Curriculum
Wednesdays
9:00–10:30am FDR
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945) was the thirty-second president of the United States of America. He held the presidency for an unprecedented four terms, longer than any other man before him. He was probably among the most powerful presidents America has ever had, and he led the nation through two of its greatest crises—the Great Depression and World War II. More than any other president, he stimulated both deep-seated love and hatred from the populace. His fight with polio is legendary. In this course we will attempt to penetrate some of the hidden places of his character, to explore his influence, to assess the means he used, and to explore his life and its impact on his leadership style and political life.
WENDELL MUSSER, MD, is a retired academic physician who held faculty positions at Indiana University, Duke University, George Washington University, the University of Kentucky, and Emory University. He is now spending a great deal of time being chairman of the North Carolina Churchill Group, an affiliate of the Churchill Centre, Washington, DC.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 9:00–10:30am, The Bishop’s House. Maximum: 40. Class ID: 1131.
9:00–10:30am ETHICS, MORALS & MEANINGS IN LIFE
Ethics and morals are about the search for right among wrongs, the formation of character, and the meanings in life. Due to their very nature, ethics are abstract and can be difficult to define and to live within. There are a number of limits for us as we attempt to clarify our personal ethics and morals, including language, differences in perception, cultural variations, religious differences, and so on. Nevertheless, much has been written, and even more said, about morals and ethics that add to our understanding, and, in some cases, our misunderstanding.
We will begin each class with brief lectures, videos, activities, and simulations which raise moral/ethical issues to be addressed. We will end each class with open discussion. Class members will be encouraged to contribute to our collective understanding of personal morals and ethics by applying their positions on the dilemmas we discuss.
JIM CLACK is a psychologist who served as director of counseling services at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Virginia, and at Duke University. During his tenure at Duke, he taught a freshman seminar entitled "Morals, Ethics, and Meanings in Life." He is recently retired and will be teaching his first OLLI class.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 9:00–10:30am, The Bishop’s House. Maximum: 15. Class ID: 1132.
9:00–10:30am NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNMENT
In this course, we will look at the structures, powers, responsibilities, and limitations of state and local government in North Carolina. What is the relationship between the governor and the legislature? How do the courts manage their case load? How are counties different from cities? Who has the power to tax you, and how may they spend that money? What is the government empowered to do—and what is it in fact doing—to manage waste and ensure a safe supply of drinking water? What is the election system doing to ensure that every vote counts, and is it enough? Is your medical information secure? We will tackle these and other questions over a nine-week period.
The faculty of the UNC SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT provides daily consultation to state and local government officials on matters related to law, finance, management, and leadership. Twelve of those faculty members will conduct the sessions of this course.
9 Wednesdays, September 17–November 19 (please note start date), 9:00–10:30am, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 60. Class ID: 1134.
9:00–10:30am EVOLUTION OF SACRED MUSIC
In this course we will explore the roots of the classical music tradition in early churches and trace the development of liturgy, musical styles, and musical notation in Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and Jewish traditions. We will discuss the relation between music and religion and the impact of sacred music on Western classical music. Using an historical perspective, we will trace the development of musical forms. The goal of the course is to enrich understanding and enhance pleasure in listening to sacred music in all its forms.
KEN HOOVER was born in Chicago, grew up in Virginia, earned his BA in English at University of Richmond, and his MDiv at Southeastern Baptist Seminary. He has sung in school, church, and community choruses, and was a choir director for over 10 years. He also has taken courses in music history and choral conducting at UNC–Chapel Hill and studied composition privately with Peter Klausmeyer. For the past 15 years he has been producer and host of Great Sacred Music every Sunday morning from 8:00 to 11:00am on WCPE-89.7 FM. He also writes classical music reviews for CVNC.org (Classical Voice of North Carolina).
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 9:00–10:30am, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 20. Class ID: 1135.
