WINTER 2021 PROGRAM - CampusCE
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All classes ONLINE
through Winter
Elderwise
Elderwise growth through lifelong learning
WINTER 2021 PROGRAM
WINTER 2021 PROGRAM
www.elderwiselearning.org
www.elderwiselearning.org
Tel:
Tel:734.340.4691
734.340.4691
Email: elderwiselearning@gmail.com
4624 Packard Email: elderwiselearning@gmail.com
Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 (Red Cross Building)
4624 Packard Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 (Red Cross Building)
WELCOME TO ELDERWISE
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
Elderwise is a nonprofit, independent, lifelong learning organization dedicated to offering continuing education
to learners of all ages. Our mission is to provide a broad spectrum of classes and a significant range of topics
to meet the needs and interests of a wide variety of individuals. Learning, educational enjoyment, and
personal growth are the fundamental goals of every Elderwise program. We strive to provide an experience
that values both intellectual and social interaction.
OUR HISTORY
Elderwise was established in 1992 through the efforts of Eastern Michigan University representatives and a
group of nonacademic enthusiasts committed to developing continuing education programs. Today, Elderwise
is member driven in organization, leadership, participation, financial support, and program development.
LOCATION AND FACILITIES
The Elderwise office is located in the Red Cross
building at 4624 Packard Road, Ann Arbor,
between Carpenter and Golfside. Owing to
pandemic restrictions, the office is not
regularly staffed. The best way to contact us
is by phone at 734.340.4691 or by email at
elderwiselearning@gmail.com
LIMITATIONS ON CLASS SIZE
Instructor preference may require placing a limit
on class size. Please refer to the specific class
description in this catalog.
MEMBERSHIP
The Elderwise membership fee of $30 covers the entire 10 months between September 1 and June 30 of the
following year, and is not prorated per semester. Class fees for members are $10 per session. Nonmember
fees are $15 per session. Membership entitles you to the reduced class fees, and voting privileges in the
Elderwise organization. Members are also invited to attend Council, standing committee, and annual
organizational meetings, and to bring a friend, free of charge, to one single-session class, or one session
of a multi-session course. For guests, please call the office in advance at 734.340.4691.
REGISTRATION
You may register and pay by credit card online at www.elderwiselearning.org, by U.S. mail, or in person.
If by mail or in person, please use the registration form found at the end of this catalog and make your check
payable to Elderwise. Mailing address: Elderwise, Red Cross Building, 4624 Packard Rd., Ann Arbor, MI
48108. Questions? Contact our office at 734.340.4691, or by email at elderwiselearning@gmail.com.
The class registration form included in this catalog provides lines for paying the membership and class fees, as
well as a line for making a tax-deductible contribution to the Elderwise Annual Fund Campaign. Elderwise is a
nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
CLASS CANCELLATIONS
Elderwise does not offer classes on either Monday or Tuesday mornings in winter. When a scheduled class is
cancelled, we will post it on our website, and make every effort to notify registrants by email or by phone.
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WINTER 2021 PROGRAM OVERVIEW
ART and ARCHITECTURE (AA) LITERATURE (LI)
AA00 Britain’s Famous Churches and Cathedrals, Part I LI26 Gods and Glory in Homer’s The Iliad
AA01 Treasures of Decorative Arts Movements, 1837-1914 LI27 A Poetry Salon
AA02 Science, Art, and Spirituality LI28 Boccaccio’s The Decameron: Selected Stories
AA03 Orientalism in Art LI29 The Poetry of a Solitary Traveler: Jenny Xie
LI30 Book Club
CULTURE and RELIGION (CU) LI31 Edmond Rostand: Cyrano de Bergerac
CU04 A History of Christianity: A Personal Interpretation LI32 Kazuo Ichiguro: The Remains of the Day
CU05 Tribesmen and Citizens:
Differences and Consequences MUSIC and DANCE (MU)
MU33 The Great Hoax: Paul McCartney, Dead or Alive?
FILM (FL) MU34 Great Classical Composers: Handel and Scarlatti
FL06 Roxanne (1987) MU35 It’s a Sing-Along!
FL07 The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl MU36 Canon Fodder: The American Jazz Songbook
Film Documentary MU37 The Music in Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight
HISTORY (HI) NATURE and ENVIRONMENT (NA)
HI08 The Snow Killings: Inside the Oakland County NA38 Climate Change Effects on the
Child Killer Investigation – Book Discussion Huron River Watershed
HI09 Confederate Monuments and Beyond: NA39 America’s National Parks and Monuments
Rethinking the Message
HI10 African Americans in the Great Depression and POLITICS and POLICY (PO)
the New Deal, 1930-1940 PO40 America’s Punitive Prison Policies:
HI11 Continuity and Change: The Complexities of For Whom and Why
Ancient and Contemporary Israel PO41 Taking Apart the News – Stay Tuned
HI12 Escape and Evasion in Wartime Europe PO42 Michigan Politics: Past-Present-Future
HI13 The Polar Bear Odyssey: United States Intervention PO43 Political and Legal Standards Trampled or
in North Russia, 1918 and 1919 Restored? Two Panels on American Politics
HI14 New Light on the Earliest North Americans
HI15 Ann Arbor on Stage and Screen: A History SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, and MATH (SC)
HI16 The Highland Clearances in Scotland SC44 Renewable Energy in Michigan: Technologies
Public Policies, and Trends
HOBBIES (HO) SC45 Understanding Your Technology, Part II
HO17 Creative Writing Workshop SC46 Great Mathematical Minds and Moments
LIFESTYLE (LS) TOURS and FIELD TRIPS (TO)
LS18 Financial Power: Taking Control of Your Money TO47 Unsettling Histories: Legacies of Slavery and
LS19 Dementia Awareness, Parts I and II Colonialism, UMMA Virtual Exhibit Tour
LS20 Safe Driving for Seniors: Tips from AAA
LS21 Taking Charge of Aging: The Back-Up Plan
LS22 Remaining Vital in a Pandemic-Prone World
LS23 Identity Theft and Financial Fraud:
The Latest Schemes and Scams
LS24 Pilates: Enhancing Mobility and Increasing Strength
LS25 Time-Restricted Eating: Is It Healthy?
