Tuesday Courses
What was The Union Navy’s Contribution to Winning the Civil War?
The Union Navy was at the leading edge of innovation. It was the first to maintain a steam-powered blockade of the Confederacy and its eventual economic strangulation. Their armed riverboats were key factors to Grant’s and Sherman’s success in the West. It was the first to operate ironclad vessels in combat. It also had to overcome the Confederacy’s “Infernal Machines” such as torpedoes (mines) and stealth weapons (submersibles). The Union Navy’s 55,000-60,000 sailors made a large contribution to the Union winning the Civil War.
Instructor: Gary Johnson brings his experience as a former naval officer in nuclear submarines and as a trainer to tell the story of the contributions the Navy made to Union Civil War success.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 9:00–10:15 am
Format: Virtual
Location: Online
Topics of Current Interest
Topics for discussion will be selected from current events. The class facilitators will present factual point/counterpoint data to kick off lively interactive discussions. They will select a topic for the first session; then the class will identify topics it wants to discuss in subsequent sessions. The goal is to increase understanding of current topics of controversy and debate.
Instructors: Rich Daniels is a retired CEO of McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford. Bill McKnight retired from General Electric Aircraft Engines as a Senior Technologist. Paul Allen, Commander, U.S. Navy (retired) and retired civil servant, has lived in Oxford for 29 years.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 9:00–10:15 am
Format: Classroom
Location: Boyd Hall, Room 228
Economics and You
This will be a relaunch of the original course (April 2019) with 90% new material, updated for events through 2021. We will be viewing fascinating and interactive evidence-based presentations that reveal how history, politics, and economics collide with the present day. See how economic events, past and present, affect daily life for you and your grandchildren. If you were bored by economics in school, this is for you. This is your chance to get in on the beginning of a continuing series of “Economics & You” courses.
Instructor: Paul Lohr is a retired business manager, consultant, teacher, and elected official. He served one four-year term on the Lakota School District Board of Education.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 9:00–10:15 am
Format: Classroom
Location: VOALC, Auditorium
Going for Baroque...and a Bit of Bel Canto
Four baroque operas of Händel (Ariodante and Agrippina), Vivaldi (Orlando Furioso), and Purcell (Dido and Aeneas) will be presented with Donizetti’s bel canto comedy L’Elisir d’Amore.
Instructors: Anne Morris-Hooke, Professor Emerita of Microbiology, Miami University, is addicted to alliteration and baroque and bel canto opera. Andrea Ridilla, Professor of Music, teaches oboe and Opera Appreciation at Miami.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 9:00–10:15 am
Format: Virtual
Location: Online
Writing Workshop
This is a class for writers to share and critique one another’s writing projects. The works will include fiction, family histories, poetry, therapy writing, plays, retrospectives, and any writing the participants choose. Those who have been a part of previous writing classes know how valuable the views of their fellow writers can be.
Instructor: Bridget Ossmann is a playwright, humorist, and musician. She has written hundreds of plays, including Teachers Left Behind and Purple Paint.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 10:30 am–noon
Format: Classroom
Location: Fairfield Community Arts Center, Room C
Rainy Mountain to American Sunrise: Scott Momaday and Joy Harjo in Conversation
Joy Harjo is a member of the Mvskoke Nation in her third term as U.S. Poet Laureate. She is also an award-winning musician and visual artist. Scott Momaday, a member of the Kiowa people and an accomplished watercolor artist, wrote The Way to Rainy Mountain, a touchstone of contemporary indigenous literature in the United States. We will read and discuss poetry by both, but mostly Harjo, in the context of their other art forms for a glimpse into the history, spirituality, and artistic visions of some Native Americans. While both write about tragedies, they also engage, as articulated in the title of a recent Harjo volume, in Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings. Thus, the course emphasis is on conversation.
Class texts: Scott Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain, University of New Mexico Press, 1976, ISBN: 0826304362; Joy Harjo, An American Sunrise, Norton, 2020, ISBN: 0393358488
Instructor: Barb Caruso spent 39 years teaching in the Literature, African American, and Women’s Studies programs at Earlham College.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 10:45 am–noon
Format: Virtual
Location: Online
Discovering Nature in Your Own Backyard
Find a greater appreciation for the wonderful things happening right outside your door.