9:00–10:30am YOUR NEUROPLASTIC SELF: Explorations in Awareness Through Movement®
(formerly titled "Sensing Yourself")
Neuroplasticity is a hot topic these days. Did you know that your brain changes in response to your experience? Do you know how to structure your experience to benefit from this process? Over 60 years ago, long before scientists had the technology to document the brain’s rewiring capacity, Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais created an educational process—The Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Education—which does exactly this. In this class, you will explore simple but unusual movement sequences. By linking them with your attention, awareness, thinking, feeling, and sensing in a specific way, your brain will create startling changes in your neuromuscular organization. If you want to refine balance, reduce pain and discomfort, reshape posture, regain flexibility and coordination, and learn to breathe, turn, sit, stand, walk (or run!) more easily, join us in this unique learning process. You will discover how to move comfortably and efficiently through the activities of daily living.
Please note: You must be able to lie on the floor comfortably. Please bring a mat (or thick blanket or sleeping bag) on which to lie, and some support for your head, if you need it. Wear comfortable clothes for movement, and dress in layers. Please contact the instructor to discuss any concerns you might have about your ability to participate. Classes will be suitable for both new and returning students and for both women and men.
KAREN DOLD is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais PractitionerCM. She has been teaching Awareness Through Movement® classes and workshops throughout the Triangle since 2000. Clients receive individual attention during private sessions in her offices in Chapel Hill and Cary. Karen delights in teaching her clients to move through life with power, vitality, and grace.
10 Wednesdays, September 10–November 19, 9:00–10:30am, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 25. Class ID: 1136.
10:00am–12:00pm BY LOVE BETRAYED: A Movie Potpourri
We will view, in their entirety, classic films from six different countries, spanning seven decades. Whether showing betrayal by a cad, a seductress, or one’s own illusions, each movie tells a tale of love gone wrong. Films are scheduled to include The Blue Angel (1930, starring Marlene Dietrich), Mata Hari (1931, with Greta Garbo, Ramon Novarro, and Lionel Barrymore), Rain (1932, with Joan Crawford and Walter Huston), Of Human Bondage (1934, with Bette Davis and Leslie Howard), Ossessione (1943), Anna Karenina (from 1948, starring Vivien Leigh and Ralph Richardson), Fröken Julie (1951), Carmen Jones (1954, with Pearl Bailey, Diahann Carroll, Harry Belafonte, and Dorothy Dandridge), Medea (1969, with Maria Callas), Sunday, Bloody Sunday (1971, with Glenda Jackson and Peter Finch), L’Histoire d’Adèle H. (1975, with Isabelle Adjani and Bruce Robinson), and Washington Square (1997 production, with Jennifer Jason Leigh and Albert Finney). Classroom discussion will be encouraged, as we pay particular attention to changing attitudes and mores over the decades.
LOUISE MASURAT holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from Middlebury College Graduate School of French in France, and has completed doctoral studies in Romance languages (old Provençal) at Harvard University. Her current passions include medieval secular music and literature, teaching, the Internet, and Macintosh computers.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–Decem-ber 3, 10:00am–12:00pm (please note times), Galloway Ridge Retirement Community, 3000 Galloway Ridge Road, Pittsboro. Class ID: 1137.
Directions: From Chapel Hill, go south on 15-501 for 8 miles. Take the second left shortly after the Fearrington Village traffic light. Turn left at the Galloway Ridge sign; take the second right and park on the right, anywhere except the covered parking area. Classes are in the main building.
10:30am–12:30pm CREATE DECORATIVE FUSED GLASS
Learn to make functional and decorative art with colored glass that is fired in a kiln. Dishes, window art, and jewelry are some of the possibilities. The process is simple—think collage with glass—but the results are spectacular. This is a hands-on class, and you will be able to make several different items in this eight-week course. The instructor will guide you through the process, but you are free to explore your own ideas. The instructor has examples and books to help inspire you. No experience necessary. Please wear comfortable clothes and close-toed shoes.
Please note: Students will be responsible for paying the instructor for the cost of materials to complete projects. The instructor estimates the cost of materials will range from $25.00 to $75.00.
SALLYE COYLE was a research scientist in neurobiology before she discovered the joy of working with color and light in the form of fused glass. She has been teaching glass fusing for over ten years.
8 Wednesdays, September 17–November 19 (no class October 1), 10:30am–12:30pm (please note start date and times), at the instructor’s studio, 5520 Lockridge Rd., Durham. Class ID: 1138.
