Study Groups - 2015/16 Archives

SUMMER 2015
Study Group Descriptions

Study Group Schedule

Tuesday:

Hazardous Chemicals in Our Food
Facilitator:  Jaafar Dhahir

All agree that scientific progress is a good thing, especially when it comes to innovations that make our lives easier and more enjoyable.  But advances in the food industry are hindering our efforts to stay healthy because thousands of chemicals have entered the food supply.  Most foods that are considered “healthy” and labeled as “natural” contain many harmful chemicals used during food production including plant growth, food preparation, food processing, packaging and the chemicals used in storage.  As consumers, we need to know how to evaluate the potentially hazardous effects of different types of chemicals that could contaminate our foods and determine the most hazardous chemicals and the most likely foods that are exposed to those chemicals. 

In this study group, we will discuss and evaluate the negative effects of the most hazardous foods on our health and the best precautions and treatments that should be taken to reduce the hazardous effects of those chemicals.  Other environmental factors that may cause harmful effects on our health and how to deal with those factors will be discussed.  Also, new ideas in food safety research and new attitudes in food production and food processing will be included.

Jaafar Dhahir received his PhD in food science from Michigan State University.  He did his post doctorate in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.  His research work was in Nitrosamine as a carcinogenic component.  As a university professor, Dr. Dhahir taught many courses related to this topic and edited one book in the field of nutrition. 

 

Continuing Latin
Facilitators:  Priscilla Fortier and Anne Firestone

Those who have completed Kay Neal’s second course in Orberg’s Lingua Latina, including those who took that course in previous semesters and those with a rudimentary knowledge of Latin are welcome to join this group.  Group members will assist in leading the class. 

Reading materials:  Lingua Latina, Part 1

Both facilitators studied Latin in high school and have completed the first two OLLI classes, taught by Kay Neal.  

 

Simon Schama’s A History of Britain Part 2
Facilitator:  Fred Christensen

This study group will view and discuss the last seven episodes of "A History of Britain," a 15-part BBC series.  The series has been widely praised for its splendid visual portrayal of Britain's heritage, and for its clear and gripping discussion of events, personalities, and historical forces.  The host and narrator, Prof. Schama, has done an excellent job summarizing and clarifying important themes, and uses powerful visual images to make his points.  Each week, we'll watch one hour-long episode, followed by an hour of discussion. Earlier episodes covered ancient, medieval, and Tudor Britain; this series begins with the aftermath of the English Civil War, and will portray the brief English Republic, the Restoration, the global empire of the 18th and 19th centuries, the Industrial Revolution, the Victorian Age, and the era of World Wars in the 20th century.  This group will provide insights into the heritage, culture and society of the diverse peoples of the British Isles.

Facilitator:  Fred Christensen is a former history instructor at the University of Kentucky and assistant professor of military science at the University of Illinois.  He teaches noncredit classes for OLLI, Parkland College, and other venues, in five areas of history and archaeology: Britain, Germany, early America, Israel/the Holy Land, and military history in general. 

 

Wednesday:

The New Yorker
Facilitators:  Kathleen Holden and Marilyn Resch

The New Yorker provides a unique mix of articles and reviews on current topics, literature, and the arts. This study group is designed for readers of The New Yorker who want to get together to discuss current articles from the magazine. Members will be encouraged to choose and lead the discussion of one or more articles during this session. Participants are required to have some reliable means of obtaining the articles to be discussed.
Facilitators: Kathleen Holden is a retired UIUC administrator and the founding director of OLLI (2006-2012).  She has been a member of several interesting OLLI study groups, including The New Yorker. 
Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney.  She is a newcomer to OLLI (having joined in late 2013), but she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics.  The New Yorker has been one of her favorites.   

 

Pathways to Twentieth Century Art #2
Facilitator:  Sharon Williams

A group of French artists had rebelled against the dictates of the Academy and The Salon, recording modern life in a new style that was later termed “Impressionism”. By 1886 various artists thought this style was too limiting and began forging even bolder pathways to art of the twentieth century.

In the second Study Group about this time period, the group will first consider the early pathway James McNeill Whistler, an American expatriate, forged by viewing the National Endowment for the Humanities documentary “The Case for Beauty” followed by a discussion of his life, paintings, and prints.

