’s degree in liberal studies from Georgetown University where she continues as a Liberal Studies Fellow. This is her tenth class for LRI/OLLI.

406 Literary Roundtable
Wednesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 28–May 16
Reston’s Used Book Shop at Lake Anne
Moderators: Janice Dewire, Carol Henderson
Discover why the short story is truly an American form of literature as the class continues with an anthology begun last fall, the Norton Book of American Short Stories, edited by Peter Prescott. A hardback, published by W. W. Norton & Co. in 1988, it is available for $20 on amazon.com and from other sources. We read and discuss about three stories each week; authors this term range from Flannery O’Connor and Bernard Malamud to Richard Brautigan and Ellen Gilchrist. The class will complete the 70 tales in this book in the summer term. Class limit: 20.
Janice Dewire and Carol Henderson are enthusiastic Literary Roundtable participants and OLLI Board members who took on the moderator role several years ago for this popular course, one of the longest running at Lake Anne.

413 Poetry Workshop
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 27–May 15
Tallwood
Moderator: TBD
The Poetry Workshop, founded in 1991, is one of the earliest continuing courses offered by OLLI. The workshop auditions and critiques original poetry submitted by members of the group. It does not teach how to write poetry, nor does it focus on reading the work of well-known poets. Beginners as well as experienced poets are welcome. Emphasis is on encouraging the positive aspects of each poet’s work and suggesting changes, if any, that might improve the poem. Members are expected to bring either a new poem or a revised poem previously critiqued by the group to each session. The “Poets of Tallwood” have published three volumes of original poetry and have presented readings for the past nine years. Some members have won prizes in poetry competitions and are published poets.

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500: Languages

501 Speechreading (Lipreading) and Communication Strategies
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:30, Mar. 28, Apr. 12, 19, 26, May 2, 9, 16 (Note dates and time)
Tallwood
Instructor: Harriet KaplanHearing aids are only the first step to help improve communication. Speechreading and communication strategies can assist where hearing aids are less than optimal, as in noisy places. Speechreading is a cognitive skill that allows the listener to grasp the speaker’s words and thoughts by integrating perception of facial movements with natural gestures, body language, language rules and what is appropriate for a given situation. Although we all speechread to some extent, our skills can be improved. Communication strategies are behaviors that allow a listener either to avoid communication breakdown or resolve that breakdown when it occurs. Speechreading and communication strategies will be taught in this seven-week course by focusing on how to handle difficult communication situations that students in this course have experience.
Harriet Kaplan, an OLLI member, is a retired professor of audiology from Gallaudet University. She has a Ph.D. in speech and hearing science from the University of Maryland, and has specialized in rehabilitative audiology with a focus on communication problems of the older adult. She has published three professional books and many articles, including a book entitled Speechreading, A Way to Improve Understanding.

502 French for Fun
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 27–May 15
Tallwood
Instructor: Beverley Persell
This course will cover basic French grammar and will endeavor to make the learning of the French language enjoyable for you. You will be given different situations in which you need to speak French. Slides and films of France will be shown. You will have an opportunity to have a “gouter” of French food so you can experience why France is the capital of gourmet cooking. Enhancing your “joie de vivre” is one of our goals. The required French grammar workbook will be available for $4; see the registration form.
Beverley Persell has been a member of OLLI since 2004. This will be her fifth term teaching French at OLLI. She has taught Introduction to French through Advanced Placement French at the Congressional School of Virginia and Flint Hill Prep School. Beverley conducted eight trips to France for high school students. She holds a B.A. in French from Mary Washington College and has studied at the Sorbonne and the Université de Toulouse.

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601 Religious Culture and Our Public Life
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Coordinator: Bruce Reinhart
A classic definition of culture includes a “complex whole of knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” In this course we are primarily concerned with any part of this complex that relates to religion and defines the norms and standards for human behavior: what must be done, ought to be done, should be done, may be done and must not be done. Our nation has gone through a long tradition of separating church from state, but also pressed for an equally powerful inclination to mix religion and politics. Throughout our nation’s history, great political and social movements–from abolition to women’s suffrage, to civil rights, to today’s struggles over abortion and gay marriage–have drawn upon religious institutions for moral authority, international leadership and organizational muscle. But for the past generation, religion has been woven more deeply into the fabric of partisan politics than ever before. In recent presidential campaigns candidates openly discussed their religious beliefs, churches became increasingly active in political mobilization and voters sorted themselves out not just by their policy preferences, but also by the depth of their religious commitment. According to a July 2006 poll by the Pew Forum, roughly half of Americans (51 percent) think churches and other houses of worship should express their views on day-to-day social and political questions, while 46 percent believe these organizations should stay out of political matters. We will look at a variety of hot button issues concerning U.S. religious culture and political life, and draw upon a variety of resources to probe that relationship.

• Mar. 26: Religion and Politics in the United States. Gregory A. Smith, research associate, The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
• Apr. 2: Religious Culture in America. President and Warden Rev. Canon Howard Anderson, Cathedral College, Washington National Cathedral.
• Apr. 9: Science, Religion and Society. Chief Executive Officer and Executive Publisher Alan I. Leshner, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
• Apr. 16: Religion and Public Schools. Charles C. Haynes, senior scholar, Freedom Forum.
• Apr. 23: The Role of Religion and Government in Social Welfare. Robert W. Tuttle, professor, the George Washington University Law School, co-director of the Legal Tracking Project of the Roundtable on Religious and Social Welfare Policy.
• Apr. 30: Perspectives on Capital Punishment. Richard Dieter, executive director, The Death Penalty Information Center.
• May 7: Religiosity and Same Sex Marriages/Unions. David Masci, senior research fellow, The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
• May 14: American Religious Perspectives on World Affairs. General Secretary Rev. Robert W. Edgar, National Council of Churches, USA.
  

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602 Capitalist Ethics: Virtues and Vices in the Globalization Era
Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 27–Apr. 17
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Tom Hogarty
Are corporate chief executives paid too much? Should anything and everything be for sale at all times? Should trade agreements incorporate provisions concerning working conditions and environmental quality? Should Americans be allowed to invest their money anywhere in the world? Should North America’s borders be more open? Should foreign entities be allowed to own U.S. infrastructure, such as highways and ports? These questions, seemingly political and economic, raise issues of moral philosophy; questions like these are increasingly important in the current globalization era. This four-week discussion class will first review major ethical systems (e.g., Kantian) and recent trends in globalization (e.g., labor mobility during 1880-1914 and 1980-2007), then move to a detailed examination of capitalist ethics as distinguished from socialist ethics. The final goal is an ordering and evaluation of the classical seven virtues and seven deadly sins according to a capitalist world view.
Tom Hogarty has a B.A. and Ph.D. in economics, which he taught at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois universities. Before retiring, he was an economist on the staff of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee and Antitrust Subcommittee, then served at the General Accounting Office, Federal Trade Commission and the American Petroleum Institute. Ethics, language and literature are retirement hobbies. He is an OLLI member.