11:00am–12:30pm GREEK MYTH IN ART
We will view slides to discover how artists depicted the Greek views of Creation, the twelve Olympian gods, and several well-known myths associated with each. The course aims to give the viewer a vocabulary of symbols associated with each god (clothing, props, animals, etc.) so that s/he can easily identify mythological subjects in museums. The works of art we will consider range from the classical to the modern period. No knowledge of Greek or art history is required. We will include relevant pieces in the rich collections here in the Triangle (Ackland, Nasher, and NC Museum of Art). We will also occasionally look at words derived from the myths (aegis, stentorian, hermeneutics, etc.) and poems with mythological themes.
CYNTHIA DESSEN has been teaching at OLLI for several years, since her retirement from the classics department at UNC–Chapel Hill.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 11:00am–12:30pm, The Bishop’s House. Maximum: 42. Class ID: 1139.
11:00am–12:30pm LIVING WITH PURPOSE & POSSIBILITY
In a relaxed and interactive atmosphere, we will examine what gives our lives purpose and possibility by asking and answering these questions:
- How do I use the wisdom gained in the first half of my life to burn brightly in the second part of my life?
- Where do I belong? What makes a place the right place for me?
- What do I care about? Where do I want to use my gifts and talents?
- What is my purpose at this time of my life?
- How can I leave a meaningful legacy?
Leider and Shapiro’s lively and informative book Claiming Your Place at the Fire: Living the Second Half of Life on Purpose will guide our class conversations. There will be short writing assignments in between class times.
The objective of the course is to inform and inspire course participants to live their lives with intention, great energy, and a smile!
Required text:
- Richard J. Leider and David A. Shapiro, Claiming Your Place at the Fire: Living the Second Half of Your Life on Purpose, Berrett-Koehler, 2004, $16.95.
This OLLI book is available at the Regulator Bookshop.
JUANITA JOHNSON holds a master’s degree in counseling/psychology and has helped many individuals search for meaning and purpose in their lives. Juanita has studied with Richard Leider, one of the co-authors of the book we will be using, and finds his approach to the second half of life very uplifting and inspiring.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 11:00am–12:30pm, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 15. Class ID: 1133.
11:00am–12:30pm LEARNING TO "SEE" WITH THE CAMERA
In this course students will learn the basic principles inherent in the process of "making" photographs with the camera. Course activities will include viewing images by other photographers important to the history of the medium, followed by weekly assignments. Students’ work will be critiqued by class peers in each class session. Digital or film cameras are acceptable, as long as students can provide images in digital format for review.
CHARLIE CAWLEY is a fine art photographer with work in museums and collections across the country. He is currently seeking a serious publisher for his book The Adventures of Charlie and the Incredible Truth Machine. He believes that the process of "making" photographs is fun and an immensely rewarding creative outlet.
6 Wednesdays, September 10–October 22, 11:00am–12:30pm, The Bishop’s House. Maximum: 12. Class ID: 1140.
11:00am–12:30pm THE WORLD TODAY
This course is for those who are very interested in current events in North Carolina, the United States, and the world. Each week, we will discuss events in the United States, Congress, the presidency, the United Nations, Iraq, Iran, and the North Carolina General Assembly and State House, as well as in Durham. We begin each class with a list of proposed current topics and discuss those of interest to the group. Class members often bring their own topics for discussion. Everyone is encouraged to express his or her point of view. Viewpoints from the entire political spectrum are discussed knowledgeably, respectfully, and sometimes with passion, but we always end with humor and looking forward to the following week.
Active participation by class members is encouraged (but not mandatory), as it expands our mutual understanding of the main events that occur each week.
JIM MARKSBURY was a teacher and administrator at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts for 33 years prior to his retirement and relocation to Durham in 2002. He has been a participant in "The World Today" since joining OLLI and is an avid follower of world, state, and local current events.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 11:00am–12:30pm, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 30. Class ID: 1141.
11:00am–12:30pm THE TEMPEST & THE GREAT GATSBY: An Unlikely Pairing
Shakespeare’s The Tempest was probably inspired by accounts of a 1609 shipwreck in a storm off the coast of Bermuda. The Sea Venture was carrying English settlers to the new world, the verdant place F. Scott Fitzgerald eloquently describes in the final pages of The Great Gatsby. Shakespeare’s imaginative island setting in his dramatic romance is as inhospitable as the Long Island setting of Fitzgerald’s novel. In each location, hope is frustrated, trust betrayed, and love tested. Nevertheless, the promise of a brighter future endures.
