Tuesday Courses
Ultracrepidarian Forum
In this course, formerly known as “Topics of Current Interest,” your instructors will present factual point/counterpoint data to initiate discussion. They will select a topic for the first session, then the class will identify topics they want to discuss in subsequent sessions. The goal is to increase understanding of current topics of controversy and debate.
Instructors: Paul Allen is a member of the ILR Board of Directors, Curriculum Committee, and Tech Team. He is a retired U.S. Navy Officer and Ohio civil servant who remains actively engaged in public and political issues. Don Hanson and his wife moved to Oxford after he retired from teaching at Tufts University Dental School so he could be close to his daughter and son-in-law. Prior to that, he served 24 years in the U.S. Army. Don enjoys the richness and variety of ILR courses.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 9:00–10:15 a.m.
Format: In person
Location: Oxford, Boyd Hall, Room 132
Why Are Submarines Such Effective Weapons Systems?
The ability to travel underwater has fascinated us since the time of Alexander the Great. Limited submarine travel became possible in the 1700s and 1800s. The timeline for successful offensive use of submarine vessels begins in the Civil War and continues to the present day. The presenter will describe the development of equipment from the Civil War to the present and how crews learned to make them work.
Instructor: Gary Johnson is a former Naval Officer, qualified in submarines and in nuclear propulsion.
4 Tuesdays: October 3–24; 9:00–10:15 a.m.
Format: In person
Location: West Chester, VOALC, Room 111
Estate Planning and Financial Preparedness
It may be difficult for healthy people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s to envision a time when they need an estate plan and long-term help to care for themselves or their spouse. The best time to make any decision about important financial planning issues is not when you’re in the midst of the crisis, but when you have time to make an informed decision. The best long-term care plans are about balance–weighing what you can afford, the kind of care and lifestyle you need, and the risks you might face. It is not just a legal or financial decision, but an emotional one that can provide you with peace of mind. This seminar will cover the basic tools you need for estate planning and financially preparing for the future.
Instructor: Christopher Lavin is the Managing Attorney for the Lavin Law Group. Attorney Lavin has focused his practice in the area of elder law, including but not limited to estate planning, retirement planning, and asset protection, with a specific concentration towards nursing home qualification, comprehensive use of trusts, wills, probate issues, and durable powers of attorney.
1 Tuesday: October 31; 9:00–10:15 a.m.
Format: In person
Location: West Chester, Chesterwood Village, Monarch Theatre
The Holy City: Why Jerusalem Matters
For millennia, people have been drawn to the city of Jerusalem. More than four million visitors continue to arrive each year, eager to walk its ancient streets, worship at its holy places, or delve into its complex and layered history. This course will examine that history and explore Jerusalem’s importance to the three Abrahamic faiths. Jewish, Muslim, and Christian guest speakers will share their personal experiences of Jerusalem and address its historical, spiritual, and emotional centrality within their faiths.
Instructor: Susan Brogden has visited the Holy Land three times, including a three-month stay in 2018, and has a deep interest in the region and its history.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 9:00–10:15 a.m.
Format: In person
Location: Oxford, Boyd Hall, Room 217
Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises
Ernest Hemingway’s amazing, eminently readable (and short) 1926 novel, The Sun Also Rises, follows expatriate American journalist Jake Barnes from Paris to Pamplona to Madrid in pursuit of ravishing Lady Brett Ashley, a femme fatale who loves Jake but will not live with him. We will explore the so-called “Hemingway code,” the ethics and aesthetics of bullfighting, and the famous Hemingway prose that changed the course of modern literature. Our aim is to learn from each other’s opinions and perspectives and to enjoy ourselves. Before our first class, please read chapters 1-4.
Class text: Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises, The Hemingway Library Edition, Scribner, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-4767-3995-3
Instructor: Don Daiker, Professor Emeritus of English at Miami University, has published extensively on The Sun Also Rises and spoken at Hemingway conferences in Paris, Venice, Petoskey, Lausanne, and Pamplona.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 10:45 a.m.–noon
Format: Hybrid
Location: Online or Oxford, Boyd Hall, Room 228
Further Mining the Golden Age of Broadway
We will continue our journey through the Golden Age of Broadway from the mid-1950s and on through discussion and film clips. Featured shows include My Fair Lady, Most Happy Fella, West Side Story, The Music Man, Gypsy, The Sound of Music, Fiorello, The Fantasticks, and more.