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Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1
JANUARY
NO CLASSES
NEW YEAR’S DAY
4 5 6 7 8
NO AM CLASSES DEVELOPMENT HI08 The Snow Killings LI26 Gods and Glory in LS19 Dementia Awareness
& MARKETING Author Book Discussion 10-12 Homer’s The Illiad 10-12 Part I 10-12
COMMITTEE
HO17 Creative Writing LS18 Financial Power MU33 The Great Hoax: Paul
NO CLASSES 1-3 Limit 12 Taking Control of Your McCartney, Dead or Alive?
Money 1-3 1-3
11 12 13 14 15
NO AM CLASSES CURRICULUM LI26 Gods and Glory in LS19 Dementia Awareness
COMMITTEE Homer’s The Illiad 10-12 Part II 10-12
SC44 Renewable Energy in AA00 Britain’s Famous LI27 A Poetry Salon LS18 Financial Power LI28 Giovanni Boccaccio’s
Michigan 1-3 Churches and Cathedrals 1-3 Limit 15 Taking Control of Your The Decameron: Selected
Part 1 1-3:30 Money 1-3 Stories 1-3
18 19 20 21 22
NO AM CLASSES ADMINISTRATION & MU35 It’s a Sing-Along! LI26 Gods and Glory in
FINANCE COMMITTEE 10-12 Homer’s The Illiad 10-12
MU34 Great Classical LS20 Safe Driving For LS29 The Poetry of a Solitary LS21 Taking Charge of
Composers: Handel and Seniors 1-3 Traverler: Jenny Xie 1-3 Aging: The Back-Up Plan
Scarlatti 1-3 1-3
25 26 27 28 29
NO AM CLASSES COUNCIL SC45 Understanding Your LI26 Gods and Glory in
Technology, Part II 10-12 Homer’s The Illiad 10-12
LI30 Book Club 1-3 NA38 Climate Change PO40 America’s Punitive PO41 Taking Apart the News
Effects on the Huron River Prison Policies 1-3 – Stay Tuned 1-2:30
Watershed 1-3
FEBRUARY
1 2 3 4 5
NO AM CLASSES NO CLASSES AA01 Treasures of LI31 Edmond Rostand:
MEETINGS Decorative Arts Movements Cyrano de Bergerac 10-12
10-12
NA39 America’s National
Parks and Monuments HO17 Creative Writing AA02 Science, Art, and HI09 Confederate Monuments
1-3:30 1-3 Limit 12 Spirituality 1-3 and Beyond 1-3
8 9 10 11 12
NO AM CLASSES NO CLASSES LI31 Edmond Rostand:
MEETINGS Cyrano de Bergerac 10-12
SC46 Great Mathematical LS22 Remaining Vital in a HI10 African Americans in AA02 Science, Art, and LS23 Identity Theft and
Minds and Moments Pandemic-Prone World the Great Depression and Spirituality 1-3 Financial Fraud: Latest
1-3 1-3 New Deal 1-3 Scams 1-3
15 16 17 18 19
NO AM CLASSES PROGRAM TEAM PROGRAM TEAM LI31 Edmond Rostand:
GROUP EDITING GROUP EDITING Cyrano de Bergerac 10-12
LS24 Pilates: Enhancing PO42 Michigan Politics: HI10 African Americans in AA02 Science, Art, and HI09 Confederate Monuments
Mobility and Increasing Past - Present - Future 1-3 the Great Depression and Spirituality 1-3 and Beyond 1-3
Strength 1-3 New Deal 1-3
22 23 24 25 26
NO AM CLASSES NO CLASSES HI11 The Complexities of
MEETINGS Ancient and Contemporary
Israel 10-12
HI10 African Americans in
LI30 Book Club 1-3 LS25 An Update on the Great Depression and AA02 Science, Art, and FL06 Film Roxanne (1987)
Time-Restricted Eating 1-3 New Deal 1-3 Spirituality 1-3 1-3
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Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1 2 3 4 5
NO AM CLASSES AM DEVELOPMENT CU04 History of Christianity
MARCH & MARKETING (Part I) 10-12
COMMITTEE
HO17 Creative Writing LI32 Kazuo Ichiguro: HI12 Escape and Evasion in
1-3 Limit 12 The Remains of the Day Wartime Europe 1-3:30
1-3 Limit 15
8 9 10 11 12
NO AM CLASSES CURRICULUM CU04 History of Christianity MU36 Canon Fodder: The HI14 New Light on the
COMMITTEE (Part I) 10-12 American Jazz Songbook Earliest North Americans
TO47 Unsettling Histories: 10-12 10-12
Legacies of Slavery and
FL07 Film Documentary Colonialism, UMMA Exhibit HI13 The Polar Bear PO43 Panel on American
on Leni Riefenstahl 1-3 Tour 2-3 Odyssey, 1918-1919 1-3 Politics 1-3
15 16 17 18 19
NO AM CLASSES ADMINISTRATION & CU04 History of Christianity CU05 Tribesmen and
FINANCE COMMITTEE (Part I) 10-12 Citizens 10-12
FL07 Film Documentary PO43 Panel on American
on Leni Riefenstahl 1-3 Politics 1-3
22 23 24 25 26
NO AM CLASSES COUNCIL CU04 History of Christianity HI15 Ann Arbor on Stage and
(Part I) 10-12 Screen: A History 10-12
MU37 The Music in Barry HO17 Creative Writing PO41 Taking Apart the News AA03 Orientalism in Art 1-3
Jenkins’ Moonlight 1-3 1-3 Limit 12 – Stay Tuned 1-2:30
29 30 31
NO AM CLASSES NO CLASSES CU04 History of Christianity
MEETINGS (Part I) 10-12
LI30 Book Club 1-3 HI16 The Highland
Clearances in Scotland 1-3
A MESSSAGE FROM THE ELDERWISE PROGRAM TEAM TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
For the Winter 2021 semester at Elderwise, and with the aid of Zoom technology, we are offering a rich and
diverse program of online classes and courses across more than 15 subject categories.
With this catalog, we are introducing a different organization of the program offerings, one that follows
the organization found on our website. The classes and courses are presented by subject category and
numbered sequentially from the beginning of the catalog to the end. The lead information for each class
and course also follows the format of the online catalog. We welcome your observations, suggestions, and
comments.