In following weeks, Sharon will ask members to share their observations of important works of art created by The Symbolists, Paul Gauguin, Rousseau, The Nabis, and Toulouse Lautrec, seeking to identify the styles of Twentieth Century art they were pioneering.   By watching, after their own observations, a conversation between Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker of Kahn Academy or comments by other art historians, Study Group members are given a chance to compare and/or add to their thoughts and knowledge of that work of art.  Additional paintings and media sources will also be used to enhance understanding of the art’s content and context and the body of work of each artist. 

So that members will be able to view them more closely, Sharon will post in advance on the OLLI website the paintings for each week’s discussion and sometimes also readings about the artists.  As she has before, Sharon will post on the Website The Feldman Method for Evaluating Art and a “TOOL BOX” which contains a review of Art Elements and Principles to aid in viewing and describing.

Sharon Williams is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and is a State of Illinois licensed Interior Designer who was co-owner of a furniture and design business for over 35 years. She has an interest in art and art history and hopes to share her knowledge and learn from other OLLI members.  She was the chair of the OLLI Study Group Committee for two years and has participated in numerous study groups and courses. This will be the fifth Visual Arts Conversation group she has facilitated.  

 

Macintosh Computer for Beginners
Facilitator:  Bob Davis

This study group session will deal with personalizing your computer, file management, security and OSX basic programs such as Safari, Mail, iCal and Address Book. Due to the numerous differences between the various versions of software, participants who can bring their own computer will profit the most.
Facilitator:  Bob Davis has owned and used Apple Macintosh computers since 1986 and currently has two, a tower and a laptop. He has participated in 3 different computer users groups. For 8 years (1974-82) he taught computer programming in high school. He also conducted a number of computer introduction classes for the State of Illinois (1969-72). Recently he has led several Mac computer discussion groups for OLLI.

 

Advanced Latin
Facilitator:  Rosalind Faiman Weinberg

Advanced Latin is a continuation of the Latin Study Group which has been meeting through OLLI for the last two and one half years.  Participants should have some prerequisite skills in the Latin language, namely a certain familiarity with Latin grammar and an ability to use a basic Latin text (such as Wheelock or D’Oolge’s or some other Latin Grammar) as well as a Latin dictionary for reference.

The Advanced Latin study group will be continuing in Orberg’s Lingua Latina Pars II, Roma Aeterna, which introduces us to Latin poetry and literature.

The group will have already covered the first 2 chapters of Pars II in the Spring study group session.
Reading materials: Orberg’s Lingua Latina: Pars I and II ; A Latin Grammar and a Latin Dictionary

Facilitator:  Rosalind Faiman Weinberg has been studying Latin for two and one half years as a member of OLLI, as a result of taking Kay Neal’s course “Introduction to Latin”. 

 

Thursday:

Time Magazine
Facilitator:  John Moore

The group will discuss selected articles from Time Magazine (about 3 per session). Various topics –
including politics, world affairs, business, tech, health, science, and entertainment – will be discussed. Members will be encouraged to choose and lead the discussion of one or more articles during this session. This group is open to new and returning members.

Facilitator:
John Moore is a retired physician who teaches at the University of Illinois Medical School.  He has been involved in the New Yorker study group for several years.  He is a long time reader of Time and Newsweek Magazines.

 

Alfred Hitchcock's Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense
Facilitators:  Ron Baker and Pauline Cochrane

This study group will read and discuss the stories in the book “Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine Presents Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense”.  For over fifty years, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine has been one of the foremost magazines of mystery and suspense. This celebratory anthology features such bestselling writers as Lawrence Block, Ed McBain, and Jan Burke, just three of the esteemed contributors to have appeared in the magazine’s pages over the past five decades.  This impressive anthology reflects the diversity of every issue of the magazine: historicals and police procedurals, cozies and noirs, humor and suspense. From Jim Thompson in the fifties and Donald Westlake in the sixties, to recent stories by S. J. Rozan, Martin Limon, and Rhys Bowen, this anthology documents over a half century of superb storytelling.  Group members will also be asked to volunteer to lead discussions.