October 5 – Monarch Butterflies (life cycle, migration, how to attract them to your yard)
October 12 – Nature Myth Busters (things your great uncle told you that are just plain wrong)
October 19 – Coyotes (what they are, why they’re here, and what to do if you see one)
October 26 – Creepy Crawly Nature (spiders, snakes, bats, and other misunderstood animals)
November 2 – How Animals Survive the Winter (hibernation, migration, and more)
Instructor: Shannon Pennington is a Miami University alumna and a lifelong nature and animal lover who enjoys sharing her wonder and enthusiasm for the natural world with the general public. She is the staff naturalist for the Warren County Park District and the owner of Mother Nature’s Classroom, LLC. She was recently awarded the “Educator of the Year” honor by Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District for her efforts to further environmental education in the community.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 10:45 am–noon
Format: Hybrid
Location: Online or VOALC, Auditorium
Excellence in Photography
We will use the building blocks necessary to create outstanding images, starting with proper settings and framing in camera. You will gain knowledge of how light, color, and composition work together to form an impactful image. See the picture on the screen of your mind; then capture it with your camera.
Instructor: Ernie Martin has enjoyed photography for over 20 years, including helping others learn how to improve their work. He favors outdoor photography, wildlife, nature, scenic landscapes, and some still-life subjects. Ernie is a longtime active member of the West Chester Photo Club and is certified as a judge by the Photographic Society of America.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 10:45 am–noon
Format: Classroom
Location: Boyd Hall, Room 228
Tuesday Brown Bag Lecture Series
Each week the Brown Bag Lecture series presents a speaker who will discuss a topic of interest and importance. Feel free to bring your lunch and enjoy this ILR tradition.
October 5 – Allied vs. Axis Submarines in WWII: Whose Were More Effective? – Gary Johnson, a former submarine qualified naval officer, incorporates his experiences on diesel and nuclear submarines in his presentation.
October 12 – Traveling with Your Grandchildren – Ann Mort, business owner and former Middletown librarian, will share some exciting places and explore new ideas for traveling with your grandchildren and family.
October 19 – Tour de France – David Butler, Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Engineering at U.C., will examine the world’s biggest bicycle race as almost 200 riders try to cover 2,200 miles in 23 days each July. No cyclist experience by the audience is necessary.
October 26 – The Facts about Human Trafficking – Tony Talbott, Director of Abolition Ohio and Director of Advocacy at the University of Dayton Human Rights Center, will cut through the misinformation about human trafficking to help us understand how and why it’s happening and what can be done to respond.
November 2 – Whatever Happened to Jack and the other Titanic Victims? – Barb Barnes is an active volunteer in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and is always willing to share her knowledge.
Coordinators: Sharon Chapman is a retired executive assistant. Frank Chapman is a retired building sales manager.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 12:30–1:45 pm
Format: Classroom
Location: VOALC, Auditorium
Hands-on with Google Photos
See how effortlessly your lifetime of photos can be backed up, organized, accessed, and then shared using Google photos from any authorized computing device connected to the internet. It’s fabulous, it’s (almost) free, and it’s fun. Students will need a Google/Gmail account and password. Since this is an online class, students should have their smartphone, tablet, or laptop available for using Google photos during the class. A PDF copy of the recommended text, Learn Google Photos 2021 by Chris Guld, will be sent to you ahead of the first class. Alternatively, you can buy the Kindle version from https://amz.run/4lEp. To facilitate a hands-on experience, this class is limited to 14 students.
Instructor: Robin Seaver spent her career teaching basic computer skills from mainframe computers to today’s smartphones and tablets.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 12:30–1:45 pm
Format: Virtual
Location: Online
Electric Vehicles: Reality and Hype
Production and sales of electric vehicles have been increasing in the U.S. and worldwide. What are the up-to-the-minute facts and figures, and what are the realistic forecasts for the next few years? What are the major car makers doing to catch up with Tesla and other upstart companies? What are Miami, Oxford, Butler County, and the electric companies doing to support the growth of electric vehicle usage? Will electrification support more radical changes, such as autonomous self-driving vehicles?
