Mondays
A Potpourri of Significant Issues and Personalities [8 sessions]
Time
10 to 11:30 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 14, 21 and 28, and Oct. 5, 12, 19 and 26, and Nov. 2
Description
- Sept. 14
New research findings about the critical importance of Vitamin D (Catherine Peterson, PhD, RD, MU associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology)
- Sept. 21
Understanding the City of Columbia’s Budget (Jerry Wade, Columbia City Council member) The presentation will explain the city budget, detailing its structure and organization. Decision-making processes for various parts of the budget, policy issues and challenges for the future will be outlined and discussed. Be assured that the role of citizens in the policy- and decision-making processes will comprise an important aspect of our discussion.
- Sept. 28
Health and Light (James S. Denninghoff, MD, Midwest Sinus-Allergy Specialists) “As man has become more industrialized, living under an environment of artificial light, behind window glass and windshield, watching TV, looking through colored sunglasses, working in windowless buildings, the wavelength energy entering the eye has become greatly distorted from that of natural light.” — John N. Ott, Health and Light, Page 13. Denninghoff’s presentation is a variation on the theme of the new understanding about the critical importance of vitamin D. He adds the fact that the eye is only part of the phenomenon.
- Oct. 5
A Long-awaited Update on PCBs (Fred Vom Saal, PhD, MU Curators Professor of Biological Sciences) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s annual “Toxics Release Inventory” reports that releases of mercury, PCBs, lead and dioxin into the environment increased significantly between 2006 and 2007. “This information underscores the need for fundamental transparency and provides a powerful tool for protecting public health and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “Serving the public’s right to know is the crucial first step in reducing toxic chemicals in the places where we live, work and raise children.” — Naturalnews.com.
- Oct. 12
Art in Health Care (Sandy Scotten, RN-C, program and project director, MU Materials Management) Promoting the visual, literary and performing arts as an essential component of health care — to create a positive environment for healing the body, mind and spirit.
- Oct. 19
Senior Care (Kyle Moylan, MD, assistant professor of clinical internal medicine, and Sandy Scotten, RN-C) The ACE (acute care for elderly when hospitalized) service at University Hospital, part of “Senior You,” MU Health System’s senior services program, is designed for patients age 65 and older who require hospitalization for medical problems. The ACE approach involves an interdisciplinary team, including physician, nurse, dietitian, social worker and physical therapist, about which you will learn much more. Hazards of hospitalization for older adults will be discussed, as well as steps you can take to make hospitalization safer for you or a loved one.
- Oct. 26
Grandparenting in the 21st Century (Art Schneider, MU Extension human development and family studies specialist, Cooper County)
- Nov. 2
The 25th Anniversary of the Traditional Arts Apprentice Program (Lisa Higgins, director of the Missouri Folk Arts Program, MU Museum of Art and Archaeology.)
Making Your Life Easy: Living Better With Ingenious Devices and Creative Gadgets [6 sessions]
Time
10 to 11:30 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 14, 21 and 28, and Oct. 5, 12 and 19
Description
You can modify your home, auto and garden to suit your abilities. No matter what age you are, developmental change is the rule in life. Learn how to make your personal world adapt to changes as you experience them. Along with “home and leisure modifications” related to gardening, computing, hobbies and driving, you will learn how to work more easily in the home, amplify visibility of important objects, decrease risks of falling and, in general, make things friendlier around the house.
You should give serious thought to taking this course. The instructor is outstanding, and the information is rich and exceedingly useful. It is offered at this new location by popular demand!
Location
Stephens Lake Activity Center, 2311 E. Walnut St. (northwest corner of East Walnut and Divot Drive, across from the Reichmann Center)
Instructor
Diana Baldwin, OTR, occupational therapist, MU’s Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
Protect Your Assets [6 sessions]
Time
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 14, 21 and 28, and Oct. 5, 12 and 19
Description
With the recent economic downturn still weighing heavily on all of our minds, OLLI at MU has assembled a two-part course designed to prepare you to make solid and safe investments and to provide a framework for transferring personal property smoothly to loved ones and friends.
Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate? How Can We Make These Decisions During Our Lives? will be the focus of the first three sessions. Visualize yourself as a young child sitting on a stool in your grandmother’s kitchen watching her bake a cherry pie. She always used her favorite yellow pie plate. These were special times for both of you. What will happen to Grandma’s pie plate when she dies? Each of us has personal belongings … and many that have meaning, not only for us but for family members. Until a crisis occurs, the question of “who gets Grandma’s yellow pie plate” often is ignored. It is assumed to be unimportant or will just take care of itself. However, experiences of family members and their attorneys suggest otherwise. The transfer of non-titled property is an issue that impacts individuals regardless of their financial worth, heritage or cultural background.
What surprises many people is that the transfer of non-titled personal property can create more challenges among family members than the transfer of titled property. Why?
- Personal belongings have different meanings for each individual.
- It often is difficult to divide items with sentimental value in a way considered fair to all parties.
- Issues arise over who is “family” and who has the right to make decisions and/or receive items.
- Talking about one’s possessions is much more personal than discussing other types of financial assets.
No magical solutions exist, but certain factors should be considered when planning for the transfer.
The Investor Protection Trust’s Safeguard Your Savings curriculum will provide the foundation for the second three sessions. Money is an important resource or tool we use to make our way in the world and help ourselves and our families to reach our goals in life. Just like any tool, it’s important to learn how to use money properly to ensure you and your family will be financially safe and secure — now and tomorrow.
We will talk about key concepts involved in saving and investing, understanding the financial markets, making sound financial and investment decisions and selecting among the various saving and investing options. You’ll also learn about available resources to assist you in recognizing and victim-proofing yourself against investment fraud.
- Saving and investing basics
- Introduction to financial markets
- Making a financial and investment plan
- Investment fraud
Materials
Each participant will receive copies of the PowerPoint slides, other handouts and the Probate Law Resource Guide. The book Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate? A Guide to Passing on Personal Possessions will be available for purchase for $15 at the first session for those interested in acquiring a copy.