Reading:  Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine Presents Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense
Ron Baker is a retired Federal Human Resources Manager and OLLI member since 2013.  He almost exclusively reads mystery stories and has been in several OLLI mystery story study groups.
Pauline Cochrane is a retired professor from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois and Syracuse University.  She has been interested in learning all of her life and wants to continue.  She has facilitated and been a member of many OLLI study groups.

 

Faulkner’s Short Fiction: His Own “Little Postage Stamp of Native Soil”
Facilitators:  John Bennett and Linda Coleman

As he put it, William Faulkner used his novels and short stories to create his own “little postage stamp of native soil.” Much as Thomas Hardy had done in creating his “merely realistic dream country," Wessex, Faulkner peopled the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, and created what he called “a cosmos of my own.”

Almost two decades before Faulkner received the Nobel Prize, Granville Hicks had written that Faulkner’s work is “a game in which he displays tremendous ingenuity and gives pleasure to the reader by stimulating a like ingenuity on his part.” Reading Faulkner, a mid-twentieth century white man from the deep South, allows us to look closely at an artist ahead of his time but also shaped by his time and place as he reaches for, among other things, an understanding and representation of “the warping effects of racist ideology.”

We’re eager to explore Faulkner’s work and invite you to join us. Each session will typically consider one or two short stories or excerpts from his novels. Our readings will be taken from the classic anthology The Portable Faulkner. About this collection, Faulkner wrote its editor, Malcolm Cowley: “The job is splendid. Damn you to hell anyway. But even if I had beat you to the idea, mine wouldn’t have been this good.”

[Important: Because of significant pagination changes, we strongly recommend using one of the Penguin paperback revised and expanded editions copyright 1976 or later. While other editions can work, one of the recommended ones will make it quite a bit easier for us all to be on the same page during class discussions.]

Professor Emerita of English and Women's Studies at Eastern Illinois University, Linda S. Coleman is one of the authors of Literature and the Writing Process. Semiretired, John Lansingh Bennett is a freelance editor and serves on the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s Faculty Advisory Council.  Both have led numerous OLLI study groups.

 

Ken Burns’ Baseball Part I
Facilitator:  John McCord

BASEBALL!  This study group will primarily view Ken Burns’ documentary Baseball.  The first nine episodes cover 1840 until 1993, the last completed season before the documentary was first aired in 1994.  (Each episode is called an inning.)  It will include The 10th Inning, the Ken Burns 2010 “sequel” covering 1994-2009.  Six or seven episodes will be covered in this study group, with the remainder of the episodes covered in Ken Burns Baseball Part II (to be offered in a future session).

Discussions following each episode will be largely at class discretion regarding the episode viewed and the documentary to date.  The facilitator will be prepared with additional perspectives on each episode and the period covered in each with, as appropriate, additional materials about baseball in that period either not covered or only touched upon.

In addition to being a fan of the game for as long as he can remember and having attended over 100 major league games in eleven cities and 14 ballparks, plus minor league and independent league games, John has a long interest in the history of the game.  In 2004, he wrote a 220 page history of baseball covering the game form its earlies reference in 1791 to date for very limited distribution. John has a B.S. in history from the United States Naval Academy and a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law.  He taught a course on the Panama Canal at OLLI in the spring.

 

Friday:

Writers’ Café
Facilitator:   Frank Chadwick

Each week we meet to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages we’ve written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. We write all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it. All levels of experience welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals.

Facilitator: Frank Chadwick is a published historian and novelist and his Desert Shield Fact Book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list.  He has facilitated several OLLI study groups and an OLLI course on “Writing the Novel”.

 

 

OLLI Fall 2015 Study Groups


Schedule Grid

Mondays

Israeli Comedies

Facilitator: Marganit Weinberger-Rotman

One can learn a lot about a nation’s character and ethos from its comedies.  Israeli comic films have evolved significantly since the early attempts in the sixties and seventies, which were mostly buddy films and romantic comedies. Comedies to be shown are:  The Big Dig; Zero Motivation; The Farewell Party; A Matter of Size; Turn Left at the End of the World; Arab Labor; and Dancing Arabs – Borrowed Identity.

Facilitator:  Marganit Weinberger-Rotman worked for Israeli Television for many years and attends the International Jerusalem Film Festival every year.  She has facilitated two OLLI study groups involving Israeli cinema.