The Elderwise lifelong learning programs are developed by the Program Team, a permanent focus group of
the Elderwise Curriculum Committee. Annually the Team plans and recruits instructors for each of three se-
mesters. Our mission is to provide the broadest possible curriculum to meet a wide variety of interests. We
encourage you to send us your suggestions and ideas for future programs. Please contact the Elderwise
Program Coordinator by email at elderwiselearning.com or by phone at 734.340.4691. In the meantime, we
invite you to join us for a very exciting Winter 2021 semester, and look forward to seeing you online in all of
our many classes at Elderwise.
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Art & Architecture
AA00 Great Britain’s Famous Churches and Cathedrals, Part I
Date(s): Tuesday, January 12
Time: 1:00—3:30PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
Join us for a new and exciting PBS documentary series: “Secrets
of Britain’s Great Cathedrals,” narrated by Simon Callow. Over
the next several semesters we will explore and examine ancient
British cathedrals that have dominated the English landscape for
centuries, reflecting England’s long, turbulent history. The series
features interviews with historians and experts, soaring visuals of
cathedral architecture, and explanations of their historical settings.
In this class we will focus on two iconic landmarks of London: St.
Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. Then we will visit more
rural settings for the beautiful Salisbury and Wells cathedrals. In
future classes we will investigate the churches of Canterbury, Bath,
Durham, Worchester and many others in both England and Wales.
Instructor: Toby Teorey is the current Chair of the Elderwise Council. He is retired from the College of Engineering
at the University of Michigan and in retirement pursues his enduring love of classical music, theater and dance, and
world cultures.
AA01 Treasures of Decorative Arts Movements, 1837-1914
Date(s): Thursday, February 4
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
The 1880s generated an era of change and confusion in Europe and America
– an era which produced the great designers René Lalique, Alfons Mucha,
Louis Comfort Tiffany, and Antonio Gauidi, to name but a few. In this illustrated
presentation Linda Gintowt will trace the evolution of design styles, first with the
Eastlake and Aesthetic movements in response to the over-the-top styles of the
late Victorian period, and finally with the Arts and Crafts style and the climax
of the Art Nouveau movement in response to the industrialization of Western
society. Join us as we view examples from each style, with special emphasis
on Art Nouveau. We will study the work of leading European and American
designers of jewelry, furnishings, and architecture, ranging from the sublime to
the outrageous.
Instructor: Linda Gintowt is a self-described antique nut, and a lifelong student
of the history of design. Wherever she has traveled or lived, learning about the
period characteristics of design has been her long-time hobby, and the basis for many a part- and full-time job.
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AA02 Science, Art, and Spirituality
Date(s): Thursdays, February 4, 11, 18, 25
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $60 Member $40
Doing science, creating art, and practicing spirituality constitute three of mankind’s greatest enterprises. The
boundaries of each of these fundamental human activities remain exquisitely elastic. We combine them in very
different ways in different times and places. As they run parallel, interweave, intersect – even collide – and touch
on the slightest tangents, they fashion and refashion the farthest frontiers of our imagination. Without science,
art becomes hollow. Without art, science becomes hopeless. Without spirituality, neither can have lasting value.
Together, they can become the basis for wisdom. This course will examine the interplay of the three at pivotal times
in human history: the ancient Stone Age, the era of classical Greece, the Renaissance, the dawn of the modern
industrial world, and the present day.
Instructor: Michael Kapetan is an artist whose own work is informed by the scientific, the aesthetic, and the spiritual
as he creates holy images for churches and synagogues, and unique solar sculptures that mark the turning of the
seasons. Mike is retired from the University of Michigan Department of Art.
AA03 Orientalism in Art
Date(s): Friday, March 26
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
In his influential 1978 book, Orientalism, Edward W. Said used the term
to refer to a generally patronizing 19th century attitude toward Eastern
societies, especially those of the Middle East. In Said’s analysis, the
West viewed Arab societies as exotic, backward, static, and at times
dangerous. In contrast, European and American societies were seen
as developed, rational, flexible, and superior. These attitudes could be
found in academic studies, in literature, and in art. They went hand-
in-glove with European efforts to colonize vast regions of Asia and
Africa. In this class we will take a look at examples of Orientalist art, a
specialization of some 19th and early 20th century painters. And, we will
consider the impact on public perceptions of the Middle East that this
movement may have brought about.
Instructor: Boyd E. Chapin is a graduate of Wayne State University and a senior attorney with the Detroit firm of
Garan Lucow Miller, PC. Boyd is a former docent with the Detroit Institute of Arts and has an ongoing passion for all
forms of art. It is a passion he pursues through his own work in pencil, oil, and acrylic.
7Culture
CU04 A History of Christianity: A Personal Interpretation
Date(s): Wednesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $75 Member $50
This series of lectures offers a glimpse of the world’s largest religion, and the most influential religion of Western
culture. This semester’s topics trace Christianity’s origins with Jesus, Paul, Augustine, and Orthodox Christianity, and
will be followed by lectures in the spring semester on the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and modern versions of the
faith. This is a personal interpretation, and your personal views are most welcome.
Instructor: Ken Phifer is the Senior Minister Emeritus of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor,
where he served for 25 years. He is a graduate of Harvard College and the Divinity School of the University of
Chicago. He has authored three books and more than 24 articles. He is the father of five, the grandfather of 17, and
now has one great-grandchild.
CU05 Tribesmen and Citizens: Differences and Consequences
Date(s): Friday, March 19
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
The tensions and conflicts of today’s world underscore the critical need to understand the differences between
societies organized on the basis of tribalism (informal networks of kin relations) and societies organized around a
notion of citizenship based on a system of law and legal institutions. The failure to appreciate this distinction has led to
multiple missteps in foreign policy, and continuing turmoil and suffering. Michael Fahy asks, “What does it mean to be
a citizen of a modern state?” “What are the origins of this notion, and how does a citizen differ from a tribesman or a
peasant?” In addressing these questions, Michael places these modes of social organization in historical context and
considers their implications for our lives today. Michael also challenges us to consider the current political moment
in our own society as one revealing a possible erosion of the rule of law and emergence of behavioral patterns more
characteristic of tribal societies.
