Renaissance Academy at Chicago NFP Fall 2020 October 13-November 19 Saint Xavier University 3700 West 103rd Street - Located at
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Renaissance Academy at Chicago NFP
Fall 2020
October 13-November 19
Located at
Saint Xavier University
3700 West 103rd Street
Due to coronavirus restrictions classes will only be on line for the Fall term.
What is the Renaissance Academy?
The Renaissance Academy is a collegial association of retired and semi-
retired men and women who meet to continue to experience intellectual
growth in an environment that is open to all who believe in the importance
of pursuing the Academy’s lifelong learning opportunities and who are
willing to contribute to the common goals through active participation in
the programs offered.
Renaissance Academy Information
Email: renaissancechgo@gmail.com
Phone: 773-298-3149. This is an answering machine only. Please leave a
message.
The Newsletter can be accessed on the Renaissance Academy website:
http://www.sxu.edu/community/renaissance/
Page 2
Fall 2020 Registration
Membership Registration and Fall Zoom Course
Registration will be online on the Renaissance
web page from September 21 - September 30
www.sxu.edu/community/renaissance
Requests for assistance can be emailed
to renaissancechgo@gmail.com.
The final date for enrollment is September 30,
2020.
You may select up to three Zoom classes.
Page 3For the first time in its history, Renaissance Academy
will offer virtual classes via zoom to its members. We
ask members to understand that our facilitators have little
experience with this new form of educational presenta-
tion. Please be patient with the facilitators and with the
Zoom format. We are all learners in this new virtual
world.
During a class, you may find yourself “kicked out of a
session.” If this happens to you, please go back to the
class invitation and restart the process to rejoin the class.
We ask for your cooperation during the classes. Each fa-
cilitator will give you helpful hints during class on how
to participate in the class. Please follow the facilitators
directions for class participation.
We are so grateful to all of the members who are working
hard to offer classes during this difficult time and we
are so proud of the facilitators who are boldly leading us
into the virtual world of educational opportuni-
ties. Thank you for being pioneers!
Dan
Page 4Fall 2020 Session Oct. 13 to Nov. 19
CLASS SCHEDULE
Tuesday 2:15-3:15
Class
No. Course Facilitator
1. Elections Michael Krokones
2. Notorious Crimes Jane Junis
3. Irish Short Stories Maureen Connolly /
Peg Walsh
Tuesday 3:30-4:30
4. Why Birds Matter Mike Hastings
5. What about Drawing Sue Wrzesinski
Page 5CLASS SCHEDULE
Thursday 2:15-3:15
Class
No. Course Facilitator
6. The Purpose and Importance Dan Byrne
of Music
7. Is It Art? Sue Wrzesinski
Thursday 3:30-4:30
8. Year in Review Jim Machniak
9. Species Fran Sowa
Book Discussions
October 27 Noon Educated led by Mike Hastings
November 12 Noon Just Mercy led by Betty Kort
Page 6Fall 2020 Session Oct. 13 to Nov. 19
TUESDAY 2:15-3:15
1. Elections
Mike Krokones
What is a political campaign? Every four years we go
through the process of a campaign in order to nominate and
elect candidates for president. Many steps are involved in
the campaign process. Is it all worth the time and effort?
What roles do the media, political parties and voters play in
the campaigns? These are some of the questions we will
ask and try to answer in this class.
Page 72. Notorious Crimes
Jane Junis
In November 1959 four members of the Clutter family
were found brutally murdered in their home in a small town
in Kansas. This story eventually became a book and a
movie entitled In Cold Blood. We will discuss in detail
how this crime changed the town forever; look at the lives
of the Clutter family, the lives of two perpetrators, what ev-
idence was found at the crime scene, how investigators
found the murderers, what role a former cellmate played,
and finally cover the trial, verdict, appeals and the execu-
tion of Hickock and Smith.
There will be a brief discussion as to whether both killers
should have been executed and discuss why Truman Ca-
pote wrote this book, the meaning behind the title In Cold
Blood and how Capote's life was changed forever. This
discussion will be supported by handouts.