Location
This course will be conducted at Lenoir Woods.
Instructor
Jamie H. Thompson, MU Extension family financial education specialist, Cole County
Art Without Borders [6 sessions]
Time
1:30 to 4 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 14, 21 and 28, and Oct. 5, 12 and 19
Description
Art Without Borders is designed to help you rediscover, or simply find, your inner artist. Recognizing that many of us put our creative lives on hold to raise a family or to earn a living, you will experience an “art sampler,” allowing you to work with a different teacher and medium each week: mixed media, photography, drawing, watercolor, oils and acrylics.
- Tapping your creative potential
Jump-start your journey with incremental discoveries that awaken your creative voice. Confidence in your artistic capabilities will follow. During this session, you will get a taste of art making with everyday objects, collage and a bit of drawing and painting.
- Drawing
Learn to see and interpret three-dimensional objects using a variety of drawing methods. Instruction on the use of value, tone, line quality and basic composition will help you learn to transform images on paper into lifelike three-dimensional forms.
- Watercolor
Tips, tricks and techniques for the beginner or intermediate watercolor artist. Everyone can learn something new as they explore this much-loved and versatile media.
- Oil painting doesn’t have to be intimidating
Demystify the techniques of working in this wonderful medium. Learn the basics and helpful tips to explore the possibilities of color and brushwork unique to working in oil.
- Photography
Learn to take photos that go beyond snapshots, whether digital or film, in this exploratory class. Learn how to use your camera’s features to compose and capture vibrant images of people, places and things.
- Mixed media
Work with a variety of materials and learn to create a unique and personal piece. You can choose to combine acrylic painting with collage in a variety of ways to express yourself in your own art without borders.
We take delight in announcing that this course and a related tour (A Retrospective: 50 Years of the Columbia Art League - see page 27) are offered in collaboration with the Columbia Art League and its CEO, Diana Moxon. All classes are taught by professional artists who are members of the league. These award-winning teachers each bring a unique flavor and the excitement of teaching their medium.
Fees
Because of the quantity and variety of paints and other art materials to be supplied to students participating in this course, a lab fee of $35 is added to the cost of registering for this comprehensive and unique 2½-hours-per-session art education offering.
Tuesdays
Ethical Issues in Health Care [8 sessions]
Time
9 to 10:30 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 15, 22 and 29, Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 27, and Nov. 3
Description
An interactive discussion of several topics in the ethics of health care and health-care delivery. Topics will include: informed consent and refusal, advance directives (living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care), privacy and confidentiality, allocation of scarce resources, genetics issues, reproductive issues (including overzealous in vitro fertilization) and the right to health care.
Instructor
William B. Bondeson, PhD, MU Curators Professor of Philosophy
Chinese Cuisine — With a
Midwestern Twist [6 sessions]
Time
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 15, 22 and 29, and Oct. 6, 13 and 20
Description
We probably will never publish a course catalog without offering this wonderful course — that is, as long as its creative, generous and charming instructor will continue to grace our program with his fun-loving attitude and considerable skill in the culinary arts. Register for it, and you will enjoy not only the up-close-and-personal experience of a successful architect-turned-cook, but also at least six lunches that will be the delicious products of Pon Chinn working wonders with the MU chancellor’s former stove. (Ask us about that latter statement.)
Warm and sociable and aware of modern trends to concoct fine meals with minimal labor, Chinn delights in sharing his culture and skills to fit the rapid pace at which we live. He makes it look easy because he has devised meals that are lip-smacking good with modest prep time. Be not intimidated by the idea of mastering the food from another culture. Chinn will excite your untried talents and have you successfully entertaining guests with authentic ethnic treats — a new creation every week. He also has been known to consider suggestions from his students — like the preparation of quail contributed by a student last semester.
Note
A lab fee of $20 is added to the registration fee for this course.
Instructor
Pon Chinn, who is admired for his architectural skills, steps away from his drawing board to share another dimension of his impressive creativity. His day job is serving as CEO at Chinn & Associates Inc.
Estate Planning: What You Need to Know — and a Whole Lot More [6 sessions]
Time
10:30 a.m. to noon
Dates
Sept. 15, 22 and 29, and Oct. 6, 13 and 20
Description
The class will provide participants with up-to-date, comprehensive information for creating and managing their estates. Attendees will receive easy-to-understand and straightforward information for organizing their estate plans, and materials provided. The following topics will be discussed:
- Preparing to plan: things to consider before setting up your estate plan
- Non-probate transfers
- All about wills
- All about trusts
- Other estate plan documents: durable power of attorney — health-care directive, general power of attorney
- Basics of the probate process, advanced estate planning documents, questions and answers
Instructor
Christopher L. Kespohl, JD, was born and raised in Columbia. He is a graduate of Hickman High School, Westminster College (bachelor’s degree in business administration) and MU (law and master of business administration degrees).
Democracy and Its Discontents in Ancient Athens
Time
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 15, 22 and 29, and Oct. 6, 13 and 20
Description
The Athenian democracy developed in fits and starts through the 6th and 5th centuries B.C.E. In this class, we’ll talk about the driving forces behind that development, as well as some of the people and forces opposing it. Our survey begins with Solon, often seen as the founder of Athenian democracy, and ends with Plato, whose Republic has been taken as an anti-democratic treatise. Along the way, we’ll encounter some of the most fascinating figures in world history (Themistocles, Alcibiades, Pericles and others) and read some of the contemporary literary responses to democracy. Aristophanes’ comedies, for example, are not only outrageously funny (and, beware, far too rude for the sensibilities of some!), but they also give us excellent insight into the workings of Athenian democracy and attitudes toward it.
Location
Stephens Lake Activity Center, 2311 E. Walnut St. (northwest corner of East Walnut and Divot Drive, across from the Reichmann Center)
Readings
A few others will be added as we go, but the following will be the central texts.
