Learning Series
FRIENDS OF THE ELDREDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY - LEARNING SERIES AT THE ELDREDGE
The Friends of the Eldredge Public Library are sponsoring a WINTER/SPRING LEARNING SERIES. It is a varied program of academic and general courses beginning Monday February 1, 2010 (unless noted otherwise) and open to the public at a cost of $5.00 per course. The series will take place Monday through Thursday, mornings and afternoons in the Forgeron meeting room, in the lower level of the library. Register in advance by mail or at the library. Contact Program Chairman, Eileen Dunn, 945-3226, or call the Library directly, 945-5170, if you have any questions. We encourage you to become a member of the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library to help support programs, such as the Learning Series.
MONDAYS:
THERE WILL BE NO CLASSES ON FEBRUARY 15TH. THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY.
M1: 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM. So You Want To Be a Poet? Limited to ten students. Creative writing exercises to stimulate prose or poems; share copies of your work. Gentle critiquing. Facilitator Peter Saunders, MFA, Creative Writing, Goddard College; PhD, Union Institute and University; Instructor, Cape Cod Community College; Author 9 Poetry Chapbooks; My Father’s Shoes – poems in publication. Eight Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on February 1st.)
M2: 10:30 AM to 12:00 NOON. A Romp Through the Good Book. When Jay Leno asked his studio audience to name one of the Apostles, no one could. But when he asked them to name the Beatles, without hesitation, the answer came ringing back from the crowd, “George, Paul, John and Ringo.” Whether the Bible to you is Holy Writ or ‘Great Literature’, its writings have been more influential than any other book in western civilization and American history and culture. Yet most are ignorant of the Bible’s contents. This course will look at the Bible’s key themes, its most notable passages and personalities, and its way of being interpreted. Lecturer Dr. William Barker has taught at two seminaries, served in Congregations in Pennsylvania and on the Cape, and previously presented courses on Scotland and Ireland here in the Learning Series. Three Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on April 26th.)
TUESDAYS:
T1: 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. We Come of Age! American Painting in the Nineteenth Century. In his forty Years’ teaching career, Lecturer Jack Garver has chaired the Arts Departments of the Gilmore School in Bellemore and The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. His water colors have won many national awards and are in private, corporate and museum collections here and abroad. Four Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on June 1st.)
T2: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM. The Offspring of Sherlock Holmes. This course will examine the lives and adventures of three men who followed in the footsteps of “The Master.” They will be the “hard-boiled private eye” Philip Marlowe, the urbane, sophisticated, orchid-growing Nero Wolfe, and Travis McGee, who though not a licensed private investigator is someone you will like. Lecturer John Kennedy is a retired educator. Over 42 years he has taught at every level from high school to graduate school. BS, Seton Hall; MA, Harvard; PhD, New York University. Six Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on April 6th.)
T3: 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Othello. Perhaps the most intimate and insidious of his tragedies, Shakespeare opposes one of his noblest characters against his most evil creation, Iago. In this five week course we will examine the playwright’s presentation of racial and religious conflicts, his nuanced understanding of gender differences, his notions of nobility and honor, and the ways language can be twisted to serve evil ends. During the course we will read the play closely and use two (or more) film versions to provide contrasting views of the play. In addition we will devote at least one session to examining several of Shakespeare’s Sonnets. Those taking the course and wishing to do some preparatory reading will find the following to be very useful: Jonathan Bate’s Soul of an Age and A. D.Nuttal’s Shakespeare the Thinker. Lecturer Kerry Brown has been teaching in independent schools for forty years, the last eleven of those at Cape Cod Academy, where he instructs British and American Literature classes and Advanced Placement seniors. He received his BA from University of Delaware. Shakespeare is his first love and he has been teaching the playwright’s works throughout his career. Five Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on April 6th.)
