100 Art
and Music
F100
Navigating the Digital Darkroom
Mondays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructor: Stan Schretter
Class limit: 10
Capturing digital images is only the first step in
creating great photographs. Post-processing, which uses
computers rather than the chemical darkroom, is where good
images are turned into great ones. This course will
provide a comprehensive look at what is possible.
Computers with Adobe Lightroom® post-processing
software will be available for students to share in an
interactive learning environment and to illustrate the
concepts discussed during the class. Students may work on
their own images or ones provided to them. This class
requires good computer skills and a commitment to practice
at home. Students are welcome to bring their own laptops
with Adobe Lightroom installed.
Stan Schretter, an OLLI member, is an avid amateur
photographer and has taught courses at OLLI for many
years.
F101
Music Sampler
Tuesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 20–May 8
Coordinators: Kathleen Meyer, Kelly Ker Hackleman
Kathleen Meyer and Kelly Ker Hackleman once again
coordinate this course, which will highlight examples of
the musical talent that abounds at George Mason. Each week
knowledgeable and enthusiastic professors from the George
Mason School of Music, often accompanied by their most
promising students, will generously share their musical
gifts with us in presentations that are varied, lively,
informative and entertaining.
F102
Sketching and Drawing with Pencil and Ink
Tuesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 20–May 8
Instructors: Josie Tucker, Kathie West, Susann Hamilton
Class Limit: 12
Participants with or without previous experience will
learn basic techniques for drawing with pencil and ink and
about materials useful in drawing simple objects, still
life and landscapes. Class participation is expected and
homework will be assigned.
Josie Tucker is a retired editor and publications officer
whose hobby is sketching and drawing.
Kathie West is a retired theater teacher whose hobby is
painting and drawing.
Susann Hamilton is a retired business executive and
interior decorator who also enjoys sketching and drawing.
All are OLLI members who have taken or taught several art
courses and look forward to sharing their collective
knowledge and creativity.
F103
Masterpieces of European Art
Tuesdays,
11:45–1:15, Apr. 3–May 8
Six sessions
Instructor: Christopher With
This course focuses on major paintings in the permanent
collection of the National Gallery of Art that reflect
European developments from the 15th through the 19th
centuries. Each class will use a specific work of art as a
jumping-off point to explore the history, politics and
culture of the period. Additional discussion topics will
include the artists’ biographies, their stylistic
development and their influences on and from other
contemporary artists, as well as the provenance and
conservation of their works.
● Apr. 3: The Humanistic Age. Ginevra de’ Benci by
Leonardo da Vinci.
● Apr. 10: Religious Doubt. The Small Crucifixion by
Matthias Grűnewald.
● Apr. 17: A New Artistic Vision. Daniel in the Lions’ Den
by Peter Paul Rubens.
● Apr. 24: Frivolous Luxuries. Young Girl Reading by
Jean-Honoré Fragonard.
● May 1: High Aestheticism. Keelman Heaving In Coals by
Moonlight by Joseph Mallord William Turner.
● May 8: Dawn of the Contemporary. Four Dancers by Edgar
Degas.
Christopher With has worked in the education department of
the National Gallery of Art and has a degree in German
history from the University of California, Los Angeles.
F104
Sketching and Drawing Workshop
Tuesdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 20–May 8
Moderators: Josie Tucker, Kathie West, Susann Hamilton
Class Limit: 12
Those who have taken a previous sketching/drawing class
can continue to learn in a cooperative workshop
environment, where they will have the opportunity to
present their work and receive feedback, encouragement and
suggestions. Pencil, ink and some color media will be used
and homework will be assigned.
See F102 for instructor information.
F105
Broadway at OLLI
Tuesdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 20–May 8
Coordinator: Dick Young
Come join your OLLI friends to enjoy some of the best of
Broadway. Each week, an OLLI member will introduce one of
his or her favorites. Featured shows will be An American
in Paris, Fiddler on the Roof, Funny Girl, Kiss Me Kate,
Mame, Man of La Mancha, The King and I and Hello, Dolly.
The presenters will be Palmer McGrew, a.k.a. coordinator
for Engineering Topics and a leader of Singing for Fun;
Beverley Persell, a.k.a. OLLI’s French instructor; Alan
Rubin, a.k.a. Dr. Sludge; Kathie West, a mainstay of
OLLI’s theatrical activities; Marianne Metz, new to OLLI
but long immersed in live musicals and Dick Young, mostly
a history guy who is also a longtime musical aficionado.
F106
Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem
Wednesdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 21–Mar. 28
Two sessions
Instructor: Christopher Zimmerman
Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem is a seminal work in 20th
century music and a poignant commentary on war and the
human condition.
· Mar. 21: Background, Text and Structure.
· Mar. 28: The Music and its Meaning.
Christopher Zimmerman was appointed music director of the
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) in June 2009. A champion
of contemporary music, he has conducted more than 25 local
and world premieres. In addition to his duties with the
FSO, Maestro Zimmerman guest-conducts around the world and
participates on a regular basis as an artistic director
with the Eleazar de Carvalho Festival in Brazil, the
Wintergreen Performing Arts Festival in Virginia and the
Rose City International Conductors’ Workshop in Portland,
Oregon.
F107
Watercolor Painting
Thursdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 22–May 10
Instructor: Leonard Justinian
Class limit: 15
This class will provide an opportunity for watercolor
painters at all levels to develop fresh skills and
artistic talents while learning new watercolor techniques.
Materials needed: #1, #6 and/or #8 round watercolor
brushes; a paint palette for mixing colors; watercolor
paper, 140 lb. cold press (Arches is best but you can use
less expensive paper); a kneaded eraser; a Staedtler white
plastic eraser and tubes of watercolor paint in white,
charcoal black, cadmium yellow (medium), cadmium red
(medium) and ultramarine blue.
Leonard Justinian has been painting and receiving awards
for more than 60 years, including the coveted Grumbacher
Award. He teaches watercolor painting in his Fairfax City
studio and also on Fairfax Public Access Cable TV, Cox
Cable Channel 10 and Verizon FiOS Channel 10.
F108
Singing for Fun
Thursdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 22–May 10
Instructor: Palmer McGrew
Once again, OLLI’s choral group, singing in chorus and
ensembles, will emphasize popular music, Broadway show
tunes and golden oldies. A great voice is not required.
Gayle Parsons will accompany the singers on the keyboard.
Palmer McGrew, an OLLI member, has been a longtime
performer in Singing for Fun and a substitute
instructor/director for the class. He also sings in the
West Point Alumni Glee Club and in barbershop harmony with
the Fairfax Jubil-Aires.
R109
The Ongoing Pleasures of Music
Mondays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructor: Gloria Sussman
Here is a class dedicated to the enjoyment of the world’s
greatest classical music. With the help of DVDs and
YouTube, we will explore a wide variety of musical themes,
composers and genres. We will listen to the artists of
today and yesteryear with renewed appreciation for their
contributions to the performing arts.
Gloria Sussman has been teaching at OLLI since 2000 and
continues to provide entertaining listening programs for
the Reston OLLI.
R110
Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and 20th Century Art
Tuesdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 20–Apr. 10
Three sessions and a field trip
Instructor: Susan Rudy
Explore French Impressionism, post-Impressionism, early
modernism and art since 1950 in this series of three
illustrated lectures. Then enjoy a private guided tour of
the collections at the National Gallery of Art.
· Mar. 20: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.
Follow the history of the French Impressionist movement
and learn why the artists who would become known as the
Impressionists were so controversial. See how artists who
followed the Impressionists took their lead in
experimenting with new styles and techniques.
· Mar. 27: Early Modernism. Examine how artists
working from 1900 to 1950 redefined the goals of art,
addressed new subject matter and tried new and radical
approaches to their craft. Learn about some of the major
“-isms” of the first half of the 20th century, including
fauvism, cubism, futurism, surrealism and social realism.
· Apr. 3: Art Since 1950: Meet the abstract
expressionists, the pop artists, the minimalists, the
post-minimalists, the neo-expressionists and the
deconstructionists! Decide for yourself if any of this
makes sense while exploring the newest and best art of
today.
· Apr. 10 (repeated on Thursday, Apr. 12): Gallery
Visit. Travel by private coach to the National Gallery of
Art, where instructor Susan Rudy will lead a special tour
of the museum’s 19th century French and 20th century
collections. Lunch is on your own. A fee of $30, payable
to OLLI at the time of registration, covers the cost of
the coach.
Susan Rudy served in Southeast Asia, the Middle East,
Europe and Washington, D.C. during a 26-year career with
the CIA. She holds degrees from Georgetown University and
Middlebury College’s Graduate Program at the Sorbonne. She
has been a docent at the National Gallery of Art since
1999.
R111
Art in Vienna: 1850–1918
Thursdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 22–Apr. 12
Four sessions
Instructor: Christopher With
This four-part course examines fin de siècle Vienna
against the complex background of forces—cultural,
political, economic and personal—that shaped and channeled
the evolution of the arts and determined their aesthetic
appearance. The first three classes will focus on the
careers of the epoch’s three best-known painters. The
final class will provide a brief synopsis of the
development of Viennese art to the present day.
● Mar. 22: Opening the Gate. Gustav Klimt.
● Mar. 29: The Torrent. Egon Schiele.
● Apr. 5: Troubled Waters. Oskar Kokoschka.
● Apr. 12: Epilogue. 1918–2010.
See F103 for instructor information.
R112
Meet the Artists
Thursdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 22–May 10
Hunters Woods Community Center, Center Stage, 2310 Colts
Neck Road, Reston, VA 20191
Coordinator: Rosemary McDonald
These programs are a joint venture between OLLI and the
Reston Community Center.
● Mar. 22: A Beverly Cosham Recital with Felicia Kessel
Crawley. Beverly Cosham has performed her cabaret act at
nightspots all over the country, including the Kennedy
Center, the National Theater and Blues Alley. Accompanist
Felicia Kessel Crawley is the pianist for both the McLean
Symphony and the Reston Community Orchestra.
● Mar. 29: The Chamasayan Sisters Play German Masterworks.
Violinist Monika, pianist Marina and violinist Armine
Chamasayan have been playing together for most of their
musical careers. Winners of national and international
competitions, all three sisters have been soloists with
orchestras in their native Armenia, Germany and the United
States. This concert will include works by Mozart, Bach
and Strauss.
● Apr. 5: The Art of Improvisation. Peter Fraize, a
saxophonist and director of jazz studies at George
Washington University, is well-known for his freestyle
jazz performances as part of the Peter Fraize Quintet. In
the summer of 2008, he was invited to Lima, Peru, to
perform a series of concerts with that country’s finest
musicians. The results can be heard on Live in Lima (2009,
Union Records).
● Apr. 12: A Violin Recital with Sonya Hayes and Frank
Conlon. Sonya Hayes began playing the violin at age 3 and
made her debut at age 17 with the Indianapolis Symphony
Orchestra. She studied with Robert Gerle while seeking a
Master’s degree in violin performance from Catholic
University and was recently invited to be concertmaster
for the Monteverdi Orchestra’s 2011 tour of China.
Accompanist Frank Conlon is well-known as a piano soloist
and accompanist in the Washington, D.C., area as well as
in Boston and New York City. He is minister of music and
choir director at the Church of the Annunciation and has
served on the faculties of George Mason, George Washington
University and Catholic University.
● Apr. 19: Linda Monson Presents Outstanding Student
Pianists from the George Mason School of Music. Linda
Apple Monson, an international Steinway performance
artist, is a professor, director of keyboard studies and
associate director for academic affairs at the George
Mason School of Music.
● Apr. 26: A Vocal Recital with Hilary Park and David
Lang. Soprano Hilary Park was a featured soloist on Voices
of Ascension’s 2009 Grammy-nominated recording, Song of
the Stars. She was a finalist for Opera Music Theater
International and the winner of the Francis Yeene Vocal
Competition. Hilary is a graduate of the Peabody Institute
of The Johns Hopkins University. Accompanist David Lang is
a choral conductor, concert organist and pianist who holds
a Master’s degree from the University of Louisville. He is
currently the artistic director and conductor of the
Reston Chorale.
● May 3: The Phoenix Winds Trio. Jane Hughes, a music
educator, plays the oboe; Bill Jokela, a retired army
chaplain, plays bassoon and Allan Howe, a Reston
physician, plays clarinet.
● May 10: An Afternoon of Classical Saxophone and Piano.
Saxophonist Richard Kleinfeldt is a broadcaster,
professional musician, teacher and lecturer. A former
classical music broadcaster with the Voice of America, he
is currently host of two nationally syndicated radio
programs, Indianapolis-on-the-Air and Center Stage from
Wolf Trap. He performed until 1983 with the United States
Army Band as saxophone soloist and master of ceremonies.
Yuniko Rogers was raised in Tokyo and is a graduate of
Keio University. She teaches piano and often performs with
wind and string groups. She is also a frequent guest
soloist in local churches and assemblies.
R113
Field Photography
Fridays, Mar.
30–Apr. 6
Two sessions
Instructor: Stan Schretter
Photographers with any type of camera and all skill levels
are welcome. This spring’s theme will be “Photographing
the Icons of Washington in a Different Way.” We will visit
some of the well-known tourist sites in Washington D.C.
and “focus” our photography on seeing and getting unique
shots. Details about shooting locations and schedules can
be viewed at
http://www.stanschretter.com/fieldphotography. You are
welcome to attend either session or both.
See F100 for instructor information.
L114
Photography as Art
Tuesdays,
10:00–11:15, Mar. 20–Apr. 10
Four sessions
Coordinator: Mary Coyne
● Mar. 20: Mastering the Art of Nature Photography. In
this session, we will explore nature photography and
demonstrate the tools and techniques that are used to
capture award-winning photos. We will examine the basic
elements that make a good nature photo, using images taken
by the instructor.
Dennis Govoni has been doing nature photography for over
45 years and has received recognition for his photos. He
has also taught photography classes at the college level.
● Mar. 27: Pictorial Photography. Pictorial photography is
loosely defined as images whose primary purpose is to be
enjoyed. The instructor will talk about methods for
improving your pictures, using a selection of his
pictorial images as examples.
Tom Hady is a long-time OLLI member and sometime teacher
who has been a serious amateur photographer for more years
than he cares to count. His images have been frequently
shown in international exhibitions.
● Apr. 3: Everyday Abstracts. This presentation will
provide an appreciation of abstract photography and
discuss some techniques for capturing your own abstracts.
We will explore visual design elements and their impact on
our perception of abstracts. Then we’ll look at some
abstract photographs and the techniques used to create
them, and provide easy, step-by-step instructions to
create similar images.
Matthew Schmidt is an award-winning photographer and
computer professional who addresses local photography
clubs on visual design and beginning and intermediate
Photoshop® and Lightroom® techniques.
● Apr. 10: Seeing vs. Looking. Often we look at things
around us and don’t really see them. This presentation
will focus on the use of close-up and macrophotography to
help us see the beauty of everyday objects. The instructor
will discuss and show examples of macrophotography, which
he defines as images of objects whose size would allow
them to fit inside a 35mm slide frame.
Dan Feighery, a retired Air Force flight instructor, has
won awards in photo competitions and has been selected
Photographer of the Year by local photo clubs.
L115
Great American Music: Broadway Musicals
Wednesdays,
12:15–1:30, Apr. 18–May 9
Four sessions
Facilitators: Carol Flicker, Roberta Sherman
Join us as we explore the history of the American Musical.
We will view lectures from Professor Bill Messenger of The
Johns Hopkins University Peabody School of Music. They
will include:
● The Essence of the Musical.
● The Minstrel Era.
● Tin Pan Alley.
● The Revue Versus the Book Musical.
We will integrate discussion of the music and the times in
which they were written. Class participation will be
encouraged. If there is interest, this course will be
continued in ensuing terms.
L116
Painting with Gouache
Thursdays,
10:00–11:15, Mar. 22–May 10
Instructor: Sigrid Blalock
Gouache is an opaque watercolor paint that is available in
tubes. The course will begin with color mixing. Subjects
will include design exercises, still life, flowers, trees
and landscapes. Materials needed: one set gouache tube
paints with 12 or more colors; one pad 9”x12” cold-pressed
watercolor paper, 140 lb. wt.; assorted synthetic brushes;
palette or mixing tray; ruler; pencil; one roll 1”
painter’s tape; container for water and plastic sheet to
cover work space.