Like Prospero in The Tempest, the title character in The Great Gatsby devotes his adult life to the realization of a dream. In each case, achieving that goal motivates the protagonist to reinvent himself and to manipulate people around him. In The Tempest, Ariel offers Prospero an alternative vision of happiness which Prospero ultimately adopts, but Jay Gatsby cannot or will not accept any alternative to his dream.
Both authors explore the concept of a "brave new world." For Miranda in The Tempest, that world is splendid because it is peopled by "goodly creatures" and "beauteous mankind." Prospero’s response to her guileless observation—"It is to you"—could well have been spoken by Nick Carraway, Gatsby’s friend and confidant. Just as Prospero questions Miranda’s vision, Nick’s realism juxtaposes with Gatsby’s idealism. Acknowledging significant differences in time, place, plot, and supporting characters, this pairing of two singular literary works may not be so unlikely after all.
In our OLLI classes, we will engage in close analysis of the texts. Through a variety of activities and in-depth discussions, we will analyze key monologues, soliloquies, and scenes from the play and key passages and events from the novel.
Required texts:
- William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Bantam Edition, $4.99.
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Scribner, $13.95.
These OLLI books are available at the Regulator Bookshop.
Please note: Our seminar classes will be greatly enhanced if everyone uses the same editions of the texts. For our first class, please read act 1 of The Tempest.
JANICE CHING recently retired from Durham Academy, where she taught British and American literature for over 20 years. She studied in Stratford, England, with members of The Royal Shakespeare Company and the director of education at the Folger Library and in London at the replica of the Globe with professional theatre practitioners. She has also conducted a number of workshops on teaching Shakespeare.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 11:00am–12:30pm, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 20. Class ID: 1142.
11:00am–12:30pm AN ENCOUNTER WITH BEAUTY: Discovering the Mandala through the Geometry of Life
This class will be an exploration of creating beautiful patterns on paper and fabric. During enjoyable hands-on sessions, students will learn and explore how to create images via printmaking, utilizing nature’s numbers found in fruits, vegetables, and other elements. Through the process of creating images, students will gain direct experience of "the Geometry of Life/Sacred Geometry" and the nature of the Mandala. The patterns can stand alone as works of art. Principles learned are also applicable to quilt making. Each class will be an adventure into the unknown.
Please note: All materials will be supplied for each class section.
VANDORN HINNANT received his BA in art design from NC A&T State University in Greensboro. He then lived in New York City and worked as an intaglio printmaker for Josef Werner of Germany. He has studied sculpture at UNC–Greensboro and worked in the Artists in Schools program through the Green Hill Center for NC Art. He has taught courses at Winston-Salem State University and served as curator for the Mattye Reed African Heritage Center at NC A&T State University. Hinnant’s original works of art are in numerous private and corporate collections throughout America, Africa, and Europe.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 11:00am–12:30pm, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 12. Class ID: 1199.
11:00am–12:15pm WOW: Women on Weights
Strength training contributes to strong bones and helps maintain muscle mass; research shows that it is never too late to reap the benefits of this form of exercise. Students in this class will learn the basics of resistance training, using dumbbells and other equipment, while sitting, standing, and lying on a mat, and will take away an exercise routine to use at home. We will also be utilizing exercise balls during this workout, which will help improve posture, core strength, and balance. These balls are available at most sporting goods and discount stores, but because choosing the correct size is important, please contact the instructor before purchasing one. Balls, costing under $30.00, will be available for purchase at the first class.
JULIA ROSE is certified as a personal trainer by ACE, the American Council on Exercise, and as a group exercise instructor with AFAA, the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. She trains people of all ages, and has extensive experience running WOW classes in different settings. Please contact Julia before the first class meeting at jewelnc@hotmail.com for specifics on equipment.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 11:00am–12:15pm, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 8. Class ID: 1143.
1:30–3:00pm READING POETRY: Contemporary American Poetry
We will read and talk about some of the great post-WWII American poems and poets. We will start with Robert Lowell and Elizabeth Bishop, then look at works by Roethke, Ginsberg, Plath, Sexton, and Oliver, among others. The emphasis will be on reading and discussion, with very little lecture.