Instructor: Jim Rubenstein is Professor Emeritus of Geography, Miami University, and a consultant on the auto industry at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 12:30–1:45 pm
Format: Virtual
Location: Online
Under the Sea: Magic Minutiae and the Big Stuff
Experience sea life through the lens of an underwater filmmaker. Each week will include a 30-minute film with narration and discussion as we proceed through the uniqueness of the different areas. Magic Minutiae & Socorro Sojourn will take you to Anilao, a small village in the Philippines. In this area exist some of the most incredible small critters to be seen. Divers love the animal behavior when diving these sandy slopes, often referred to as “muck diving.” The second half of the film will take you to Mexico: first to the La Paz area for a jaunt with some sea lions, and then a journey 250 miles out to sea to the Socorro area, a.k.a the Revillagigedo Islands, where we’ll encounter the “big stuff.” For week two we’ll view Amazing Dive Journeys: Indonesia and travel with Mary Anne through three of the most interesting and diverse areas in Indonesia, each rife with unique marine life.
Instructor: Mary Anne Pedoto has traveled to many areas of the world to film sea life. From the Bahamas to the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Pacific islands of Micronesia, the unique critters never fail to astound her.
2 Tuesdays: October 5–12; 2:15–3:30 pm
Format: Classroom
Location: VOALC, Auditorium
Live Longer: Yes. Live Better?
There is no doubt that we are now living longer than our ancestors. The question is, can we live better, fuller lives than seniors have experienced in the past? The answer is a resounding ‘Yes’! That is, if we follow the common-sense principles outlined in the Seven Dimensions of Senior Wellness. The presentation is based on experience, not theories!
Instructor: Roy Franchi was born in London, England. He was educated at the Polytechnic School and at the age of 18 enlisted in the Royal Navy. In 1950, he joined the U.K division of Procter & Gamble as a sales representative and eventually became Director of Sales and Distribution. In 1987, he left P&G to form a diverse range of companies. Today his primary interests are the aging process, new approaches to retirement, and whole person wellness.
1 Tuesday: October 19; 2:15–3:30 pm
Format: Classroom
Location: VOALC, Room 111
Do Buttresses Really Fly? Gothic Architecture North of the Alps
The origins of Gothic architecture in France, England, and Central Europe are related to indigenous political, religious, and cultural conditions. While each geocultural region developed important aspects of the Gothic style to suit particular needs and aspirations, each also produced startling tours-de-force with distinct qualities and accomplishments. The course will seek to explain interrelationships as well as differences between these major expressions as it broadens the definition of Gothic architecture. Special attention will be paid to the 2019 fire at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.
Instructor: Robert Benson is Professor Emeritus of Architecture History and Theory, Miami University.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 2:15–3:30 pm
Format: Virtual
Location: Online
Showcasing the Life and Movies of Burt Lancaster
In 1999, Burt Lancaster was given the distinction of American Screen Legend by the American Film Institute. The five movies we’ll review are as follows: Burt’s first movie, The Killers, 1946, film noir, with Ava Gardner; All My Sons, 1948, film noir, with Edward G. Robinson; Mister 880, 1950, American comedy, with Dorothy McGuire; The Crimson Pirate, 1952, tongue-in-cheek comedy adventure, with Eva Bartok; His Majesty O’Keefe, 1953, high adventure, with Joan Rice.
Instructor: Kathleen Stuckey Fox taught her first ILR course (about Cary Grant) in 2002.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 3:00–5:00 pm
Format: Classroom
Location: Peabody Hall, Leonard Theatre
Wine Industry of Australia and New Zealand
Explore the wine industry of Australia and New Zealand with us 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. Indeed, we will also enjoy wine tastings from each region.
Instructors: Nicholas Gantenberg was a research scientist at the NIH and corporate R&D labs. He is the Wine Director for The Spicy Olive. Melanie Cedargren is the owner and operator of The Spicy Olive, an original tasting emporium for fresh olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and fine wines.
5 Tuesdays: October 5–November 2; 4:30–5:45 pm
Format: Hybrid
Location: Online or Oxford LaRosa’s
Supply fee: $63.00, payable at/before the first class