Sigrid Blalock, an OLLI member, is a painter with degrees
from Syracuse University and American University. She has
many years of experience teaching adults for the
Smithsonian Associates and OLLI.
200
Economics & Finance
F200
Retirement Planning
Tuesdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 20–Apr. 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Joel Ticknor
The course will discuss four topics in retirement
planning:
● Portfolio Construction, Asset Allocation and Rebalancing
Strategies. How do you construct a portfolio based on your
risk tolerance and personal financial situation? How do
you manage this portfolio as valuations shift over time?
● Withdrawal and Distribution Strategies. What is a
“safe,” sustainable withdrawal rate?
● Tax-efficient Investing and Asset Location. How do you
make the most tax-efficient use of your retirement and
personal portfolios?
● Preserving Your Personal Financial Security and Standard
of Living. Getting money out of your house: reverse
mortgages and alternatives.
Joel Ticknor is an OLLI member who has taught several
financial planning courses for OLLI. He is a Certified
Financial Planner® and Accredited Investment
Fiduciary™ who has practiced for many years in Reston.
Worth magazine named him one of the top 250 financial
advisers in the country and Washingtonian magazine
recently named his firm as one of the area’s outstanding
financial advisers.
F201
The Tom Crooker Investment Forum
Wednesdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 21–May 9
Moderator: Al Smuzynski
The forum, which meets weekly throughout the year,
addresses topics of particular interest to retirees,
including sector analyses, individual stocks, bonds,
options, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, limited
partnerships, trusts and fixed income. Each session begins
with an open discussion of “The Week that Was” to share
concerns about current events. The “Chart of the Week”
helps members understand trends and the wide variety of
analytical techniques that may help in their investment
decisions. The remainder of each session deals with topics
requested by forum members from previous sessions.
Presenters include: Al Smuzynski, Tom Crooker, Ed Swoboda,
Gloria Loew, Maury Cralle, Bob Springer, Bruce Reinhart,
Ludwig Benner, John Woods, Bill Brewster and other forum
members. Outside speakers address the forum on an ad hoc
basis. The forum website, www.olligmu.org/~finforum/,
provides further information.
Al Smuzynski is a retired bank regulator and apartment
developer who serves on the board of directors for
Virginia Community Capital, Inc. and Community Capital
Bank of Virginia.
F202
Estate Planning
Thursdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 22–Apr. 19
Five sessions
Instructor: Sarah Parks
Sarah Parks returns to OLLI to share her experiences with
seniors and their families for estate planning and
retirement living. She will focus on issues that we all
must address, sooner or later.
● Mar. 22: An Overview of Estate Planning. This will
include discussion of gift and estate taxes, wills and
probate and powers of attorney.
● Mar. 29: Trusts. What are the different types of trusts
and how do you know if a trust is the correct estate
planning strategy for you?
● Apr. 5: Estate Settlements with a Will or Trust.
Understand the different processes.
● Apr. 12: Medical Decision-making. What is a health care
directive? How does it work and how do you choose an
agent? What is hospice care and how does it operate?
● Apr. 19: Retirement Living Considerations. As we age,
the question frequently arises about whether or not to
downsize. What are the issues with downsizing and/or
relocating, and what should you know about retirement
communities?
Sarah Parks is an attorney who limits her practice to
estate planning. She has a JD degree from George Mason and
an LLM from Georgetown University.
F203
Generate Income while Protecting Your Principal
Thursdays,
9:30–11:00, Apr. 26–May 10
Three sessions
Instructors: J. Michael May, Katherine Hurley
Because economic recovery is expected to remain slow,
retirees and baby boomers continue to be seriously
concerned about ways to protect investment accounts and
receive adequate income during their retirement. This is
strictly an educational forum, without marketing advice,
designed to help OLLI members be more informed when
considering investment alternatives.
J. Michael May, a financial planner and frequent presenter
at OLLI, has been helping seniors manage their finances
for more than 29 years. He will lead two discussion and
study groups in exploring ways to help generate retirement
income that keeps pace with, or exceeds, inflation without
taking undue risk.
● Apr. 26: “It All Depends” is one of the most frequently
used terms in financial planning. Participants will
identify circumstances that must be considered in
responding to “It all depends.” A case study will help you
gain an understanding of the challenges in determining a
proper financial foundation on which to develop a plan.
For this class, please bring a calculator.
● May 3: Sustainable Retirement Plan Distribution
Strategies depend on variables that are difficult to
predict, including market conditions, taxes, interest
rates, your own life expectancy and health issues. This
class will identify the five biggest risks and options to
consider in managing your retirement funds.
● May 10: Annuities have had a wide range of both good and
bad press in recent years. Do we really know what they are
and how they work?
Katherine Hurley, president and CEO of the Infinity
Financial Group, has more than 20 years of experience in
the financial industry. She will describe how annuities
work, the range of options available and their pros and
cons. She will focus on various types of annuity products
(fixed/variable/indexed), optional features (including
guaranteed minimum income benefits), fees, tax structures,
Insurance company ratings and consumer protection. Case
studies will illustrate the various approaches.
R204
Avoid Being Targeted for Identity Theft
Thursdays,
11:45–1:15, Apr. 19–May 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Vee Johnson
Identity theft continues to top the list of consumer
complaints filed with the Federal Trade Commission. Find
out what you need to know and do to defend against
identity theft.
● Apr. 19: How to Minimize Your Risk. This class will help
you evaluate what you do as part of your daily routine
that may make you a target for identity theft. Information
and tips will be provided to help you make changes to
minimize your risk.
● Apr. 26: Identity Theft and Financial Crimes in Fairfax
County. Investigator Tom Polhemus, with the Financial
Crimes Section of the Fairfax County Police Department,
will provide an overview of identity theft and other
financial crimes committed in Fairfax County. He will
discuss how these crimes are committed and what happens
when a citizen files a police report.
● May 3: Credit Reports, Your First Line of Defense. This
class will review credit reports and show you how they can
be used to defend against identity theft. You will also
learn how to dispute credit report errors.
● May 10: How to Cope with and Recover from Identity
Theft. Laws and resources will be reviewed so that class
members can develop a plan of action to limit the extent
of damage to their financial resources and reputation if
identity theft strikes.
Vee Johnson, a frequent presenter at OLLI, is the
community outreach liaison and a consumer advocate with
the Consumer Affairs Branch of the Fairfax County
Department of Cable and Consumer Services.
L205
U.S. Health Care: The Future
Mondays,
10:00–11:15, Apr. 16–May 7
Four sessions
Instructor: Bill Scanlon
Health care has had a dominant role in policy and
political discussions over the past three years. In 2010
Congress enacted major and controversial health reform
legislation that may have broad impacts on many aspects of
health care financing and delivery. Implementation of that
legislation is proceeding despite multiple legal
challenges. Growing federal budget deficits have brought
more recent attention to Medicare and Medicaid spending.
Although the United States spends more than any other
country on health care, there are many experiencing
difficulties in accessing needed services. This course
will examine the long-term challenges that face the U.S.
health care system and policymakers, as well as the pros
and cons of options for addressing them.
● Apr. 16: Controlling the Growth of Costs: What are the
options for Medicare and private insurance?
● Apr. 23: Promoting Better Quality and Value.
● Apr. 30: Covering the Uninsured.
● May 7: Long-term Care. What makes it so different and
difficult?
Bill Scanlon is an economist who has worked on health care
policy for over 35 years. Formerly the managing director
of health care studies at the General Accounting Office
and a Medicare payment advisory commission member, he is
currently with the National Health Policy Forum at George
Washington University.
L206
Money Talk: A Financial Guide for Women
Wednesdays,
10:00–11:15, Mar. 21–Apr. 18
Five sessions
Instructor: Linda Black
This course will teach women and men smart money
management strategies that will increase security and help
ensure a future free of financial worry. “Money Talk”
covers five financial areas:
● Financial Basics.
● Insurance Basics.
● Investing Basics.
● Taxes and Their Effect on Wealth Management.
● Planning for Future Life Events.
Each section includes lessons that demystify important
financial concepts and exercises that help participants
apply the information. Topics include “must know” aspects
of finances, such as attitudes and behaviors regarding
money, cash flow management, record-keeping, borrowing,
stocks and bonds, mutual funds, diversification,
estimating needs and financial impacts of life-altering
events, such as marriage, death, divorce and cohabitation.
The class workbook has over 45 worksheets to help
participants evaluate their personal finances, set goals
for financial well-being and implement plans to reach
those goals. A fee of $20 will be collected at
registration to cover the cost of the workbook.
Linda Black, a Chartered Financial Counselor and a
Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor®, has
extensive experience counseling clients on portfolio
construction, retirement issues, estate planning and asset
protection strategies.
300 History
& International Studies
F300
Transportation Innovations that Changed History
Mondays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 19–Apr. 9
Four sessions
Instructor: Bill Reader
Whether it be for tourism, pilgrimage, trade, flight from
enemies or the law, people have always been seeking to get
from here to there. They have also wanted to send goods
from here to there and to get them from there to here.
Innovations that made personal travel and the shipment of
goods cheaper, faster and less onerous have had a great
impact on history. This course will look at a few of these
innovations—the domesticated horse, the camel, the
ocean-going ship, the steamship, the railroad, the
automobile and the airplane—and see how each affected
history and previously existing modes of transportation.
William Reader, an OLLI member, has a PhD in American
social history from the University of
Massachusetts–Amherst. He retired in 2008 after 37 years
with the federal government and has since taught OLLI
courses on The History of Media, American Social and
Cultural History, How a Few Simple Things Changed History,
How a Few Overlooked Technologies Changed History, America
Between the World Wars and A History of American Politics.
F301
History Book Discussion Group
Mondays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructor: Jim Hubbard
In American Dreamers: How the Left Changed a Nation,
Michael Kazin discusses the reformers, radicals and
idealists who have tried to change the United States in
fundamental ways. He starts with the abolitionists and
moves on to feminists, socialists, communists, labor union
organizers and others. Registrants will receive email
information about ordering the book and will be asked to
read and discuss approximately 50 pages a week.
Jim Hubbard, an OLLI member, earned degrees in history
from Holy Cross College and the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to chairing
the History Book Discussion Group, he has presented OLLI
classes on the New Deal and the Vietnam War. Hubbard is
the author of The United States and the End of British
Colonial Rule in Africa, 1941-1968.
F302
Human Rights in World History
Tuesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 20–Apr. 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Peter N. Stearns
Although certain human rights represent a quintessential
component of global citizenship, a number of societies
deny many of these rights on the basis of political
necessity, cultural tradition or group interest. This
course will take a global historical perspective in
examining the emergence of this dilemma. It will describe
the rise of the first modern human rights statements
associated with the Enlightenment and will explore
transitions in the liberal approach, between sincere
commitments to human rights and the belief that some
“uncivilized” people had to be denied common rights. These
contrasts echo later with contradictions between the
pursuit of human rights and the spread of Western
imperialism. Today, the tension between arguments for and
against universal human rights is more clearly delineated
but no closer to satisfactory resolution.
Peter N. Stearns is provost and professor of history at
George Mason. He has authored or edited more than 115
books, including the forthcoming Satisfaction Not
Guaranteed: Dilemmas of Progress in Modern Society and
Human Rights in World History.
F303
Grand Strategy in World War II
Tuesdays,
9:30–11:00, Apr. 17–May 8
Four sessions
Instructor: Alan Gropman
We will discuss the four tools of World War II’s grand
strategy―diplomacy, information, military strength and
economics―from the German, Japanese and (especially) U.S.
perspectives. The emphasis will be on the United States,
where the grand strategy was logistics, as reflected in
the phrase “arsenal of democracy.” We will focus on the
success of American grand strategy, in contrast to the
Japanese and German strategies, which cost both of those
countries about ten times as many killed in action as the
United States.
Alan Gropman, a retired Air Force colonel with 5,000
flying hours and two combat tours in Vietnam, has a PhD in
black military history and was chairman of the Grand
Strategy Department at the National Defense University’s
Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He has written
four books and his articles have appeared in more than 300
publications.
F304
The Road to Disunion, 1840-1861
Tuesdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 20–May 8
Instructor: Patrick McGinty
After a brief discussion of the antebellum South and the
slavery controversy, the class will cover the political,
social and economic reform movements affecting the culture
of America in the first half of the 19th century. Segments
of these movements would eventually coalesce into the
anti-slavery movement known as Abolition. Complicating the
political landscape was the addition of new territories
following the Mexican War. Should these new territories be
“free” or “slave”? Attempts at resolving this thorny
question, as well as efforts to resolve the conflicting
arguments of states’ rights versus federal power, proved
ineffective. The result was a devastating civil war. Come
join us as we try to determine whether or not this was
indeed a “repressible conflict.”
Patrick McGinty, an OLLI member, is a retired naval
officer who has an MA and PhD in history from Georgetown
University, where his area of concentration was American
history.
F305
Dare Mighty Things: The Theodore Roosevelt Era,
1900-1919
Wednesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 21–May 9
Coordinators: Michael T. Kelly, Emmett Fenlon
Dynamic change defined the early decades of the 20th
century and transformed the United States from a na-scent
hemispheric force into an established global power. The
rise of Theodore Roosevelt exemplified this maturation.
Roosevelt sought to “dare mighty things” and drove the
country forward with a presidential fervor that has been
rarely exhibited and certainly unequalled. Although T.R.
presided over national affairs for just seven and a half
years, he commanded American attention throughout the
remainder of his life—much to his successors’ chagrin.
National Park Service Rangers have participated with OLLI
in 60 thematic courses, special events and trips since
2001.
F306
The Plains Indian Wars, 1862-1890
Wednesdays,
11:45–1:15, Apr. 4–May 9
Six sessions
Instructors: Jim Anderson, Michael Kelly, Dick Cheadle
From the beginning, when white settlers began encroaching
upon lands Native Americans had always claimed as their
own, relations between the two groups were at times testy,
and at other times blatantly hostile. Warfare on the
Southern and Central Plains will be discussed but most of
the focus will be on the Northern Plains conflicts
involving the Sioux and their Indian allies and enemies.
This series of classes will trace the relationship between
the two opposing forces, from 1862 (The Great Sioux
Uprising in Minnesota) to the tragic invasion of the Sioux
encampment at Wounded Knee in South Dakota by the U.S.
Army in December 1890. The turning point of this epic
struggle came at the Little Bighorn in June 1876. The
Indians won this battle decisively and, in so doing, lost
the war. The first five classes will center on this
28-year period of almost constant warfare. The last class
will be a presentation on the life and times of William F.
(Buffalo Bill) Cody. This course is designed to provide
background information for the OLLI bus trip (Special
Event # 977) to Montana and Wyoming, June 4–8, 2012.
Jim Anderson spent 27 years with the CIA, including six
overseas tours in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the
Far East. He holds degrees in history from Rhodes College
and the University of Memphis. For the past five years he
has been conducting leadership training seminars featuring
Civil War battlefield visits for a number of government
and business organizations.
Michael Kelly is a ranger with the U.S. National Park
Service. He has presented many courses and led many trips
for OLLI.
Dick Cheadle, an OLLI member, has presented a number of
courses, mostly on American frontier history.
F307
Sudan: The History Behind the Headlines
Thursdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 22–May 10
Instructor: Jim Hubbard
Since the Sudan gained political independence in 1956, the
country has experienced repeated civil wars. The conflict
in the south produced, in April 2011, the new state of
South Sudan. Civil strife continues in Darfur and
elsewhere. The course will attempt to put these conflicts
into historical context by looking at the impacts of
geography, Islam, the many aspects of identity, European
conquest and colonial rule, new military technologies and
the demands of a nation-state.
See F301 for instructor information.