Instructor: Douglas Iden is a lover of musicals and a reviewer for the League of Cincinnati Theaters.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 10:45 a.m.–noon
Format: In person
Location: West Chester, VOALC, Room 116
Samples of Butler County History
Have you ever wondered who the first residents of Butler County were and why they are referred to as cultures and not tribes? What about how our townships and county got their names? Where were the towns of Amanda, Fairplay, St. Charles, and others that no longer exist? The solution to these mysteries and more will be revealed to you in this course.
Instructors: Kathy Creighton is the Executive Director of the Butler County Historical Society and has been lecturing on local history for over ten years. Brian Smith is a former English teacher for the Ross Public School District and is the current Administrative Assistant for the Butler County Historical Society.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 10:45 a.m.–noon
Format: In person
Location: Berkeley Square, Phillips Presentation Room
Seniors Travel the World
A selection of longtime ILR members present various places they have visited and answer questions about those places and travel in general.
October 3 – Alaska – Jerry Riesenberg worked as an analytical chemist and in information technology at Procter and Gamble for 35 years and has been involved with ILR for 10 years teaching courses and programming its database. He will discuss his recent cruisetour to Alaska.
October 10 – New Zealand – Rich Daniels, retired CEO of McCullough-Hyde Hospital, will discuss the culture and sights of what is likely the last major landmass to be settled by humans in history.
October 17 – Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Peru – Don Hanson, retired professor of Dental Medicine at Tufts University in Boston, traveled on medical/dental mission trips to South America where he provided care for people living in remote areas.
October 24 – Italy, England, and France – Pat Sidley, retired financial executive, will highlight his experiences traveling with 60 college students on two European Tours with the Miami University Men’s Glee Club: Italy in 2019, and England and France in 2023.
October 31 – Class Discussion and Travel Plans
Coordinator: Pat Sidley is a retired healthcare industry financial executive. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital Foundation, a docent at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, and a past president of the Oxford Rotary Club. He is the treasurer of ILR’s Board and a member of other Miami advisory boards.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Format: In person
Location: Oxford, Boyd Hall, Room 217
Tuesday Brown Bag Lecture Series
Each week the Brown Bag Lecture series presents a speaker who will discuss a topic of interest and importance. While the lectures are independent, those registering are encouraged to attend the entire series. Join us for this ILR tradition.
October 3 – The Enduring Appeal of the Andy Griffith Show – Randy Turner is an acknowledged expert on the classic TV series, “The Andy Griffith Show,” in addition to being an author and public speaker.
October 10 – Captain Paul Tibbets and His B-29 Enola Gaye: The Mission That Ended WWII in the Pacific – Deb Price has taught for both ILR and OLLI programs, focusing mainly on U.S. History.
October 17 – How Many is Six Million? – Rosemary Deitzer is a retired association manager and longtime speaker for ILR. She’ll share how the students at Whitwell, TN Middle School memorialized the WWII extermination of six million Jews.
October 24 – A Day in the Life of a Police Dog – The Mason OH Police Department has had a K-9 Unit for more than 10 years. An officer and his dog partner will demonstrate how they track lost or missing persons and suspects, search for narcotics, and perform building searches.
October 31 – Things Still Go Bump in the Night – Randy Overbeck, author of the bestselling series, “The Haunted Shores Mysteries,” has completed extensive research on ghosts.
Coordinator: Gabrielle Strand grew up in Liberty Township where she still resides today. She was a teacher for the Lakota School District for 25 years and also taught in Southern California for several years. Since her retirement, she has been a volunteer for several causes that benefit abused or neglected children.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Format: In person
Location: West Chester, VOALC, Room 116
How to Stay Healthy Longer
We will discuss the leading causes of death in the U.S. in 2022 focusing on their impact on our ability to live long and healthy lives, on risk factors, and on lifestyle choices. The leading causes of death are: heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, COVID-19, stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, kidney disease, chronic liver disease, and cirrhosis.