603 Israel’s Cities, Past and Present
Thursdays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 26–May 17
Tallwood
Instructor: Rabbi David Kalender
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Hebron, Jaffa, Tzfat (Safed—birthplace of Jewish mysticism) are among modern Israel’s cities and, all but Tel Aviv, her ancient cities as well. What are their individual political and religious significance throughout history? How have they defined, and are they defined by, the Jewish people? Come learn about them in this four-session class taught by a local rabbi and scholar who is a frequent visitor to this ancient land.
Rabbi David Kalender has made approximately 20 trips to Israel over the past 25 years and lived there for two of those years. He is married to an Israeli and this summer will lead his eighth tour of the country. Rabbi Kalender is the leader of Congregation Olam Tikvah in Fairfax.

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604 The Question of God: A Debate Between C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 29–May 17
Lake Anne Church
Instructors: Abbie Edwards
Many of history’s greatest thinkers have wrestled with the ultimate question of belief and non-belief in God. For more than 25 years, Dr. Armand N. Nicholi, Jr., associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, has taught a course on Freud and Lewis. With the support of PBS Productions, The Question of God is thorough dramatic storytelling and compelling visual recreations. We will witness Freud (an atheist) and Lewis (a vigorous proponent of faith in God) as they are brought together in a great debate. We will also listen in on one of Professor Nicholi’s classes, a round table discussion of atheists and believers as they discuss the issue, “Does God really exist?” Join us for this lively and thought-provoking presentation and for an opportunity to discuss the issues as presented by this DVD documentary.
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. She is currently teaching Eastern Philosophies at the Loudoun Mason campus.

605 Introduction to Greek Philosophy: Plato and Aristotle
Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Instructor: Bob Lawshe
The ancient Greeks believed that ideas should be accepted or rejected not on the basis of divine or human authority but by the power of reason and evidence alone. They have shaped our culture and continue to challenge, inspire and enlighten us. Plato and Aristotle were undoubtedly the preeminent philosophers of this ancient Greek world, and certainly rank on anyone’s list of all-time key thinkers. Alfred North Whitehead famously remarked that all of Western philosophy consists of a series of footnotes to Plato. For much of the last 2,000 years Aristotle was known simply as “The Philosopher.” Although Plato and Aristotle studied and worked together, like all in good teacher/ student relationships, they disagreed with each other. Our goal for this session is to read and discuss a series of passages from Plato on Knowledge and the Forms and from Aristotle on Physics and Metaphysics.
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.

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606 Copernicus and Planetary Cosmology
Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 27–May 15
Lake Anne Church
Instructor: Bob Lawshe
Upon completion of his university studies in Italy, Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) began his position as a canon of the Cathedral Church in Frombork, Warmia (in today’s northeastern Poland), “the remotest corner of the earth.” His duties included, in addition to those of a canon, medical doctor, diplomat, secretary to the Prince/Bishop, chapter administrator, cartographer, military leader, economist and governor. In his “spare” time he pursued his interests in painting and mathematics/astronomy. From this latter avocation sprang his major published book, De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium, which ignited the scientific revolution and changed the world forever. Join us for an exhilarating romp through the centuries as we explore not only the life and work of this remarkable man but also the history of astronomy, abridged, from Thales to Kepler.
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.

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700: Current Events

701 The Honky-Tonk Gap
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Apr. 23–May 14
Tallwood
Instructor: David FiresteinLike all modern American presidential elections, those of 2000 and 2004 were about not issues or ideas, but identity. George W. Bush was elected and re-elected because he managed to speak, often in subtextual ways, to a deep-seated yearning inside many Americans for that time in American history, real or imagined, when families were more traditional, more whole and closer-knit, when children said the Pledge of Allegiance in school without challenge or controversy and when there was sharper moral clarity in our national life. No force in recent years has done more to craft, codify, inculcate and popularize this specific sense of identity, particularly in the states now considered “red,” than contemporary country music radio. The Bush campaign’s paramount achievement in 2000 and 2004 was to recognize and tap into this country music-fueled vision and convincingly invoke its code and symbolism, in ways invisible to most analysts but intuitively understood by the campaign’s target audience. This four-week course will examine this thesis by analyzing the 2000 and 2004 election results, the pertinent U.S. Census data and contemporary country music itself (with special emphasis on the music’s geographic reach and message). In each class, we will listen to, analyze and discuss country music songs that were playing during these campaigns and explore the music’s role in framing the issues of the day and priming voters for the Bush/Cheney message.
David Firestein, a career diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, is an expert in the political communication effect of contemporary country music and a frequent lecturer on this topic; he is the author of the seminal article, The Honky-Tonk Gap: Country Music, Red State Identity, and the Election of 2004 (2005).

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702 American Perspectives: Revised Foreign Policy–The Next Two Years
Thursdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 29–May 17
Tallwood
Coordinator: Joan Salemi
U.S. foreign policy is being tested politically, economically and militarily. To meet that test, we must be willing to embrace a practical and comprehensive world view. It is crucial to our position as the world’s superpower that we be perceived as a force for peace, fair in our actions as we move to protect our interests. Former ambassadors and subject area specialists will address the critical issues facing us today.

• Mar. 29: Iraq: Stability or Storm: Can We Keep The Lid On? Ambassador David Newton, currently an adjunct scholar at the Middle East Institute, has a distinguished 36-year career in the Foreign Service. He served as ambassador to Yemen (1994-97) and as ambassador to Iraq (1984-88), for which he received a Presidential Meritorious Service award. He has lived for 22 years in the Arab world.
• Apr. 5: Fighting Terrorism: Are We Safer Today? William Pope, member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service until his retirement in 2005, held a number of high-level positions in Washington, most recently as the State Department’s principal deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism.
• Apr. 12: Pakistan, A Precarious Partner. Dr. Syed Hasnat, former chairman of the Department of Political Science at the University of Lahore, Pakistan, he also served as a professor at Jordan’s Institute of Strategic Studies. He currently is an adjunct scholar at the Public Policy Center at the Middle East Institute, and is author or co-author of numerous books and articles on Persian Gulf security issues.
• Apr. 19: Iran, Confrontation or Concession? Foreign Service Officer Stephen Dachi served for 30 years in South Asia, Central Europe and Latin America. Currently he is chair of South Asia Area Studies Seminars at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center at the Department of State, and a professorial lecturer on political Islam at the Elliott School for International Affairs at George Washington University.
• Apr. 26: Women and Islam. Andrea Farsakh’s 25-year Foreign Service career included assignments in the Department of State; Dhahran and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Egypt and Tunisia. As political counselor in Tunisia, she was designated the primary liaison of the U.S. embassy to the Palestine Liberation Organization after the signing of the Oslo Agreement. Ms. Farsakh has visited every Arab country except Libya, and has lived in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon and Palestine.
• May 3: Can the U.S. Prevail Against Global Competition? Shaun Donnelly, assistant U.S. trade representative for Europe and the Middle East at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative . He is responsible for U.S. trade policy toward Europe, Eurasia and the Middle East. He is a Foreign Service Officer with a 33-year career at the Department of State.
• May 10: Central Asia: Friends and Changing Interests. Ambassador Grant Smith, currently Senior Fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s Central Asia Caucasus Institute, represented the United States in Tajikistan from 1995-98. He retired in 2000 after 38 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, but returned in 2003 to serve as acting political adviser to the Commander of Coalition Forces in Afghanistan.
• May 17: China, Political Partner or Alien Colossus? Jay Taylor, formerly director of analysis for Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Department of State and deputy assistant Secretary of State for intelligence and research, has written, directed and produced documentaries for PBS. An acclaimed writer for the Harvard University Press, he is currently writing a biography of Chiang Kaishek.
  