F308
The Berlin Wall: Before and After
Thursdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 22–Apr. 5
Three sessions
Instructor: Vera Wentworth
This three-part lecture series will examine the Cold War
phenomenon of the Berlin Wall, its construction and its
subsequent dismantling. The first part will cover events
leading up to the erection of the Wall in 1961, including
the city’s wartime destruction, the military occupation,
the Soviet blockade as a metaphorical precursor to the
Wall, the airlift and Allied defiance. The second part
will shed light on life behind the Wall in totalitarian
East Berlin, with its secret police and their prisons,
escape attempts and the network of helpers, as well as
life in cut-off West Berlin, culminating in the tearing
down of the Wall. The last segment will cover the period
of reunited Berlin, once again the capital of Germany. We
will look at the remaining East-West divisions in people’s
minds, the current political scene and Berlin’s current
role as a vibrant cultural center and tourist magnet, with
the city rising once again like the phoenix from the
ashes.
Vera Wentworth, an OLLI member, holds a PhD in English and
taught literature on the college level for 30 years,
mainly at the University of Maryland and Prince George’s
Community College. A native Berliner, she witnessed the
building and dismantling of the Wall.
F309
A New Look at the Middle East
Thursdays,
11:45–1:15, Apr. 12–May 10
Five sessions
Instructor: Kathleen Burns
For many in the United States, the Middle East is a blend
of mystery, mystique, myth, stereotypes, biases and bad
information. Instead of focusing on wars, politics,
religious strife and divisive ethnic conflicts, this
course will explore the historic, artistic and cultural
threads that tie ancient traditions to contemporary
practices.
Roshna Kapadia, a member of George Mason’s Art Department,
will discuss Middle Eastern and Islamic art.
Nada Majd, from the Center for Persian Classical Music,
will focus on Middle Eastern music and Instruments.
Masood Kavoossi, from the Howard University Department of
International Business, will trace the path from camel
traders in the desert to today’s electronic marketers in
places like Dubai, Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi.
Julian Shepherd, a lawyer in private practice, will talk
about pursuit of peace and reconciliation in the Middle
East, including his own experience in Libya, Palestine and
Israel.
Ambassador David Newton, a scholar at the Middle East
Institute in Washington, D.C., will provide an historical
perspective. Ambassador Newton spent 36 years in the
Foreign Service, including postings in Iraq, Yemen, Syria
and Saudi Arabia. He also had research assignments tied to
Lebanon, Jordan and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Kathleen Burns has organized OLLI programs on Asia and the
Pacific Rim, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. Navy’s Great
White Fleet, international cartoons and aboriginal art.
She lived in Australia for several years as a journalist
and was the inaugural program director for the Center for
Australian and New Zealand Studies at Georgetown
University. Her lecture at the Australian Parliament House
in Canberra, Australia, was published in 2011 in Papers on
Parliament
(http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/pubs/pops/pop55/index.htm).
R310
China Mosaic
Mondays,
11:45–1:15, Apr. 16–May 7
Four sessions
Instructor: Tim Long
China’s history and culture are a blend of many
influences. This class, loosely based on Jonathan Spence’s
book, Chinese Roundabout, will look at Chinese history,
geography, philosophy, the arts, language, literature and
food. The goal is to give participants a better
understanding of the complexity that underlies modern
China.
Tim Long, an OLLI member, is a retired CIA officer who
spent most of his professional life in Chinese-speaking
environments. He has taught Chinese politics and national
security issues at The Ohio State University.
R311
Biography: Lesser-Known Civil War Military Leaders
Course canceled
a/o 3/8/2012
Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00, Apr. 17–May 8
Four sessions
Coordinator: Eric Henderson
This course provides insight into the lives of several
interesting Civil War military leaders with whom you may
not be familiar.
● Apr. 17: Colonel (Senator) Edward Baker. He was the key
casualty in the disastrous Union loss at Ball’s Bluff. Tom
Bowers will describe Baker’s life and experiences that may
explain his actions that day.
● Apr. 24: Admiral David Farragut. The hero of the battle
of Mobile Bay famously said: “Damn the torpedoes, full
speed ahead.” Patrick McGinty will examine his life.
● May 1: General John Gibbon. He commanded the Iron
Brigade, the 2nd Division of the 2nd Corps and the 24th
Corps. Harlan Lenius describes his distinguished record
and his role as one of three federal commissioners
selected to arrange the surrender of the Army of Northern
Virginia at Appomattox Court House.
● May 8: Colonel John Mosby. Known as the “Grey Ghost,”
the legendary Confederate raider bedeviled Union forces in
Northern Virginia. Bob Webb will discuss his life and
exploits.
R312
The Silk Road: The Diamond Sutra and Other Tales
Tuesdays,
11:45–1:15, Apr. 10–May 8
Five sessions
Instructor: Robert Springer
Sir Aurel Stein’s dramatic 1907 Silk Road discovery of the
Diamond Sutra, the world’s oldest printed document, in a
hidden cave in the Gobi Desert is considered one of the
greatest moments in archeological history. In this course
we will discuss Stein’s discovery and many other tales of
the Silk Road, which for 1,500 years was the only
important commercial and cultural link between Europe and
China. According to a 16th Century book by Francis Bacon,
the three inventions most important to the development of
Europe—the compass, gunpowder and paper—all reached Europe
via the Silk Road. We will explain how these inventions
and many other things, such as silk, porcelain, art
objects, religious ideas, explorers and armies traveled
the Silk Road and changed the world. Time permitting, we
also will discuss current events in this part of the
world, such as recent turmoil in Tibet, Western China (the
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region) and Inner Mongolia.
Robert Springer is a professor emeritus at American
University, where he was a department chairman and taught
for many years. He and his wife Sally have either lived in
or traveled to most of the places he discusses.
R313
The War in Vietnam: Through the Filmmaker’s Lens
Tuesdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 20–May 8
Instructor: Jim Hubbard
Several hundred films deal with the war in Vietnam and we
will view and discuss five of them: Hearts and Minds
(1974); The War at Home (1979); The Fog of War (2003);The
Camden 28 (2007) and Oh, Saigon (2007). Hearts and Minds,
produced near the end of hostilities, adopts a critical
tone in portraying the United States’ involvement in
Vietnam. The other four films focus on decisions that
individuals, from Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to
American and Vietnamese soldiers and civilians, made
during the war. The three most recent films allow
participants to reflect on those decisions and their
consequences. Each session will include an hour of viewing
and a half-hour of discussion.
See F301 for instructor information.
R314
Highlights of Virginia History
Wednesdays,
9:30–11:00, Apr. 4–May 9
Six sessions
Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center, Lake Anne
1609 Washington Plaza North, #A,
Reston, VA 20190.
Instructor: Kenneth Plum
Relive Virginia’s illustrious history from the landing of
the English at Jamestown in 1607 to the current political
scene. The focus will be on key events—from leadership in
the nation’s founding to decline following the Civil War
and progress in recent years—that make Virginia unique.
Examine the grander moments as well as the worst in a
course that will include lectures, discussion, recommended
readings, travel tips, inside gossip and tales.
Kenneth Plum has been a delegate to the Virginia House of
Delegates since 1982 and is past chairman of the Virginia
Democratic Party. He has a BA from Old Dominion University
and an MA in education from the University of Virginia. He
was formerly director of adult and community education for
Fairfax County Public Schools and is a founding member of
LRI (now OLLI).
R315
Party Development in the United States
Thursdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 22–Apr. 12
Four sessions
Instructor: Roger Brown
American political parties were a new and unwelcome
phenomenon when the Federalists and Jeffersonian
Republicans first launched them during the 1800
presidential election. The idea of electioneering
organizations peacefully competing for votes and power was
not only unprecedented and unfamiliar but required several
decades of actual experience before it achieved acceptance
as a permanent fixture of politics. This course will
explore the origins and early development of the first
American political parties and trace the history of the
several party systems that have successively replaced
them, from the early 19th century to the present.
Attention will also be given to the role of third parties
in American history and to recent theories that identify
and explain recurrent election patterns in American
political history. We will also discuss how the different
parties have accommodated their styles and programs to the
political and social realities of a changing America.
Roger Brown, American University professor emeritus of
history, is the author of The Republic in Peril: 1812 and
Redeeming the Republic: Federalists, Taxation and the
Origins of the Constitution, as well as other books and
articles on the early republic.
L316
Roman Architecture and Engineering
Mondays,
10:00–11:15, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructor: Ray Beery
The architects of Ancient Rome, in adopting the external
language of classical Greek architecture for their own
purposes, created a new architectural style. But Rome was
also indebted to its Etruscan neighbors and forefathers
for a wealth of knowledge essential for future
architectural solutions, including the construction of
arches. The use of vaults and arches, together with a
sound knowledge of building materials, enabled the Romans
to achieve unprecedented success in erecting such imposing
structures as aqueducts, the baths of Diocletian and
Caracalla, the Pantheon, basilicas and, perhaps most
famous of all, the Colosseum. Many of these structures
were also reproduced at smaller scale in towns and cities
of the Roman Empire.
Ray Beery retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1978 and
worked at Computer Sciences Corporation for 15 years. He
joined OLLI in 1993 and lectured on Ancient Greece in the
winter, spring and fall of 2011.
L317
Civil War Parlors
Course canceled
a/o 3/8/2012
Tuesdays, 10:00–11:15, Mar. 20–Apr. 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Debbie Halverson
What does a woman do, feel or say when exposed to the
horrors of war? And what if one’s husband is a major
participant in that war, as were James Chesnut, Jefferson
Davis and Ulysses S. Grant in the Civil War? Their
wives—Mary Chesnut, Varina Davis and Julia Grant—make for
interesting study as we look into their backgrounds and
view the war as they did. Sit in Mary’s parlor and listen
to how her female friends endure the war’s torments.
Observe the patience of Varina as First Lady of a new
nation that she doesn’t support, and enjoy the strength
and devotion of Julia, who stands with the famous general
who brought the war to an end. Join us in examining the
day-to-day progression of the Civil War as seen through
the eyes of these fascinating women.
Debbie Halverson, a student of women in history, has
taught several courses at OLLI focusing on these women.
Several summers ago, she actually stayed in a
bed-and-breakfast in Columbia, South Carolina, where the
Chesnuts lived during the Civil War. Debbie is OLLI’s
culinary coordinator and a past president of OLLI.
L318
The American Revolution from the British Side
Tuesdays,
10:00–11:15, Apr. 17–May 8
Four sessions
Instructor: Beth Lambert
There are two sides to every story, but have we ever
looked at the American Revolution from the other side?
Have we ever questioned the motives of the American
patriots, as well as King George and Parliament? Have we
ever wondered why a number of colonists remained loyal to
the Crown? Are we aware that a significant number of
African slaves fought on the side of the British—and had
good reasons for doing so? In these four sessions we will
view the American Revolution from the other side of the
pond.
Beth Lambert is a retired professor of English at
Gettysburg College, where she taught courses on all
aspects of the 18th century. Her biography of Edmund Burke
was published by the University of Delaware Press.
L319
The Great War
Tuesdays,
12:15–1:30, Mar. 20–May 8
Instructor: Doug Foard
The Great War of 1914-1918 was the defining event of the
20th century. It shaped the global future for the entire
period and still astonishes those who study it. The
approach to the subject will be global since hardly any
corner of the earth was saved from the war’s violence.
Starting with an assassination in Bosnia, the conflict
escalated into an earth-encompassing war on a scale
previously unknown in human history.
Douglas Foard has a PhD in history from Washington
University and served for 12 years as executive secretary
of Phi Beta Kappa. His specialization is Spanish history
and he is author of The Revolt of the Aesthetes and The
Imperious Laird: John Campbell, the Fourth Earl of
Loudoun.
L320
Naval War in the Pacific, 1941- 1945. Part One
Wednesdays,
10:00–11:30, Mar. 21–May 9
Instructor: Keith Young
This course is the first of several that will deal with
the naval war in the Pacific in the coming year. It will
open with a brief overview and will then address specific
but little-known topics that include Japanese midget
submarines at Pearl Harbor, the loss of HMS Prince of
Wales and HMS Repulse near Singapore and other Japanese
attacks on American territory during the war. The final
sessions will cover the entire naval air war in the
Pacific, with an eye to learning why and how it led to the
Japanese use of kamikaze suicide aircraft. All sessions
will be open to individual participation and discussion
will be welcomed as time permits.
Keith Young, a retired naval officer with an interest in
military history, lectures on many Civil War and World War
II topics.
L321
Windows on World War I
Thursdays,
12:15–1:30, Mar. 22–Apr. 26
Six sessions
Coordinator: Kevin Riddle
● Mar. 22: Hungary. Peter Poole. describes how Hungary
lost its position as the financial center of a major
empire and how it became a small country, shorn of a third
of its population and two-thirds of its territory, and
surrounded by not very friendly neighbors.
● Mar. 29: Woodrow Wilson. Pat McGinty explains why Thomas
Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States, holds
a unique position in American history. He was the last of
the three successive Progressive presidents (Theodore
Roosevelt and William Howard Taft being the other two) and
while his first term was primarily focused on domestic
issues, he is best known for his work in foreign policy:
The Versailles Treaty and the League of Nations, offset by
his failure to convince the Senate to ratify the treaty
and join the League. Although he was popular with the
masses, both here and abroad, he was one of America’s most
inscrutable public figures. Our challenge will be to see
if we can come to terms with this man of apparent
opposites.
● Apr. 5: Asia. Peter Poole examines the economic boom in
East Asia caused by the European combatants’ need for
food, raw materials and manufactured goods during World
War I. Japan’s new industrial base surged into action to
meet this demand, and lesser industrial and commercial
centers developed in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore
and Bangkok. Asia’s economic growth also speeded up the
pace of social change in the region, creating a sizable
urban middle class and industrial working class.
Anti-colonial national movements gained new adherents.
Asian intellectuals mistakenly assumed that Wilson’s call
for national self-determination applied to East Asia. They
were bitterly disappointed when they found that he only
wanted to free nations dominated by the Ottoman and
Austro-Hungarian empires.
● Apr. 12: Creation of the Italian Nation. Christine
Contrada presents Italy as a young nation with a complex
history. Italians celebrated the 150th anniversary of
their country’s unity in 2011, an occasion marked by much
concern over how divided Italy still is and what its
future holds. This session will focus on the process of
building the Italian nation, from the exploits
of 19tth century revolutionaries like Garibaldi and Cavour
during the Risorgimento through Italy’s tumultuous first
few decades as a nation-state.
● Apr. 19: The Ottoman Empire and World War I. Edward
Erickson provides some answers to a puzzling question: How
did the multiethnic, multilingual, peasant-based Ottoman
Empire (often called the “Sick Man of Europe”) manage to
fend off the attacks of modern, industrialized European
nation-states in the First World War? General Sir Ian
Hamilton, defeated at Gallipoli by the Turks, remarked
during his testimony before a parliamentary investigation:
“I did not know, to tell you the truth, that they were
nearly as good as they turned out to be.” This session
briefly examines the commanders, campaigns and fighting
fronts in the Middle East, including Gallipoli, Palestine
and Mesopotamia.
● Apr. 26: The Spanish Flu and World War I. Andrew
Jampoler’s illustrated lecture will describe how the great
flu epidemic of 1918, which killed countless millions
before it burned out, began in the Midwest. It then
circled the globe, attacking humanity almost everywhere.
Although this session will focus on the scope of the
epidemic and its effect on the fighting in Europe, it will
also touch on other great waves of disease that changed
history.
400
Literature, Theater & Writing
F400
Murder Mystery Writing
Mondays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructors: Wendy Campbell, Kathie West
Class limit: 15
The participants in this class will construct the plot,
characters and setting for an interactive murder mystery
that they will present at the Church of the Good Shepherd
in early June (Special Event 976). This will be an
improvisational performance in which all class members
will participate.
Kathie West, an OLLI member, is a former high school
theater teacher at Robert E. Lee High School and Thomas
Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
Wendy Campbell, an OLLI member, has been a teacher in
Fairfax County for 20 years, during which time she was
twice nominated for Disney Teacher of the Year. She also
has been an active member of a local group of amateur
historic reenactors.
F401
Readers’ Theater
Mondays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 19–May 7
Coordinators: Roxanne Cramer, Manny Pablo
Class limit: 25
OLLI’s unique brand of Readers’ Theater is great fun for
the hams among us! If the idea of acting appeals to you,
come and give it a try. Scripts are usually short skits,
or acts or scenes from longer plays. Parts are handed out
each week for the following week. Occasionally a longer
script needs a designated director. We do not memorize
parts, but instead rehearse them with our fellow
characters. This can often take place between OLLI
classes, but also can be done by phone if there are just
two characters. Props or costumes are not required, but
the actors often dress for the part in some way––perhaps
with a hat or scarf. Time between skits allows for kudos,
comments and suggestions from the audience.
