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Center for Lifetime Study

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Fall 2020 Class Handouts

Tuesday Classes

Time Course ID Title Class Dates
9:15 AM SS1 World Events Through the Eyes of Photojournalism

Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29 and Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27
11:00 AM GS1 A Biological Tour of the Caribbean

Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29
11:00 AM GS2 Science Potpourri

Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27
1:15 PM LLS4 Personal Computers & Windows 10 for the Novice User

Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29
1:15 PM SS2 Things You Probably Didn't know about Canada

Oct. 6, 13, 20, 29
2:45 PM LLS1 Beginner's Guide to Smart Phone Use - Apps & Social Media

Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29
2:45 PM SS3 Macroeconomics

Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27

 

SS-1: Strong Women, Strong Stories, Strong Storytellers (8 weeks)

Time: 9:15 AM

Day and Dates: Tuesdays - April 6, 13, 20, & 27 and May 4, 11, 18 & 25

Description: Pioneer suffragette, Emmeline Pankhurst, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie, daring aviator Amelia Earhart, LIFE photographer Margaret Bourke-White, and Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg are just a few of the strong women whose accomplishments and contributions have provided inspiration for millions of women (and men). Their stories have been told by strong women through writing, artwork, photography, and video journalism. This course illuminates the lives of these storytellers and examines how and why they were successful, often under challenging and dangerous conditions.

Presenter & Affiliation: Gary Miller, Bard LLI

Class Manager: Merrilee Osterhoudt

 

LLS-1: If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be… (6 weeks)

Time: 9:15 AM

Day and Dates: Tuesdays - April 6, 13, 20, & 27 and May 4, & 11

Description: Miss traveling! We can again, if only virtually. Come with us again as some of our CLS members tell us about their recent trips, to various places around the world. There will be an emphasis on travel by car and boat, as well as family trips. This is a travel course, not an in-depth look at a county or region. The presentation order may vary and will be announced at the start of the semester.

 

Topics & Presenters:

  • Puerto Rico & Vieques - Bob Nasser
  • Route 66 - John Wargo
  • Panama - Barbara Van Itallie
  • Travels by Boat - Ellie Charwat
  • Costa Rica Family Trip - Katherine Friedman
  • Holland and Belgium Cruise - Debbie & Arnie Most

Class Manager: Barbara Van Itallie

 

SS-2: New York City, Part II (8 weeks)

Time: 1:15 PM

Day and Dates: Tuesdays - April 6, 13, 20, & 27 and May 4, 11

Description: We continue our exploration of the fascinating metropolis of New York. Topics include: the Building of New York, Bellevue Hospital, the Gilded Age, Tin Pan Alley and the Big Bands, the Subway System, the NYPD and Broadway.

Topics, Presenters & Affiliations:

  • Bellevue Hospital - Sandra Opdycke, History Professor (retired) and author
  • The Gilded Age - Mariellen Pangia, CLS Member
  • The New York Subways - Leathem Mehaffey, CLS Member
  • Big Bands and Tin Pan Alley - Dr. Art Groten, Physician (retired)
  • The NYPD - Ed Shaughnessy, Consultant
  • Broadway - Molly Katz, Theater Director

Class Manager: Ellie Charwat

 

AL-2: The American Musical: A Uniquely American Style (8 weeks)

Time: 2:45 PM

Day and Dates: Tuesdays - April 6, 13, 20, & 27 and May 4, 11, 18 & 25

Description: Leonard Bernstein said that the Broadway Musical was the American music of the future. From its early beginnings in the extravaganza of vaudeville to recent hip hop and rock musicals, Broadway has sparkled with stories, stars, and memorable songs. We will listen to the music, watch scenes from shows through the decades and discover the magic of the musical.

Presenter & Affiliation: Nancy Theeman, Music Teacher and Performer

Class Manager: Wilma Schmidt

 

Wednesday Classes

Time Course ID Title Class Dates
9:15 AM SS4 Women's Suffrage Movement and Beyond

Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30 and Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28
11:00 AM SS5 Great Decisions

Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30 and Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28
1:15 PM LLS2 The Science and Art of Gardening

Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30 and Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28
2:45 PM AL2 Black Literature: "All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes", by Maya Angelou

Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30 and Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28

Start Time: 9:15 am

Class Dates: Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 30

                         Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28

Description: This course will follow the slow, arduous path to the 19th Constitutional Amendment that gave women the right to vote in the United States. From hunger strikes to marches to the targeted lobbying of elected officials, women mobilized, fought with each other and finally succeeded in one of most significant political action movements of American history. We will look at this movement on the national, state and local levels.

Topics and Presenters:

  • The Suffrage Movement in Dutchess County - Bill Jeffway, Executive Director Dutchess County Historical Society
  • Early Years of the National Suffrage Movement, 1848-1910 - Sandra Opdycke, retired history professor, author
  • Hiking for the Vote from Manhattan to Albany, 1912 - Jane Swersey, retired history professor, author
  • The Leadership of Carrie Chapman Catt - Susan Lewis, SUNY New Paltz

 

Presenters: Martin Charwat, CLS Member

                          Joseph Lombardi, CLS Member

Start Time: 11:00 am

Class Dates: Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 30

                          Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28

Description: This course will examine contemporary issues including: Climate Change, India and Pakistan, Red Sea Security, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, U.S. Relations with the Northern Triangle, China’s Road into Latin America, the Philippines and the U.S., and Artificial Intelligence and Data. Class members are expected to purchase the Great Decisions 2020 book and be prepared to discuss these topics. Each session begins with a short video, followed by background information and discussion.