- Plutarch’s “Lives” of Solon, Themistocles, Alcibiades and Pericles conveniently are collected (with some others) in a Penguin edition called The Rise and Fall of Athens.
- Aristophanes’ comedies are available in various translations, some more heavily bowdlerized than others. We’ll focus on Lysistrata, Acharnians, and Ecclesiazusae (sometimes translated as The Assembly Women).
- Plato’s Republic is too long and rich for full discussion. We’ll talk mostly about Socrates’ description of the ideal state from the latter half of Book 2 through Book 6.
Instructor
David Schenker, PhD, MU professor of classics
Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale [6 sessions]
Time
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 15, 22 and 29, and Oct. 6, 13 and 20
Description
Come join us as we read Shakespeare’s problem play, The Winter’s Tale. Is it a comedy, a melodrama, a mystery or a romance? We will do a close read of this play, and you can decide for yourself and rediscover why, 400-plus years later, Shakespeare is an author for all times.
The close reading of the play will be done in class, and all will be asked to participate to the fullest of their ability. We will laugh, sigh, cry (maybe) and generally revel in the words as Shakespeare takes on this tale worthy of a winter’s evening entertainment.
“The Winter’s Tale was first performed in London in 1611 and published in the First Folio in 1623. Although it was listed as a comedy when it first appeared, some modern editors have relabeled the play a romance. Some critics, among them W. W. Lawrence, consider it to be one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays,” because the first three acts are filled with intense psychological drama, while the last two acts are comedic and supply a happy ending.” to Wikipedia. Nevertheless, the play occasionally has been extremely popular and has enjoyed theatrical productions in various forms and adaptations by some of the leading theater practitioners in Shakespeare performance history. A film adaption directed by Waris Hussein, written by Mark Umbers and starring Dougray Scott, is due for release this year.
Suggested reading
Mowat, B.A., & Werstine, P. (Eds.) (1998). The Winter’s Tale (New Folger Library Shakespeare edition). Paperback available new or used from local or online booksellers.
Instructor
Sharon Kindle-Smith taught for 10 years, having earned a master’s in English education from MU. She is a teacher-consultant with the Missouri Writing Project and attended the Teaching Shakespeare Institute at Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. Helping others find passion for Shakespeare is her passion.
Why Do We Wear Clothes? A Historical and Pseudo-Scientific Look at Fashion [6 sessions]
Time
2 to 3:30 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 15, 22 and 29, and Oct. 6, 13 and 20
Description
You are invited to a wonderful six-week perusal of the “semiotics” of fashion, the study of signs and symbols of — in this case — clothing, what they mean and how they relate to the things or ideas to which they refer. “From cave man to Paris Hilton” is how the instructor describes the sweep of the course content. You will ponder such questions as: Why, when (wo)men got upright, did they decide to don clothing? Climate? Not necessarily and not in all regions. And, how did religion change people’s look — their silhouette?
Join us in welcoming this most interesting new member of our faculty who commanded costume design at Stephens College through many of “the good and lean years” of its recent history. We are delighted and grateful that her great love of teaching this fascinating specialty brought her to our program before retirement could possibly evoke anomie. You not only will take pleasure in the content of her course, but you also have the opportunity to experience her impressive knowledge and gentle grace.
Instructor
Patti Doyle, recently retired as professor of costume design and as resident designer at Stephens College
French Music From 1830,
Part III: Composers, Styles and Traditions (Ravel and Debussy – Quintessentially French Composers) [6 sessions]
Time
3:30 to 5 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 15, 22 and 29, and Oct. 6, 13 and 20
Description
This semester, we will finish our perusal of French music from Berlioz forward with two great figures not merely of French music, but of 20th-century music generally. In his own distinctive way, each exemplifies the French style, yet their musical personalities are quite different. An exploration of their piano, song, chamber and orchestral music, as well as opera, will lead to an encounter with their genius. The last class will provide a few glimpses of some later French composers, Messiaen and Dutilleux.
Instructor
L. Hunter Kevil, PhD, collection development librarian for the MU Libraries
Wednesdays
Intercollegiate Athletics: An
Up-close and Personal Peek Behind the Scenes [6 sessions]
Time
9-10:30 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 16, 23 and 30, and Oct. 7, 14 and 21
Description
Take advantage of this special opportunity for personal encounters with MU Intercollegiate Athletics staff. Athletic Director Mike Alden invites OLLI students to be his guests as he takes you behind the scenes to view:
- Game-day operations
- Myriad details for safely transporting, for example, 102 football giants to away games
- Issues with compliance
- Injuries that challenge sports medicine
- Nutrition — the impressive special needs of athletes
- The weight room and bodybuilding
- Academic support
You may even get to spend time with a “mystery head coach” — no small perk because these staff either are continuously in training or involved in season competition.
The initial class will be held at our Le-Mone facility. However, for the full experience the course offers, some classes likely will meet in the sports training centers — with no parking challenges for OLLI students.
Note
Because of the course’s special nature and the number of personnel involved, a minimum of 15 students is required for the course to be offered.
Our Feathered Friends,
Part II — Shore and Water Birds [8 sessions]
Time
9:30-11 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 16, 23 and 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28, and Nov. 4
Description
This is a lavishly illustrated course about the variety of birds that depend on our lakes, mud flats, beaches, rivers and streams for their livelihoods. Most of them can be seen at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area in their appropriate seasons. In addition to viewing numerous photographs from the instructor’s files, we will investigate the habits of the various species: their habitats, how and what they feed on, their migration patterns, how they raise and care for their young and how to identify them. One field trip is planned but will not require walking.
- Small shore birds
Sandpipers, plovers and “peep”
- Waders
Herons, storks and ibis, with cormorants and anhinga thrown in for good measure
- Llarger shore birds
Avocets and stilts, rails and coots, snipe, dowitchers, yellowlegs, willets and phalaropes
- Sea birds
Gulls, terns and pelicans
- Shallow feeders
Marsh ducks, geese and grebes
- Diving ducks, loons and swans
Except for the swans, these birds swim underwater for their food.