WEDNESDAYS:
W1: 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Liberia: America’s Stepchild in Africa. In 1817, fueled by the fear of freed slaves, missionary zeal, and potential business opportunities, a group of prominent Americans set about to colonize a portion of West Africa. Learn the little known history of America’s oldest African ally; its founding, recent civil war and present day situation. Experience the trauma of a fourteen-year civil war, hear the music, savor the tastes and experience the culture of this small, but dynamic country. In recognition of Black History Month, Steve and Jackie Keenan, former Peace Corps Volunteers in Liberia in l963 – 1965, will be hosting this series. As members of the Friends of Liberia, the Keenans have welcomed many Liberians to their home. In recent years, the Keenans have twice returned to West Africa, establishing a school in Liberia which provides vocational and academic programs for youths. Four Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on February 3rd.)
W2: 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Major European Trends From 1500 TO 1600. From Lucretia Borgia to Mary Tudor and a fascinating list of main characters. Issues include the effect of New World gold on Old World politics, and the roles of reformers such as Savanarola and Luther. More stories that missed the history survey courses. Lecturer Joan Maloney, Trinity College (DC), MA and PhD in History from Georgetown University. Professor Emerita Salem State College and author of several books. Four Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on April 7th.)
W3: 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM. Chaucer: Canterbury Tales. This course will introduce you to the wonderful world of fourteenth-century London and the characters that come to life in Chaucer’s descriptions of the pilgrims that head towards Canterbury. You will be surprised how easy it is to read Chaucer in Middle English and to get a feel for the life of the people who inhabited what we now call the Middle Ages. This is a very unique and colorful course. Participants are asked to supply themselves with Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: an interlinear translation translated by Vincent F. Hopper (available at Amazon and elsewhere for around $10.) Lecturer John Clark, born and educated in England, is a year-round resident of Eastham and runs a school in his home called The Inquiring Mind that centers on the study of literature and language. He holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Six Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on May 5th.)
W4: 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Science Seminar. Topics of current interest will be introduced for round-the-table discussions by Dick Kraycir (former IBM technical manager and small business owner) and Al Haven (retired DuPont research manager). Participants will be given pertinent internet references for background prior to each meeting. Topics will include critical reviews of global warming, alternate energy sources, electric vehicles, asteroid impacts, and others as may be chosen by participants. Six Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on February 3rd and will meet every other Wednesday through March 31st.)
THURSDAYS:
TH1: 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Great Decisions. Foreign Policy Discussions. This course uses as its cornerstone Great Decisions (2010) briefing book published by the Foreign Policy Association. Participants will need to purchase this book in advance ($15.00) from The Learning Series and read one chapter each week to prepare for class discussion. Instructor Richard Siewert is a graduate of Columbia University, has an MA from Syracuse University (Maxwell School of Public Affairs ) and was a Social Studies teacher, Foreign Policy instructor and supervisor. Six Weeks Course. (Note: This class will begin on February 4th.)
TH2: 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM. The Plays of Monomoy Theater. Subject matter will be available in early March via e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). For those without e-mail, the list will be available at the Library in early March. The course will include several of the plays that will be featured at Monomoy Theatre this coming summer. Discussion leader, Shannon Griscom, MA, English Literature, taught high school in California for many years and enjoys her retirement discussing books and painting watercolors, in both Palo Alto and Chatham. Four Weeks Course. (Note: This course will begin on May 6th.)
Monday
M1: Poetry----- M2: Good Book -----
Tuesday
T1: Art----- T2: Sherlock Holmes ----- T3: Othello
Wednesday
W1: Liberia ----- W2: European Trends ----- W3: Chaucer----- W4: Science
Thursday
TH1: Great Decisions----- TH2: Plays of Monomoy
Name: ______________________________ Address: _________________________________________________
Phone: ______________________________Number of Courses: ______ Remittance $ ______________
$5.00 for each course (No refunds after registration). Please make checks payable to Learning Series at the Eldredge. You can register at the library or mail with your payment to: Learning Series at the Eldredge, P.O. Box 70, Chatham, MA 02633.