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703 Russia: An Overview
Wednesdays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 28–May 16
Tallwood
Coordinators: Gordon Canyock, Jack Underhill
The fall of the Berlin Wall led to the collapse of the superpower Soviet Union and its de facto empire, leaving Russia to reinvent itself and adjust to its new position in a world dominated by the United States. This course will examine the trends that have emerged in the 15 years since the USSR split into constituent republics, leaving a separate Russia to secure its future in a not always friendly environment.

• Mar. 28: Panel Discussion: Introduction to Russia. Gordon Canyock was the Commandant of the U.S. Army Russian Institute, served two tours as a military attaché in the U.S. Embassy Moscow and later worked in Russia for the State Department as a special assistant for humanitarian aid. Jack Underhill received his Ph.D. from the University of California (Berkeley) and is a city planner with considerable onsite experience in Russia.
• Apr. 4: Overview of the History of Russia. Donald N. Jensen, director of communications at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, writes extensively on Russian politics and foreign policy. A Foreign Service Officer from 1985-1996, Mr. Jensen joined RFE/RL after two years in Moscow as deputy chief of the U.S. Embassy’s Political/Internal Section. He received his B.A. from Columbia and master’s and Ph.D. from Harvard. He has taught at Harvard, Stanford and Cornell Universities and currently is an adjunct professor of comparative politics at George Washington University.
• Apr. 11: The Russian Economy. Peter Boettke, director of graduate studies, Department of Economics, Mason, received his Ph.D. in 1989 from Mason. He has held research or faculty positions at New York University, Hoover Institution at Stanford University, Academy of Sciences in Moscow, Central European University and London School of Economics. He returned to Mason in 1998. He is the author of The Political Economy of Soviet Socialism: The Formative Years, 19181928; Why Perestroika Failed; The Politics and Economics of Socialist Transformation; Calculation and Coordination: Essays of Socialism and Transitional Political Economy.
• Apr. 18: Contemporary Russian Foreign Policy: Concepts and Domestic Factors. David J. Firestein, U.S. Department of State, received a B.A. degree at Georgetown University and an M.A. from the University of Texas prior to joining the Foreign Service in 1992. From 1998 to 2002 he served at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and taught at the prestigious Moscow State Institute (University) for International Relations, Russia’s premier training ground for diplomats. Currently, he works at State Department headquarters and is an adjunct professor at the University of Texas (Austin), where he teaches a graduate course on “Contemporary U.S.-Russia Relations: Issues, Challenges and Prospects.”
• Apr 25: The Continuing Empire: Non-Russians in Contemporary Russia. Matthew P. Romaniello, Department of History and Art History, Mason, received a B.A. at Brown University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in history at Ohio State University. He has published several articles on Russia’s nationalities, including recent work in Nationalities Papers and Central Asian Survey.
• May 2: Democracy and the Upcoming Presidential Elections. Daniel L. Burghart is a professor of national security and eurasian studies at the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington, D.C. A retired U.S. Army colonel and specialist on Russia, he previously taught at the National Defense University, served as senior national security policy advisor at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and was the defense attaché to Kazakhstan. He has a B.A. from Illinois University, an M.A. from Wisconsin University and a Ph.D. in Russian and International Studies from the University of Surrey (U.K.). He is the author of Red Microchip: Technology Transfer, Export Control and Economic Restructuring in the Soviet Union, and co-editor of the recently published book, In the Tracks of Tamerlane: Central Asia’s Path to the 21st Century.
• May 9: Importance of Russia to the United States. Director Blair Ruble, Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies of the Woodrow Wilson Center, received his Ph.D. and M.A. in political science from the University of Toronto and his A.B. from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill). He has been a scholar/lecturer-in-residence at Leningrad State University (19741975) and the Soviet Academy of Sciences (1979, 1981, 1984, 1986). He has edited a dozen books and authored several monographs, including Leningrad: Shaping a Soviet City.
• May 16: Centralization of Power in Contemporary Russia. Donald Jensen (see April 4).
  

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704 Insurgency and Terrorism
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 29–May 17
Tallwood
Instructor: David Rosenbaum
Insurgency is at least as old as David against King Saul. We will concentrate on Western insurgencies, which had a significant urban component, starting with the Cuban revolt against Spain, which ended when Spain lost the Spanish-American War. Other areas covered will be Ireland, Israel, Cyprus, Cuba (Castro), Vietnam, Peru (Shining Path) and other Latin American examples and Islamic terrorism. The main point will be to see what we can learn from the past that is relevant to present and future policies and actions.
David Rosenbaum, a retired migrant worker, has been studying insurgencies and terrorism since 1960. He has written a number of reports that were front page news and often testified in front of congressional committees as an expert in the subject.

705 The Middle East in Turmoil
Mondays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 26–May 14
Tallwood
Coordinator: Carlyn Elder
“I know not with what weapons WWIII will be fought, but WWIV will be fought with sticks and stones.” (Albert Einstein). The United States must deal with the many dangerous situations in the Middle East. Our speakers will help us understand the heightened dangers there.

• Mar. 26: Iran: A Rising Regional Power? Dr. Shaul Bakhash, Robinson Professor of Middle East History, Mason.
• Apr. 2: The U.S. in an Era of Middle East Multiple Crises. Ambassador Sam Lewis.
• Apr. 9: Syria’s Role in the Middle East. Col. Max Kovel, retired military officer with industry background.
  