Page 83. Irish Short Stories
M. Connolly/ P, Walsh
44 Irish Short Stories
An Anthology of Irish Short Stories from Yeats to Frank
O’Connor
Edited by Devin A. Garrity
The Irish have always had a way with words. Long ago they took
on a language not their own and learned to re-word it into pure
magic. Nowhere is this magic more in evidence than in their short
stories---stories that combine lyricism, humor, and tragedy with
rare imagination set in simple backgrounds, largely without
prompts.
In this anthology there are gathered, for the first time in America,
some of the more representative examples of Irish short fiction.
Only 21 of the 44 short stories have been published in this country.
We will continue to use the book 44 Irish Stories for the Fall ses-
sion. This book (used copies) can be purchased on Amazon at a
low cost. There are copies available at your local library. For our
first class, please read Persecution Mania pg. 291 and The Hawk
pg. 298. Both of these stories are written by Liam O’Flaherty.
Page 9TUESDAY 3:30-4:30
4. Why Birds Matter
4. Why Birds Matter
Mike Hastings
Join me and National Geographic in exploring "Why Birds
Matter.”
Birds have long held a special fascination for humanity.
From the ancient Egyptians to Wright brothers, birds have
been a source of wonder and inspiration. Today the fasci-
nation continues in the modern activity of birding. Birding
once derided as an activity for “odd ducks” is now becom-
ing the fastest growing sport in the world. This section of
the class will focus on Spring birds.
This course focuses both on the importance of birds and
how to go about observing and enjoying birds in their many
habitats. Binoculars not required! National Geographic’s
Guide to Birding in North America will supplement the les-
sons.
Page 105. What about Drawing
Sue Wrzesinski
What about Drawing? (This is not a “how-to draw”
class.)
We will look at topics in drawing using lots of examples
from different eras and styles. I expect that we’ll have live-
ly discussions and you will challenge me with questions.
Example topics:
Theory of right brain vs. left brain activities
Genius and talent
Who draws and why?
How we learn to draw and then, later, how we “un-learn”
drawing skills
Can drawing skills be taught?
Ins and outs of subject matter and styles; still life, figure,
landscape
How does drawing relate to painting and other art forms?
Highly recommended book: The Undressed Art; Why We
Draw
by Peter Steinhart; New York; Vintage Books, 2005
Page 11THURSDAY 2:15-3:15
6. The Purpose and Importance of Music
Dan Byrne
Why is music, in its various forms and styles, so important to peo-
ple? How does music move us, inspire us, and create such a last-
ing impression on us?
Through a series of short lectures and presentations, we will ex-
plore music, its design, the effects it has on us, and some of the
unique uses of music that you may not be familiar with.
Page 127. Is It Art?
Sue Wrzesinski
This series of discussions and lectures may not answer that
question, but we’ll have fun trying. We will visit topics
such as: genius and talent, art as imitation, art vs. craft, art
markets and criticism, and how artists make money. There
will be lots of beautiful and challenging examples.
Very optional book: But Is It Art? By Cynthia Freeland,
Oxford Press.
Page 13THURSDAY 3:30-4:30
8. A Year in Review
Jim Machniak
Have a special year you would like to study and review? I
will be asking the class to identify a year which is special to
them. It may be the year you were born or the year you
graduated high school. We’ll study what was happening
during that time period regarding politics, sporting events,
movies, weather events, etc.
Come with your own stories to supplement the presenta-
tion. Since we need to have a starting point and I need
preparation time, I will present the years 1945 & 1955 the
first two weeks of class. For 1945, we will look at an old
Navy Training film, a hurricane in Florida, the Truman
years and the end of World War II. The following week,
we’ll discuss the Eisenhower presidency and view the in-
troduction of GM’s 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air which is one of
my favorite cars. Does anyone remember if the New York
Yankees won the World Series in 1955? Come and find
out.