Required text:
- J. D. McClatchy, ed., The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry, 2nd edition, Vintage, 2003, $17.95.
This OLLI book is available at the Regulator Bookshop.
ARNIE JOHANSON is a retired philosophy professor from Minnesota whose interests shifted to poetry (reading and writing) at OLLI. He recently published a chapbook of poems, A Man and a Horse.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 1:30–3:00pm, The Bishop’s House. Maximum: 20. Class ID: 1144.
1:30– 3:00pm LIVES OF ANCIENT WOMEN IN ART & LITERATURE
Many of our stereotypes about women and their roles originated in Greece and Rome. These stereotypes were perpetuated throughout Western society because, until the 20th century, education was largely a matter of studying the classics. What evidence do we have for women’s lives in antiquity? As it turns out, a lot. Ancient vase paintings, reliefs, frescoes, and archaeological finds illustrate the many phases and activities of Greek and Roman women. These slide lectures will explore the different roles of ancient women: daughter, bride, wife, mother, and widow. We will also look at women who defied the ideal stereotypes (Amazons, Spartans, Etruscans), notable educated women (Sappho, Cleopatra, Cornelia), and women’s health issues.
CYNTHIA DESSEN has been teaching at OLLI for several years, since her retirement from the classics department at UNC–Chapel Hill.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 1:30– 3:00pm, The Bishop’s House. Maximum: 20. Class ID: 1145.
1:30–3:00pm THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY: Spiritual Selfhood and Human Experience
In his classic work The Perennial Philosophy, Aldous Huxley characterizes this philosophy as "the metaphysic that recognizes a divine Reality substantial to the world of things and lives and minds; the psychology that finds in the soul something similar to, or even identical with, divine Reality; the ethic that places humanity’s final end in the knowledge of the immanent and transcendent Ground of all being." The Perennial Philosophy regards the soul, an aspect of the Divine, as the true selfhood of human beings. Whereas most persons who attribute a spiritual nature to human beings commonly use language that suggests that human beings "have" souls, for the Perennial Philosophy such terminology egregiously misrepresents the true situation. It is not that human beings have souls; human beings are souls. From this perspective, human beings are spiritual beings who, in one phase of their existence, function at the human level; the whole point and purpose of existence at the human level is to undergo a certain kind of experience that will serve to promote spiritual evolution and recognition of inherent divinity. In this course we will examine the view of the Perennial Philosophy regarding the spiritual nature of human beings and consider how, according to this view, experience at the human level can be used to further one’s spiritual development.
Please note: Reading material for the course will be in the form of photocopied handouts provided as needed during the term.
JEROLD CLACK taught philosophy for 30 years, primarily in the Triangle area. At OLLI, he has offered a number of courses dealing with the spiritual nature of human beings.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 1:30–3:00pm, The Bishop’s House. Maximum: 42. Class ID: 1146.
1:30–2:45pm LET’S HAVE A BALL!
One of today’s most versatile pieces of exercise equipment looks more like an overgrown beach ball than a useful fitness tool. The stability ball—an extra-large, inflatable orb designed to improve balance while targeting specific muscle groups—has grown in popularity since its mainstream introduction in the late 1980s. The stability ball can be used to develop core strength, improve posture, facilitate stretching and increase strength. Have fun exercising while you bounce on the ball to improve cardiovascular health. Learn strength and stretching routines you can do at home as part of your total fitness routine.
Please note: Since it is important to buy the right size ball for your height, it is recommended that you purchase a ball from the instructor at the first class, if you don’t already own one.
JULIA ROSE is a certified personal trainer with ACE, The American Council on Exercise, and also a certified group exercise instructor with AFAA, The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. She has extensive experience running exercise groups in various settings, including at OLLI and the YMCA, and privately.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–Decem-ber 3, 1:30–2:45pm, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 8. Class ID: 1147.
1:30–3:30pm PENSTROKES: Memoir Writing with Jane, Section 1
Using a variety of writing prompts to evoke memory, we will write, read, and respond to one another’s writing. You need not have written before to enjoy writing your personal stories and reading in this supportive writing group. Write the stories only you can tell in your own natural voice. Plan to write 400 to 500 words (two pages, double-spaced) each week and bring printed copies to class. Later, you may weave your collection of memories into a memoir. For the first class, write about where you’re from, a kitchen memory, something you have forgotten, or whatever you like. Writing enriches us to ourselves, so lift your pen and begin. (Section 2 meets on Thursdays.)