- Field trip to eagle bluffs
See all the ducks and other water birds just before waterfowl hunting season begins
- Birds of prey
Eagles, hawks, osprey, falcons, vultures and owls. These are the “red of beak and claw” birds. They feast on small animals and other birds, but they are necessary to a healthy ecological system.
Instructor
Robert L. “Bob” Bartlett long has been interested in finding and identifying birds, but it was not until he began photographing birds that he became passionate about them. He has photographed more than 200 different species in their native habitats, most of them within a 10-mile radius of Columbia.
Journalism — a Potpourri of Topics That Promise to Revolutionize Your Written Word [5 sessions]
Time
10:30 a.m. to noon
Dates
Sept. 16, 23 and 30, and Oct. 7 and 14
Description
Seven C’s to Credibility
Whether you like it or not, how you present yourself in person or in print does more than leave an impression. For yourself and those you represent, it establishes your basic credibility. That quick note, that dashed-off e-mail or that hurried newsletter may be all your colleagues or clients know about your competence or how much you care. Learn the seven keys to credibility and to a more professional you. In this seminar you will learn the importance of being:
- Correct (get it right — grammar, spelling)
- Consistent (follow a stylebook)
- Clear (use simple words, short sentences, short paragraphs)
- Concise (save people time)
- Coherent (think structure, organization)
- Complete (answer the questions)
- Creative (be interesting, don’t bore)
Learning to Write From The Wall Street Journal
Day after day, The Wall Street Journal writes about complicated business issues in simple, easy-to-understand language. This seminar will look at its headlines, decks, leads, story structure, concrete and often colorful language and, most of all, its superb reporting.
You will learn how to:
- Write effective, multiple-line heads.
- Pull in readers with informative subheads and decks.
- Use specifics that add rather than detract from the story.
- Tell stories by using people.
Refrigerator Journalism
In today’s microwave world, in-a-hurry readers want practical information presented in the most efficient and effective way. Everyone — writers, editors, designers, photographers and illustrators — must become more concerned with the presentation of ideas. Learn the techniques of “refrigerator journalism” to present information your readers will clip and stick on their refrigerators or bulletin boards.
We will discuss ways to:
- Make copy more useful and usable — and get it used .
- Make more efficient use of readers’ time (and money).
- Become more user-friendly, accessible and interactive.
- Think more visually and graphically.
- Use different kinds of lists, subheads, blurbs, boxes and charts.
- Apply the “useful” test to the cover, the table of contents and throughout the book.
- Get more attention, retention and action from your readers — and please your advertisers.
What Do You Mean by That? 16 Ways to Improve Our Communication
The precise use of language challenges each of us every day of our lives. Not only does it prevent conflict, but it assures harmony and true communication. The principles of general semantics, if practiced, bring much-needed sanity to an otherwise “un-sane” workplace and society. In this practical, interactive seminar, we will discuss:
- The importance of context.
- The truism that everything changes all of the time.
- The dangers of “allness” thinking and “either-or” thinking.
- The importance of distinguishing between facts, inferences and judgments.
What’s New in Newsletters?
Isn’t it time to retool and refuel your newsletter engines? Does your newsletter still look like it did before the Internet? Have you become more visual, accessible and interactive? Are you serving readers with useful information in the most usable way? Whether you’re putting out an internal newsletter or marketing an external one, pick up some newsletter tips that will guarantee you better results.
You will review the:
-
Importance of niche-picking an audience in this age of mass customization.
- Pros and cons of the “bulletin board,” the “news-letter” and the “megaletter.”
- Importance above all else of saving readers time and ways to do that.
- Techniques of turning all information into useful information.
- Ways to make information immediately usable.
- Means and advantages of becoming more accessible and interactive.
Instructor
Don Ranly, PhD, is professor emeritus of magazine journalism at MU, where he taught for 32 years and was head of the magazine program for 28 years. He has a master’s in journalism and a master’s in speech from Marquette University, a certificate in film, radio and television from New York University, and a doctorate in journalism from MU.
Ranly worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor, weekly columnist, radio host and television producer, director and host. An author of articles and books on writing and editing, he has conducted more than 1,000 seminars for individual newspapers and magazines, corporations, associations and organizations of all kinds.
He is co-author of News Reporting and Writing (8th ed.), Telling the Story: The Convergence of Print, Broadcast and Online Media (2nd ed.) and Beyond the Inverted Pyramid (all with Bedford/St. Martin’s) and author of Publication Editing (Kendall/Hunt). He has compiled a book of readings, The Principles of American Journalism (Kendall/Hunt). Ranly serves as executive director emeritus and board member of the Missouri Association of Publications, which he founded in 2004.
Four Myths in a World of Myths [8 sessions]
Time
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 16, 23 and 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28, and Nov. 4
Description
What do the goddess Inanna, the young culture hero Xbalanque, the warrior Arjuna and the god Krishna, and the humble elderly couple, Baucis and Philemon, have in common? Not much, in fact, except that each figures importantly in a mythic narrative that provides both a record and an example of the interaction of narrative and belief in ancient cultures. It might be said that when we speak of “myth,” which too often is equated with “lie” or “fraud” in our own time, we actually are speaking of other people’s religion. That is what we will do in this course, focusing on four great mythic narratives — the poems of the Sumerian goddess Inanna, the Popol-Vuh of the Quiché Maya, the Hindu Mahabharata and Ovid’s great compendium of Greco-Roman myths, Metamorphoses.
Readings and presentations will explore the significance of the myths in their times and continuing meaning in our time. The texts are available inexpensively in paperback versions either online or in local bookstores. While the ideal would be to read the complete works, targeted readings will be recommended. The web offers vast supporting resources, though many sites must be approached with caution and skepticism, as they represent efforts to assert the primacy of one myth or another.
Suggested reading
Wolkstein, D., and Kramer, S.N. (1983). Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth. New York: Harper Perennial. Tedlock, D. (1996). Popol Vuh. New York: Touchstone. Buck, W. (1979). Mahabharata. Meridian Book. Mandelbaum, A. (1995) The Metamorphoses of Ovid. A Harvest Book, Harcourt Brace.