F402
Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Part Three)
Mondays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructor: Peter E. Blau
In this term we are continuing our literary exploration of
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes
stories and many more works, by focusing on his villains
and villainy. We will pay tribute, of course, to Professor
Moriarty, who has been portrayed by many fine actors, most
recently by Jared Harris in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of
Shadows. Needless to say, there are many other thoroughly
despicable characters to be found in the Sherlock Holmes
stories. We will use The Complete Sherlock Holmes, first
published by Doubleday in 1930 and still available from
Barnes & Noble. (Make sure you have an edition with
all 60 of the stories). More information on the book will
be emailed to you after registration.
Peter E. Blau is a geologist and journalist who discovered
the world of Sherlockians in 1948 and has been a member of
The Baker Street Irregulars since 1959, currently serving
as secretary. He joined the Red Circle of Washington, the
local Sherlockian society, in 1970. The society’s website
is www.redcircledc.org.
F403
Aspects of the Novel
Tuesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 20–May 8
Instructor: Kay Menchel
This class will help us understand how novels work. Using
excerpts from British and American literature, each class
will be devoted to a topic or topics, such as plot,
dialogue or characterization, that will allow us to
examine novelists’ techniques. The aim is to enhance the
enjoyment of novels and illuminate a little of the
novelist’s craft. The excerpts will be posted on the OLLI
Document Store in advance of each class and copies will be
available in the classroom.
Kay Menchel, who grew up in Yorkshire, is a lawyer who
also has an MA in English literature from George Mason.
She is looking forward to sharing her passion for modern
English literature.
F404
Poetry Workshop
Tuesdays,
11:45-1:15, Mar. 20–May 8
Moderators: Mike McNamara, Jan Bohall
Class limit: 18
This workshop allows novice and experienced poets the
opportunity to read their work to others and receive
suggestions for improvement. Workshop members should bring
an original poem in draft or revision form to each session
for discussion. Two poems should be sent to the office for
duplication one week before the first workshop, and a
third poem brought to the first session.
Mike McNamara, an OLLI member, has been published in
several literary journals and magazines and has been a
recipient of awards in the Poetry Society of Virginia’s
annual competitions.
Jan Bohall, an OLLI member, has been published in
Passager: A Journal of Remembrance and Discovery, The
Orange County Register, Write On!!, The Poet’s Domain and
OLLI Ink.
F405
Zora Neale Hurston: From Triumph to Obscurity to
Celebrity
Tuesdays,
2:00–3:30, Apr. 3–May 8
Six sessions
Instructors: Claire Smith, Barbara Nelson
Trained as an anthropologist, Zora Neale Hurston became
the leading black female writer during the rich artistic
period in the 1920s and 1930s known as the Harlem
Renaissance. Hurston wrote four novels, stories for
magazines, essays, an autobiography and four volumes of
black mythology and folklore. Her work then fell into
obscurity until 1975 when Alice Walker brought her life
and work to the attention of modern readers and writers,
including Toni Morrison. This six-week course will examine
her life and sample her work, including folk tales,
articles, short stories and her masterpiece, Their Eyes
Were Watching God. There will be two texts for the class:
I Love Myself When I Am Laughing…And Then Again When I Am
Looking Mean and Impressive: A Zora Neale Hurston Reader,
edited by Alice Walker (The Feminist Press, 1979) as well
as Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God (Harper’s First
Perennial Library, 1990).
Claire Smith, an OLLI member, has been co-chair of the
Literature, Language and Theater Resource Group since
2009.
Barbara Nelson is a retired Fairfax County Public Schools
teacher and an OLLI member who has led discussions of The
Odyssey, The Illiad, Aeschylus’ Oresteia and The Aeneid.
F406
Memoir Writing
Thursdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 22–May 10
Instructor: Dianne Hennessy King
Class limit: 24
Learn to write about your individual and shared history in
ways that will clarify your vision, whether you are
looking into your past, documenting your present or
contemplating your future. There will be some writing
exercises during class in response to prompts, such as
quotations, music and video clips. We’ll also bounce
around some ideas on memoir techniques.
Dianne Hennessey King is a cultural anthropologist,
writing instructor, editor and television producer. She is
the coordinator of the annual “Writing Your Personal
History” symposium in Vienna each May and this will be her
fifth memoir class at OLLI. Dianne is co-authoring a book,
The Craft of Memoir, to be published in 2012.
F407
Let’s Study a Play Together—Jeeves in Bloom
Thursdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 22–Apr. 12
Four sessions
Instructor: Doris Bloch
The objectives of this course are to read a single play
and to have fun doing it in a group setting. Prior to each
class, we will read the assigned act independently; during
the class we will take turns reading the parts out loud,
after which we will discuss the action. All class members
are encouraged to participate fully in the readings and
discussions. The chosen work is Jeeves in Bloom. It is a
play based on beloved P. G. Wodehouse characters Bertie
Wooster and his all-knowing valet, Jeeves, who repeatedly
rescues Bertie from escapades with his Aunt Dahlia;
amphibian-loving friend Gussie Fink-Nottle; hotheaded
French chef Anatole and sometime-fiancée Madeline
Bassett, Did you know that Wodehouse wrote 96 books and
lyrics for 30 musical comedies, many in collaborations
with Jerome Kern, Cole Porter or Sigmund Romberg? Did you
know that he wrote for Hollywood films? Did you know that
he was interned by the Germans during World War II and
suspected of being a traitor by the Allies? Did you know
that he lived in New York for many years, eventually
becoming a U.S. citizen in 1955? There is a $9 material
fee payable with your registration to cover the cost of
the text.
Doris Bloch has been a member of OLLI for six years and is
co-chair of the Literature, Language and Theater Resource
Group.
F408
Henry V: Ambiguity and Victory
Thursdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 22–May 10
Instructor: Mike McNamara
Whatever happened to Prince Hal, the madcap, lovable,
young Prince of Wales who, with his boon companion
Falstaff, delighted us in Henry IV? He has become Henry V
and has lost patience with Falstaff’s buffoonery. There is
a dualism in the new king’s nature: sensitivity and warmth
coexist with strength and shrewdness, if not brutality.
Henry V has been termed Shakespeare’s ideal king, the
victor over the French at Agincourt, England’s greatest
land victory. But the ambiguities in his character are
reflected in the way Shakespeare has described the
campaign and its leaders and Henry V remains one of the
most complex, yet rewarding, plays of the Elizabethan
period. Information on how to order a moderately priced
paperback edition will be emailed to class participants
after registration.
Mike McNamara is a retired U.S. Army infantry colonel who
taught literature in England and The Netherlands while on
active duty. He has presented a half-dozen classes at OLLI
on Elizabethan/Jacobean plays, most recently Marlowe’s
Faust. He also has taught courses in international poetry,
including haiku, and is co-moderator of the OLLI Poetry
Workshop.
R409
Jane Austen — Persuasion
Mondays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 19–Apr. 9
Four sessions
Instructor: Beth Lambert
Persuasion was Jane Austen’s last complete novel and her
shortest. It is also the favorite of many Austen fans for
reasons that are easy to see. For one thing, heroine Ann
Elliot is not a young girl but a mature woman who has been
given a second chance at happiness. With the British navy
at center stage and the Napoleonic wars in the background,
Persuasion is set in a wider, more uncertain world than
Austen’s other novels. Those who are familiar with all of
her novels, as well as first-time readers, will find much
to enjoy and to ponder. We will be using the Barnes and
Noble edition of Persuasion.
Beth Lambert, an OLLI member, is a retired professor of
English at Gettysburg College, where she taught courses on
all aspects of the 18th century. Her seminars on Jane
Austen’s novels were particular favorites of English
majors and non-majors alike.
R410
The Brothers Karamazov
Tuesdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 20–May 8
Instructor: Jane Catron
In his last and greatest book, Fyodor Dostoyevsky has
created a rural town in Russia of the 1860s and brought to
vivid life the conflict within one particular family
between good and evil on many levels: love and hatred,
sex, money, crime and religion. Ever since its publication
in 1879, The Brothers Karamazov has fascinated a host of
readers, including Sigmund Freud, who declared it to be
“the most magnificent novel ever written.” Reading it for
the first or repeated time involves the reader with
characters he will never forget.
Jane Catron is a retired English teacher from McLean High
School who has been a member of OLLI for over ten years.
She has a special interest in Russian literature and has
conducted classes on Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina and War and
Peace.
R411
A Brontë Double Bill
Tuesdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 20–May 8
Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center, Lake Anne
1609 Washington Plaza North, #A,
Reston, VA 20190.
Instructor: Kay Menchel
Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë may be the three
most famous literary sisters of all time. In this class we
will read Charlotte’s Jane Eyre and Emily’s Wuthering
Heights. These novels are classics that have inspired
countless film and television adaptations (and even a
popular song), but they appear to be very different
indeed. We will examine these books to see if we can find
similarities below the surface and discuss why both have
been so beloved for over 150 years.
See F403 for instructor information.
R412
Literary Roundtable
Wednesdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 21–May 9
Reston’s Used Book Shop at Lake Anne
Moderators: Janice Dewire, Carol Henderson
Class limit: 23
This short story discussion class will begin with a new
anthology: Story-Wallah: Short Fiction from South Asian
Writers, edited by Shyam Selvadurai. The editor cites two
threads uniting the writers in this collection: They are
all, to some degree, members of the South Asian diaspora
and they all write in English. Authors this term include
Anita Desai, Bharati Mukherjee, Michael Ondaatje and
Salman Rushdie. Registrants must provide their own copies
of the book, a 2005 Houghton Mifflin paperback available
for $11 to $14 from bookshops and online vendors. This
anthology will also be used during the summer term.
Janice Dewire and Carol Henderson are enthusiastic
Literary Roundtable participants and former OLLI Board
members who took on the moderator role some years ago for
this popular course, one of the longest-running at Lake
Anne.
L413
Identity and Self-Awareness in Shakespeare’s King Lear
Mondays,
10:00–11:15, Mar. 19–Apr. 9
Four sessions
Instructor: Richard Wilan
This class will examine identity and self-knowledge in the
King Lear characters of Lear and Gloucester. This is a
very complex play but we will try to keep the focus on the
two fathers and their need for self-awareness. The class
will combine lecture and discussion. All participants
should have a copy of the play.
Richard Wilan received a BA from Amherst College, an MAT
from Harvard University and a PhD from the University of
Maryland, where his dissertation was on Shakespeare’s
Troilus and Cressida. He recently retired from Northern
Virginia Community College, where he taught writing and
Shakespearean literature for many years.
L414
The New Yorker: A Roundtable Discussion
Mondays,
2:30–3:30, Mar. 19–May 7
Coordinator: Michael Coyne
This class will focus on informal discussions of material
from current or archival copies of The New Yorker
magazine. Choices may include feature articles, profiles,
fiction, cartoons and even advertising. Material will be
distributed by email to participants one week before each
class.
L415
Writers’ Workshop: Writing the Mind Alive
Wednesdays,
10:00–11:15, Mar. 21–May 9
Facilitators: Ed Sadtler, Bob Greenspan
Class Limit: 10
This is a roundtable format that provides a safe haven for
writers of all levels to give and receive encouragement,
feedback and constructive criticism. All genres of writing
are welcome, including poetry, fiction, memoirs and
historical works. All of these categories share the same
underlying commitment: to write compelling work that fully
conveys the author’s intentions.
Ed Sadtler has been writing and occasionally publishing
poetry for many years.
Bob Greenspan is a retired attorney who has written a
number of short stories and completed a screenplay. Both
are OLLI members.
L416
Readers’ Theater in Loudoun
Wednesdays,
12:15–1:30, Mar. 21–May 9
Coordinators: Kathie West, Charles Duggan, Lynn Gramzow
Class limit: 30
If you love the theater and are intrigued by the idea of
trying to step into someone else’s shoes, join our
enthusiastic group and develop your reading and acting
skills, learn more about plays and play-reading and enjoy
interacting with other “hams.” Each week members of the
class either perform as characters in a play or are part
of the audience. Participants should plan to set aside
time to rehearse with other performers before presenting
the play to the class.
L417
Acting Skills
Wednesdays,
2:30–3:30, Mar. 21–Apr. 11 May 9
(The ED extended the course by four weeks on Apr 9)
Four Eight sessions
Instructor: Kathie West
Come and learn the right and wrong way to perform in
Readers’ Theater (L416) and other theater groups. You will
receive lessons in technical aspects, pronunciation,
diction, body language, facial expressions, blocking,
laughing, crying and, most of all, how to have fun and
act.
See F400 for instructor information.
L418
A Pleasant Perusal of Prominent Playwrights
Course canceled
a/o 3/8/2012
Thursdays, 12:15–1:30, Mar. 22–May 10
Instructors: Janet Arthur, Kathie West
Enjoy discussing the work of wonderful playwrights
including Noel Coward, Oscar Wilde, Arthur Miller, George
Bernard Shaw, Edward Albee, August Wilson, Lorraine
Hansberry and Thornton Wilder. Not only will you hear
their stories but you will be involved in performing some
of their best scenes. This is a wonderful opportunity to
enjoy literature and to express your creative side.
Janet Arthur, an OLLI member, is a graduate of Duke
University and was a fellow in the writing project at the
University of North Carolina-Charlotte. She is a former
high school English teacher and is at present a docent at
the Folger Shakespeare Library.
See F400 for Kathie West’s information.
500
Languages
F500
Beginning Italian II
Mondays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructor: Donna Kendall
This course is for students who wish to resume a basic
study of the Italian language. It is a follow-up to
Beginning Italian that began with pronunciation, common
words, phrases and grammar. In this class we will begin
with a short review of Beginning Italian and then continue
with expanding our vocabulary. We will incorporate a few
more lessons towards understanding Italian culinary lingo,
as well as an overview of the language associated with
some of the best-loved places in Italy. Benvenuto a
tutti!
Donna Kendall is a first-generation Italian-American who
frequently travels to southern Italy, where her family
resides. She has taught conversational Italian to
government officials at the Washington Language Center and
currently teaches English at Northern Virginia Community
College.
F501
French Conversation
Mondays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructor: Beverley Persell
This class is for those who have an understanding of
French and want to improve their conversation level. Each
week we will have a different topic, including current
events in France and French literature samplings. All
students will be encouraged to speak about a subject of
their choice. A French movie will be shown at the last
class meeting and there will also be a French lunch.
Beverley Persell, an OLLI member, taught French in five
states for more than 20 years before retiring from the
Congressional School of Virginia. She has studied at the
Sorbonne, French Year Abroad in Rennes and the French
Traveler for French Teachers programs in Sarlat,
Strasbourg, Aix-en-Provence and Toulouse.
F502
Spanish Conversational Forum
Wednesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 21–May 9
Instructor: Bernardo Vargas
Class limit: 16
This is an ongoing conversational Spanish forum that meets
regularly during the year. The objectives are to practice
the Spanish language and to learn about Spanish/Latino
culture through articles, photographs, video and speakers.
Although classes are conducted in Spanish, English will be
used occasionally to explain grammar and idiomatic
expressions. Come join us and improve your Spanish while
learning and having fun!
Bernardo Vargas, a graduate of the Pontificia Catholic
University Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, is an
editor of an online Spanish newspaper.
F503
Conversational Spanish 2
Wednesdays,
11:45–1:15, Apr. 18–May 9
Four sessions
Instructor: Joanne Becker
This course is for those who have some background in
studying or using Spanish. There will be a review of
common expressions and grammatical concepts. Come join us
to practice your conversational Spanish.
Joanne Becker has taught in Fairfax County schools for 22
years, the last ten at Thomas Jefferson High School for
Science and Technology. She has studied and traveled in
several Spanish-speaking countries, including home-stay
study programs in Mexico and Spain.