• Apr. 16: Peace in Israel and Palestine. Why so Difficult? What Should America Do? Ambassador (ret.) Philip C. Wilcox, Jr., president, Foundation for Middle East Peace.
• Apr. 23: A Tale of Three Terrorists: Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin-Laden, and Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi. Carlyn Elder, Ph.D.
• Apr. 30: Post Saddam Iraq. Nimrod Raphaeli, Ph.D., senior analyst at the Middle East Media Research Center.
• May 7: Crises in Afghanistan: The Impact of Pakistan and the Role of NATO and the United States. Stephen F. Dachi, professorial lecturer on political Islam at George Washington University and chair, South Asia Area Studies at the Foreign Language Institute.
• May 14: Syriana, starring George Clooney. The movie is based on Middle East events concerning people, oil and governments, including the role of the CIA.
  

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706 India: The Ancient Neophyte
Tuesdays, 11:30–1:00, March 27–May 15
Tallwood
Coordinator: Rosemary McDonald India, the largest democracy in the world with a population exceeding one billion, is one of the world’s top ten industrial powers. In a country where 18 languages and 500 dialects are spoken, where there are at least 30 religions, an infinity of castes and subcastes and a highly illiterate population half of which are beggars, India faces extraordinary challenges. This course will examine many of the important issues that face India today.

801 Biotechnology: Using Genetics to Improve Living Systems
Mondays, 11:30 – 1:00, Apr. 23–May 14
Tallwood
Coordinator: Averett Tombes
Scientists now have detailed knowledge concerning the genetic material of economically important plants and animals. With this knowledge, they can obtain desired characteristics by cloning selected genes and inserting them into a host organism. This new phenomenon is called biotechnology. The first lecture of four will concentrate on the contents of a cell and the thousands of genes that control all the characteristics of the developing organism. The next two lectures will focus on improving human health and the quality of agricultural products through biotechnology. The last lecture will focus on the costs and benefits of this technology, the issues related to trade and the prospects for improving health. Keep the following questions in mind concerning biotechnology: Are there limits to altering something as fundamental as genetic material? What are the costs and benefits to industry? Does the implementation of these changes depend on social and economic conditions or religious and moral values? These presenters will bring their knowledge and expertise to help us understand this important new scientific development.

• Apr. 23: Introduction to Cell Structure and Genomics. Geraldine Grant, Ph.D., professor, Mason.
• Apr. 30: Biotechnology’s Applications to Human Health. Michael Losow, masters in public administration, J.D., Biotechnology Industry Organization, Washington, D.C.
• May 7: Agriculture and Biotechnology: Focus on Plants. Peter Bretting, Ph.D., senior national program leader, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD.
• May 14: Industry’s Perspective on the Costs and Benefits of Biotechnology: Opportunities and Issues. Warren Strauss, Ph.D., vice president for food policy, Monsanto Company, Washington, D.C.
  

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802 Science and Technology Today
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 27–May 15
Tallwood
Coordinators: Mel Gottlieb, Marian Grabowski
The speakers will cover a variety of topics in science, health and technology.

• Mar. 27: Neuro-economics of Regret and Stock Market Trading. Kevin A. McCabe, professor of economics and law, Krasnow Institute, Mason. The speaker’s MRI measurements indicate a regret signal in the brain that correlates with trading behavior. The extent to which motivational systems in the brain use opportunity costs to guide goal-directed behaviors will be discussed.
• Apr. 3: Discovering Bats. Leslie Sturges, Director, Bat World NOVA. Misunderstood and little known, bats comprise 20 percent of all mammalian species. This program will explore the basic biology of bats and the ecology of local bat species, as well as innovative research projects and methods for bat study.
• Apr. 10: Technology for Aging Eyes and Ears. Sandra Japikse, Fairfax County Library System. Library services available to persons with impaired sight, hearing, and mobility will be discussed.
• Apr. 17: Virtual Reality for Surgery and Anatomy. Jim X. Chen, associate professor of computer science (Mason). An overview of projects in the Graphics Lab at Mason, including Simulation of Fluids, ‘Eductainment’: Learning through Playing, A Knee Surgery Assistance System, Virtual Ear Surgery, Virtual Human Anatomy and Designing a New Graphics Pipeline.
• Apr. 24: Engineering Biological Computers and Neural Prosthetic Devices. Nathalia Peixoto, professor of electrical and computer engineering (Mason). The talk will describe first steps toward a hybrid neuronal-computer. Potential applications include enhanced computational power and neural prosthetic devices. Successes thus far include implants for spinal cord injuries and Parkinson’s disease, and cochlear implants.
• May 1: Cold Fusion Confusion. David Nagel, research professor, George Washington University. Cold fusion, thought by most to be dead, is in fact alive, if not well. Experimental data for low-energy nuclear reactions are extensive, but the theoretical side is in flux.
• May 8: Climate and the Chesapeake Bay. David Miller, Naval Research Laboratory. Chesapeake Bay provides transportation, recreation, habitat, food and power to many of the 16 million people who live within its watershed. This talk will examine how the ecosystem responds to pressure from both human activities and current weather variability, how it may respond to future climate change and how these changes may affect the way we enjoy the Bay.
• May 15: Mason’s Innovations in Preparing the Next Generation of Health Care Service Professionals. Peggy Maddox, professor, Mason (Health Records). Mason’s innovations in preparing the next generation of healthcare service professionals (health administrators, clinicians, researchers, health policy experts), given science and health trends, will be described.
  

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803 Oceanography
Mondays, 11:30–1:00, Mar. 26–Apr. 16
Tallwood
Coordinator: Chester Schuler
Join a group of Mason scientists and learn about the various aspects of the science of the oceans.

• Mar. 26: Ocean Circulation. Barry Klinger, associate professor, Mason’s Climate Dynamics Department. Dr. Klinger will describe some simple patterns that emerge from the complex, turbulent ocean currents. The earth’s rotation and other influences produce surprising effects, including “hills” composed entirely of water, jets of water stuck to one side of each ocean basin, giant undersea “waterfalls,” and a “conveyer” circulation linking the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
• Apr. 2: Geologic Processes of Coastal Louisiana and the Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Can New Orleans Survive? Randolph A. McBride, associate professor of geology, Mason Department of Environmental Science and Policy. Dr. McBride will discuss the geologic and oceanographic factors that played a major role in the impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Specifically, he will address the geologic history and wetland loss issue of coastal Louisiana, explain the oceanographic influence of the Loop Current on the development of intense hurricanes in 2005, examine storm surge and its impact on coastal Mississippi and New Orleans, and discuss the future of New Orleans. Dr. McBride spent 14 years in Louisiana conducting research.
• Apr. 9: Ocean-climate Interaction. Paul Schopf, associate dean for research and computing, and professor of oceanography, Mason’s College of Science. The ocean plays a major role in influencing climate. Dean Schopf will describe the ways in which the ocean interacts with the atmosphere to control and moderate climate, from seasonal effects, El Nino, decadal changes and their role in climate change. He has written extensively on El Nino theory and modeling and is a member of the U.S. scientific panel on Climate Variability andPredictablilty.
• Apr. 16: Biological Oceanography. Robert B. Jonas, chair, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Mason. Professor Jonas’ research focuses mainly on estuarine and oceanic systems. He is working on, among other projects, microbiological aspects of diseases of reef building corals, including sampling diseased and healthy control corals from tropical waters of The Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico.
  