 

Is Math a Puzzle?

Facilitators:  Robert Davis and Douglas Elrick

This study group will focus on two areas of mathematics.  The facilitators will address those aspects of mathematics that may have intimidated you in the past to reveal to you the “beauty” in Mathematics.  The group will also engage with selected puzzles, conundrums and other sometimes hard to understand situations requiring mathematical reasoning.  None of the puzzles require advanced mathematics to solve, just a basic understanding of math computation that will be reviewed during the study group.

Facilitators:  Douglas Elrick has taught math for over 40 years at the elementary school level and also at Eastern Illinois University and the University of Illinois College of Education. He has facilitated other OLLI study groups on math.

Robert Davis is a retired high school math teacher and has facilitated several successful study groups for users of Apple computers.

 

Recorder Ensemble

Facilitator:  Ellen Elrick

Would you like to play music in a Recorder Ensemble? All levels welcome, including beginners.  Our group will focus on expressive music performance while covering basic techniques.  The facilitator along with the participants will select music to match our skills.  Expect an introduction to basic skills at the beginning of each session, followed by a mix of large and small ensembles both beginner and beyond.  Bring your recorder, some favorite music to share (if you wish), and join the group!

The Recorder Ensemble will build on the playing progress of the individual and the group.  Topics will include expressive performance through focus on tone, rhythm, articulation, phrasing and ensemble skills. In the sessions, we will organize with warm-ups, whole group practice, break-out groups for duets and trios, and eventually, opportunities to play for one another.  Guest performers as well as listening examples will showcase the expressive possibilities of recorder playing.  Each session will include the challenge and joy of making music together.

Reading materials and source:

Participants will need to have a recorder (soprano, alto, tenor, or bass).  For those who do not already have recorders at home, good quality plastic instruments are recommended:  soprano--Yamaha YRS 302B or YRS 312B; alto--Yamaha YRA 302B or YRA 312B.  A recorder method book and additional chamber music will be determined by the playing experience of the group members.  Guides and music will be provided on the OLLI download page. Some music reading skill is helpful.

Facilitator:  Ellen Elrick is a music educator and performer in Champaign-Urbana. During her career she has taught flute and recorder independently; recorder ensemble and group piano at Parkland College; flute, recorder and pre-school music at The Conservatory of Central Illinois; and 20+ years as a band teacher in the Urbana public schools.  Ellen has played recorder with others as a continuing interest and activity through the years.  She currently plays piccolo and flute with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony.

 

Tales from Tumacácori:  a Review of the Spanish Colonial Period in the American Southwest
Facilitator:  Bill Reed

This study group was developed from materials used for OLLI Classes and National Historical Park presentations in Arizona.  It combines arm chair travel and presentations about a less studied (and perhaps increasingly important) segment of American history.  We will discuss the differences between the Spanish colonial experience and that of the North American colonies.

Topics to be covered are: Go West Illini, the Midwest’s Fascination with the Southwest; Virtual Tour of Tumacácori National Historical Park;  Native Peoples of Sonora and Arizona; Coronado Expedition and New Mexico; Apache and Comanche (and Texas); Missions and Cartography of Father Kino; California is Not an Island and NPS and the Search for Tumacácori.

No preparation or required reading.   Most sessions will involve a prepared presentation followed by a period of questions and discussion.

Facilitator:  Bill Reed is a retired product development engineer and amateur historian.   For four years he served as a docent and tour guide at Tumacácori National Historical Park south of Tucson.  He has led OLLI study groups here in Illinois and in Arizona. 

 

Tuesdays

Keeping Up With the Science Joneses:  Readings in Science and Nature

Facilitators:  Dirk Mol and Claudia Reich

Every year a panel of experts select the best science and nature writing for the general public that incorporate the latest in science news.  These are then published under the title The Best American Science and Nature Writing. The 2014 edition was edited by Deborah Blum. Topics range from the hard sciences to the social sciences, including genetics, psychology, environmental science, and sociology. 

This study group will focus on selections from this volume, the most recent one published.  Each session we will read and discuss two of the pieces. Participants need to buy or borrow a copy of the volume in order to make the most of their participation. 