600
Religious Studies
F600
Introduction to Humanism
Mondays,
9:30–11:00, Apr. 16–May 7
Four sessions
Instructor: Roy Speckhardt
For those interested in learning more about how humanists,
atheists and freethinkers are striving for equality, this
course will explore modern humanism. It will provide an
overview that defines this progressive nontheist
philosophy, highlights its history, describes the
diversity within nontheistic approaches and looks at some
of the challenges humanists face today. The first class
will provide a grounding in the humanist worldview. The
second class will look at how a humanist morality is
constructed and used to make tough decisions. The third
class will examine similar movements and the fourth class
will discuss new legal approaches to defending humanists
in the courts, and keeping church and state separate.
Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American
Humanist Association, has appeared on television and has
spoken to many groups across the nation. He holds a BA in
sociology from Mary Washington College and an MBA from
George Mason.
F601
Difficult Texts of the Bible
Wednesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 21–May 9
Instructor: Steven Goldman
The Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament include a
number of texts that pose ethical and practical challenges
for believers because they don’t appear to mesh with the
major doctrines taught by their respective faiths. In this
course, we will examine many of these texts and review how
they have been justified by some and criticized by others.
Steven Goldman is chair of OLLI’s Religious Studies
Resource Group.
F602
Christianity in Popular Culture
Thursdays,
2:00–3:30, Apr. 19–May 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Jennifer McKenzie
What do people really think about Christianity today? One
way to answer that question is to take a close look at how
the Christian faith is portrayed in popular
culture—particularly in film and television. The shift
from modernism to post-modernism, from enlightenment to
mysticism is heralded in films such as The Matrix and in
television series like Lost and even Desperate Housewives.
Maybe you’ve noticed this and have examples you’d like to
share. We will take a look at some characters, plots and
settings to do a general analysis, and then watch some
clips to see how current beliefs about Christianity are
being played out.
Reverend Jennifer McKenzie is an Episcopal priest who
recently completed her term as interim associate rector at
Church of the Good Shepherd in Burke and is presently
leading the development of Church Re-imagined, a
consulting and mentoring service. She has a BA from Auburn
University and an MDiv from Virginia Theological Seminary.
R603
Jesus’ Final Week and the Beginnings of Christianity
Mondays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructor: Steven Goldman
The last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry provides many
foundations for the birth of Christianity. However, there
are disagreements regarding the historical and spiritual
significance of events that transpired during that final
week. Major issues that we will explore include the
following:
● Why was Jesus welcomed on Palm Sunday and rejected later
in the week?
● Did Jesus declare himself to be the Messiah? Did he
declare himself to be God, or did others say this about
him?
● Did Jesus seek to overturn the existing religious order?
Did he pose a threat to Roman rule?
● What was the intent of his commands at the Last Supper?
● What did Jesus teach about “end times”?
● Who was responsible for the execution of Jesus?
● If Jesus had siblings, where were they on Good Friday?
● Did Jesus physically rise from the dead?
● Do the different accounts of the Resurrection mean that
it is a spiritual myth?
● How are we to understand Jesus’ teaching regarding his
“Second Coming”?
See F601 for instructor information.
650
Humanities and Social Sciences
F650
Free Speech and Religion Under the Constitution
Mondays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 19–May 7
Instructor: Bob Zener
The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and
religion and requires separation of church and state. We
will discuss judicial decisions applying these protections
to these issues:
● Obscenity. Does free speech protect dirty words on TV?
We will listen to the audio of a Supreme Court oral
argument of a current case.
● Threats of Violence. Does free speech protect “fighting
words,” cross burning, right-to-life ads targeting
abortion doctors, burning the Quran and inflammatory
political rhetoric?
● Threats to National Security. Does free speech protect
publication of classified information?
● Speech Violating Private Rights. Is libel protected?
Hate speech? Privacy intrusions?
● Free Speech and Money in Politics. The Supreme Court has
extended free speech protection to corporate campaign ads.
Does this eviscerate meaningful regulation of money in
politics?
● Speech and Religion in the Schools. Issues include
religiously-oriented after-school groups, religious
influence on the curriculum (“creation science”),
religious-based veto of library books (Heather Has Two
Mommies) and college “speech codes.”
● Religion in Public Life. Does the “ceremonial deism” so
common in our public life violate separation of church and
state?
● Religious Objection to Legal Requirements. Churches
generally must comply with the law. How about
anti-discrimination requirements, including sex
discrimination?
This course is an updated version of the course taught by
Bob Zener in Spring 2011 at the Loudoun campus.
Bob Zener, an OLLI member, spent 18 years with the
Department of Justice, where he briefed and argued more
than 100 cases in federal courts of appeals. He also wrote
several briefs involving constitutional issues for the
Supreme Court.
F651
1846 in the United States and the World
Thursdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 22–May 10
Coordinator: Bob Lawshe
In this class we will look at what was happening in and
around the year 1846 in the United States and the world.
● Mar. 22 and Mar. 29: Setting the Stage. Topics include
Manifest Destiny, Oregon, the Donner Party, exploration,
the Mexican War, the Bear Flag Revolt and the Pig War. Bob
Persell.
● Apr. 5: Frederick Douglass, Slavery and Abolition.
Barbara Nelson.
● Apr. 12: Natural Philosophy. This will include geology,
Darwinism and agriculture. Brian Martin.
● Apr. 19: Science and Engineering, with the focus on
iron, steel and steam power. Brian Martin.
● Apr. 26: The U.S. Economy. This class will cover
industry, transportation, communication, finance, cotton
and regional differences. Bill Reader.
● May 3: Women and the Lady Book. Wendy Campbell.
● May 10: Poetry. Mike McNamara.
F652
Topics in Philosophy
Tuesdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 20–May 1
Seven sessions
Coordinator: Bob Lawshe
We once again present a series of lectures by graduate
students from the George Mason Department of Philosophy.
This series is intended to give the students experience in
preparing and delivering presentations while providing us
with an intriguing range of philosophical issues.
Participants will find themselves looking at things in
entirely new and challenging ways. Speakers and topics
include:
● March 20: The Romantic Conception of Life. What role
does our perception of beauty play in the growth and
development of scientific knowledge? Jeanne Day.
● March 27: Virtue and Pacifism. This presentation will
focus on the philosophical arguments of pacifism and its
variants as they stand in contrast with other prominent
ethical positions in war theory. It will briefly explore
the nature of the moral imperative as a distinguishing
factor between the pacifist and one who views the negative
consequences of war as a helpless reality. The development
of virtues will be looked at as a potential route by which
individuals may acquire a more effective and appropriate
disposition toward nonviolence. Christian Carrozzo is
completing studies for an MA in philosophy from George
Mason with research concentrations in virtue ethics, human
capabilities, conflict analysis and physicalism. He also
serves as an ethics consultant for a national nonprofit
health care organization.
● April 3: Emanuel Levinas and Allen Ginsberg. This
presentation is an exploration of the affinity between
Emanuel Levinas’ exposition of ethics as metaphysics in
Totality and Infinity and the ethical critique of American
capitalism found in Allen Ginsberg’s poem Howl. I suggest
that Ginsberg’s projection of Moloch above the suffering
of the city and Levinas’ conception of faceless gods that
arch over elemental life are both expressions of a being
that attempts to gather all humanity under its gaze.
Richard Strube.
● April 10: Sex, Madness and Power: How Western Views on
Gender Difference and Sexual Behavior Influence Domestic
Social Policy. The policies drafted, signed into law and
enforced by a representative democratic government reflect
the prevailing trends in belief structures among the
citizenry of that nation. It is with this in mind that we
turn our attention to certain domestic policies regarding
gender difference and sexual behavior that help to define
the character of a nation. By examining the domestic
policies regarding these beliefs in Great Britain, Sweden
and the United States we will gain a greater sense of how
these policies have had such a profound effect on both the
public and private spheres of life for their citizens. We
will critically assess policies regarding marriage
incentives, sex education and AIDS prevention within
these nations to determine which policies regarding sexual
behavior and gender difference are dominant, and which
have been pushed to the fringe. We will work from the
perspective of Michael Foucault, a prolific and highly
influential social theorist and philosopher who has
written many works. The two that will be cited are The
History of Madness and The History of Sexuality. By using
Foucault’s unique lens to critically analyze power
structures and the beliefs that feed them, we will be able
to track and trace the prevalence, or rarity, of
ideologies regarding sexuality and gender. Brett
Duplechain is a second-year student in the Masters program
in philosophy at George Mason, with a concentration in
ethics and public policy. He previously received a BA with
a double major in philosophy and sociology from
Randolph-Macon College.
● April 17: Naturalistic Ethics. Many ethicists still
believe that without a notion of the divine, or without
the dictates of a transcendent faculty called reason,
ethics slides into viscous relativism. Naturalistic
worldviews are helpful because they account for what the
sciences tell us about how we work and how we make ethical
judgments, while also framing ethics in a way that does
not depend on metaphysical foundations. Naturalists can
have robust ethics without appeals to the divine and
without threatening traditional values. Justin Marshall.
● April 24: Introducing Derrida: Beyond Postmodernism.
Jacques Derrida was a postmodernist and one might even
argue that he is the preeminent proponent of
postmodernity. But what is postmodernism? David Harvey and
Jean-Francois Lyotard define it as the ending of certain
naïve ideals of the Enlightenment, which argued that
there is one true reality and real knowledge is a
representation of that reality. Postmodernism rejects this
belief as not only impossible, but not even desirable. It
describes beliefs as centers of power that are perpetuated
by excluding factors outside of themselves. Such factors
could be linguistic, cultural, psychological, gender-based
or some composite of several of these. The postmodern
tendency is for these factors, formerly repressed,
neglected or rejected, to become valued. For example, the
Enlightenment valued the self as autonomous and
self-sufficient. Postmodernism contends that the self is
interdependent and a social construct. Like postmodernists
that he undoubtedly inspired, Derrida would challenge the
Enlightenment’s project of a final assimilation of the
world through the faculty of reason. However, Derrida did
reject postmodernity’s excess. He argued for a greater
sense of responsibility and a more radical ethical call
than any Enlightenment dream, and a more radical and
profound analysis of the human condition than any of
postmodernism’s simple inversions.
Greg Conrow recently received an MA from George Mason and
is a PhD candidate.
● May 1: Chantal Mouffe. In our current political
environment, there is a constant call for goodwill and
“working across the aisle." We want our politicians to
focus on what we all have in common as opposed to what we
disagree on. The problem with this approach is that the
purpose of politics is to work out our problems. To
illuminate this seeming contradiction, we will focus on
the work of contemporary philosopher Chantal Mouffe.
Christopher Outlaw.
R653
Skeptics and Believers: Religious Debate in the Modern
World
Tuesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 20–Apr. 10
Four sessions
Facilitator: Abbie Edwards
Before the modern period, few serious thinkers questioned
the existence of God or the importance of religion in
human life. The truth had been revealed, and philosophers
and religious thinkers debated only how to understand this
truth. This course examines the challenges to religion
that have emerged in the modern world and the ways in
which religious authorities have responded. The latter
half of the 19th century introduced radical challenges to
religion in the works of Marx, Nietzsche and Freud. The
20th century offered new challenges brought on by two
World Wars, the Holocaust and such issues as global
economic inequity, racism and sexism. Although there are
36 lectures in this Great Courses video series covering
the Enlightenment to the present day, we will view and
discuss only the last five lectures, which cover the
period from 2000 to 2009. Topics will include:
● Fundamentalism and Islamism.
● New Atheism.
● Religion and Rationality.
● Pluralism: Religious and Secular.
● Faith, Suspicion and Modernity.
Come prepared to listen to the lectures and to have lively
discussions.
Abbie Edwards, an OLLI member, has taught a variety of
classes since 2001.
700 Current
Events
F700
What’s in the Daily News?
Mondays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 19–May 7
Moderators: Peter Van Ryzin, Dorsey Chescavage
Class limit: 33
Do you have an opinion on what’s happening in the world
today? Would you like to express and share your views with
others? If so, join other news junkies each week to
discuss, debate and, yes, sometimes disagree as to the
significance and meaning of events both great and small.
All views are welcomed in a spirit of give-and-take.
Peter Van Ryzin, an addicted news junky and OLLI member,
was a career Marine, serving two combat tours in Vietnam
and retiring as a colonel in 1990.
Dorsey Chescavage, an OLLI member, retired from the
Jefferson Consulting Group, where she was a registered
lobbyist specializing in the area of military and
veterans’ health care.
F701
America and the World
Mondays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 19–May 7
Church of the Good Shepherd, 9350
Braddock Road, Burke, VA 22015
except April 9 & 16: The
Sherwood Center, 3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030.
(Changed 3/8/2012)
Coordinator: Carlyn Elder
Join us as experts in their fields define the challenges
we face in this ever-changing world.
● Mar. 19: The Changing International System and
Implications for U.S. National Security. General John
Johns.
● Mar. 26: American Politics. Edward Alden, Bernard L.
Schwartz senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations.
● Apr. 2: How Obama Should Talk to Iran. Trita Parsi,
National Iranian American Council.
● Apr. 9: American Elections. Jeremy Mayer, associate
professor, George Mason School of Public Policy.
● Apr. 16: How Does Virginia's Government Work? Jim
LeMunyon, Virginia House of Delegates.
● Apr. 23: The President's Czars: Undermining Congress and
the Constitution. Mark J. Rozell, professor, George Mason
School of Public Policy.
● Apr. 30: What Is Happening in the Middle East?
Ashley Tellis, Carnegie Endowment for Peace.
● May 7: Briefing the White House Staff. Dennis Wilder,
senior editor of the President’s Daily Brief.
Please note that some of these speakers may have
unscheduled last-minute conflicts, so speaking dates may
have to be reordered.
F702
The Changing Middle East
Tuesdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 20–May 8
Church of the Good Shepherd, 9350
Braddock Road, Burke, VA 22015
except April 10 & 17: The
Sherwood Center, 3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030.
(Changed 3/8/2012)
Coordinators: Rosemary McDonald, Stephen Canner
● Mar. 20: The Near East: From Cradle of Civilization to
Cockpit of Conflict. Ambassador David Newton, currently an
adjunct scholar at the Middle East Institute, retired from
a 36-year career in the Foreign Service, having served
both as ambassador to Yemen and as the first ambassador to
Iraq following the resumption of diplomatic relations. He
also served as Near East division chief in the Bureau of
Intelligence and Research and as economic officer for the
Arabian Peninsula.
● Mar. 27: Arab Spring, Summer, Fall and Beyond. Muhamed
Elemenshawy is an adjunct scholar and director of the
language and regional studies program at the Middle East
Institute. He writes a weekly column for the Egyptian
daily Al-Sharouk News and was editor-in-chief of Arab
Insight, a journal communicating Arab perspectives on the
Middle East to American audiences.
● Apr. 3: Egypt: the Linchpin in the Middle East. Tarek
Khalil is general secretary of the Alliance of
Egyptian-Americans, an organization devoted to promoting
democracy, justice and the rule of law in Egypt. He will
review the political/economic status before the Arab
Spring, as well as the challenges and opportunities that
lie ahead for the “new Egypt,” in light of recent
elections.
● Apr. 10: Economies in the Region. Sulaiman Wasty, a
scholar at the Middle East Institute, is the former
assistant chief of the International Economics Section and
special assistant to the Minister of Finance, Planning and
Development at the Planning Commission of Pakistan.
● Apr. 17: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East.
Ambassador Richard Murphy, a frequent commentator for NPR,
CNN, BBC and Fox News, has served as ambassador to Syria,
the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. Until 2004, he also
served as the Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for the
Middle East at the Council on Foreign Relations in New
York.
● Apr. 24: Religions in the Middle East: Peter Mandaville
is director of the Ali Vural Ak Center for Islamic Studies
at George Mason. From 2011 to 2012 he served on the policy
planning staff at the U.S. State Department, where he
helped shape the the U.S. response to the Arab Spring. He
is the author of Global Political Islam and Transnational
Muslim Politics: Reimagining the Umma.
● May 1: Women in the Islamic World. Ambassador Barbara
Bodine is a lecturer on public and international affairs,
practitioner-in-residence and director of the Scholars in
the Nation’s Service initiative at Princeton University. A
former ambassador to Yemen, her career of more than 30
years in the Foreign Service was spent primarily on
Arabian Peninsula and Persian Gulf issues.
● May 8: Changing Politics: The Future for Democracy in an
Islamist World. Andrea Barron has been an adjunct
professor of history for more than ten years at George
Mason, where she teaches classes on the Middle East. She
is senior program manager for civic engagement and Middle
East Initiatives at The Washington Center for Internships
and Academic Seminars.