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804 Alternative Energy
Monday, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 23–May 14
Tallwood
Instructors: Richard Hibbert, Charles Faxon
The good news is that the worldwide use of alternative energy is growing steadily; the bad news is that worldwide demand for fossil fuels, i.e., oil, natural gas and coals, is growing faster. The planet, according to the media, appears to be in perpetual energy chaos; but do not lose heart. We will look at PowerPoint presentations of renewable energy projects—nuclear, hydro, geothermal, biomass, wind, ocean waves and solar energy. We will discuss the advances being made. This four-week class will include a field trip to Jennie and Dick Hibbert’s “Terra Uchi”, a home featured in the national exhibit of solar homes. A classroom session will cover the architectural, construction specifications, and technical requirements of building this solar home in Fairfax Station and other solar projects, both past and future.
Charles Faxon is an OLLI member and a geologist. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and did post graduate study at Montana School of Mines. He has taught, instructed jointly, and/or coordinated courses on Canadian oil exploration, New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina’s effect on the U.S. oil and gas infrastructure and the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
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 13 years.

805 eBay for the Beginner
Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Mar. 26, Apr. 2 (Note dates)
GMU Telework and Training Center
Instructor: Anne Walsh
You have carried around that 1971 annual Hummel plate for years and you are now ready to sell it. Where do you begin? This two-week class will teach you how to become more Internet savvy about eBay. Learn how to buy and sell on eBay, the world’s largest online auction. Become familiar with safety and security procedures when selling or buying online. Please include a lab fee of $21 with your registration form. The Training Center is located at 4031 University Drive, Suite 110, Fairfax. Free parking is available behind the building.
Anne Walsh was a professional Web surfer for several years and assisted in building one of the largest directories on the Internet at the time. She has retired from 30 years in the Army Reserves and now has a home-based travel office. Class limit: 12.

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901 Intermediate Bridge: Play of the Hand
Thursdays, 2:00–4:00, Mar. 29–May 17 (Note time)
Tallwood
Instructor: Dave McIntyre
Designed for members who are already familiar with Bridge basics, this course will provide a review of standard bidding used in the OLLI Bridge Club, introduce a few new conventions and focus on strategies and techniques of playing various card combinations, establishing suits, taking finesses, making safety plays, unblocking and ducking. There will be a materials fee of $20, payable with your registration form. Class limit: 20.
Dave McIntyre is a member of the American Contract Bridge League, a Life Master, and a teacher of bridge accredited by the American Bridge Teachers Association.

902 Slices and Snippets
Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30, Apr. 24–May 15
Tallwood
Coordinators: Debbie Halverson, Bob Bohall
Join eight OLLI members willing to share a slice of history as they experienced it. In this four-week course, the presenters will tell about the good, the bad, the dynamic and the tough times. Two members each week will share their personal stories and give us a snippet of their world as they lived it. These promise to be fun, poignant, scary, ironic and real stories to which we all can relate.

• Apr. 24: Little Rock Central High School, 1957. Joan Axilbund. 11,000 Persons, 100 Days. Ray Beery.
• May 1: Chicken Heart. Manny Pablo. How to Win a Lexus. Valerie Braybrooke.
• May 8: Give My Regrets to Broadway: An Innocent in Gomorrah. KathieWest. The Big Run. Bob Bohall.
• May 15: Adventures in Alcoholism. Anonymous. Mystery Guest.
  

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903 Reston Springs to Life
Thursdays, 2:00–3:30, Apr. 26, May 3, May 10 (Note dates)
Reston Sites
Coordinators: Claudia Thompson-Deahl, Nicki Foremsky
Join Reston Association’s Environmental Resource staff on an interpretive hike to three of Reston’s natural areas. These three interpretive hikes will cover different habitats. Participants should dress for the weather and wear sturdy walking shoes or boots.

• Apr. 26: Spring Wildflowers. Claudia Thompson-Deahl, Reston Association Environment Resource Manager. Enjoy spring ephemeral wildflowers along the Wildflower Trail in the south part of the Walker Nature Education Center. Bluebells, trilliums, spring beauties and bloodroot should be blooming. Park at the trailhead along Soapstone Drive between Glade Drive and Lawyers Road. You will see a crosswalk and nature center sign.
• May 3: Stream Restoration. Nicki Foremsky, Reston Association’s Watershed Manager, experienced in water quality and watersheds, she has a master’s in environmental science and management from Duquesne University. Explore Reston’s watersheds and learn about the stream restoration project along Snakeden Branch. Wear shoes or boots that can get wet; wear long pants and bug spray. We will hike down the stream and natural area located behind the Hunters Woods Village Center, observing stream characteristics and techniques used to help reduce erosion. Nicki monitors and manages the Association’s lakes, ponds, and streams and explores ways to help protect and improve Reston’s water resources. From Colts Neck Road, turn into the Hunters Woods Village Center. Park near the Rite Aid/Burger King; we will meet behind the Rite Aid.
• May 10: Sunrise Valley Wetlands. Claudia Thompson-Deahl. Observe a created wetland and look for spring birds on their migration. Bring binoculars and we will hike along the trails and talk about the plants and birds found in this park. A map and directions will be provided at the previous class.
  

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Special Events

For location of special event sites and directions, see maps (pdf) or the Maps & Directions page.

• Check with the coordinator if you have questions about a special event.
• Include any fees for special events in separate checks with your registration form.
• Sign the waiver on the back of the registration form for all bus trips.

A. The Supreme Court
Bus Trip
Friday, Mar. 30, 10:00–3:00
Coordinator: Ben Gold 
Visit the Supreme Court, the most powerful and prestigious judicial institution in the world. Attend a lecture in the Courtroom, view an interesting short film of interviews with all the current sitting justices and tour some areas of the building not seen by the general public. Ben Gold hopes to arrange for one of the Justices to meet with and speak to our group. He has served as a docent at the Supreme Court for the past four years. Lunch will be on our own in the cafeteria at the Supreme Court. The bus will leave promptly at 10:00 from Fair Oaks Mall, Lot No. 44, outside the circular road near the original Macy’s. Please be at the bus no later than 9:45. The fee of $18 covers the cost of the bus fare and driver gratuity and is payable to OLLI with your registration form.

B. Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci
Presented by Virginia Opera Sunday, Apr. 1, 2:00
Mason Center for the Arts
Virginia Opera’s 2006-2007 Season concludes with the double-billed blockbuster known as Cav/Pag—Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni and I Pagliacci by Ruggiero Leoncavallo. Intense and dramatic, both operas portray a “gritty slice of life” in rural Italy. Prime examples of the Italian verismo style, Cav/Pag expresses elemental human passion, jealousy and heartbreak through its powerful music and unforgettable characters. Tickets are $65, payable to OLLI with your registration form. Call the OLLI office at 703-503-3384 if you have questions. Tickets will be mailed to the member’s home address. See Course 108.