Leadership will be shared by Claudia Reich and Dirk Mol, both experienced study group leaders, one a biological scientist and the other a social scientist.

Facilitators:  Claudia holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  At UIUC, she has been a Postdoctoral Fellow in Biochemistry, and Research Professor and Senior Scientist in Microbiology and the Institute for Genomic Research.  Her research has centered on molecular biology and genomics of microorganisms. At OLLI she has facilitated several study groups and is currently teaching a course on “The Microbial World."

Dirk has been a mental health professional for over 20 years, following a career as an Episcopal priest.  In both capacities he has engaged in teaching and small group facilitation.  He has a lifelong interest in the natural world, especially the human brain, and what science can teach us about it.  He has facilitated two OLLI study groups focusing on psychology and culture.

 

Dietary Supplements in Our Life

Facilitator:  Jaafar Dhahir
Most food stores shelves in the USA and Europe are filled with hundreds of dietary supplements with attractive labels and advertisements. It's tough to figure out what to choose from among the dizzying assortment of dietary and nutritional supplements on those shelves. From vitamins to minerals to weight loss pills to other types of supplements, there are thousands of options to choose from. But do you really need any of them? Do they really work, and if so, which ones are best?
Total sales for the U.S. dietary supplement in 2014 are estimated at $33.0 billion. It is projected to double that by topping $60 billion in 2021 according to the Nutritional Business Journal.
Dietary supplements are mainly included vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, enzymes, amino acids, fatty acids and some other dietary ingredients. In this session we will discuss the most common uses of dietary supplements and the types of supplements that are mostly used in US and all over the world; we will talk about their importance to our life including benefits and disorders. Who needs supplements and who doesn’t and what types of supplements are needed by specific age or health problems will be discussed. Some details of the most popular supplements that are used for improving health in general including vitamins and minerals will be covered. We also will discuss the supplements used for:  weight loss, protecting and treatment for specific diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, boosting energy production, depression, mood and some other health problems.

Reading materials and source: 

Watson, Ronald Ross; Preedy, Victor R, 2015. Bioactive Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements in Neurological and Brain Disease: Prevention and Therapy.

R Watson, 2015. Foods and dietary supplements in the prevention and treatment of disease in older adults.

M Maffei, 2003. Dietary supplements of plant origin: a nutrition and health approach

Also, website information will be provided to the participants before each lecture.

Jaafar Dhahir received his Ph.D. in food science from Michigan State University at 1988.  He worked as a visiting Research Associate in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at MSU; his research work related to Nitrosamine as a carcinogenic component in meat. He taught many courses in Nutrition and Foods and their relation to human health which are related to this topic. In the last fifteen years, he focused his work on teaching and doing research at different universities. He authored and co-authored more than 15 research articles in the field of food and human nutrition; also edited and published one book in the field of nutrition. He has facilitated two other OLLI study groups, including Nutrition for Health and Fitness (summer 2014) andHazardous Chemicals in Our Food (Summer 2015).

 

Continuing Latin


Facilitators:  Priscilla Fortier and Anne Firestone

Those who have completed Kay Neal’s second course in Orberg’s Lingua Latina, including those who took that course in previous semesters and those with a rudimentary knowledge of Latin are welcome to join this group.  Group members will assist in leading the class. 

Reading materials:  Lingua Latina, Part 1

Both facilitators studied Latin in high school and have completed the first two OLLI classes, taught by Kay Neal.  They facilitated this study group in summer 2015.

 

A Tale of Two Thomases – Thomas Cromwell and Thomas More

Facilitators:  Maureen McCord & Ann Russell

This study group will be looking at portrayals of two prominent members of the court of Henry VIII.  The group will watch Wolf Hall and A Man for All Seasons to see how each man is portrayed in each version.  Wolf Hall will be viewed and discussed during sessions one through six; A Man for All Seasons will be viewed and discussed during sessions seven and eight.

Facilitators:  Maureen McCord is a retired lawyer who also has two history degrees.  Her research topic was canon law and Thomas More.  She also has a special interest in the Tudors.

Ann Russell has been studying English history since she was 8 years old, with a particular emphasis on the Tudors.  When she watches Wolf Hall, she can identify all the characters.