Instructor: Michael Fahy holds a Ph.D. degree in anthropology from the University of Michigan and currently teaches
in the University’s School of Education. He is an anthropologist of the Middle East, where he lived and pursued
research for several years. Since 2004 Michael has offered presentations on Middle Eastern history and culture to
American military personnel across the United States and Europe.
8Film
FL06 Film: Roxanne
Date(s): Friday, February 26
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
This is just what we will need on a dark winter’s day. Join us for a viewing of the
1987 feature film, Roxanne, a hilarious romantic comedy starring Steve Martin, Daryl
Hannah, and Shelley DuVall. The film is a modern retelling of Edmond Rostand’s 1897
verse play, Cyrano de Bergerac, an eminently serious portrayal of loyalty, honor, and
the indecision of emotional conflict. Rostand’s play is the subject of a three-session
course (LI28) being offered in the weeks immediately preceding this film class. In
Roxanne, the eloquently scripted spoof, Steve Martin, who also directed the film, brings
to life the most notable traits of the heroic Cyrano.
Instructor: Linda Gintowt loves the art of comedy, and she has a crush on Steve
Martin for his many talents. She believes this qualifies her to present his film. Linda
also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in drama. She dimly remembers studying Cyrano de
Bergerac.
FL07 Film: The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl
Date(s): Mondays, March 8, 15
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $30 Member $20
German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl applied her artistic talent,
athletic beauty, and boundless ambition to a career that brought
her international acclaim for her masterpieces Triumph of the Will
(1935) and Olympia (1939). She then spent the remainder of a
long life shunned by the film industry and attempting to diminish
the infamy of her association with Hitler and the Third Reich. In
1993, still feisty at age 90, she agreed to the extensive interviews
in this two-part documentary. Her accounts of an extraordinary
life as a dancer, mountain climber, actress, director, and still
photographer alternate with film clips. We will discuss the extent
to which viewers should accept Riefenstahl’s explanations of
her political blindness. This mesmerizing film is in German with
English subtitles.
Instructor: John Stewart is a retired software developer with degrees in biology from the University of Michigan. He
enjoys foreign films and believes this wonderful, horrible life story will appeal to anyone with an interest in the history
of cinema.
9History
HI08 The Snow Killings: A Discussion with the Author
Date(s): Wednesday, January 6
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
Over 13 months spanning 1976-1977, four children were abducted
from the Detroit suburbs, each of them held for days before their still-
warm bodies were dumped in the snow near public roadsides. The
Oakland County Child Murders spawned panic across Southeast
Michigan, triggering what was then the most extensive manhunt in
United States history. Yet, after less than two years, the task force
created to find the killer was shut down without naming a suspect. The
case went cold for more than 30 years, until a chance discovery by one
victim’s family pointed to the son of a General Motors executive – a
convicted pedophile who was freed just weeks before the fourth child
disappeared. Join veteran Detroit News reporter Marney Keenan in a
discussion of her new book, The Snow Killings, which probes the inner
workings of the investigation of these still-unsolved murders as seen through the eyes of the lead detective and of the
family whose information has become key to solving the case. The book reveals evidence of a decades-long coverup
of malfeasance and obstruction that denied justice for the victims.
Instructor: Marney Rich Keenan is an award-winning reporter and columnist who retired in 2017 after 26 years with
The Detroit News. She lives in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Recommended: Marney Rich Keenan, The Snow Killings: Inside the Oakland County Child Killer Investigation.
Exposit Books, paper, 2020. ISBN 9781476684000.
HI09 Confederate Monuments and Beyond: Rethinking the Message
Date(s): Fridays, February 5, 19
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $30 Member $20
In Fall 2019 George Klein and Dana Foster led an Elderwise class on
historic preservation, focused on New Orleans and including references
to urban planning, social structures, race, and culture. These included
the controversial decision by the mayor of New Orleans to remove four
Confederate monuments. What seemed drastic and unprecedented
then has become a wave of wide-ranging removal actions led mostly by
citizen protests, and fueled by the Black Lives Matter movement, and the
death of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. Many of these protests
and direct citizen actions have reached well beyond current events and
conditions to include how race and cultural dominance have influenced
the way history is interpreted, especially through the symbolism and
perspective of public monuments. The range and scope of removal actions have been surprising – chaotic at one end
of the spectrum and thoughtful and deliberate at the other. Join us for an in-depth discussion of these stories.
Instructors: George Klein has taught English and humanities at Wayne State University and Eastern Michigan
University (EMU), and directed EMU’s study abroad programs. George also served as a music program host at
WEMU for 30 years. He is now an independent producer of online jazz programs.
Dana Foster is a retired city manager from Brighton, Michigan. He has become a New Orleans enthusiast and is
eager to share his perspective on city planning and preservation efforts.
10HI10 African Americans in the Great Depression and the New Deal, 1930-1940
Date(s): Wednesdays, February 10, 17, 24
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $45 Member $30
Following up on his Fall 2020 course (African Americans in the 1920s),
Mike Homel carries the story of black Americans forward into the decade
of the Great Depression. Economic hardship worsened conditions for
both rural southerners and urban residents in the South, North, and
West. The federal government now shaped their lives, through New Deal
policies for relief, recovery, and reform. These changes caused many
blacks to leave the Republican Party, to vote Democratic, and to join new
industrial unions. Meanwhile, civil rights activity accelerated, both by the
NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People),
and by rival grass-roots groups, some of them radical and using direct
action. Finally, the impact of black Americans on fine arts and popular
culture swelled through radio, film, and crowds swinging the Lindy Hop to big bands at pleasure palaces such as
Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom.
Instructor: Michael Homel is Professor Emeritus of History at Eastern Michigan University. Mike specializes in 20th
century U.S. history and U.S. urban history. He is the author of Down from Equality: Black Chicagoans and the Public
Schools, and Unlocking City Hall: Exploring the History of Local Government and Politics, and other publications on
urban politics and education.