F703
Great Decisions 2012
Thursdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 22–May 10
Moderators: Gordon Canyock and Ted Parker
Class limit: 22
For over 50 years, the Foreign Policy Association has
sponsored discussion groups throughout the United States
to investigate some of the world’s greatest challenges
affecting our lives. This year’s eight topics for
discussion are:
● Middle East Realignment.
● Promoting Democracy.
● Mexico.
● Cybersecurity.
● Exit from Afghanistan and Iraq.
● State of the Oceans.
● Indonesia.
● Energy Geopolitics.
A briefing book and video covering each week’s topic will
set the stage for class discussion. There is a $25
materials fee payable with registration.
Gordon Canyock is a retired military intelligence officer,
former State Department consultant and long-time member of
OLLI.
Ted Parker, a retiree from the U.S. Department of
Education, had a 40-year career in education, which
included teaching and managing at local, state and
collegiate levels. He has been a member of OLLI for
several years.
R704
Supreme Court Cases on Affordable Health Care
Wednesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 21–Mar. 28
Two sessions
Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center, Lake Anne
1609 Washington Plaza North, #A,
Reston, VA 20190.
Instructor: Ben Gold
Probably the most controversial and highly visible set of
cases before the Supreme Court in many years will be heard
in late March 2012. The Court has announced that it would
hear arguments on the constitutionality of the individual
insurance mandate provision (requiring individuals to buy
health insurance by 2014 or pay a tax penalty) under the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Over a
three-day period, March 26 to 28, the Court will hear more
than five and a half hours of arguments on the individual
mandate provision, as well as a group of cases raising
several other issues related to PPACA. The first class
meeting will precede the Court’s first sitting on this
case, while our second session will occur on the last day
of arguments.
Ben Gold, an OLLI member, has a BA in political science
from Stanford University and earned an MS in computer
science as a Navy officer. After retirement from the Navy,
he worked in the computer industry and has served as a
docent at the Supreme Court for the past nine years.
R705
Evolution of Media and Politics Since World War II
Thursdays,
9:30–11:00, Apr. 19–May 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Glenn Kamber
This course will examine the interaction of electronic
media (radio, television, cable, the Internet, mobile
phones and social media) with politics and governance
since World War II. The instructor will discuss such
topics as:
● How television has changed our perception of, and
involvement with, political candidates and
elected officials.
● The continued role of radio as a political influence.
● How the explosion of cable television (many channels, 24
hours a day) has influenced public opinion, campaigns and
politicians.
● How social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, are
transforming political processes.
Glenn Kamber, an OLLI member, is a retired senior
executive from the Department of Health and Human
Services. A trained marriage and family therapist, he is
currently on the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services
Board.
R706
All the News That's Fit to Print
Thursdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 22–May 10
Moderator: Dick Kennedy
We live in an age of abundant information from TV, radio,
the Internet, magazines, bumper stickers and newspapers.
How should we filter these sources and evaluate
information about world events, popular trends and
advances in science, business, sports and entertainment?
In this discussion group we will look at some of the hot
topics of the day. All viewpoints and opinions are
respected, needed and welcomed. As Walter Cronkite once
said, “In a democracy agreement is not required, but
participation is.”
Dick Kennedy is an OLLI member and a retiree from the
Department of Housing and Urban Development. Two of his
favorite activities are reading The Washington Post with
his coffee in the morning and listening to National Public
Radio while driving.
L707
News of the Day
Tuesdays,
2:30–3:30, Mar. 20–May 8
Moderator: Mark Weinstein
No one can say that we live in placid times. National and
local politics, national and international economic
situations, local and national elections and the usual
panoply of upheaval and chaos make for an exciting and
informative hour in which Loudoun news junkies can express
their opinions and seek more information.
Mark Weinstein, an electrical engineer, is a four-year
OLLI member and self-confessed news junkie who can spend
hours watching C-SPAN.
L708
Great Decisions 2012
Thursdays,
10:00–11:15, Mar. 22–May 10
Moderator: William Aird
Class limit: 25
This is a repeat of Course F703. There is a $25 materials
fee payable with your registration form.
William Aird is a licensed professional engineer and
meteorologist who also has a master’s degree in education.
He has traveled extensively to foreign countries, gaining
background information on their culture, political
atmosphere, climate changes and customs. This is the sixth
year he has presented this course at Loudoun.
800
Science, Technology & Health
F800
Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
Mondays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 19–Mar. 26
Two sessions
Coordinator: Palmer McGrew
The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, a 23-mile extension
of the Washington, D.C., Metro system, is one of the
largest and most complicated infrastructure projects under
construction in the United States. Representatives from
Dulles Transit Partners, the team executing Phase 1, the
first 11.6 miles of the project, will discuss project
strategy, innovative construction techniques, the
challenges of placing 190,000 cubic yards of concrete in
and around Tysons Corner and much more. On March 26 we
will have a wonderful opportunity to tour the project by
bus with the project manager explaining what we are
seeing. The bus will leave Tallwood at 11:15 and return at
approximately 1:30. There is a cost of $18 to cover the
cost of the bus, payable to OLLI with your registration.
George Morschauser has more than 32 years of technical and
managerial experience in the design and construction of
large, complex transportation infrastructure and
facilities. He previously served as project manager on the
$6.3 billion MTACC/LIRR East Side Access Project in New
York, the $5.3 billion Los Angeles Metro Red Line Project,
the AirTrain Light Rail Transit Extension to JFK
International Airport and Extension C on the Baltimore
Metro.
F801
Sleep: A Key to Successful Aging
Wednesdays,
9:30–11, Mar. 21–Apr. 4
Three sessions
Instructor: Kathy Richards
Participants in this course will learn what is good sleep
and how to obtain it by assessing their sleep quality and
analyzing their sleep habits. The instructor will discuss
her research on improving sleep and delaying cognitive
decline in older adults, including clinical trials of
interventions such as massage, exercise and individualized
social activity programs.
Kathy Richards is assistant dean for the doctoral division
and research development at the George Mason School of
Nursing. Her experience in translational sleep and aging
research spans over 20 years and the results of her
findings have been disseminated in more than 100
publications.
F802
Fundamentals of Nuclear Power
Wednesdays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 21–May 9
Coordinator: Palmer McGrew
This course will provide an overview of nuclear science
and technology and its application to the production of
electricity. It will explain how a nuclear reactor works
and will describe the various types of nuclear reactor
technologies currently available or under development. The
course will cover the entire nuclear fuel cycle, including
uranium mining, enrichment and fuel fabrication, as well
as reprocessing and the management and disposal of used
nuclear fuel. It will also explore the complex
sociopolitical issues that are often intertwined in any
discussion about a sustainable long-term environmental and
energy policy that includes nuclear power. The course will
be taught by members of the nuclear engineering faculty at
the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of
Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, complemented by guest
speakers.
Sama Bilbao y Leon, director of nuclear engineering, has a
PhD in nuclear engineering from the University of
Wisconsin. http://www.egr.vcu.edu/me/faculty/ME-leon.html
Ross Anderson has a PhD in nuclear engineering from the
University of Virginia.
http://www.egr.vcu.edu/me/faculty/ME-anderson.html
Brian Hinderliter has a PhD in materials science from the
University of Virginia.
http://www.egr.vcu.edu/me/faculty/me-faculty_hinderliter.html
Gokul Vasudevamurthy has a PhD in nuclear engineering from
the University of South Carolina.
Jim Miller (part-time faculty) has an MS in nuclear
engineering from The Pennsylvania State University.
F803
Wisdom of the Body V: Extreme Conditions
Thursdays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 22–Apr. 12
Four sessions
Instructor: Jayne Hart
The expression “wisdom of the body” was first used by
pioneering American physiologist Walter B. Cannon to
describe the complex mechanisms by which stable conditions
are maintained within the internal environment of the
body. In past Wisdom of the Body courses the focus has
been on how the various systems of the body function under
“normal” conditions. Cannon also recognized that humans
can function under many extreme conditions. He coined the
term “fight-or-flight response” to describe ways the body
responds to extremely threatening circumstances. After a
brief review of functioning in “normal” circumstances and
the basics of the fight-or-flight response, this course
will consider body functioning under the following extreme
conditions:
● Extremes of Temperature. Very hot and very cold
environments.
● Extremes of Barometric Pressure. Hyperbaric (diving
physiology) and hypobaric (high altitude).
● Extremes of Physical Activity. Sustained, high-level
muscular use, such as during long-distance swimming,
running, or cycling; sustained levels of low activity,
such as during bed rest.
Jayne Hart, PhD, is professor of biology emerita at George
Mason, where she was a faculty member for 26 years. During
her six years as an OLLI member, she has taught and
coordinated many science, technology and health courses as
well as serving as chair of the Science/Technology/Health
Resource Group.
R804
Genes, Destiny and Aging
Thursdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 22–May 10
Instructor: Catherine Weir
We tend to become more like our parents as we age. This is
an intriguing finding from experimental research that
addresses questions about how genetics and environment
influence our cognitive abilities, social/emotional
behavior and personalities.
Classes will focus on topics that include:
● Left- or Right-handedness.
● Changes in Brain Structures with Age.
● Language.
● Intelligence.
● Personality and Social Attitudes.
● Executive Function.
● Memory and Learning.
● Stress.
The effects of aging on each of these topics will be
discussed and class members will try out some of the tasks
performed by participants in the research studies.
Catherine Weir, an OLLI member, taught experimental
psychology for four decades in Britain and the U.S. She
was educated and has taught at University College London
and Colorado College. Her published research concerns
perceptual and cognitive development in infants and older
adults.
L805
Heart Health
Wednesdays,
12:15–1:30, Mar. 21–Apr. 11
Four sessions
Coordinator: Mark Weinstein
● March 21: Heart Rhythm Disorders. Dr. Chirag
Sandesara is an electrophysiologist whose clinical
interests include the management and treatment of heart
rhythm disorders. A graduate of the Ross University School
of Medicine, he completed his internal medicine residency
at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a fellowship in
cardiovascular medicine at the University of Iowa. He is
very active in clinical research and has made
presentations at several medical conferences. Dr.
Sandesara is a member of the American Heart Association,
American College of Cardiology and the Heart Rhythm
Society. In this presentation he will review common heart
arrhythmias and discuss potential cures and life-saving
therapies.
● March 28: Heart Health: An Overview. Dr. Hamid
Taheri, one of the founding members of Virginia
Cardiovascular Associates, is board-certified in internal
medicine, cardiovascular disease and interventional
cardiology. He is currently the medical director of the
Intensive Care Unit at Prince William Hospital and an
assistant clinical professor of medicine at George
Washington University. Dr. Taheri has served as principal
investigator for large clinical trials and his research on
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy received the Clinical Sciences
Research Award. He attended medical school at the
University of Texas in San Antonio and completed his
internal medicine residency and a fellowship in
cardiovascular medicine at George Washington University.
He also completed fellowships in cardiac MRI at the
National Institutes of Health and in interventional
cardiology at Northwestern University. He is a member of
the American College of Cardiology and the Society of
Coronary Angiography and Intervention. Dr. Taheri has been
recognized as one of the top cardiologists in the area by
Washingtonian Magazine and the Consumer’s Research Council
of America.
● April 4: Women and Heart Disease. Dr. Eric Thorn
attended medical school at the University of Maryland,
where he graduated at the top of his class. He completed
his internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital
before returning to the University of Maryland for
fellowship training in cardiology. He also was trained in
cardiovascular MRI at the National Institutes of Health.
He is an assistant professor of medicine at the University
of Maryland, where he balances his activities between
patient care, teaching and clinical research. Dr. Thorn is
board-certified in internal medicine, cardiology and
nuclear cardiology.
● April 11: Can You Prevent a Heart Attack by Modifying
Risk Factors?
Dr. Merdod Ghafouri is a founding member of Virginia
Cardiovascular Associates and has been in private practice
since 1999. An active staff member of the Inova Heart
& Vascular Institute at Inova Fairfax Hospital, Prince
William Hospital and Fauquier Hospital, Dr. Ghafouri also
serves as director of the department of cardiology at
Prince William Hospital. He was named one of the area’s
“Top Cardiologists” by Washingtonian Magazine and has also
been recognized by the International Association of Health
Care Professionals. Dr. Ghafouri completed his medical
degree, internship and residency in internal medicine at
Michigan State University, and a fellowship in
cardiovascular disease at William Beaumont Hospital. He is
the director and chairman of the annual cardiology
symposium in Manassas that is dedicated to educating
primary care physicians and other cardiologists in new
treatments and advances in cardiovascular disease. Dr.
Ghafouri is certified by the American Board of Internal
Medicine in Cardiovascular Diseases and is a fellow of the
American College of Cardiology.
900 Other
Topics
F900
Ethnic Cooking
Mondays,
11:45–1:15, Mar. 19–May 7
Coordinator: Debbie Halverson
Class limit: 12
Aromas evocative of international cuisines will shortly be
emanating from the OLLI cottage. Each week, someone from
OLLI’s diverse community of cooks will engage your taste
buds with their country’s fare. France, England, Italy,
Germany, Japan, India, Korea and Norway will be
represented by such chefs as Cecile Heatley, Mo Mason, Al
Cammarata, Doris Bloch, Rita Leake, Yasuko Nuzzi,
Kulminder kaur Kaisth (Kulu), Bo-Kyung Kim and Sue Shin.
Please sign up only if you plan to be available for at
least six of the eight classes. A food fee of $25 is
payable to OLLI with your registration.
F901
Trip Tales
Mondays,
2:00–3:30, Mar. 19–May 7
Coordinator: Tom Hady
· Mar. 19: All Around Europe. In the summer of
2009, Tom and Marilyn Hady accompanied their son and his
family on their first family trip to Europe. It was a bus
tour from Amsterdam to Venice by way of the Rhine and
Bavaria, then back through Switzerland to Paris.
· Mar. 26: Kiwis to Kangaroos. In the spring of
2011, Lorrin and Ann Garson began a 23,000-mile trip
around the world. Join them in New Zealand and Australia
on the first leg of this epic voyage. New Zealand stops
included Auckland, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington,
Christchurch (11 days before the earthquake), Dunedin,
Stewart Island and Fjordland National Park. Then on to
Tasmania: Hobart and Port Arthur.
· Apr. 2: Alaska by Land and Sea. Marty and Fred
Kaiser will describe their May 2011 land and sea cruise to
Alaska, which included the cities of Fairbanks, Skagway,
Juneau and Ketchikan, as well as Denali National Park,
Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay.
· Apr. 9: Australia to Singapore. Join the Garsons
as they continue sharing highlights of their
round-the-world voyage, beginning with Sydney and Cairns,
Australia. Then it's on to Manila, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh
City (locals still call it Saigon) and Singapore.
· Apr. 16: Cruise the Mediterranean. As part of a
cultural enrichment program for their grandchildren, Dick
and Willie Young cruised the Mediterranean with their
16-year-old granddaughter, calling on ports in Italy,
Monaco, Malta, Greece and Turkey, including less-visited
Trapani, Sicily; the Costa Smeralda in Sardinia and the
Roman ruins at Pergamon in Turkey.
· Apr. 23: New York, New York. Dan and Jean
Feighery go to New York at least once a year to attend the
opera, shop, sightsee and (since they’re both avid
photographers) take pictures. They’ll show us the
highlights of their trips.
· Apr. 30: Sweden and Norway. Back when she was in
college, Sue Roose spent a summer visiting Visby, Sweden
(on an island in the Baltic Sea) as part of the Experiment
in International Living. She later visited Norway. Her
experience presents Scandinavia from a perspective
different from those of us who do the usual Scandinavian
capitals cruise.
· May 7: Surprise! We hope someone new will offer
to tell about a favorite trip.
R902
Bridge Refresher
Mondays,
9:30–1:15, Apr. 2–May 7
Six sessions
Note time
Instructor: Ron Kral
Class limit: 32
This class is for those who have played bridge but would
like to improve their game. Each class consists of a
30-minute lecture, followed by 90 minutes of duplicate
style play (two back-to-back sessions), with a short break
for bring-your-own lunch.