 

Demystifying Hybrid Cars – Figuring Out How They Really Work

Facilitator:  David Tracy

6 sessions

Most of us have a fairly clear idea of how a conventional automobile works – an engine is connected to 2 or 4 wheels through a clutch and manual gearbox (or through an automatic transmission).  All-electric vehicles (EVs) like the Nissan Leaf or Tesla are even simpler in concept – a battery driven electric motor (or motors) directly turns the wheels.

But hybrid electric car operation is far more subtle, especially for the “Full Hybrid” types like the Prius.  Manufacturers generally gloss over nearly all the details to avoid confusing their customers.  Still, with some of the luster gone from clean Diesels, these systems may offer the most practical near term path toward lower emissions and higher energy efficiency. 

If you are curious about how these cars invisibly juggle an intermittent gas engine, several electric motor/generators with quite different functions, plus a large battery, this study group will get to the bottom of it -- step by step.  A lot of it will prove surprisingly clever, and with a longer inventive history than is generally appreciated.

No special technical knowledge is needed, just a general interest in how things work.  Topics covered will include Full and Mild hybrids, Plug-in hybrids, Series vs. Parallel hybrids, and examination of operating modes for some of these.  There will be hands-on demonstrations of key elements such as planetary gear sets and regenerative electric braking.  We’ll look at advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches, especially regarding service and reliability.

Reading materials and source, if any:

To be provided before start of sessions.  There are many web resources, plus facilitator’s (and others) auto owner’s manuals and service manuals, as well as textbooks such as Hybrid Electric Vehicles, by Mi, Masur and Gao (2011).  Also hands-on mechanical demos of key concepts will be provided in class.

Facilitator:  David Tracy has a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Wisconsin, and has worked mostly in optics and bioinstrumentation – not exactly automotive engineering!  He has owned 3 hybrid cars, including a plug-in hybrid, but found the explanations provided by the manufacturers about their operation to be highly unsatisfying.  Digging a little deeper, he found that some really clever and non-intuitive ideas underlie the cars’ façade of simplicity.  He thought that a study group would be an ideal way to further this exploration and share the discoveries.

 

From Socrates to Sartre:  The Philosophic Quest

Facilitator:  Frank Hoss

The group will read and discuss the book From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest by T.Z. Lavine.  The book is available at Barnes and Noble or on Amazon.

Amazon Review:  A challenging new look at the great thinkers whose ideas have shaped our civilization From Socrates to Sartre presents a rousing and readable introduction to the lives, and times of the great philosophers. This thought-provoking book takes us from the inception of Western society in Plato’s Athens to today when the commanding power of Marxism has captured one third of the world. T. Z. Lavine, Elton Professor of Philosophy at George Washington University, makes philosophy come alive with astonishing clarity to give us a deeper, more meaningful understanding of ourselves and our times.

Facilitator:  Frank Hoss has an M.A. in Philosophy and Classics and a B.D. in Theology.  He has facilitated several study groups, including The Examined Life, in the fall of 2014 and Meditations by Marcus Aurelius in the spring of 2015.

 

Wednesdays

Writing and Performing Poetry

Facilitator:  John Palen

This is a poetry workshop culminating in an optional reading, with family, friends and other OLLI members invited to the presentation. In seven sessions, participants will work from model poems to write short, free-verse poems and read them aloud to the group.  This is not primarily a critique group.  

Facilitator:  John Palen has been a published poet since 1969.  A retired journalist and journalism educator, he has earned a doctorate in American Studies from Michigan State University.  John has facilitated this study group twice previously.

 

Connecting the Links in 20th Century Modern Painting: Part One

Facilitator:  Sharon Williams

Today millions of people are visiting museums like MOMA and Tate Modern and at the same time may admit they sometimes wonder why something they think a child might be able to do is considered great art. They ask, “How do I evaluate what I see, to know if it might not be a “sham”?

In Connecting the Links in 20th Century Modern Painting:  Part One, we will attempt to follow the links in art movements in Europe during the time period 1900-1914. In the first session, we will set the stage by reviewing material about the artists and general environment of the second half of the 19th Century.

In the following weeks Sharon will ask members to share their observations of important works of art created by Fauvists with emphasis on Matisse; Cubists with emphasis on Picasso; Expressionists; and Futurists, seeking to identify the links that unite them to artistic, political, social, and technological influences.