HI11 Continuity and Change:
The Complexities of Ancient and Contemporary Israel
Date(s): Thursday, February 25
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
With relations between Israel and the United States back in the news, it is
important to understand the historical context. Israel is the spiritual magnet
for three major religions, and many more cultures and nationalities. It is
because of these conflicting circumstances that the country has had a
complex existence up to and including the present time. Israel is also a
modern, prosperous, and innovative democracy. Gerlinda Melchiori leads
us on a journey through Israel’s history and its challenging political and
geographic landscape. We will also visit various diaspora settings around
the world, showing the diversity and perseverance of Jewish
life over thousands of years. Then we will view the juxtaposed
highlights of historic Jerusalem and modern Tel Aviv. Often
called the “Mediterranean metropolis that never sleeps,” Tel
Aviv is home to quality museums, concert and opera venues,
theatres and galleries, lively seaside boardwalks, high-tech
enterprise, and internationally recognized universities.
Instructor: Gerlinda Melchiori holds two degrees in European
history and business and a doctorate in higher education
management from the University of Michigan. She has served
as a consultant to universities around the world. Now retired,
Gerlinda enjoys sharing her knowledge of history, business,
and the arts, as well as her global travel experiences.
11HI12 Escape and Evasion in Wartime Europe
Date(s): Friday, March 5
Time: 1:00—3:30PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
Some 3,000 American soldiers and airmen successfully escaped or evaded capture by the Germans in occupied
Europe during World War II. For these men, every minute in Nazi-controlled territory was fraught with betrayal,
capture, and death. Evaders had to negotiate their way through escape routes where food was scarce, suspicion high,
and treachery common. This is the story of one airman evader and his unique odyssey to reach freedom at the height
of the conflict. Along the way, we will learn about members of the French resistance who routinely risked their lives to
help make such escapes possible.
Instructor: Warren B. Carah recently retired as president of a firm providing equipment and engineering services to
nuclear power facilities. He holds environmental science and engineering degrees from the University of California,
Berkeley and Washington State University. Warren comes from a military family and has been researching his father’s
wartime experiences for over 25 years. He has written numerous articles on WWII and on the history of his Cornish
ancestors during the California Gold Rush.
HI13 The Polar Bear Odyssey:
United States Intervention in North Russia, 1918 and 1919
Date(s): Thursday, March 11
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
The American military intervention at Archangel, Russia, during
the final years of World War I, was nicknamed the “Polar Bear
Expedition” and remains a strange episode in the annals of
American history. Presumably sent to Russia to prevent a German
advance and to help reopen the Eastern Front, American soldiers
found themselves fighting Bolshevik revolutionaries for months
after the truce ending the war was signed in November 1918. Most
of the Polar Bear troops came from the State of Michigan. These
Michigan men suddenly found themselves caught up in the Russian
Revolution and the beginning of the animosity between Russia and
the United States that persists even to today.
Instructor: Roger Crownover holds a Ph.D. degree in military
history and is Professor Emeritus at Madonna University in the
Department of History. He is the author of The United States
Intervention in North Russia - 1918, 1919: The Polar Bear Odyssey.
12HI14 New Light on the Earliest North Americans
Date(s): Friday, March 12
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
For more than half a century, most archaeologists in North America thought the ancestors of the Native Americans
crossed the Bering Straits from Siberia about 13,500 years ago, hunting herds of Ice Age mammals. During the
past two decades, however, new discoveries have forced us to consider evidence dating to 15,000, 30,000, and
even 130,000 years ago – suggesting that these ancestors came via several different routes and with very different
lifeways. Completely new methods are being used to evaluate these claims, not just traditional archaeological
excavation and artifact study, but new approaches based in such diverse fields as particle physics, human genetics,
and historical linguistics. We will examine the most convincing evidence for a longer and more complex history of
these earlier Paleo-Americans, allowing you to assess the new research and draw your own conclusions.
Instructor: Henry Wright has participated in this collaboration for more than 45 years, and promises to deliver his
personal appreciation of a still unfinished project. Henry currently serves as Professor of Anthropology and Curator of
Archaeology at the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology. His formal research has been on
the archaeology of early civilizations in Eurasia and Africa, and around the Indian Ocean.
HI15 Ann Arbor on Stage and Screen: A History
Date(s): Thursday, March 25
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
In this class Russ Collins will share a history of Ann Arbor from the 1850s to now, through the lens of the remarkable
vision of the first President of the University of Michigan, Henry Philip Tappan. His vision set in motion Ann Arbor’s
transformation from a scruffy “Wild West” frontier village to a world-class college town with a remarkable quality of life.
This dynamic is particularly evident in the quality of the arts organizations and arts venues in Ann Arbor. It started with
the University’s Detroit Observatory of the 1850s and continued through the construction of Hill’s Opera House in the
1870s and the growth of theater, concerts, vaudeville, cinema, and most recently, the historically sensitive renovation
of the State Theater. We will also learn about the struggles of arts venues in Ann Arbor to gain support, financial
and otherwise, from the community, as well as some missed opportunities. Both success and failure are essential
chapters of this story.
Instructor: Russ Collins is Executive Director of the Michigan Theater Foundation, a non-profit community
organization operating Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater, a 1920s Movie Palace, and the recently renovated State
Theatre, a 1940s Art Deco cinema style theater. Russ also heads the Cinetopia Festival and founded the Art House
Convergence, a national organization for community-based independent cinemas.
13HI16 The Highland Clearances in Scotland
Date(s): Tuesday, March 30
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
Between 1780 and 1855 the scenic but impoverished northwestern regions of
Scotland were troubled by what became known as the highland clearances.
Landlords sought to dedicate their estates to the more profitable businesses
of sheep and cattle raising. They displaced their numerous tenant farmers by
forcing them into marginalized communities, by raising rents to unacceptable
levels, and by issuing evictions. The tenants, many of whom had resided in the
same places for generations, reacted with bitterness and sometimes violence to
what they saw as a betrayal of traditional arrangements. The ultimate outcome
was large-scale emigration to Canada, the United States, Australia,
and New Zealand. In this class we will look at underlying factors
(language, religion, politics, and technology), examine events at a
few representative highland estates, and follow some of the emigrant
groups to their new homes overseas.
Instructor: John Stewart is a retired software developer with
degrees in biology from the University of Michigan. He has visited
and photographed the depopulated highland regions from which his
paternal ancestors departed in the early 19th century.