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C. Peter Henriques: George Washington Celebrity Scholar
Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2:00 –3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Velma Berkey
Professor Henriques, a celebrity author on George Washington, will deliver a presentation, “Honored Madam: George Washington’s Controversial Relationship with his Mother, Mary Ball Washington.” Dr. Henriques takes a new look at the important relationship between George Washington and his mother, a woman who has been described by some as a saint and by others as a shrew. This intimate issue hails from Dr. Henriques’ book, Realistic Visionary: A Portrait of George Washington, now in its second printing. For several years, Dr. Henriques, professor emeritus at Mason, has been the pied piper at OLLI for students of George Washington. He is the author of The Death of George Washington: He Died as He Lived, in addition to many published magazine and journal articles. A frequent speaker at Mount Vernon and Gadsby’s Tavern, Dr. Henriques can also be found on lecture circuits around the metro area.

D. There’s a Jester in My Closet
Wednesday, Apr. 18, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Brenda Cheadle
In celebration of the Shakespeare in Washington Festival, actress and author Mary Schaller introduces her alter-ego, Tarleton, court jester for Queen Elizabeth I, in a first-person, historical character straight from the backstairs of Greenwich Palace, London, 1597. Tarleton will entertain modern-day lords and ladies with the latest gossip from the Queen’s court, share fashion tips involving chopins and bum rolls, give a dancing lesson and answer questions about the life and times of London in the sixteenth century. In real life, Mary Schaller is an award-winning Harlequin novelist as well as a docent at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington for the past three decades. She has impersonated Tarleton at schools, Renaissance Faires, medieval feasts, etc., for nearly 20 years and she immortalized him in her novel, Fool’s Paradise. Copies of this novel will be available.

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E. Maymont, a Gilded Age Estate
Bus Trip Friday, April 20, 8:00–6:00
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Through the gates of Maymont, we will enter a world of timeless elegance and natural beauty. From 1893 to 1925, it was the home of railroad magnate Major James Dooley and his wife, Sallie May. We will begin a guided tour on an open-sided tram along their magnolia-lined road, past the Carriage House and other estate buildings, to view some of the wildlife habitats. An oasis in the middle of Richmond, Maymont is one of the most elaborate Victorian landscapes on the East Coast. We will explore the ever-blooming Italian Garden, the Japanese Garden with its 45-foot waterfall and the Arboretum with its collection of trees and shrubs not found elsewhere in Virginia. Our tour will continue with a visit to the opulent 33-room mansion, which reflects the lavish lifestyle of American millionaires of the 1890s. Frescoes, Tiffany stained glass and fine woodwork adorn upstairs interiors, appointed with original furnishings including the unique swan bed. Downstairs, the kitchen, pantries, wine cellar and other restored rooms reveal the story of the domestic staff. After our tour of the House Museum, we will enjoy a boxed lunch, pre-ordered from The Maymont Café. Each lunch includes a side dish, dessert and a beverage (coca-cola product or water). Please select one of the following:
   A. Turkey and Havarti sandwich—ranch dressing on multi-grain bread
   B. Dill tuna salad sandwich on pita
   C. Tarragon chicken salad sandwich on pita
   D. Garden vegetables with ranch dressing wrap
A self-guided tour of the Nature Center follows, with its 20-foot waterfall and 26,000 gallons of linked aquariums. We will end our day with a visit to the gift shop. The bus will leave promptly at 8:00 from Fair Oaks Mall, Parking Lot No. 44, outside the circular road across from the original Macy’s. Please be at the bus no later than 7:45. The fee of $57, payable to OLLI with your registration form, includes tours of the gardens and the Maymont House Museum, the Nature Center, the box lunch, bus fare and driver gratuity. This trip is limited to 48 members. Please remember to indicate your lunch selection on your registration form.

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F. Celebrity News with Liz Kelly: Why We Care
Wednesday, Apr. 25, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Now more than ever, Americans are obsessed with celebrity news. If you are conversant in Brangelina and TomKat, this class is for you. If not, this class is also for you. From Britney Spears to Paris Hilton and beyond, the tabloid gossip industry is growing in a time of general print news decline; a profusion of Internet gossip sites are drawing huge traffic numbers on the Web. Why? Love it or hate it, we’re all interested in celebrity gossip. Join a discussion about celebrity news, its place in culture and why it is okay to care what Gwyneth Paltrow wears to the Academy Awards. Liz Kelly is the author of washingtonpost.com’s Celebritology Blog, where she writes daily about matters of little import to the real world, but of great interest to gossip junkies. She can also be heard daily talking about celebrity news on Washington Post Radio, 107.7 FM, 1500 AM.

G. Transportation Options for Seniors in Fairfax County
Friday, Apr. 27, 1:00–3:00 (Note day and time)
Tallwood
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Denis Paddeu, transportation planner for Fairfax County Department of Transportation, will present valid and tangible transportation resources that exist for the senior population of Fairfax County. Two specific programs will be presented in some detail. Seniors On-the-Go! is a locally funded, subsidized taxicab program that was established in 2001. It provides Fairfax County residents 65 years of age or older who meet income criteria with a flexible, supplemental transportation resource that helps to meet individual transportation needs. Travel Training is short-term, one-on-one or small group instruction provided to demonstrate how seniors may travel safely and independently using the local transportation system. This concept, used for some time, is now being broadened to assist seniors on fixed-route transit. The programs FASTRAN, Metro-Access and WMATA Senior Citizen Reduced Fare Program will also be discussed. Joining Mr. Paddeu will be Jeanna Muhoro, outreach recruiter and Nohemy Miranda, pedestrian marketing coordinator.

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H. French Cheeses
Wednesday, May 2, 2:00–3:30
Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston 1625 Wiehle Avenue
Instructor: Cécile Heatley
Charles de Gaulle once asked, “How can anyone be expected to govern a country with 325 cheeses?” Forty years later, the number of cheeses in France has increased to more than 500. Cécile Heatley will explore how so many different cheeses can possibly exist, the process of cheese making, the mysteries of Roquefort and the art of buying and serving cheese. A native of France, the instructor teaches French at the Alliance Française and French cooking at the Edmund Burke School in Washington, D.C. Class members will sample cow, goat and sheep cheeses. Note: Some cheeses may be made from or contain raw milk and/or mold. Members may stay one-half hour after class to enjoy a social time. A $15 fee, payable with the registration form, covers cheese, bread and beverage. Class limit: 25.