Instructor
Thomas F. Dillingham, PhD, former member of the Stephens College English/creative writing faculty and professor emeritus of English, Central Methodist University
Eight Geniuses Who Changed the World: Serious and Lighter Notes on Their Lives, Loves and Laurels [8 sessions]
Time
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 16, 23 and 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28, and Nov. 4
Description
The focus is on eight modern geniuses — and a few of their contemporaries — whose innovations have changed our lives.
- Charles Darwin
His theory on the origin of the species by natural selection changed the way we view humans’ place in the universe.
- Albert Einstein
Time magazine’s Man of the Century, whose theories on space, time and matter revolutionized our ideas about the cosmos.
- George Bernard Shaw
“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” He helped women recreate themselves and their roles.
- Frank Lloyd Wright
“Every great architect is — necessarily — a great poet. He must be a great original interpreter of his time, his day, his age.”
- Harry Truman
“The buck stops here.” This “simple country boy” helped save the world from communism.
- Henry Ford
Fortune magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Century wanted a car (any color as long as it was black) in every garage and a decent paycheck for all.
- Rachel Carson
Time cited her as one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. The New York Times headline read “Silent Spring Is Now Noisy Summer: Pesticides Industry Up in Arms Over a New Book.”
- Margaret Sanger
Birth control for everyone despite the Comstock laws.
Course content will be augmented by photos taken during the instructors’ many travels.
Instructors
Wayne Anderson, PhD, MU professor emeritus of psychological sciences, writes articles on the International Center for Psychosocial Trauma for the Columbia Daily Tribune. (He currently is not writing the travel column.) Carla Anderson, PhD, is a retired psychologist.
Potpourri: Differing Perspectives on the Current Economic Crisis [8 sessions]
Time
3:30 to 5 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 23 and 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28, and Nov. 4 and 11
Description
- Sept. 23
Outlook and Opportunities: The Financial Markets (J.R. Lawless, MBA, AAMS, financial adviser with Edward Jones, has received many achievement awards from Edward Jones and is active in the leadership and growth of the region.) Hear a balanced perspective of today’s economy but also reinforcement on why we are optimistic about the long-term prospects for the financial markets. Topics will include: lessons from previous market drops, emotions and investing, how the current recession differs from the Great Depression, the economy — bruised but not broken, and ways to prepare for a market recovery.
- Sept. 30
Building Your Ark: Financial Planning Principles for Life — Yours, As Well As Those Who Follow (Robert O. Weagley, PhD, CFP(r), MU associate professor and chair of personal financial planning and a registered investment adviser with Sundvold Financial, an asset management and retirement plan specialty firm)
- Oct. 7
Missouri’s General Revenue Collections: Impact of the National Crisis (Kevin Highfill, economist in the Missouri Office of Administration’s division of budget and planning. His primary duties include developing revenue forecasts, collaborating on the state’s consensus revenue estimating and analyzing tax legislation.) This program will discuss the composition of general revenue, historical collections, national and state economic indicators and their relation to tax collections, the fiscal outlook and potential state budget implications.
- Oct. 14
Understanding the Stimulus Program, Its Impact on Missouri and Other “Stimulating” Topics (Rep. Chris Kelly, JD, a Democrat, represents District 24, which encompasses southern Boone County and the cities of Ashland, Columbia, Hartsburg, McBaine and Rocheport. He previously served as Boone County associate circuit judge, chairman of the Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission and as Boone County clerk. His current legislative committees include Budget, Ethics, Joint Interim Committee on Oversight of Federal Stimulus and Stabilization Funds and Joint Committee on Missouri HealthNet.) This discussion will explore the federal rationale for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, how the Missouri General Assembly has approached utilizing stimulus dollars and the purposes for which they may be allocated. Our speaker will delve into the state’s economic health, the likely impact of federal dollars and the hard choices to be made as legislators attempt to meet the state’s needs while maintaining a balanced budget in an era of declining revenue.
- Oct. 21
Health Care, Tax Reform, the Fate of Newspapers and Other Mysteries (Henry “Hank” Waters III, editor and publisher of the Columbia Daily Tribune) This session will address universal health care and the fair tax, and include a short talk on the welfare of newspapers in an increasingly Internet-dominated world, coupled with the added challenge of the current economic climate. Plenty of time will be allotted for questions and answers. Students will have the opportunity to stump the publisher!
- Oct. 28
Economic Transition in Agricultural Production (Ray Massey, PhD, agricultural economist with MU Extension’s Commercial Agriculture Program. His specialty is risk management with an emphasis on the impact of production agriculture on the environment.) The last decade in agriculture has been one of amazing transition with increasing farm size, the development of biofuels and the increased importance of input suppliers to the economic well-being of farmers. Crop farmers for the last two years have experienced record profits while livestock farmers have seen substantial losses. The excitement associated with record profits by crop farmers has met with fear as crop prices have decreased while input prices have increased. Today’s economic situation in agriculture requires managing the risk associated with widely fluctuating prices and quickly changing production techniques. This presentation will address where agriculture currently is economically and what factors will determine whether profits or losses prevail in the next few years.
- Nov. 4
They Just Don’t Get It: Ethical Obligations of Private-sector Companies That Accept Public-sector Funds (Lisa A. Zanetti, PhD, MU associate professor of public affairs. Her research interests include critical theory, organizational dynamics, moral theory, gender and citizen participation. Zanetti is a recipient of the MU Graduate Professional Council’s Gold Chalk Award for excellence in advising.) A discussion of why firms like AIG found themselves in public relations disasters when they tried doing business as usual after accepting public funding to help them navigate a widespread financial downturn.