Hobbies
HO17 Creative Writing Workshop
Date(s): Wednesdays, January 6, February 3, March 3, 24
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Enrollment Limit: 12
Fee: Nonmember $60 Member $40
This workshop offers a relaxed setting for writers of all interests and levels. Attendees will discuss each other’s
writings and offer suggestions for mining memories, maintaining a journal, and adding music and mystery to both
prose and poetry. Whether you would like to delve into family history, memoir, or fantasy, or discover new formats, this
workshop can help. Sharing your drafts with peers and listening to their reactions is a proven road to more effective
writing. In this small group you will never feel overwhelmed or overlooked, and you will meet new friends whose
lively company you will enjoy. To the initial session, please bring 13 copies of your work for distribution among the
participants – up to two pages for poetry, three pages for prose.
Instructor: Rosalie Karunas is retired from a career as a research statistician with Parke-Davis and with the
University of Michigan Health System. She is a long-time participant in this workshop and enjoys writing poetry and
stories.
14Lifestyle
LS18 Financial Power: Taking Control of Your Money
Date(s): Thursdays, January 7, 14
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $30 Member $20
Discussing how we manage our money makes many of us uncomfortable. Often, because we are embarrassed about
what we do not know, we hesitate to seek help. In this class you will discover what it takes to win the “money game,”
including how to create money by becoming mindful of spending habits. During the first session, we will focus on
where we are with our money – with savings, debt, and assets – and on creating powerful financial goals. The second
session will center on the concept and functioning of compound interest, and on how it can work for us or against us
in the creation of wealth. We will also learn about the importance of mindset and motivation in achieving our goals.
Ellen will help us learn how to take a confident, proactive, and intentional approach to personal money management
and financial goal achievement.
Instructor: Ellen Abramson is living her “second act,” following a 30-year career in fundraising for the University of
Michigan and the American Red Cross. In her book, The Money Game and How to Win It, Ellen chronicles how she
and her late husband shed $100,000 in debt. Ellen is still empowered by a monthly plan of saving, spending, and
giving – the plan Ellen and David followed to free themselves of an unbearable burden.
LS19 Dementia Awareness, Parts I and II
Date(s): Friday, January 8: Part I, Understanding Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias
Friday, January 15: Part II, Caregiving on the Unwelcome Journey
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $30 Member $20
We are all at risk for developing dementia, but few of us are prepared for it. Most often caused by Alzheimer’s disease,
dementia is a rapidly growing problem. More than 10% of Americans over 65 have dementia, and several million more
persons over 65 care for them. In 2019, dementia was the fifth leading cause of death and by far the most expensive
illness in the United States. In these presentations Jim Mangi offers reliable information about Alzheimer’s and other
diseases that cause dementia, and discusses potential ways to lessen the risk. We will talk about the warning signs,
what to do if they appear, and where to get help and support. We will also talk about living with the disease, and about
the caregiver’s experience.
Instructor: Jim Mangi holds a Ph.D. degree from Binghamton University. Jim’s wife Kathleen has Alzheimer’s, and he
has been caring for her for 13 years. Jim has taught dozens of classes for the Alzheimer’s Association, and has made
presentations statewide on dementia and the caregiving experience. He chairs the organization Dementia Friendly in
Saline, Michigan.
LS20 Safe Driving for Seniors: Tips from AAA
Date(s): Wednesday, January 20
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
Even the most experienced driver can benefit from learning about the changes that affect us as we age. The AAA
(American Automobile Association) Mature Driver Training program delivers tips and techniques to help older drivers
compensate for changing vision, reflexes, and response time. The program also provides a quick refresher on driving
defensively in a variety of situations, and demonstrates how many of yesterday’s driving methods have been replaced
by more advanced, risk-reducing driving techniques. The primary focus is on ensuring that all of us drive safely.
Instructor: Suzette Falletich is an AAA Director for Driver Training Programs serving 11 states. She is a fully
licensed Driver Training Instructor for novices, teens, and adults, and also a lead Driver Improvement Instructor
certified with AAA National. Suzette has been with these driver training programs for more than 13 years.
15LS21 Taking Charge of Aging: The Back-Up Plan
Dates Friday, January 22
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
The reality is, if you do not take charge of your aging, someone else will. When you look into the future, say, the next
15 to 20 years, do you sometimes feel a little nervous? You have many great things planned, but there may also be
some “what ifs” lurking there. What if this, or that, happens? Then what? In this class, Sarah Batzer will walk you
through your own realistic workbook (provided) to create your own back-up plan. We all hope we will never need to
use such a plan. However, if you do, you will be able to use yours to identify the solutions you have chosen, not the
ones chosen for you. We will cover issues of housing, transportation, meals, medications, and bill paying, but not
personal finances. We will also discuss how to share your plan with family or loved ones.
Instructor: Sarah Batzer earned a master’s degree in gerontology from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, and has
been active in the field of aging for more than 25 years, providing consultation, teaching, and design. Sarah lives in
Saline with her husband and two dogs, and is an avid cyclist.
LS22 Remaining Vital in a Pandemic-Prone World
Date(s): Tuesday, February 9
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
In just nine short months, our world has changed
dramatically. COVID-19 has become the greatest
challenge faced by humanity in more than 100 years. How
will we make it through these challenging times? While
there are no guarantees, it is clear that lifestyle choices
help people prevent or reverse the chronic diseases that
render this virus so devastating to those who are exposed
to it. And, at the same time, food choices are the best way
for individuals to reduce the demand for factory-farmed
animals that are the breeding ground for a future pandemic – one that could be even worse than what we are now
experiencing. Join us as Dr. Breakey explains how those food choices can put the odds in our favor in a pandemic-
prone world.
Instructor: Dr. Robert Breakey is a fifth-generation graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School and has
practiced family medicine in Ann Arbor for 34 years. He has a special interest in health promotion, nutrition, positive
wellness, and supporting the natural healing process that we all have within us. He leads the Family Medicine Division
for his medical group, IHA, and is also on the Board of Directors for St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. Dr. Breakey personally
has followed a plant-based lifestyle for 42 years.
16LS23 Identity Theft and Financial Fraud: The Latest Schemes and Scams
Date(s): Friday, February 12
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
How common is identity theft? Is it something you need to worry about? Even if you have not been victimized, when
you hear news of another significant data breach, or a friend tells you their own horror story of ID theft, you may
wonder if you will be next. The Consumer Sentinel Network, maintained by the Federal Trade Commission, tracks
consumer fraud and identity theft complaints that have been filed with federal, state and local law enforcement
agencies and private organizations. Of the 3.2 million identity theft and fraud reports received in 2019, 1.7 million were
fraud-related, about 651,000 were identity theft complaints, and about 900,000 were other consumer complaints.