Ron Kral has been a tournament bridge player for more than
30 years. He is a certified “Easybridge!”® presenter
and master teacher.
R903
What Is Genealogy and How To Do It?
Tuesdays,
9:30–11:00, Mar. 20–May 8
Instructor: Ken Maniha
The course focuses on what genealogy is and is not:
analysis of the Genealogical Proof Standard as the basis
for valid research; the importance of historical and
sociological background; using indirect evidence to reach
conclusions about kinship and the extended treatment of
data sources in genealogical research. The emphasis will
be on genealogical reasoning and principles essential for
accuracy and good practice. There will be at least two
extended analyses of research examples to illustrate how
genealogists reach valid, defensible conclusions about
kinship. Special topics include genealogical ethics,
finding women’s maiden names and answering the question,
“Does my family have an illustrious past and a coat of
arms?”
Ken Maniha has a PhD in sociology from the University of
Michigan and professional genealogist credentials from the
Board for the Certification of Genealogists. He has
practiced genealogy for 30 years, first as a hobby and now
as a full-time professional doing research for clients in
New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland. He
recently added Italian genealogy as a new area of research
interest.
Special
Events
950
Black Holes
Friday, Mar. 23,
1:00–2:30
Note location change : Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church at
3810 Meredith Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030. (3/8/2012)
Instructor: Mario Gliozzi
Black hole systems, with their extraordinary gravitational
force, are among the most powerful sources of the
Universe. After a general introduction to the scientific
method and some basic concepts of astrophysics, we will
take a short journey through modern astronomy that will
lead us to the observational properties of stellar black
holes in our galaxy and super-massive black holes at the
center of other active galaxies.
Mario Gliozzi, an assistant professor in the George Mason
School of Physics, Astronomy and Computational Sciences,
received his PhD in physics from the University of Torino
in Italy. His research activity is focused on the physical
conditions of matter around black holes, based mostly on
X-ray observations.
951
Speak Up for a Child: The Role of the Volunteer Advocate
Monday, Mar. 26,
12:15–1:30
Loudoun
Instructor: Lisa Banks
In Fairfax County alone, a new case of child abuse or
neglect enters the Juvenile Court protection system once
every 40 hours. In every case, the child benefits when a
trained advocate steps forward to speak for his or her
best interests. This session will explore the role of the
citizen volunteer as a child advocate, as well as the
legal underpinnings, social dynamics and other complex
issues that make this form of advocacy both challenging
and rewarding.
Lisa Banks is executive director for Fairfax Court
Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
952
New Worlds: Planets Around Other Stars
Course canceled
a/o 3/11/2012
Wednesday, Mar. 28, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Ever since the Copernican revolution, astronomers have
assumed that other stars have planetary systems much like
the one around the sun, but detecting them has been
difficult. Most claims to have done so were met with
scientific skepticism until 1995, when the first planet
orbiting another star (an exoplanet) was discovered. In
the past 17 years astronomers have discovered over 650
such exoplanets. NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope identifies
hundreds of new candidate exoplanets every month.
Telescopes in space and on the ground can now directly
image exoplanets to determine the composition of their
atmospheres and even predict their weather. Although no
planet capable of supporting terrestrial life has yet been
discovered, it is only a matter of time. This session will
summarize what we know about exoplanets and what we are
likely to learn in the very near future.
Paul Hertz is chief scientist for the Science Mission
Directorate. He is responsible for the integrity of NASA’s
earth and space science programs, including the selection
of NASA science programs and missions, in addition to
science education and outreach. He is a recipient of the
Meritorious Presidential Rank Award, the Robert J.
Trumpler Award of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific,
the Alan Berman Research Publication Award of the Naval
Research Laboratory and several NASA Group Achievement
Awards.
953
George Washington and “The Glorious Cause”
Friday, Apr. 6,
1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Coordinators: Michael T. Kelly, Florence Adler
Between December 25, 1776 and January 3, 1777—perhaps the
most important ten-day period in American history—General
George Washington’s audacious maneuvers rescued from
annihilation not only his own reputation but the entire
struggle for American independence. Hailed as the savior
of Boston in March 1776, by year’s end he was being mocked
for his embarrassing failure to defend New York City. We
will discuss each dilemma Washington faced during these
ten critical days of what he termed “the Glorious Cause.”
National Park Service Rangers have participated with OLLI
in 60 thematic courses, special events and trips since
2001.
954
Windows on World War I: The Great War and the Russian
Revolution
Monday, Apr. 9,
12:15–1:30
Loudoun
Instructor: Rex Wade
World War I played a major role in the Russian Revolution.
It was a key factor in the February Revolution of 1917
that overthrew the tsarist autocracy of Nicholas II. What
followed was a struggle for power that led to the October
Revolution, the victory of the Bolsheviks and the
establishment of the Soviet Union. This presentation will
explore the interconnection of World War I and the Russian
Revolution, underscoring the extent to which the outcome
of a war or revolution, once begun, is unpredictable but
can have far-reaching consequences.
Rex Wade joined the George Mason faculty in 1986 and is
the author of The Bolshevik Revolution and Russian Civil
War (2001), The Russian Revolution, 1917 (2000, 2nd edit.
2005), Red Guards and Workers' Militias in the Russian
Revolution (1984) and The Russian Search for Peace, 1917
(1969). He is co-editor of Politics and Society in
Provincial Russia: Saratov, 1590-1917 (1989), editor of
Documents of Soviet History (Vol. I, 1991; Vol. II, 1992;
Vol. III, 1994) and numerous articles dealing with the
Russian Revolution and revolutionary movements. He is
currently writing The Long Revolution: Russia 1880-1930.
955
The Nature of the American Presidency
Course canceled
a/o 3/20/2012
Wed. Apr. 11, 2:00–3:30
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Roger Wilkins, the Robinson Professor of History and
American Culture at George Mason until his retirement in
2007, brings his many experiences in public affairs to the
topic of the American presidency. He served under
President Kennedy and as assistant attorney general during
the Johnson Administration. Dr. Wilkins shared a Pulitzer
Prize in 1972 with Carl Bernstein and Robert Woodward for
his editorial coverage of the Watergate scandal for The
Washington Post. In addition, he has written an
award-winning book, Jefferson’s Pillow: The Founding
Fathers and the Dilemma of Black Patriotism. In this
presentation he will apply his understanding of the
current administration, as well as previous
administrations, in discussing what distinguishes a good
president from a great one.
956
An OSS Officer in France
Monday, Apr. 16,
12:15–1:30
Loudoun
Coordinator: Caroline Hartzler
The widow of an American OSS officer will recount her
husband’s actions in France during World War II and will
display her personal collection of photographs of his OSS
team.
Norma LaGueux Hamilton, a retired CIA staff officer, is
currently a docent at the CIA Museum.
957
Keeping Your Caregiver Spirit Healthy
Wednesday, Apr.
18, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Instructor: Benjamin Pratt
Someone is a caregiver in one out of every three American
households. That’s 65 million Americans who need daily,
practical help in keeping up their spirits and avoiding
burnout. In this session, the instructor will share his
experience as a caregiver and the practices and
disciplines he found necessary to sustain a healthy spirit
when his caregiver duties and responsibilities were
dragging him down. This is intended to be an open forum
filled with lively dialogue.
Benjamin Pratt, a retired United Methodist pastoral
counselor, has spent much of the last seven years in a
caregiving relationship with Judith, his wife of 48 years.
His book, A Guide For Caregivers, reflects his successes,
trials and failures as a caregiver, pastor and
professional counselor.
958
Antiques Road Show
Friday, Apr. 20,
1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Instructor: Linda Cunningham Goldstein
The instructor is the former executive director of
Woodlawn Plantation and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey
House/The National Trust for Historic Preservation. She is
a Sotheby-trained authority on evaluating art and
antiques. Class members are invited to bring one antique
item, with any provenance they might have, for a short and
informative on-the-spot verbal evaluation. Time
constraints may limit participation.
959
Introduction to French Cheeses
Monday, Apr. 23,
12:15–1:30
Loudoun
Instructor: Cécile Heatley
Event limit: 20
French President Charles DeGaulle once asked: “How can
anyone govern a country with 325 cheeses?” We may not be
able to answer that question in this class, but we’ll
examine how and why France can produce hundreds of
different cheeses, the characteristics of various types of
cheeses, the process of cheese-making, the mysteries of
Roquefort and the art of buying and serving cheese the
French way. Class members will sample cow, goat and sheep
milk cheeses. A fee of $10 to cover the cost of materials
is payable with your registration.
Cécile Heatley, a native of France and cookbook
author, has taught French at the Alliance Française
and at Arlington County Adult Education, and has taught
French cooking in the French language at the Edmund Burke
School in Washington, D.C.
960
Favorite Pastimes in Art
Wednesday, Apr.
25, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Florence Adler
In past centuries, when people weren’t working, what did
they like to do? Roshna Kapadia, a graduate student of
history and art history at George Mason, will use her very
large collection of photographs of art objects and
paintings to show people—common and aristocratic—pursuing
such pleasurable activities as hunting, dancing,
music-making, fishing, boating and reading. Her PowerPoint
presentation will include a wide spectrum of activities
from eastern and western cultures over a period of 15
centuries and include discussion about the featured art
works, as well as descriptions of the era, region and
culture in which they were created.
961
Dirty Little Secrets of American Politics
Friday, Apr. 27,
1:00–2:30
Note location change : Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church at
3810 Meredith Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030. (3/8/2012)
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Here’s a dirty little secret: the United States is the
most populist country in the world. Here, the people rule.
For example, this is the only nation that elects judges.
Unlike other advanced industrial countries, it clings to
the death penalty and the jury system because the people
want them. Conversely, we refuse to use dollar coins or
the metric system because the people don’t want them. Want
to know another dirty little secret? The reason why it’s
so hard for our government to get anything done is because
it was designed to not work. With separation of powers and
checks and balances, it’s easy to stop things from getting
done. Nevertheless, government does work when there is a
real crisis. Is the deficit a real crisis? What about
climate change? Immigration? This session will discuss
these topics as well as the prospects for President
Obama’s re-election and the outlook for Congress―including
the Virginia Senate race―in 2012.
Bill Schneider, a leading political analyst, has covered
U.S. politics for more than four decades. He is the Omar
L. and Nancy Hirst Professor of Public Policy at George
Mason and distinguished senior fellow and resident scholar
at the Third Way in Washington, D.C.
962
Memory Throughout the Life Span
Monday, Apr. 30,
12:15–1:30
Loudoun
Instructor: Robert Gardner
Autobiographical memories (AMs), defined as recollections
of past episodes, and prospective memories (PMs), defined
as recollections of future intentions, together influence
our decision-making and behavior. We will discuss
essential characteristics of AMs and PMs, as well as
changes in recall that occur during aging. Participants
will be instructed in how to participate in exciting
research projects that measure the content and frequency
of memory retrieval.
Robert Gardner received his BS in psychology from The
Pennsylvania State University. He is currently a PhD
candidate in the biopsychology program at George Mason,
where he also conducts research on multiple memory systems
at the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study.
963
The Science of Happiness and the Meaning of Life
Friday, May 4,
1:00–2:30
Note location change : Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church at
3810 Meredith Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030. (3/8/2012)
Coordinator: Florence Adler
“Contrary to conventional thinking, searching for
happiness, certainty and safety often gets in the way of
fulfilling the life we want.” Todd B. Kashdan’s broad
mission is to increase the amount of well-being in this
world. The real key, he believes, is harnessing and
intensifying one’s curiosity, an overlooked and powerful
tool for creating a rich, meaningful existence.
Todd B. Kashdan is an associate professor of psychology
and senior scientist at the Center for Consciousness and
Transformation at George Mason. His clinical work and
research has mostly focused on anxiety, positive emotions,
purpose in life, how personal strengths operate in
everyday life, social relationships and how to foster and
sustain happiness and meaning in life.
964
Technology of the 1930s
Monday, May 7,
12:15–1:30
Loudoun
Instructor: Bill Reader
Many of the technologies that became part of our lives in
the 1940s and 1950s had their origins or maturation in the
1930s. They include the audio tape recorder, polyvinyl
chloride, sulfa drugs, the car radio, the IBM electric
typewriter, fluorescent lighting and the ballpoint pen. In
addition, broadcast radio entered its “Golden Age” and
became a mass entertainment (and later news) medium. The
movies became a major entertainment source with the
development of sound and later the introduction of
Technicolor. Early television demonstrated its potential
as a broadcast medium. Air conditioning began its
transition from factories to widespread use in office
buildings, movie theaters and department stores.
Photography saw the development of the 35mm camera and
color film. The class will discuss some of these
innovations and their social, economic and political
impact.
Bill Reader, an OLLI member, has a PhD in American social
history from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He
retired in 2008 after 37 years with the federal government
and has since taught OLLI courses that include How a Few
Simple Things Changed History, How a Few Overlooked
Technologies Changed History and Transportation
Innovations that Changed History.
965
Polio: Then and Now
Wednesday, May 9,
2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Instructor: Jody Zogran
In the early 1950s, during the worst polio epidemic in our
nation’s history, Jody Zogran nursed polio patients in
iron lungs, rocking beds and Monahan lungs at Pittsburgh’s
Municipal Hospital. At the same time, in the hospital’s
basement laboratory, Dr. Jonas Salk and his research team
were isolating the poliovirus needed to develop a vaccine
for this highly contagious disease. She has written a
booklet and prepared a PowerPoint presentation detailing
her experiences at Municipal Hospital during this period.
Jody Zogran is a registered nurse who has received the
Paul Harris Fellow Award for her efforts to assist Rotary
International’s crusade to eliminate polio throughout the
world.
966
Preview of Opera Up-Close
Monday, Mar. 19,
12:15–1:30
Loudoun
Coordinator: Mary Coyne
Join us as the Shenandoah Conservatory presents Fables by
American composer Ned Rorem, a series of five very short
operas based on the fables of 17th century French writer
Jean de la Fontaine. The cast of 16 singers will present
these lively, thought-provoking tales with piano
accompaniment. This work will be part of the Shenandoah
Conservatory’s Opera Up-Close program to be presented in
late April on the Conservatory campus in Winchester,
Virginia. There is no charge.
967
Fredericksburg: Whiskey and History
Friday, Mar. 30,
8:45–5:00
Bus Trip
Coordinator: Eric Henderson
Event limit: 50
The first stop on our visit to Fredericksburg will be a
tour and tasting at the A. Smith Bowman Distillery, home
of Virginia straight bourbon whiskey. Originally located
on the Bowman family homestead in what is now Reston, the
distillery features a newly renovated production area,
historic artifacts and a gift shop. The group will have
lunch in the atmospheric Bavarian Chef, located in the
historic train station. After lunch we move to the
Fredericksburg Visitor Center, where you will receive
information packets. You may take a walking tour on your
own to historic sites, where costumed guides relate their
links to George Washington and his family. Within a few
blocks are the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, the Rising Sun
Tavern and the Fredericksburg Area Museum. Or you may
choose to remain on the bus for a guided tour of the
historic area. A fee of $50, payable to OLLI at the time
of registration, covers the bus, gratuities, lunch and all
activities. The bus will leave at 9:00 from Fair Oaks Mall
Parking Lot No. 44, outside the circular road across from
the Macy’s closest to Sears. Please be at the bus no later
than 8:45. Estimated time of return is 5:00.
968
The Life of Galileo
Saturday, Mar.
31, 2:00
GMU Harris Theater
Coordinator: Florence Adler
703-455-6658
This co-production by Theater of the First Amendment and
the Mason Players of Bertolt Brecht’s masterpiece is
directed by Rick Davis. In this new translation by David
Edgar, urgent questions of our time rise and collide. Does
a scientist’s responsibility end with the moment of
discovery? What is the role of faith and its institutions
in a changing world? George Mason’s professional and
academic theater companies promise to rock some worlds and
change a few lives with this production. Tickets are $15,
payable to OLLI at the time of registration.
969
A Passover Visit to Congregation Adat Reyim with Rabbi
Aft
Wednesday, Apr.