- Nov. 11
Local Business Perspective on the Current Economic Condition: Columbia’s Unique Economy (Donald M. Laird, president of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce since 1988. The Columbia Chamber has received the designation of a Five Star Accredited Chamber by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Laird has been awarded the designation of Certified Chamber Executive and has served as president of both the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Missouri and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce Executives.) In addition to addressing the current economic climate for Columbia businesses, the program will include a history of our local economy and why it has grown as it has.
Wednesday Night at the Movies
Time
Show starts at 6:30 p.m.
Dates
From Sept. 16 through Oct. 29 (no film Oct. 21)
Description
The films of the 1950s will be featured. In-depth discussion will follow in the class offered by Sam Stowers at 3:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
Thursdays
The Educability and Wisdom of the Human Body — Reconnecting Body, Mind and Spirit! [6 sessions]
Time
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 17 and 24, and Oct. 1, 8, 15 and 22
Description
A Western-trained physician meets the healing traditions of the East, focusing on how to increase your longevity, happiness and zest for life. This course is about more than diet and exercises to keep you fit and your mind sharp. This is an interactive class. We will reconnect body, mind and spirit in each session through gentle stretching, energy techniques and stress relaxation exercises. We also will explore the healing power of sound, creativity and easy ways through which you can tap into your higher levels of consciousness to reach the peace and joy that is your birthright.
In response to students’ requests, Onofrio takes pleasure in sharing information about some of the books she cites in her presentations:
- You Staying Young by Michael F. Roizen, MD, and Mehmet C. Oz, MD
- Energy Medicine by Donna Eden with David Feinstein, PhD
- The Healing Power of Sound by Mitchell L. Gaynor, MD
- My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor, PhD
- The Quantum Doctor by Amit Goswami, PhD
- The Promise of Energy Psychology by David Feinstein, Donna Eden and Gary Craig
- The Power of Now and A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
- Secrets of Success by Sandra Anne Taylor
Instructor
Karen Onofrio, MD, artist and former pathologist, continues to deepen her knowledge and understanding of the human body and the human spirit.
Science Thursday Mornings — A Science Potpourri [8 sessions]
Time
10 to 11:30 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 17 and 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, and Nov. 5
Description
We take pleasure in announcing that this course is offered in collaboration with the Science Talks to You series sponsored by MU’s Office of Research and the Office of Science Outreach
- Sept 17
Viruses Through the Ages (Marc Johnson, PhD, MU assistant professor of molecular microbiology and immunology) Viruses have had profound effects on human history. This discussion will reveal some of the unexpected ways viruses have affected our lives and some of the extraordinary ways people have combated them.
- Sept. 24
Insulating Nerves: Myelin to MS (Mike Garcia, PhD, MU assistant professor of biological sciences) Much like copper wires, nerves are insulated to increase the speed at which they work. Learn how loss of this insulation results in debilitating neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
- Oct. 1
Stem Cells and You (D. Cornelison, PhD, MU assistant professor of biological sciences) What makes a stem cell a stem cell? Are there different kinds? What jobs do they do for you, all the time? How are they being used in medicine, now and in the future? What are the risks and benefits of stem cell therapies?
- Oct. 8
Anthrax and Bioterrorism: Overrated or Understated? (George Stewart, PhD, MU professor and chairman of veterinary pathology, and McKee Endowed Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis in Veterinary Pathobiology) Anthrax is a disease that has been described since the days of Moses. Recently, we know it as an agent of bioterrorism. The disease, the bacterium that causes it and lessons learned from the 2001 postal attacks will be discussed.
- Oct. 15
Nematodes: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Melissa Mitchum, PhD, MU assistant professor of plant sciences) Nematodes are among the most abundant and ubiquitous animals on earth. Many are beneficial; however, others cause billions of dollars in crop damage and pose major risks to humans and animals. Come learn about nematodes and how they may be impacting you.
- Oct. 22
Bioremediation by Bacteria (Judy Wall, PhD, MU professor of biochemistry and molecular microbiology and immunology) Bacteria live in a range of environments, including oil wells, rusty pipes and toxic waste dumps. This talk will describe how bacteria can live in these environments, as well as some of the ways we can harness this ability to help with environmental problems.
- Oct. 29
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiopharmaceuticals (Silvia Jurisson, PhD, MU professor of chemistry and radiology and MU Research Reactor research investigator) Nuclear medicine imaging is different from other types of imaging because it evaluates physiology rather than anatomy. This talk will address the role of radiopharmaceuticals in diagnosing, imaging and treating disease.
- Nov. 5
Fins to Fingers: Origins of the Tetrapods (Bruce McClure, PhD, MU professor of biochemistry and associate director of the Bond Life Sciences Center) Modern tetrapods (e.g. cats, humans) descended from fishlike animals that moved onto land about 350 million years ago. How was this amazing adaptation accomplished? Learn what new fossils from the arctic tell us about our aquatic ancestors.
Conversations on Alexis de Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America:” A Consideration of the Adequacy of American Democracy in a Globalizing World [12 sessions]
Time
10 to 11:30 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 17 and 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, Nov. 5, 12 and 19, and Dec. 3 and 10
Description
Alexis de Tocqueville has been called America’s “public philosopher.” He visited the United States for nine months in 1831, returned to his native France and wrote Democracy in America in two volumes. That effort has been a critical part of American thought. Since 1950, he has been a towering presence in American intellectual, if not political, life. Yet, as has been often said, of all the great unread writers, de Tocqueville became the most widely quoted!
With selected pieces (supplied) from Democracy in America, class participants will learn of de Tocqueville himself, examine by discussion how he developed this classic work and ponder its importance for today’s world in a time of weapons of mass destruction, financial and other system inadequacies, and challenges from strains in the Earth’s natural systems.
Note
Class is limited to 25 students.