Instructor: John Stevenson, Professor Emeritus of Microbiology, retired from Miami in 2015 after 41 years of teaching and research focused on immunology and infectious diseases.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Format: Virtual
Location: Online
To Tell the Truth
Our understanding of historical figures is based on clichés and popular impressions. The complexities behind the public images are a more interesting story. Our panel of experts will sift through the public personas and misperceptions of five historical figures, events, and trends to ask, “Will the real figure please stand up?”
October 3 – Will the Real Machiavelli Please Stand Up! – Sante Matteo is Professor Emeritus of Italian Studies and has taught ILR courses on film and literature.
October 10 – Was Darwin a Darwinist? – Karl Mattox is Professor Emeritus of Botany and former Dean of the College of Arts and Science. Ben Mattox is a retired high school science teacher who spent most of his career teaching Biology and Botany, and is Chair of the ILR Board of Directors.
October 17 – When Ayn Rand Shrugged – Stephen Goettsch is a former professor of sociology who focuses on interdisciplinary issues in his current work.
October 24 – Telling the Truth in "60 Minutes" – Richard Campbell is Professor Emeritus and founding Chair of the Department of Media, Journalism and Film and author of 60 Minutes and the News: A Mythology for Middle America.
October 31 – Looking Behind the Poster Child: The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon – Kathy McMahon-Klosterman is a Professor Emerita of Educational Psychology who taught Women's Studies and Disability Studies and was a co-founder of the Oxford Chapter of the National Organization for Women.
Coordinator: Stephen Goettsch
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 2:15–3:30 p.m.
Format: Hybrid
Location: Online or Oxford, Boyd Hall, Room 217
Amazing Ohio: What Makes Our State So Great?
From its inventors and entertainers to industries and innovations, there are many reasons why our Buckeye State is #1 in our hearts.
Instructor: Deb Price has previously moderated classes for both ILR and UC’s OLLI program.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 2:15–3:30 p.m.
Format: In person
Location: West Chester, VOALC, Room 116
Mysteries with a European Accent
Those with a love for mystery and a desire to vicariously travel to Europe should join us for a continuation of last semester’s European Mysteries class. Please read each book before its respective class session.
October 3 – St. Peter's Fair written by Ellis Peters
October 10 – Twenty-One Days written by Anne Perry
October 17 – A Dead Man in Malta written by Michael Pearce
October 24 – Rebecca written by Daphne du Maurier
October 31 – Reflection and Class Discussion
Class texts: As detailed above
Instructor: Doug Iden is an avid reader of mysteries and likes discussing them with fellow devotees.
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 2:15–3:30 p.m.
Format: In person
Location: West Chester, VOALC, Room 127
Seven Luxury Vacation Spots in the French Riviera and Northern Italy
Do you dream of experiencing the beauty of the French Riviera up close? Have you seen Venice, Milan, or Lake Como in a movie and wondered whether they really look like that in person? Have you ever puzzled over what “Cinque Terre” is or why someone would want to visit? If so, then join me on a journey via planes, trains, and automobiles (and taxis, and ferries, and Ubers) to these places and more as I share highlights from a four-week, seven-city luxury vacation to Southern France and Northern Italy.
Instructor: Carol Kosarko worked at Procter & Gamble for 37 years, is a Miami University alumna, and loves to travel in the United States and Europe.
2 Tuesdays: October 3-10; 4:00–5:30 p.m.
Format: Virtual
Location: Online
Wine Regions of the United States II and South Africa
We will explore wine regions of the United States through the study of geography, soil, climate, grapes, and more. We will discuss the impact of the arts and important wine personalities as well as commercialization efforts to bring the wine to market. We will enjoy wine tastings from regions in the U.S., and for one of our class sessions, South Africa.
NOTE: Due to weekly sample pickup requirements, those participating online must live within driving distance from The Spicy Olive in West Chester or LaRosa’s in Oxford.
Instructors: Nicholas Gantenberg is the Wine Director for The Spicy Olive, a tasting emporium for olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Nicholas is responsible for the wine purchases, tastings and programs offered by The Spicy Olive. Melanie Cedargren is the owner of The Spicy Olive. She owns and operates shops in three locations in Ohio.
Supply fee: $64, payable to The Spicy Olive prior to the first day of class
5 Tuesdays: October 3–31; 4:00–5:15 p.m.
Format: Hybrid
Location: Online or Oxford, LaRosa’s