4, 2:00–3:30
Congregation Adat Reyim
Coordinator: Velma Berkey
Rabbi Bruce Aft has presented many times at OLLI and now
he welcomes us to Congregation Adat Reyim, where he has
been the spiritual leader for over 20 years. With Passover
beginning on April 6, Rabbi Aft will explain the symbols
of the synagogue’s interior and discuss the holiday’s
themes of freedom, redemption and education as portrayed
in the haggadah. This book, which is read during the
Passover seder, contains the story of the exodus from
Egypt in a ritualized form. Congregation Adat Reyim is
located at 6500 Westbury Court in Springfield. Directions
will be emailed to those enrolled.
970
A Visit to Two Great Mansions in Dupont Circle
Friday, Apr. 13,
8:45–5:15
Bus Trip
Coordinator: Florence Adler
703-455-6658
At the turn of the 20th century, Dupont Circle became a
place of wealth, graced by imposing mansions. Only a few
of these have survived and none are as intact as the
Heurich House Museum. This mansion, which contains most of
its original furnishings and decorations, reflects the
life and times of Christian Heurich, a self-made
businessman. He was the District’s second largest
landowner and his Christian Heurich Brewing Company was
its largest non-government employer. The house is a
technological marvel, incorporating the most modern
innovations of its day. But be aware that there are lots
of stairs. After our tour of the Heurich House, we will
have lunch on our own in one of several restaurants in the
area. We will then tour the Anderson House, formerly the
winter home of Larz Anderson III, an American diplomat,
and his wife Isabel. The fully furnished house has 50
rooms and cost $740,000 in 1905. Designated as a national
historic landmark, it has been the headquarters of the
Society of the Cincinnati since 1938 and houses a museum,
library and the society’s central office. The bus will
leave promptly at 9:00 from Fair Oaks Mall Parking Lot No.
44, which is outside the circular road across from the
Macy’s closest to Sears. Please be at the bus no later
than 8:45. A fee of $32, payable to OLLI at the time of
registration, includes a small donation to the Heurich
House, bus fare and driver gratuity.
971
A Performance by the Loudoun Quartet
Friday, Apr. 13,
1:00–2:30
Loudoun
Coordinator: Maria Baylock
The Loudoun Quartet, formed in 2002, consists of an
unusual combination of flute, violin, viola and cello.
Craig Marlowe, Maryory Serrano, Amy Fredericks and Maria
Baylock, all members of the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra,
are professional, conservatory-trained musicians dedicated
to exploring works written for their instruments. Their
diverse and entertaining program will feature music by
American composers Christopher Caliendo and Katherine
Hoover, as well as a quartet by Franz Anton Hoffmeister,
Beethoven’s “most beloved brother.” The Quartet enjoys
sharing fascinating stories about the composers and their
music.
972
Tour of ArtSquare
Thursday, May 3,
2:30–3:30
Carpool
Coordinator: Mary Coyne
Event limit: 30
Join other OLLI members on a visit to ArtSquare in
Leesburg, a creative community designed to nurture,
promote and display a diversity of artistic expression.
There is much to see, including fine art classrooms,
gallery exhibits and studios of artists in residence.
Directions to ArtSquare and a registration roster will be
emailed so that those who wish to carpool can contact one
another.
973
Tour of Arlington National Cemetery
Course canceled
a/o 3/20/2012
Friday, May 4, 10:00–3:00
Carpool from Mason in Loudoun
Coordinator: Ray Beery
We will tour Arlington Cemetery by carpools, with each
having a driver and three passengers. We will meet at 10
a.m. in the parking lot of the George Mason Loudoun
building at 2141 Ridgetop Circle in Sterling, drive
separately to the cemetery and tour it on an itinerary of
the driver’s choice. Suggested stops are Section 60 (Iraq
and Afghanistan graves), the Columbarium, Tomb of the
Unknowns (changing of the guard and rest stop) and
Arlington House (rest stop). We will leave the cemetery
about 1 p.m., have lunch at a restaurant of the carpool’s
choice and return to Ridgetop Circle about 3 p.m.
Ray Beery’s wife Helen, an active OLLI member from 1994 to
2000, was interred in Arlington Cemetery in September
2005.
974
Lunch at the Sea Pearl Restaurant
Wednesday, May
16, 1:30
Carpool
Coordinator: Bill Reader
Event limit: 30
If you like excellent seafood, the Sea Pearl restaurant is
the place for you. Chef Liao has come up with some great
dishes. The restaurant is located in the Merrifield Town
Center on Gallows Road between Lee Highway and Route 50
(across the street from the Silver Diner) with plenty of
free parking in the rear of the building. For our
three-course lunch, we will have a choice of appetizers,
an entrée with roasted potatoes and seasonal
vegetables and a dessert from a special menu. The price of
$56 per person includes coffee or tea and the delicious
house-baked bread. We will dine in a curtained-off area
with tables arranged to seat six to eight people. Menu
selections and directions will be sent to you after your
registration is confirmed.
975
Let’s Talk TRASH!
Thursday, May 17,
10:00
Carpool
Note day and time
Coordinator: John Nash
Event limit: 25
We get it, we use it, we discard it….usually into the
trash can. But what becomes of what we call “trash”?
Tucked behind a hill off Route 123 near I-95 in Lorton is
Fairfax County’s I-95 Landfill Complex and Solid Waste
Facility, which provides high-quality and
environmentally-responsible disposal, recycling and
household hazardous waste management services for the
county. On the tour of this facility, we’ll see some of
the incredible things being done with collected waste,
such as the energy-from-waste process that reduces volume
while carefully controlling emissions and even generating
and selling electricity. We’ll see some of the advances in
waste management that include conversion of discarded
tires and the careful processing of hazardous products and
recyclables—all under careful environmental controls. We
will meet at the facility shortly before 10:00 so that the
tour can begin promptly at that hour. After the tour,
enjoy an optional lunch at a restaurant in nearby
Occoquan. Directions, parking information and the names of
a few restaurants will be emailed to those enrolled.
976
Brunch Murder Mystery
Thursday, May 31,
10:00–1:00
Church of the Good Shepherd
Coordinators: Kathie West, Wendy Campbell
Come and enjoy another OLLI Players spine-tingling Brunch
Murder Mystery. Dine with us and help solve another
mystery involving nefarious characters. A charge of $25,
payable to OLLI at registration, will be used for
enhancements to OLLI facilities under the direction of the
Member Services Committee.
977
The Plains Indian Wars, 1862-1890 (Bus Trip)
Monday–Friday,
June 4-8, 2012
Three-Day Bus Trip: Montana and Wyoming
Coordinators: Jim Anderson, Michael Kelly, Dick Cheadle
This bus trip will be preceded by an optional six-session
course in the spring term, F306 The Plains Indian Wars:
1862–1890, presented by National Park Service Ranger
Michael Kelly, Jim Anderson and Dick Cheadle.
The itinerary:
● Monday, June 4: Attendees will travel on their own to
Billings, Montana.
· Tuesday, June 5: Travel by bus from Billings to
Sheridan, Wyoming, with tour stops at Little Bighorn
National Battlefield Monument and Fort Phil Kearney State
Historical Site.
· Wednesday, June 6: The day starts with a one-hour
trolley trip through the historical environs of Sheridan,
then travel by bus from Sheridan to Cody, Wyoming, with
tour stops at the National Park Service’s Shell Falls
Visitor Center and the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in
Cody.
· Thursday, June 7: (Revised Feb 21 2012)
We begin with a side trip to the Buffalo Bill Dam
Visitor Center (6 miles west of Cody), then we return to
Cody for a second visit to the Buffalo Bill Historical
Center. After this we head north toward Red Lodge, MT,
with a side trip to the Dead Indian Overlook on the
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. After a late lunch in Red
Lodge, we return to Billings (approximately a one-hour
drive).
· Friday, June 8: Travel home or vacation.
A fee of $83, payable to OLLI at the time of registration,
includes bus fare (three days), driver gratuity, the
trolley tour in Sheridan and admission fees to Little
Bighorn National Battlefield Monument, Fort Phil Kearney
State Historical Site and the Buffalo Bill Historical
Center (two days). All meals are on your own, except
breakfast is provided in Sheridan on Wednesday, June 6.
The lodging cost is $89.81 single or $95.16 double in
Billings, $97.90 single or double in Sheridan and $133.92
single or $139.32 double in Cody. These rates are
all-inclusive, including taxes. Hotel reservations will be
handled directly by the participants and additional
information on hotel contacts will be made available on
completion of the registration process.
Weather in this area is quite unpredictable in June, with
temperatures as high as 80 degrees and as low as 30
degrees, so dress accordingly.
Ongoing
Activities
Book Club
at Tallwood
Second
Wednesdays, Mar. 14, 10:00–11:30
Apr. 11, May 9, June 13, 1:30–3:00
Tallwood
Coordinator: Ceda McGrew
703-323-9671
On March 14 we plan to discuss The Unvanquished by William
Faulkner. The April 11 selection is The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, followed on May 9 with
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. We will read Cutting for
Stone by Abraham Verhese for our meeting on June 13. All
OLLI members are welcome.
French
Book and Activity Club
Dates to be
determined
Coordinator: Misty Conway
703-273-6869
This club is for intermediate and advanced French
students. We will read classical and contemporary literary
selections in French. Former French teachers and native
speakers are encouraged to assist. We are also looking for
donations of audiocassette players. We usually meet at the
Panera Bread Restaurant, 10702 Fairfax Boulevard in
Fairfax City, across from Paul VI High School, at 12:30.
Please contact Misty Conway at mistyconway68@aol.com for
more information and meeting dates.
Gourmet
Club
Events as
scheduled
Coordinator: Eric Henderson
This club is for those who enjoy fine dining and
appreciate subtle differences in flavor or quality. Its
purpose is to plan and arrange gourmet luncheons in
selected restaurants. If gourmet dining appeals to you,
contact Eric Henderson at ericcarol@mac.com for additional
information.
History
Club
First Wednesdays
Apr. 4, May 2, 2:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Bob Persell
703-941-9349
The club welcomes OLLI members who are interested in
discussing historical events and sharing reviews of
articles, books or interesting topics. The club maintains
a list of books that members have found worthwhile, which
can be viewed at www.olli.gmu.edu/historyclubbooklist.pdf.
If you would like to receive email notification of
upcoming History Club meetings, contact
bpersell@bellatlantic.net.
Homer,
etc.
Fridays
Feb. 24–May 11, 11:00–12:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Jan Bohall
703-273-1146
We meet every Friday morning to read traditional and
contemporary classics aloud to each other. We are now
reading Edith Somerville’s Some Experiences of an Irish
R.M. and recently finished two Oscar Wilde plays. Drop in
and try us out!
OLLI
Cooking Club
Monthly
Tallwood
Coordinators: Debbie Halverson, Doris Bloch
This is a club for OLLI members who enjoy preparing food
and sharing hands-on, homemade dishes in a small-group
setting during the day, sometimes in members’ homes and
other times at Tallwood or alternative sites. We often
have a theme for our meetings, but our format is flexible.
We also participate in other food-related events, such as
ethnic cooking demonstrations, restaurant outings and
grocery store presentations. If these activities appeal to
you, please contact Doris at dbloch50@hotmail.com or
Debbie at debbyhalv@aol.com for more information. All OLLI
members are welcome.
OLLI
Personal Computer User Group
Generally third
Saturdays
Mar. 17, Apr. 21, May 19, 1:00–3:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Paul Howard
phoward@gmu.edu
We focus on Windows computers and related technology in
partnership with WACUG, an established PC user
organization. Our aim is to bring broad subject matter
expertise to both groups. Our target audience encompasses
beginners to intermediate amateurs and our methodology is
“users helping users.” Club dues of $5 are payable at the
first meeting attended in each calendar year. More details
are available on the group’s website,
www.olligmu.org/~opcug.
OLLI
Photography Club
Mar. 9, Apr. 13,
May 11, 9:30–11:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Steve Schanzer
703-887-1650
The Photography Club welcomes all members, whether they
use a basic camera or specialized equipment. Interests
include documenting trips, capturing the beauty of nature,
seeing the commonplace in unique ways and much more. Some
folks take their film to a local store for processing.
Others may prefer to use a digital darkroom. We have
discussions on technical aspects of photography, as well
as the artistic aspects of visual design. Contact Steve at
schanzer@cox.net for further information.
OLLI
Travel Club
Fourth Fridays
Mar. 23, 9:00
Apr. 27, 9:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Shelly Gersten
703-385-2638
The club welcomes any and all who are interested in
domestic or international travel. OLLI members have a vast
wealth of experience in both traveling and living in other
parts of the United States and the world. Come share your
experiences and learn from others. We also try to find
common interests so that members can plan to travel
together.
OLLI
Walking Group
Weekly
Tallwood/Pool Parking Lot
Coordinators: Doris Bloch
703-591-3344
Sherry
Hart
703-978-0848
When OLLI is in session, the Walking Group at Tallwood
meets one morning a week, generally an hour before the
first morning class. We gather in the pool parking lot and
walk for about 45 minutes, arriving back at Tallwood in
time for the start of classes. All levels of walking
ability and speed are accommodated—our goal is camaraderie
as well as exercise. We set the day of the week for our
walks during the first week of the term, based on which
day is most convenient for the majority of participants.
Between terms we continue to walk on a weekly basis, but
for longer distances and at more varied locations. Contact
Sherry Hart at harts66@hotmail.com or Doris Bloch at
dbloch50@hotmail.com for more information.
Recorder
Consort
Fridays
Feb. 24–June 8, 10:00–11:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Kathy Wilson
703-750-1799
If you have been a part of the Consort or have previously
played the recorder and would like to expand your
abilities, join us on Fridays. There will be some on- and
off-campus performances and music may need to be
purchased. If you are interested in learning to play the
recorder, please contact Kathy. Please note: Recorder
ensembles will continue to practice every Friday from
9:00–10:00.
Tallwood
Bridge Club
Wednesdays
Feb. 22–Mar. 14, 10:00–12:00
Mar. 21–May 9, 1:45–3:45
May 16–May 30, 10:00–12:00
Tallwood
Coordinators: Susanne Zumbro
703-569-2750
Gordon
Canyock
703-425-4607
Drop in and enjoy the friendly atmosphere of “party
bridge.” Skill levels vary from advanced beginner to
aspiring expert. Partnerships are rotated every four
hands. We meet mornings when classes are not in session
and afternoons during the term.
The Tom
Crooker Investment Forum
Wednesdays
Feb. 22–Mar. 14, May 16–June 13, 10:00–11:30
Tallwood
Moderator: Al Smuzynski
See course F201 for activity description.
What’s in
the Daily News? Continued
Mondays
Feb. 20–Mar. 12, May 21, June 4–June 11, 10:00–11:30
Tallwood
Facilitator: Don Allen
703-830-3060
This is a continuation of What’s in the Daily News? (F700)
for news junkies who can’t wait for the next term to
express their opinions and discuss current events. It’s a
small group and the facilitator expects it to be
self-moderating.
Reston
Knitting and Needlework Club
Tuesdays
Coordinator: Sheila Gold
703-860-8798
Do you love to knit, crochet or needlepoint? Do you want
to learn? We welcome both beginners and more advanced
needleworkers. There is always someone who is happy to
teach the new student. Come and join us on Tuesday
mornings. For times and locations please contact Sheila at
sheila.gold@verizon.net.
Loudoun
Classic Fiction Book Club
Fourth Fridays
Apr. 27, May 25, June 22, 10:00–11:30
Loudoun, Room 205
Coordinator: Sigrid Blalock
703-723-6825
The book selection for April 27 is Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace.
On May 25 the group will discuss The Good Soldier by Ford
Madox Ford. For June 22 the book selection is Staying On
by Paul Scott.
Volunteers
Member Services
Chairman: Martha Scanlon
Loudoun Volunteer Coordinator: Mary Ann Seesholtz
Reston Volunteer Coordinator: Janet Cochran
Volunteers are the heart of OLLI. They make communications
flow, man the office phones and sit on your Board of
Directors. They think about courses that will interest
members and find presenters for those courses.
Participation leads to a sense of belonging and new
volunteers bring a new vibrancy to OLLI. We do need you,
so please take a look at the list below to see which
volunteer job appeals to you. Remember, without volunteers
OLLI would not exist. To volunteer, contact Martha at
martha.scanlon@gmail.com, Mary Ann at maseesholtz@aol.com
or Janet at cochrngj@comcast.net.
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