 

 

Presenter: Joyce deVries Tomaselli, CLS Member and CCEDC Community Horticulture Resource Educator

Start Time: 1:15 pm

Class Dates:  Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 30

                          Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28

Description: The science of gardening runs from biology and botany to geology and physiology. Horticulture is defined as the art or practice of garden cultivation and management. The focus of this series will be learning enough science to become a more successful and confident gardener and have fun doing it. Topics to be discussed (one each week): Composting and the Benefits of Organic Matter in Soil; Becoming a Garden Detective; Managing Pests and Diseases; Building a Bee-Friendly Backyard; Lawns: Past, Present and Future; Invasive Species and Ornamental Alternatives; Deer Defense: How to Co-exist with the Wiliest of Wildlife, and Growing Orchids at Home (without killing too many).

Presenter: Jacqueline Goffe-McNish, Dutchess Community College

Start Time: 2:45 pm

Class Dates:  Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 30

                          Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28

Description: The issues in the text are: Angelou’s presentation of the culture of Africa, a new perspective on the “March on Washington,” the use of proverbs in the novel, a review of the reverse middle passage experience and the middle passage experience, and the presentation of creolization in the novel. Angelou declares at the end of the novel that “Despite the murders, rapes, and suicides, we had survived.” The course will look at the ways in which the cultures of the African Diaspora have “survived”. We will also discuss some of her poems and how they clarify her themes in the novel.

Thursday Classes

Time Course ID Title Class Dates
11:00 AM SS6 Dutchess County Local History

Sept. 10, 17, 24 and Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
12:30 PM SS7 The 2020 Presidential Elections & American Politics

Sept. 10, 17, 24 and Oct. 1
1:15 PM AL1 Favorite Chamber Music

Oct. 8, 15, 22, 29
2:45 PM LLS5 Encouraging Flexibility: Moving from Head to Toe

Sept. 10, 17, 24 and Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Start Time: 11:00 am

Class Dates: Sept. 10, 17 and 24

                           Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29

Description: Many of us are familiar with Dutchess County’s rich history dating back as far as the early Dutch settlers. Few of us know about the historical significance of the smaller communities in our county. Local historians will share little known historical facts about Rhinebeck, and the towns of Hyde Park, Northeast, Clinton and Wappinger and Southern Dutchess. We will also learn about the history of the Bardavon Opera House from its director, the history of sports from the curator of the Dutchess County Sports Hall of Fame, and the Dutchess County clerk will tell us about his efforts to collect and preserve historical documents of our county.

 

Topics and Presenters:

  • Town of Amenia / Northeast - Elizabeth (Betsy) Strauss, Amenia and Northeast Historical Societies and Dutchess County Historical Boards
  • Town of Clinton - Craig Marshall, Clinton Town Historian
  • Dutchess County Clerk Activities in Regard to County History - Will Tatum, Dutchess County Clerk
  • The History of the Bardavon - Chris Silva, Bardavon Opera House
  • Town of Hyde Park - Shannon Butler, Hyde Park Town Historian and the Adriance Library History Dept.
  • Village and Town of Rhinebeck - Michael Frazier and Nancy Kelly, Rhinebeck Historical Society
  • Town of Wappingers & So. Dutchess County - Joey Cavaccini, Town of Wappinger Historian & Curator, Dutchess County Sport Hall of Fame
  • The History of Sports in Dutchess County & the Dutchess County Sport Hall of Fame - Joey Cavaccini, Town of Wappinger Historian & Curator, Dutchess County Sport Hall of Fame

 

Biographies:

Presenters: Dr. Marty Shaffer, Dean Marist College School of Liberal Arts

                          Dr. Lee Miringoff, Director Marist Institute for Public Opinion (MIPO)

Start Time: 1:15 pm

Class Dates: Sept. 10, 17 and 24

                           Oct. 1

Description: This course will examine presidential elections in their historical context, look at the effect of media and polling on the Presidential primaries, ask what we can expect from the conventions and fall campaign, and speculate on the effect of the 2020 election on American politics.

Topics:

1) Presidential Elections in Historical Perspective. Presidential Primaries: 2) Media and Polling in the 2020 Campaign. 3) The Conventions & Fall Campaign: What Can We Expect? 4) The 2020 Election and American Politics: Where are we Headed?

Presenter: Paul Stoddard, AT&T (retired)

Start Time: 1:15 pm

Class Dates: Oct. 8, 15, 22 and 29

Description: This class is an overview of classical chamber music with an emphasis on pieces that have a strong emotional appeal.  We will listen to excerpts from pieces that are considered audience favorites and will discuss the differences between chamber music and other types of music. Mostly, we will explore why some pieces make us happy, sad, inspired or introspective. The most famous composers will be sampled – Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelsohn, Dvorak, and many others.

~ No prior expertise in classical music is required.

Presenter: Kele Baker, Mind-Body-Movement Coach

Start Time: 2:45 pm

Class Dates: Sept. 10, 17 and 24

                           Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29

Description: Melt into movement and flow with the ease and grace of water. In this course, combining gentle, easy to do movements with breathing and mental focus, we will oil the joints, stretch, encourage blood circulation, and calm the mind (often a contributor to tension). Drawn from qigong, simple elements of tai chi, mindfulness, and observations of Nature, these resilience-building practices are easy, comfortable, fun, and adaptable to all levels of ability.