Instructor
Paul Miller, PhD, president emeritus of the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of West Virginia
Introduction to Poetry: Language and the Grounds of Knowledge [8 sessions]
Time
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 17 and 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, and Nov. 5
Description
This course is an introduction not only to the pleasure of the most universal of art forms, but also to the function of poetry in enlarging both the imagination and the knowledge of humankind. To that end, we will consider examples of English and American poetry from the Anglo-Saxon “Caedmon’s Hymn” up to the present time. We also will discuss such aids to understanding as prosody (meter, rhyme, alliteration etc.), imagery, metaphor, point of view and similar topics. Students may wish to acquire some standard poetry anthology. The instructor recommends any edition of the Norton Anthology of Poetry: Shorter Edition. These are easily available, either new or used. Both the larger Norton edition and the new Longman Anthology of Poetry also are good, but a bit pricey. On the first day of class, he will furnish a list of the poems to be discussed. Any means of access is acceptable.
Instructor
Howard Fulweiler, PhD, taught English literature and general humanities at MU for 40 years up to his retirement. He is the author of two books and numerous essays on 19th- and 20th-century fiction, poetry, cultural, religious and scientific history.
An Early History of Missouri, Boone County and Columbia [8 sessions]
Time
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 17 and 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, and Nov. 5
Description
Although not a native of the County of Boone, the instructor came to honor and admire the stalwart people who lived within its borders. Initiator of an oral history/folk biography titled Columbia’s Great Generation, now being compiled by a cast of hundreds, Warren Dalton takes to the classroom to beguile us with history from early explorations by the French and Spanish and further into the 1800s. Dalton diligently searched books and historical documents as he prepared the content for this course, which is the focus of a total area of 691 square miles — of which, 685 square miles is land and 6 square miles is water. You will come to know his passion for history and for individuals who contributed to the quality of our communities, and maybe even a juicy story about a scoundrel or two. You also will come to know much about someone proud of his ancestry and of a life that has proven both interesting and successful, too, as he details this land we and he have come to love.
Instructor
Warren Dalton, author, historian and bi-weekly columnist for the Columbia Daily Tribune
The Films of the 1950s á la Biskind
Time
3:30 to 5 p.m.
Dates
Sept. 17 and 24, and Oct. 1, 8, 15 and 29 (no class on Oct. 22)
Description
Lights! Camera! Technicolor! Film and culture critic Peter Biskind’s Seeing Is Believing: How Hollywood Taught Us to Stop Worrying and Love the Fifties acts as our guide to the political and cultural agendas of 1950s films. We will look at some of the films he discusses — Giant (1956), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), Strategic Air Command (1955) and Forbidden Planet (1956) — and some off-the-beaten-path 1950s films we can discuss in light of his analysis. As Biskind puts it in his introduction, his book examines “those films we all saw but never really looked at.”
Note
Films to be studied in class will be shown at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday preceding the Thursday class in Room 130. In addition to viewing the films, students will augment the experience with readings from Biskind’s out-of-print book, Seeing Is Believing, specially made available for purchase for this class at a cost of approximately $20 by the University Bookstore’s textbook department. It may be useful to tell the clerk that this is the same book being used for English 1000, Section 61. If you need additional information, please call Mizzou Media at 882-8567.
Instructor
Sam Stowers, MU assistant teaching professor of English
Fridays
Simply for the Pleasure of It: A Course in Conversational French [8 sessions]
Time
9 to 10:30 a.m.
Dates
Sep. 18 and 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, and Nov. 6)
Description
Are you able to speak French enough to be chatty — at a level somewhere between beginner and fluent? This is an invitation to exercise your acquired French skills, play along with enthusiasts strutting vocabulary and gesture with the best in this lighthearted, delightful enclave. Taught by two French teachers, each class will be topical — some topics purely fun, others goading you to serious communication, tout en français.
Instructor
Molly Devlin and Aline Kultgen, retired Columbia Public Schools French teachers.
Friday Morning Potpourri of the Arts [8 sessions]
Time
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Dates
Sept. 18 and 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, and Nov. 6
Description
- Sept. 18
“Wall Street and Main Street” (Joan Stack, PhD, curator of art collections, The State Historical Society of Missouri) The artistry and social commentary of Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Daniel “Fitz” Fitzpatrick is on display in the North-South Gallery of The State Historical Society of Missouri in “Wall Street and Main Street”: Editorial Cartoons on the Economic Crisis of the 1930s From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The exhibit demonstrates Fitzpatrick’s talents and the continued relevance of his work through more than 40 cartoons documenting political and social milestones of the depression era. Born in Superior, Wis., at the turn of the 20th century, Fitzpatrick was a classically trained artist who was not afraid to use his lithographic crayon against any person, place or event that he saw trampling the average American. He ridiculed presidents and other politicians, took aim at Nazis, pressed for equal rights, and during the 1930s reflected the truth of the Great Depression for Post-Dispatch readers. He depicted the “Hooverville” shantytowns that plagued St. Louis and the rest of the country, and viewers could read in the faces of his characters the economic hardships brought to bear on both financial elites and Main Street America. “Wall Street and Main Street” will be on display through Oct. 3.
- Sept. 25
Screaming Divas at Carpe Diem: Experience the Vision of a Gifted Artist and Impresario Extraordinaire (Alex Innecco, artistic/music director of the Columbia Chorale, the 9th Street Philharmonic Orchestra and Missouri United Methodist Church, and now the CEO of a wonderful art appreciation center, Carpe Diem) A beloved faculty member has gone on to create beauty in a new setting — his very own venue. Innecco returns to share and elaborate on his quest to transport audiences to the joyous heights of intimate artistic experiences — yes, artistic epiphanies — for the eager masses in our town. Learn more as you enjoy his droll perspectives on the incongruence of divas and the operatic roles they enact.
- Oct. 2
Glimpse the Fascinating Vision of a Folk Hero in our Town (David Spear, artist and MU graduate teaching assistant) A superb artist captures the imagination of an entire community, and it responds by giving him “rock star” status — except, delightfully, it’s “art star” status in this case. Come and be enchanted by this gifted, charming, laid-back being-of-his-time whose demeanor belies the depth of his comprehension of our world’s mythical underpinnings. He created the theme poster for Columbia’s first Roots ‘N Blues ‘N BBQ Festival, his murals excite the Wabash Station and Memorial Union, and multiple restaurants here and in St. Louis take pleasure in displaying his paintings. He pleased his admirers and groupies by deciding to pursue graduate education at MU. How wonderful to contemplate generations of youth influenced by his creativity and his impressive warmth and civility. It’s likely that you will leave class that day proudly clutching one of his wonderful creations.