I. George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens
Friday, May 4, 8:30–4:30
Bus trip
Coordinator: Lillian Justice
One hundred forty-six years after Mount Vernon first opened to tourists, two new facilities introduce us to the real George Washington using artifacts, dioramas and tableaux. Much of his story is told through 14 films and videos shown at the Ford Orientation Center and the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center. Both new buildings are mostly underground so as not to detract from the mansion. At the Orientation Center we see an overview of Mount Vernon and watch a 20-minute action-oriented movie about Washington and the events that defined his leadership, character and legacy. We will also see Mount Vernon in miniature, an authentic, one-twelfth scale replica of the mansion. The Museum and Education Center features 23 galleries and theaters that illuminate Washington’s life. The Museum, with more than 500 objects, offers an insightful look into the taste, style and personalities of the Washingtons. The Education Center uses technology to tell Washington’s life story. Forensic investigation and research helped to create three life-size models of Washington as a 19-year-old surveyor, 45-year-old general and 57-year-old president, with a gallery devoted to showing how the figures were made. Our two-course lunch at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant will include dessert, non-alcoholic beverage and a choice of one of the following:
   A. Colonial Turkey Pye: a crock of turkey and vegetables topped with homemade biscuit
   B. Valley Forge Soup and Sandwich: a hot mug of homemade soup with half a ham-and-Swiss-cheese sandwich on rye bread
   C. Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna
We will also visit the mansion and gift ship as time allows. Be prepared for a good amount of walking. The bus will leave promptly at 8:30 from Fair Oaks Mall, Parking Lot No. 44, outside the circular road across from the original Macy’s. Please be at the bus no later than 8:15. The fee of $50, payable to OLLI with your registration form, includes admission to Mount Vernon, lunch, bus fare and driver gratuity. Please remember to indicate your choice of lunch A, B or C on your registration form.

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J. The Dark Lady of the Sonnets
Presented by GMU Opera Theatre Friday, May 4, 8:00
Mason’s Harris Theater
For the first time in its ten-year history, GMU Spring Opera will premiere a new operatic work. The one-act comedy, The Dark Lady of the Sonnets, is based on a play by George Bernard Shaw and focuses on a young William Shakespeare and his collaboration with Queen Elizabeth and the dark lady of the sonnets. Joining the Shakespeare in Washington Festival in celebration of William Shakespeare, the GMU Opera will feature works with a Shakespearean theme. American composer Philip Hagemann, who completed the work this year, will be opera composer-in-residence this semester in the Department of Music. Mr. Hagemann will give the pre-opera discussion on this opening night at 6:30 in the Johnson Center. Also programmed with this one-act opera will be scenes from Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, Mendelssohn’s Mid-Summer Night’s Dream and Verdi’s Falstaff. Tickets are $10, payable to OLLI with your registration form.

K. Coptic Egypt: An Armchair Tour
Wednesday, May 9, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Margaret Andino
Come see the Egypt most people don’t know about: Coptic Egypt. On her return visit to OLLI, Coptic iconographer Evelyn Avery Rophael will give a presentation of slides and video on her extensive travels through Egypt. While visiting well-known tourist places such as the great pyramids and the incredible Khan el Khalili Bazaar, our armchair tour will concentrate on Egyptian places of biblical history, such as Mt. Sinai; places in Egypt at which the holy family is said to have visited; historic Coptic Christian places such as the ancient but still inhabited monasteries; and Jewish, Greek, Roman and Byzantine holy places in Egypt such as ancient and modern Alexandria and Cairo. We’ll also take a look at the Coptic church in today’s Egypt. To relieve the stress of traveling several thousand years of history in an hour-and-a half, a modest snack of Egyptian pastries will be offered. Evelyn Avery Rophael has done icons for several Coptic churches in the United States, and has written several books about the Coptic church. She counts monks, ruffians and cat-lovers among her friends in Egypt, and comes prepared with stories of romance and adventure about the “other” history of Egypt.

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L. The Reston Museum
Wednesday, May 9, 2:00–3:30
Reston Museum
The Reston Museum at Lake Anne will host us, and has invited several founding members of the Lake Anne Community, including Chuck Veatch, Bob Simon, Jim Cleveland and Bill Nicoson, who will recount the stories of their roles in the founding of our community. Weather permitting, we will stroll around the plaza and look at some nearby gardens with the residents who created them. Refreshments will be served. Come join your neighbors for this unique opportunity! The Museum is located at 1639 Washington Plaza at Lake Anne, the shop nearest the sculpture of Bob Simon at lakeside.

M. The Heidi Chronicles at Arena Stage
Saturday, May 12, 12:30–6:00
Bus trip
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Arguably her most recognized work, The Heidi Chronicles—winner of every major award in 1989 including the Tony and the Pulitzer—ignited Wendy Wasserstein’s illustrious career, which was cut short by her untimely death in 2006. In this insightful comedy, Heidi Holland, feminist art historian, recounts significant milestones in her life—meeting lifelong friends at ’60s political events, her own uncertain activism in the ’70s and finally confronting her inner turmoil over her role as a woman of the ’80s and ’90s. The Heidi Chronicles brings Wasserstein’s grace, humor and smart sensibility to the dilemmas of modern womanhood, indelibly leaving her one-of-a-kind mark on American theater. The bus will leave promptly at 12:30 from Fair Oaks Mall, Parking Lot No. 44, outside the circular road across from the original Macy’s. Please be at the bus no later than 12:15. The fee of $63, payable to OLLI with your registration, includes the admission ticket, bus fare and driver gratuity.

N. We Came to Remember: Air Group 16 A WETA TV 26 Presentation, Memorial Day, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Florence Adler
In November 1942, a group of young men traveled far from their American hometowns to the USS Lexington in the middle of the Pacific where they served as pilots, radiomen and gunners during World War II. We Came to Remember travels with the men and families of Carrier Air Group 16 by train, plane and car to the last great reunion of World War II veterans at the dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

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• All OLLI members are welcome at these ongoing activities. Registration is not required.

• Check with the coordinator if you have any questions.

History Club
First Wednesdays Apr. 4, May 2, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Bob Bohall
The Club discusses events and shares reviews of articles and events of historical interest. On Apr. 4th Richard Deringer will lead a discussion entitled Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, the story of Southern white sharecroppers in the ’30s, FDR’s New Deal, gaunt faces and bare shacks and what happened after the Depression. Jim Hubbard’s topic for May 2^nd is the decline of the British in Africa 1939-1965 and the U.S. emergence as a world power. Did the British jump or were they pushed out of their colonial role? Contact Bob.Boh@verizon.net to receive the History Club newsletter about upcoming topics or check the E-News. Everyone is welcome!

Tallwood Bridge Club
Wednesdays Mar. 7, 14, 21, 10:00–12:00 Mar. 28, Apr 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2, 9, 16, 1:30–3:30 May 23, 30, June 6, 13, 10:00–12:00
Tallwood Coordinators: Susanne Zumbro; Gordon Canyock
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.