Unfortunately, senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to financial scams. In this workshop you will learn the
essential steps you need to take to protect yourself, and the tools available to help you. Your take-away from this
workshop will be an action plan you can implement immediately.
Instructor: Mark Munzenberger is the University of Michigan Credit Union Financial Education Manager. He has over
15 years of experience in the financial services industry, specializing in consumer financial wellness programs. Mark
is a certified credit and housing counselor, and also has a certification from the National Financial Educators Council.
LS24 Pilates: Enhancing Mobility and Increasing Strength
Date(s): Monday, February 15
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
Joseph Pilates (1883-1967) developed an integrated system of physical exercise which he called contrology and
successfully applied to rehabilitating soldiers injured in World War I. Contrology emphasized mind-body connections
with a focus on core postural muscles. Today, we know this system as Pilates. Gwyn Jones employs a modern
approach to the original Pilates method. In this class she will demonstrate the priorities of alignment and posture,
blending natural and structured movements to enhance mobility and increase strength, and guiding us to a better
understanding of our mind-body connections. She will provide different levels of modification while building the
fundamentals of natural movement patterns. Participants in this online presentation can be seated or standing with a
chair for support.
Instructor: Gwyn Jones has offered personal training sessions, workshops, and classes on Pilates for more than ten
years. She is certified in STOTT Pilates and TRX suspension, and annually enrolls in continuing Pilates education.
LS25 An Update on Time-Restricted Eating: Is it Healthy?
Date(s): Tuesday, February 23
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
This encore presentation provides an update on Time-Restricted Eating (TRE), a form of fasting that limits eating to
a certain number of hours each day. While gaining in popularity, some still question whether or not TRE is a healthy
practice. In one way or another, daily fasting was likely something that was practiced unintentionally by our ancestors,
who did not have 24/7 access to food the way we do today. Utilizing a combination of online videos and PowerPoint
images, presenter Robbi Duda will discuss the science behind Time-Restricted Eating, a program that is currently
being used to treat Type 2 Diabetes. In addition to controlling diabetes and some immune system disorders, TRE is
also designed to help people lose weight and reduce hypertension. Robbi will also discuss practical approaches to
this method, and will provide handouts for you to take home.
Instructor: Robbi Duda is a retired nurse educator and American Nurses Credentialing Center (AANC) Board
Certified Geriatric Nurse. She has a master’s degree in Community Health Nursing from the University of Michigan.
17Literature
LI26 Gods and Glory in Homer’s The Iliad
Date(s): Thursdays, January 7, 14, 21, 28
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $60 Member $40
In this course Susan Nenadic will cover the essentials of Homer’s classic The Iliad. Much
more serious and philosophical than The Odyssey, The Iliad clarified for the ancients the
role of the gods, the search for glory, and what it meant to be mortal. In the original Greek,
the first word is “wrath,” and the plot revolves around the wrath of Achilles. While we cannot
cover the whole epic in these four sessions, we will cover the essential parts. Susan
suggests that students bring a copy of the book with them to class. She recommends and
will be using the Lattimore translation. Oh, and if you are looking forward to the story of the
Trojan Horse, Homer did not tell that one. It comes from The Aeneid.
Instructor: Susan Nenadic is a professional historian and author of A Purse of Her Own: Occupations of Nineteenth
Century Women and Legendary Locals of Ann Arbor. Susan is a former board member of the Washtenaw County
Historical Society.
Recommended:
The Iliad of Homer. Trans. Richard Lattimore. University of Chicago Press, paper, 2011. ISBN 9780226470498.
LI27 A Poetry Salon
Facilitator: Helen Weingarten
Date(s): Wednesday, January 13
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Enrollment Limit: 15
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
This interactive class is organized as a “poetry salon,” in which participants share a poem that has been meaningful
to them, and may even have provided comfort during a difficult time. The chosen poem could be by a known poet, or
one written by the participant. Participants in the salon are welcome to comment on each other’s offerings, but not
to critique them. We hope the salon is experienced as a safe, supportive, and joyful place for sharing. While it is not
absolutely necessary, we encourage all participants to mail or email a copy of their chosen poem to the Elderwise
office one week in advance of the salon. We will use these to provide images for sharing with the online class.
Helen Weingarten is an emeritus associate professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Michigan. She
has studied art history and literature since her undergraduate years at Cornell University, and has been reading and
writing poetry for pleasure since being introduced to Joyce Kilmer’s poem “Trees” in the third grade.
18LI28 Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron: Selected Stories
Date(s): Friday, January 15
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
Recent events have prompted a resurgence of interest in Boccaccio’s 14th
century, hundred-story frame narrative about a group of attractive young
Florentines who flee to the hills around the city in order to avoid the plague.
There they pass the time by sharing stories drawn from a variety of genres that
capture a range of moods, from the tragic to the irreverent. The Decameron
was a significant inspiration for Chaucer’s later Canterbury Tales and, like
those Tales or the 1001 [Arabian] Nights, it offers a vernacular compendium
of stories designed to appeal to any (adult) audience. For this
class we will read a selection of five stories as a Decameron
sampler and introduction. The list of selected stories will be sent
to registrants in advance of the class.
Instructor: Jeffrey Cordell holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance
literature from the University of Virginia. He has taught literature
and academic writing at Boston University, Harvard, and Alma
College. Jeffrey presently is an assistant professor in the
Department of Language, Literature, Communication and Writing
at Madonna University.
Text: Recommended:
Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron. Ed. And Trans. G.H. McWilliam.
Penguin Classics, paper, 2003. ISBN 9780140449303.
Selections: Day 1, 1; Day 2, 7; Day 4, 9; Day 10, 9 and 10.
LI29 The Poetry of a Solitary Traveler: Jenny Xie
Date(s): Thursday, January 21
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Enrollment Limit: 8
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
“I hang my expectations out on a string.”
