Bethany lectures
Morning lecture series offered in Bethany Beach this January
1:57 p.m., Nov. 9, 2011--Looking for something fun and interesting to do in January? Spend some time this winter learning from some of the region's most fascinating people through a special program hosted by the University of Delaware’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which is for adults 50 and over.
The South Coastal Lecture Series will take place on Wednesday mornings this January at the Delaware National Guard Training Site in Bethany Beach. Like UD’s other lifelong learning programs, the lectures will feature volunteer instructors and experts teaching the subjects they love, with a philosophy of learning for the fun of it.
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“We are privileged to draw upon an impressive pool of state and local talent for an interesting and diverse line-up of lecture topics,” says Carrie Townsend, Southern Delaware outreach coordinator for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware. “If you’re 50 and over and looking for something fun and stimulating to do in January, this is for you.”
Participants will select their lecture program from four topic clusters: Probe the Past; Exploring History; Trends, Politics, Poetry and Film; and Humanities Hodgepodge. Special highlights include:
The Navy at Cape Henlopen -- Learn about U.S. Navy presence in the Lewes area from 1898 to 1996 from Capt. Bill Manthorpe (USN Ret.).
The Tuskegee Experiment -- Delaware State Legislator and retired educator Don Blakey discusses the first African American military aviators in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Demagoguery in Politics -- Hear former CNN world affairs correspondent Ralph Begleiter, director of UD's Center for Political Communication, discuss how politicians appeal to voters’ emotions, prejudices and expectations through propaganda.
Exploring Irish and Jewish Humor -- Join Lee Mussoff and Bill Sharkey as they share their personal insights and experiences -- and some laughs -- around the topic of Irish and Jewish humor.
The Dutch and the Swedes in Colonial Delaware -- Enjoy a brief survey of the arrival of the Dutch and Swedes in the Delaware Valley with history professor Mary Emily Miller.
The Women of Abstract Expressionism -- Learn about the women artists who contributed to this post-World War II artistic movement, presented by artist, critic, curator and gallery director Lee Wayne Mills, whose art is being shown locally at Gallery 50 in Rehoboth.
Ernest Hemingway -- The Pulitzer and Nobel prize-winning author through four of his greatest novels: The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea. Led by former actor/director Gary Ramage.
Each Wednesday morning this January will feature two lectures, the first one beginning at 9 a.m., and the second at 10:30 a.m. The registration fee for the full series is $50 per person.
For more information, contact the Osher Lifelong Learning office in Lewes at 302-645-4111 or via email at LLL-lewes@udel.edu, or visit the Lewes program's website.
The program is open to everyone 50 years of age or older, and their spouses of any age. Registration will take place through December 12. Registrations will continue to be accepted after December 12 based on availability.
“We look forward to launching the South Coastal Lecture Series and expanding UD’s Osher Lifelong Learning programs into the Bethany Beach area,” says Jim Broomall, assistant provost for professional and continuing studies at the University of Delaware. “We had enthusiastic support for a program like this at a meeting with community members earlier this year, and we hope that other area residents will share that enthusiasm.”
The January lectures are a program of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Lewes, which will also be holding its spring semester classes February through April. Most of these classes take place at the Lewes School on Savannah Road in Lewes.
Sample course titles include: Beginning & Intermediate Basketry; Climate 2031; Exploring Techniques in Watercolor; Financial Workshop for Individual Investors; Plumbing, Heating and Cooling; Spring Birding; and Jazz: Great Recordings. A catalog will be available in December at the website.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes at the University of Delaware are membership organizations that provide opportunities for adults 50 and over to learn, teach, and travel with their peers. The only requirements for admission are interest in a continuing educational experience, support of the programs through participation, and a modest membership fee. UD’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes are located in Wilmington, Dover, and Lewes. For more information, visit the website.