Page 149. SPECIES
FRANCES SOWA
Our concept of our own Humanity and that of the many
species with which we share this planet has changed dra-
matically over the years. Let’s examine some of these de-
velopments together. Each week we will look at a different
topic about us or one of the other species. For example, we
often use the “world-wide web” to communicate with each
other, but did you know that scientists have found that trees
have a “wood-wide web” to communicate with each other?
I will provide links to two video presentations on each sub-
ject. Hopefully, before class begins, participants will take
the opportunity to view both of the videos, each of which is
about 25 minutes to an hour in length, since they often have
additional information. During the Zoom class we will
discuss the presentations as well as any other material
which you have accessed on the subject.
Page 15Book Club –October 27
Zoom – 12:00 PM
Educated by Tara Westover
Mike Hastings – Facilitator
Goodreads choose Educated as a
2018 winner and this is a portion of
their review.
“Tara Westover was 17 the first
time she set foot in a classroom.
Born to survivalists in the mountains
of Idaho, she prepared for the end of
the world by stockpiling home-
canned peaches and sleeping with
her ‘head-for-the-hills bag.’ In the
summer she stewed herbs for her
mother, a midwife and healer, and in
the winter she salvaged in her fa-
ther's junkyard.
Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It
is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes
with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that
distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a uni-
versal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an
education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's
life through new eyes and the will to change it. “
Page 16Book Club –November 12
Zoom – 12:00 PM
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Betty Kort – Facilitator
Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer
when he founded the Equal Justice Initia-
tive, a legal practice dedicated to defend-
ing those most desperate and in need: the
poor, the wrongly condemned, and
women and children trapped in the far-
thest reaches of our criminal justice sys-
tem. One of his first cases was that of
Walter McMillian, a young man who
was sentenced to die for a notorious
murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The
case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspir-
acy, political machination, and legal
brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and
justice forever.
Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic,
gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the
lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for com-
passion in the pursuit of true justice.
Page 17Dates to Remember Fall 2020
Sept. 21-30 On line registration
Oct. 13 First day of Fall term
Nov. 19 Last day of Fall term
Page 18OFFICERS, COMMITTEE & BOARD MEMBERS
2020-2021
President: Eileen M. Holderbaum
Vice President: Mary Hendry
Secretary: Maureen Fleming
Treasurer: Mary P. Cavanaugh
Information Systems: Jim Condon
Past President: Mary Lou Lovell
Consultant: Donatta Yates
SXU Liaison: Julie Davis
STANDING COMMITTEES
Curriculum:
Dan Byrne* Maureen Connolly
Cleo Lampos Peg Walsh
Membership:
Bobbie Murray Mary Howley
Mary Anne Gaynor Sheila O’Sullivan*
Special Events:
Phyllis Sheahan * Rose A. Drever
Sandra Stephens Kathleen Fassl
Farrell Forum:
Marge Gierstikas Joanne Gruca*
Kay Heafey (advisor)
Care:
Mary M. Doody* Geraldine H. Cooney
Judy Sandburg
Communication:
Maxine Byrnes* Katherine Sullivan
Newsletter:
Peggy Dosch* Melaine Herbert
Maureen O’Connor
Historian: Catherine Reardon
Office Managers:
Sandra Flanigan Marcia Janas
Linda Sherwood
*Committee Chairperson or Co-Chairpersons
Page 19IMPORTANT NOTICE
In an effort to communicate with our membership more effectively and effi-
ciently Renaissance Academy has installed a messaging service. This ser-
vice can reach our members via home phone, cell phone and through email
and text messages. It is most important that we have your communication
information so that when classes are canceled due to inclement weather, or
when it is time to notify our membership of classroom assignments, we can
reach you without difficulty. This service will also provide us with the op-
portunity to reach our members with reminders of all Renaissance Acade-
my activities, such as Farrell Forum and other scheduled events.
Please help us to make this communication system effective by making sure
that we have all your information. We must have your home phone num-
ber and email address. It would be most helpful if you have a cell phone to
provide that number as well. With this information we will be most as-
sured to reach you with all important messages from Renaissance Acade-
my.
If we do not have your information, we won't be able to reach you with all
that is upcoming and new with Renaissance Academy at Chicago NFP.
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