From Eye Level, Poems by Jenny Xie
In this class we will read selections from Jenny Xie’s debut volume Eye Level, Poems, recipient of the Walt Whitman
Award of the Academy of American Poets, and 2018 National Book Award finalist. Xie, who was born in China and
raised in New Jersey, is recognized as a poet who “reveals the prowess of a new contemporary great.” In Eye Level,
Xie gives poetic form to observations and reflections of a solitary traveler passing through Phnom Penh, Hanoi, Corfu,
New York, and elsewhere. Listening to one another, we will bring our individual responses, our “negative capability,” to
this encounter with the restless, and yet centered, imagination of a gifted new American poet. Participants will receive
copies of the selections in the mail about 10 days before the class. During the virtual class, texts will be available
through screen-sharing.
Instructor: Leonore Gerstein was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and spent many of her formative years in Israel,
first at a kibbutz, and then in Jerusalem, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy. Leonore is
passionate about poetry and is always eager to explore a variety of works with veteran and new Elderwise members.
Text: Jenny Xie, Eye Level, Poems. Graywolf Press paperback, 2018. ISBN 9781555978020.
19LI30 Book Club
Date(s): Mondays, January 25, February 22, March 29
Time: 1:00—3:00PM; 1:00-4:00PM on February 22
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $45 Member $30
Using prepared questions and our own observations, the discussion each month will explore a book from current
best-seller lists. The facilitators will send a list of discussion questions for each book to all registrants prior to each
Book Club session.
Selected books for the Winter 2021 semester are:
January: The Pioneers by David McCullough Nonfiction
February: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood Fiction
March: Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate Fiction
Instructors: Shirley Southgate and Katherine McClellan are long-time members of both Elderwise and the Book
Club. They are both avid readers, and look forward to a lively exchange of ideas, opinions, and interpretations.
LI31 Edmond Rostand: Cyrano de Bergerac
Date(s): Fridays, February 5, 12, 19
Time: 10:00AM—12:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Enrollment Limit: 15
Fee: Nonmember $45 Member $30
Rostand’s five-act drama is one of the most intensely romantic works in all of Western literature. Cyrano is a soldier-
poet, renowned throughout France for his skill as a swordsman, his courage, his wit, his commitment to justice - and
for his grotesquely huge nose. He is passionately, though secretly, in love with the beauteous Roxanne. Ugly as he is,
he knows he has no chance with Roxanne. But, for a man of Cyrano’s caliber, there are other ways to serve a lady,
personally painful as they may be. There are many English translations of Cyrano. The classic and among the best is
that of Brian Hooker, and his translation is recommended. For the first class, please read the first two acts of the play.
Instructor: George Stewart practiced law for many years in Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, and Ann
Arbor. He is honing his retirement skills by reading, and rereading, great writers.
Text: Recommended:
Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac. Trans. Brian Hooker. Bantam Classics, Reissue, 2004. ISBN 0553213601.
LI32 Kazuo Ishiguro: The Remains of the Day
Date(s): Thursday, March 4
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Enrollment Limit: 15
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
Tracing the complex lineages of class and politics in post-World War II England, The Remains of the Day has
been hailed as a modern classic and stands as one of Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro’s greatest
literary achievements. Told as a series of flashbacks and entries by an esteemed butler vacationing in the English
countryside, The Remains of the Day is a powerful meditation on the importance of memory, morality, and
occupation. This novel, as a Booker Prize-winning model for excellence in writing and structure, constitutes a deeply
revealing portrait of civil service and vocation. Sure to delight both the history buff and the avid reader, The Remains
of the Day is a work of high artistic merit which is well worth discussing.
Instructor: Tyler Eyster is a graduate of Albion College, having majored in Religious Studies and English. He was a
member of the Prentiss M. Brown Honors Program, and currently works as a Writing Center Specialist at Madonna
University.
Text: Recommended:
Kazuro Ichiguro, The Remains of the Day. Random House, Vintage International, paper, 1993. ISBN 0679731725.
20Music and Dance
MU33 The Great Hoax: Paul McCartney, Dead or Alive?
Date(s): Friday, January 8
Time: 1:00—3:00PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
In this class we will embark on a journey to explore an urban legend and conspiracy theory about Paul McCartney,
renowned Beatles musician and vocalist. In October 1969 rumors began to circulate in Ann Arbor, Michigan, when
a student from Eastern Michigan University phoned the local radio station asking about Paul’s death. Two days later,
an article published in the University of Michigan student newspaper, The Michigan Daily, detailed several clues
pointing to McCartney’s untimely death and eventual replacement with a look-alike among The Beatles. Clue-hunting
continued, in Beatles songs and album artwork, and the rumors did not disappear until November 1969 when Life
Magazine published a front-cover photo of Paul and Linda McCartney, very much alive. However, many still believe,
even to this day, that Paul was killed in a 1966 car accident and was replaced by a double. The hoax itself became
the subject of analysis among sociologists and psychologists in the 1970s.
Instructor: Ray Stocking is a long-time resident of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He has studied, recorded, and performed
the music of The Beatles for more than 35 years. Ray is also a self-taught Beatles historian, and enjoys sharing his
abundance of “Beatles details” with anyone who wants to listen. Ray is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University
where he received his B.B.A and M.B.A. degrees in business management.
MU34 Great Classical Composers:
George Frideric Handel and Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti
Date(s): Tuesday, January 19
Time: 1:00—3:30PM
Online Class: A Zoom invitation link will be sent 1 day before class begins.
Fee: Nonmember $15 Member $10
The highly acclaimed PBS series Great Performances: Now Hear This, brings us the fascinating visual and musical
narratives of two of the greatest composers of the early 18th century: George Frideric Handel and Domenico Scarlatti.
These two virtuosos lived and worked at almost exactly the same time. The series documentaries highlight an exciting
and unusual format hosted by Scott Yoo, violin maestro and chief conductor and artistic director of the Mexico City
Philharmonic. Mr. Yoo’s visits across various European cities show us first hand the life experiences that inspired
Handel’s and Scarlatti’s masterpieces. The presentations include an abundance of remarkable live music and
delightful insights into some of their greatest works.
Instructor: Toby Teorey is the current Chair of the Elderwise Council. He is retired from the College of Engineering
at the University of Michigan and in retirement pursues his enduring love of classical music, theater and dance, and
world cultures.
21You can also read