- Oct. 9
Missouri’s Heritage of Old-time Fiddling (Howard Marshall, PhD, MU professor emeritus of art history and archaeology, and former director of the Missouri Cultural Heritage Center) This program is a discussion and live sampler of Missouri’s rich heritage of traditional fiddle and dance music. Our official state musical instrument, the violin has been important throughout Missouri’s history and across all cultural and social communities. Local musicians will accompany Marshall’s fiddling. Participants are encouraged to bring their old photos of fiddlers and dancers to share at the end of the program. Participants with old violins in the closet or attic may bring them for show-and-tell. (Perhaps this session will encourage some of us to start fiddling again.)
- Oct. 16
Musical Literacy in Victorian Missouri (Howard Marshall, who, early in his career, worked at the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress. He has served as a consultant for the Smithsonian Institution and is author of books and articles on American traditional life and work, including the best-selling Barns of Missouri (2003). In 2008, he produced a revised version of Now That’s a Good Tune: Masters of Traditional Missouri Fiddling (book with 2 CDs, available from Marshall or on the web at voyagerrecords.com). The content of the latter offers recordings and background, and is context for his presentations. He currently is working on a book documenting the history of fiddling and vernacular music in Missouri.) In the context of musical literacy, this program offers a glimpse of how we learn to perform folk music. Our focus is on the violin. Most of us are either “ear musicians” or “note musicians,” and our musical experiences reflect that. If we are from a small town or area with no fiddle teachers, how we acquire competence? Topics include such things as the role of tune books and church music in our learning process, stories of composers who were fiddlers (such as J.W. Postelwaite of St. Louis), the role of “Sousa bands” and the brass band movement, and the importance of immigrant music teachers in small towns. At the end of the program, participants will be encouraged to share their experiences of learning to play music.
- Oct. 23
Oktober Musik: German Band and Clarinet Quartet from the Columbia Community Band (William Kennedy, PhD, is serving as the head wrangler for this program. In his other life, he is senior physicist for radiation oncology at MU’s Ellis Fischel Cancer Center.) You will experience a six-piece German band that has been playing for 28 years and an exquisite clarinet quartet with more than 200 years of musical experience among its members. Der Musicmeisters’ zest for music has brought them to perform at First Night Columbia and the Octoberfest in Hermann. The Flatbranch Four clarinet quartet boasts the zeal of three music educators, while it energetically performs a wide variety of music. German composers are importantly featured. Der Musicmeisters consists of experienced musicians from a variety of professions, including a retired lawyer, retired social worker, two medical physicists and a piano tuner. The Flatbranch Four’s occupations range from practicing and retired school music directors to a stay-at-home dad. Both are subgroups of the Columbia Community Band, which boasts folks from all walks of life — united in their undying love of music.
- Oct. 30
Jane Froman: A Life of Service and Song (Nollie Moore has been director of the Jane Froman Singers since 1999 and a music instructor at Columbia College, where his teaching includes voice instruction, music theory and music history. He maintains a professional singing career, performing with the Missouri Chamber Orchestra.) This session will examine the life and times of the great Jane Froman. The instructor will share stories, music and personal effects. Froman was born Nov. 10, 1907, in University City, Mo., into a large, musically talented family. At age 3, she already was singing with her mother. By age 6, her remarkable singing voice was noted, although she stuttered when speaking. The stutter appeared at the time her father left and never returned. In spite of her excellent training in the classics, Froman was drawn to the popular music of the day — Gershwin, Berlin and Porter. While still a student at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Froman became a popular singing star on radio and later sang with Paul Whiteman’s band in Chicago. Her career was still climbing when World War II broke out. She was one of the first performers to volunteer to bring entertainment to the troops here and abroad. On a USO flight to Europe in February 1943, her plane crashed in the Tagus River outside Portugal. One of the few passengers to survive, although severely injured, she was rescued by the plane’s co-pilot, John Curtis Burn. Because this tribute to the diva who once dwelt among us occurs just prior to the anniversary of her birth, we conclude this event with cake fitting the occasion.
- Nov. 6
Poe in the Lyceum (Frank Pisano, PhD, former English professor at West Virginia State University and now a literacy specialist at the Columbia Area Career Center. The most significant influences on his interest in Poe were the late Professor Al Rose of the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore and the esteemed Poe critic Richard Kopley. A publication of Poe’s influence on The Scarlet Letter is forthcoming. Pisano will be delivering a paper on “William Wilson” as Poe’s metaphorical murder of Hawthorne at the Third International Edgar Allan Poe Conference in October in Philadelphia. Harry Morrison, former faculty member at both MU and Stephens College, brings his talent back to our classroom to augment the experience of music’s romantic era — the era of Poe’s time on the stage of life. Kelly Archer, former member of the Stephens College faculty, returns to team with her colleague and recreate the music of the first half of the 1800s.) The performance in period costume is a recreation of the readings and lectures given by Edgar Allan Poe in public halls and private parlors during the mid-19th century. Part theater, part living history, the program was written by Frank Pisano with dramaturgy by Joe Geist. The critical commentary in the presentation, often bitingly sarcastic and amusing — including scathing criticisms of Longfellow and Wordsworth — was excerpted from the reviews that made the outspoken poet one of the most vilified men of letters of his time. Poe delivers passionate renditions of “The Raven,” “The Conqueror Worm,” “The Bells” (the program’s centerpiece) and others. He also speaks of his troubled relationship with John Allan and of the distressing illness of his frail wife.
You will be welcomed as a guest in a salon of this romantic period in music and poetry by performers Harry Morrison and Kelly Archer — wonderfully attired in costumes of the time.
Updated
7/28/09