Courses for Winter 2018
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1. Introduction- Drinking habits of America from colonial days to January 16,1920 and beyond. What standards were set and how did they change? 2. How did Prohibition come about? We will explore the diverse forces which impacted this decision to change the Constitution including women's rights, religion, organized crime, politics, economics, immigrants and many other factors. 3."That Americans would agree to relinquish their booze was as improbable as it was astonishing." (Okrent, LAST CALL) What was life like under Prohibition and how such an unprecedented degree of government interference in the private lives of Americans changed the country? 4. Conclusions- What lessons were learned from this period in history that could be applied to the present? Can we as individuals and groups make a difference? How do we bring the factions together to do what is best for our country and the world? Instructor: See this instructor's bio | ||||
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World War I: The War that Changed the World - in Ways Seen and Unseen Part 1- Causes of the War and why the US did not want to enter; Part 2- Technological advances of the War; Part 3- Political Changes Brought on by the War; and Part 4- The Lost Generation: Europe, 1919-1929 Instructor: Hamish Lutris See this instructor's bio | ||||
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This term we will continue with a collection of fairly modern plays (1944-1975). Since we will use the same book from the fall term, students from the fall term will not need to obtain a book. New participants are asked to obtain “Nine Plays of the Modern Theatreâ€, edited and with an introduction by Harold Clurman. The book is available at Amazon: www.amazon.com/Nine-Plays-Modern-Theater-Rhinoceros/dp/0802150322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508358132&sr=8-1&keywords=nine+plays+of+the+modern+theater Instructor: Rosemary Farnsworth See this instructor's bio | ||||
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Reading Shakespeare’s plays can present special challenges. The unfamiliar words, peculiar spellings and opaque allusions often throw us a curve, but much of this confusion may be eliminated when Reading Shakespeare – Aloud! Often, the sound of the words spoken carries the meaning along even when one might stumble over the individual sense of the words themselves. Described in the Keatsian sonnet “On Sitting Down To Read King Lear Once Again†as ‘the fierce dispute/betwixt damnation and impassioned clay,’ Shakespeare’s rather dark tale seems just right for a winter’s exploration of sound and sense voiced by aging parents, thankless children, loyal subjects, tender fools. There will be some discussion of interpretation (is the play hopeful? nihilistic?), but mostly we will seek the pleasure of hearing these memorable characters through our own efforts as players to, as Hamlet would put it, 'speak the speech"! Instructor: Tames_&_ Liebergall See this instructor's bio | ||||
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The course will cover selected historical events characterized by unexpected consequences, collateral damages or unforced failures. Sessions one and two: "Roman Republic, Roman Empire, Roman Failure". Using a timeline approach we will follow the Roman rise and fall through the republic, the Punic Wars, transition to empire and finally the fall. Session three: "The Rough Men of the Reformation" We will look at some of the leaders of the Reformation, with their virtues and failings. They were not sweet, meek and mild! Session four: "US Presidential Elections of 1834 and 1838". You think politics are nasty and unpredictable now? Session five: "The Spanish American and Philippine American Wars" From fighting oppressors to being oppressors. Session six: "Schwarze Kapelle- The Black Orchestra" The most competently staffed German organization dedicated to removing Hitler failed in this all-important objective. There were many separate failures but one of the over riding difficulties was the Allies adherence to the doctrine of "Unconditional Surrender". Instructor: Thomas Key See this instructor's bio |