Lake Anne Bridge Club
Mondays, 2:00–3:30, Mar. 26–May 14
Lake Anne Church
Coordinator: Sheila Gold
This new club welcomes those with skills at all levels. Partnerships will be rotated every four hands.

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Book Club at Tallwood
Second Wednesdays Mar. 14, June 13, 10:00–11:30 Apr. 11, May 9, 1:30–3:00
Coordinators: Kathryn Russell ; Ceda McGrew
On Mar. 14th the group will discuss A Hope in the Unseen, by Ron Susskind. The Apr. 11th selection will be Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler. On May 9th, our selection will be All the King’s Men, by Robert Penn Warren, and on June 13th it will be Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. All OLLI members are welcome.

Classic Fiction Book Club
Fourth Fridays Mar. 23, Apr. 20, May 25, June 22, 10:00–11:30 (Note change in Apr. date)
Reston Regional Library
Coordinator: Sigrid Blalock
Discussions include plot, characters, themes, author’s life and historical content. On Mar. 23, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe will be discussed. The Apr. 20 selection will be The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers. On May 25, the Club will discuss Under the Net by Iris Murdoch, and on June 22, The Moon and Sixpence by Somerset Maugham.

Homer, etc.
Fridays, Mar. 2–Jun. 15, 1:30–3:00
Tallwood
Coordinator: Earl Canfield
Homer, etc is a group that meets every Friday to read aloud “great books” to each other. We’ve just begun reading The Two Gentlemen of Verona, after which we’ll read Love’s Labors Lost and The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. New members are welcome.

Drama Club
Fridays, Mar. 2–June 15, 9:30–11:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Kathie West
Drama Club is for all thespians to hone their skills on more serious plays, one acts and scenes. There is time for rehearsal, diction work, character work and then the final production, done in Readers’ Theater style. If members wish to memorize, blocking will be taught. The goal of Drama Club is to introduce members to more serious theater work that will evolve into a production for all. Travel and a showcasing of what the club has developed are possibilities. All OLLI members are welcome.

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Fiction Writers’ Club
First & Third Fridays Mar. 2, 16, Apr. 6, 20, May 4, 18, 11:00–12:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Peter Poole
The club welcomes any OLLI members who are interested in writing regularly and exchanging critiques with other writers. The club also publishes the literary magazine, Fairfax Ink, and holds a short story contest in the spring. The club meets the first and third Friday of the month from September through May. For further information please contact Peter Poole.

Recorder Group
Fridays, Mar. 2–June 15, 11:30–12:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Norman Rosenberg
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.

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OLLI Genealogy Club
Third Wednesdays Mar. 21, 10:00–11:30 Apr. 18, May 16, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Nick Cirillo
The OLLI Genealogy Club is open to anyone who has even a passing interest in uncovering their family history. The members have a broad range of experience and expertise. The format is eclectic. Sometimes we have formal presentations by members or guests. Other meetings may be devoted to a particular theme. We also have some meetings that are open forums for the discussion of anything a member wishes. We are exploring meeting informally at some of the repositories in the Washington area. Contact the moderator, Nick Cirillo or email cirillonb@yahoo.com for further information.

Walking Group
Tuesdays, 8:15–9:15
Lake Anne Church
Coordinator: Elaine Schwartz
Join a group of OLLI members who enjoy walking outdoors in local neighborhoods with moderately flat terrain. The group leaves promptly at 8:15 from the parking lot at Lake Anne Plaza and returns in time for coffee before classes.

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Winter Closing Policy
OLLI will not hold classes or events (and the Tallwood office will be closed) when Fairfax County Schools are closed for the day because of inclement weather or area-wide emergencies. We will remain open when schools open late. Tune in to your TV or radio for closing announcements when the weather is bad or emergencies exist. You can also check the Tallwood answering machine (703-503-3384).
Note: Fairfax County Public Schools are closed for non-weather reasons on Mar. 30 and Apr. 2–6, but OLLI will be in session.

Scholarships for Members
OLLI offers full and partial scholarships for those in financial need; members and potential members are encouraged to contact the Site Administrator at Tallwood for details. All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.

Thanking Instructors
OLLI encourages its members to share their appreciation for our instructors who receive no compensation. The OLLI office is happy to provide contact information for this purpose.


New Member Coffee
All new members are cordially invited for coffee and conversation at 10:30 Friday, Mar. 30 at Tallwood. Here’s an opportunity for you to meet some of our instructors, staff, Board members and committee chairs, to get answers to any questions you may have and to tell us about yourself and your interests. Please join us!

Getting the Courses and Events You Want
All courses and events are limited by available space or other factors. The most important thing you can do to improve your chances of getting the courses and events you want is to list them in order of their importance to you on the registration form. When courses or events are oversubscribed, priority is given based first on the preference you assign to each selection and secondly on the date of receipt of
your registration form. Therefore, you can also increase your chances of getting the courses and events you want if you get the registration form in early within the registration period. You will receive a confirmation letter about one week before the term begins, showing the courses and events for which you have been enrolled. Confirmation cannot occur until after registration has closed. Late registrations are accepted on a space available basis.

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Who We Are

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at George Mason University (Mason) offers daytime courses, lectures, special events and other activities during eight-week terms in the spring and fall, a four-week mid-winter term and a six-week summer program. There are no exams, no credits, no college degree required or offered and no age threshold. Making new friends is an important part of the OLLI concept. Social activities include luncheons and book clubs.

Course leaders are qualified members of OLLI and others who enjoy sharing their knowledge. Attracting well-known and knowledgeable persons from Mason, government, the diplomatic community and private organizations, OLLI is particularly proud of its volunteer teachers and speakers.

Members pay annual dues of $350, which entitles them to attend as many activities as they wish, subject to availability of space. There may be charges for required books and materials and for some special events.

OLLI publishes a weekly email newsletter (OLLI E-News) and a printed version distributed in classrooms when classes are in session, a catalog each term, a membership directory and the Member Handbook. A literary journal, Fairfax Ink, is published annually.

OLLI is one of many Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes affiliated with The Bernard Osher Foundation and is also a member of the Elderhostel Institute Network of similar educational organizations in the United States and Canada. OLLI is a nonprofit, equal-opportunity 501(c)(3) organization and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national/ethnic origin.

Friends of OLLI

Members are encouraged to make tax-deductible contributions. Unless otherwise indicated by the giver, contributions will primarily be designated for capital expenditures for OLLI and for scholarships and other grants that OLLI makes to Mason in recognition of the support provided us by the university. All contributors will be recognized as Donors to Friends of OLLI. Those who contribute a total of $100 or more during the year will be recognized as Supporters. Those who contribute a total of $250 or more during the year will be recognized as Patrons. Contributions may be made at any time, or included as a donation with the registration form.

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Updated: February 21, 2007