JANE PENLAND HOOVER has a BA from Emory University and is a certified facilitator of Proprioceptive© Writing and the Amherst Writers and Artists Method. She led writing groups for 15 years and directed senior housing communities in Decatur, Georgia, before moving with her husband to Durham in 2005. Contact jpenstroke@yahoo.com for more information.
7 Wednesdays, September 10–October 29, 1:30–3:30pm (please note times), Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 12. Class ID: 1148.
2:00–3:30pm SHAKESPEARE’S THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
If there is one characterization of Shakespeare that captures his unique ability to hold our interest, it is this: he had the remarkable inability to draw the simple and obvious moral or meaning from complex stories. Even more than most of his plays, The Merchant of Venice depends on the listener and reader to draw out that complexity. We will picture ourselves in late-16th-century London, in the waning years of Elizabeth I’s reign, and try to listen to the play with the ears of Elizabethan men and women. As we try to imagine what the Elizabethan audience would have responded to, we will draw upon our own experience to identify what unique ideas we will take away. This class will be participatory, so read the play carefully, and come to class willing to share your impressions and questions.
Required text:
- William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, any edition with extensive running notes.
DAVID IAN HOPP holds a PhD from UCLA in nuclear physics. His career has been in computing since the late 1950s, and he has worked in medical education and pharmaceutical development. He always maintained an interest in literature and history. He moved to the Triangle in 1991, where he was an active participant in the UNC Renaissance Workshop. Since retiring at age 70, he has had sufficient time to pursue interests in English literature and political science.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 2:00–3:30pm, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 20. Class ID: 1149.
2:00–3:30pm MIXED NUTS: Explorations of The Nutcracker
We all know Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker because it is an American Christmas tradition, but do we really know The Nutcracker? Viewing seven different versions by seven different companies will offer lots of opportunity for comparison as well as the chance to see a variety of wonderful dancing. In addition to the history of the music and the ballet, behind the scenes looks at the Carolina Ballet’s production should get students in the mood for the holidays.
BETSY BULLEN has studied ballet all her life, in classes and academically. She is the prima volunteera assoluta at the Carolina Ballet Company.
5 Wednesdays, October 15–November 12 (please note dates), 2:00–3:30pm, Judea Reform Education Building. Maximum: 30. Class ID: 1150.
3:15–4:45pm READING ANTHONY TROLLOPE
In his autobiography, Anthony Trollope (1815–1882) wrote, "A novel should give a picture of common life enlivened by humor and sweetened by pathos." Critics have dismissed him by calling him "pre-eminently a chronicler of small-beer, . . . at his best when dealing with trifles." Henry James wrote, "His great, his inestimable merit was a complete appreciation of the usual." Novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne perhaps captured best the combination of the "usual" and the "extraordinary" when he wrote that Trollope’s novels were "substantial, written on strength of beef and through inspiration of ale, and just as real as if some giant had hewn a great lump out of the earth and put it under a glass case, with all its inhabitants going about their daily business, and not suspecting that they were made a show of." We will read carefully two of Trollope’s late novels, He Knew He Was Right (1869) and The Way We Live Now (1875), that suggest that Trollope’s ability to chronicle what is common, humorous, sweet, trifling, everyday, and usual can make an incredible show and astute commentary on the state of obsession, jealousy, misunderstanding, and corruption both in Victorian society and in our own.
Required texts, both by Trollope:
- He Knew He Was Right, Penguin, 1996, $13.00.
- The Way We Live Now, Penguin, 1995, $13.00.
These OLLI books are available at the Regulator Bookshop.
CATHERINE FRANK, director for OLLI at Duke University, has a PhD in English from UNC–Chapel Hill and has been teaching courses on Victorian literature at OLLI since 2001. She taught a course for OLLI in Fall 2005 on Trollope’s Barsetshire novels.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 3:15–4:45pm, The Bishop’s House. Maximum: 42. Class ID: 1151.
3:15–4:45pm SEEING VOICES: Translating Experience into Poetry, Language into Lyric
Beginners will examine the work of established poets and apply the techniques of structure, sound, image, metaphor, and movement to their own lives and passions. The class will include instruction, exercises, workshopping, and revision. You will take what you see and translate it into lyric, using your poet’s ear.
JANE ANDREWS is a published poet, essayist, and fiction writer. She has a degree in creative writing from North Carolina State University. A former board member of Carolina Wren Press, she is available for freelance editing.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 3:15–4:45pm, The Bishop’s House. Maximum: 12. Class ID: 1152.
3:30–5:30pm NEW HORIZONS CHORUS
Men and Women: Lift Up Your Voices and Sing!
The New Horizons Chorus invites you to join with fellow OLLI members in a serious, but fun, atmosphere to learn healthy singing techniques. Making music is enjoyable, but it’s serious fun . . . and it can help maintain both good mental and physical health.
Experienced as well as novice singers are welcome. Sing favorite music that you remember from the past. Our focus will be on learning basic concepts and vocal technique, reading music, and—most of all—experiencing the joy of singing.
MELODY ZENTNER is our director. An experienced vocal music teacher, she is a graduate of Ithaca College School of Music and has taught both adult and young voices for over 28 years in New York and North Carolina.
CARMEN WARD is our piano accompanist.
11 Wednesdays, September 10–December 3, 3:30–5:30pm, in the Chorus Studio at Durham Academy Middle School Campus, 3116 Academy Road, Durham. There is ample parking after 3:15pm, when parents have picked up students from school. Fee: $80; covers group instruction and sheet music. Class ID: 1200.
You must be a paid member of OLLI ($30 annual dues) for the 2008-09 academic year. For more information contact Melody Zentner, Chorus Director: 919-489-9118 (x4343) or melody.zentner@da.org.
3:30–5:30pm, 5:00–6:30pm NEW HORIZONS BAND (Contra, Swing, and Dukes)
The OLLI at Duke New Horizons Band is part of the New Horizons International Music Association, which includes over 150 bands in Canada and the United States. This program is designed to give people 50 years and older a place to learn to play a musical instrument, pick up that old instrument they played years ago, or continue to perform, for those who have continued to play all their lives. The New Horizons Band offers music experiences for the beginner right up to advanced players.
The CONTRA BAND (beginner level) includes both beginning and intermediate players. This band rehearses on Wednesdays from 3:30–5:30pm. This is a fine opportunity for beginners to learn basic skills and experienced players to get back in shape. Personal coaching by director JEFF ZENTNER makes this a great confidence and skill-building experience.
The SWING BAND and DIXIE DUKES are bands for those musicians looking for a greater challenge. The SWING BAND, which meets on Wednesdays, 3:30–5:00pm, plays a variety of big band tunes from bands such as Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, and many more. The DIXIE DUKES play a variety of Dixieland tunes and meet on Wednesdays, 5:00–6:30pm.
FREE LUNCHTIME LECTURES: CONSCIOUS AGING SERIES
Plan to join us for this new lunchtime series addressing issues we face as we age. We have invited knowledgeable members and experts to provide information on a wide variety of subjects.
- September 17: Elder Law Dee Dee Nachmann, JD
- September 24: Medicare Barry Mowbray, Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program
- October 1: Medicare Barry Mowbray
- October 15: Physical Activity and Well-Being Bob Gutin, PhD
- October 22: Keys to Transitioning Well Juanita Johnson, MA, CT
- October 29: Everybody Gets the Blues: Depression and Support for Adults Over 60 Heather Bergida, PhD, and Jill Compton, PhD
- November 5: Universal Design: Architecture Accessible to All Sean Vance, AIA
- November 12: Gift to Your Heirs: Well Organized Financial Records Rita Weimer, MBA
- November 19: Quality of Life—Research/Personal Experience Juanita Johnson, MA, CT, and Earl Johnson, PhD
- December 3: Medicare Drug Plan Barry Mowbray
These free talks will be held on Wednesdays, 12:45–1:45pm, Judea Reform Education Building, rooms 5 & 6. Attend as many sessions as you wish. It is not necessary to register ahead.
Watch the OLLI Spotlight for details about each session about a week in advance.
Click HERE to return to the schedule of classes.