By watching, after their own observations and discussion, a conversation between Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker of Kahn Academy or comments by other art historians, study group members are given a chance to compare and/or add to their thoughts and knowledge of that work of art.  Additional paintings and media sources will also be used to enhance understanding of the art’s content and context and the body of work of each artist.

So that members will be able to view them more closely, Sharon will post in advance on the OLLI website the paintings for each week’s discussion and sometimes also readings about the artists and time period. Sharon will also post on the website The Feldman Method of Evaluating Art and a “TOOL BOX”, which contains a review of Arts Elements and Principles to aid in viewing and describing.

Facilitator:  Sharon Williams is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and is a State of Illinois licensed Interior Designer who was co-owner of a furniture and design business for over 35 years. She has an interest in art and art history and hopes to share her knowledge and learn from other OLLI members.  She was chair of the Study Group committee, is presently on the OLLI-NEH special committee, and has participated in numerous study groups and courses. This will be the sixth art study group she has facilitated.

 

The New Yorker

Facilitators:  Kathleen Holden and Marilyn Resch

The New Yorker provides a unique mix of articles and reviews on current topics, literature, and the arts. This study group is designed for readers of The New Yorker who want to get together to discuss current articles from the magazine. Members will be encouraged to choose and lead the discussion of one or more articles during this session. Participants are required to have some reliable means of obtaining the articles to be discussed.

Facilitators:  Kathleen Holden is a retired UIUC administrator and served as the founding Director of OLLI from 2006 until her retirement in January 2012.  She has been a member of several interesting OLLI study groups, including the New Yorker. 

Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney.  She is a newcomer to OLLI (having joined in late 2013), but she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics.  The New Yorker has been one of her favorites.

 

Advanced Latin

Facilitator:  Harold Diamond

Advanced Latin is a continuation of the Latin Study Group which has been meeting through OLLI for the last two and one half years.  Participants should have some prerequisite skills in the Latin, e.g. some familiarity with grammar and vocabulary.  Group meetings are lively and, along with Latin readings, include discussion of historical and etymological topics.  The study group will review material from Orberg’s Lingua Latina Pars I, and will continue with Orberg’s Pars II.

Reading materials: Orberg’s Lingua Latina Pars II, Roma Aeterna, published by Domus Latina, MMIII.  It will also be useful to have a Latin grammar book and a Latin dictionary for this study group.

Facilitator:  Harold Diamond had Latin in high school, attended Kay Neal’s OLLI classes, and participates in the Advanced Latin Study Group.

 

Game of Kings

Facilitator:  Sharon Michalove

Scottish author Dorothy Dunnett is often considered to have been one of the most accomplished writers of historical novels. Her intricate plots and extensive research continue to be models for other authors in this genre. The Lymond Chronicles, which span a chunk of the mid sixteenth century beginning in 1547, are the most popular of Dorothy Dunnett's two historical mystery series. As the author herself tells us, the hero, Lymond, is modeled on James Bond. Although written earlier, it is actually the sequel to the House of Niccolò, an eight-volume series that covers the period 1460 to 1482. That series was the focus of earlier OLLI study groups. Unlike the Niccolò series which focused on trade and commerce, Lymond is all about diplomacy and spying. In both series, readers travel much of the world with the protagonists.

This study group will discuss the first book of series, The Game of Kings. We will explore the history of mid-16th century Europe and the complex political relationships among Scotland, France, and England. Just remember, with Dunnett, no one and nothing is as it seems.

The book is available in various formats: paper, eBook, and audio version.

Facilitator: Sharon Michalove received her PhD in history of education from the University of
Illinois in 1995. Her dissertation was on the education of upper-class women in England
1399-1540. She was the associate director of undergraduate studies in the Department of
History until her retirement in 2006. She still has an adjunct appointment in the Program in Medieval Studies. Dr. Michalove has facilitated many OLLI study groups, including all eight novels in Dorothy Dunnett's series, The House of Niccolò. She has also taught various history courses for OLLI, most recently one on conspicuous consumption from 1400 to 1600.

 

Thursdays

Time Magazine

Facilitator:  John Moore

The group selects three articles from Time Magazine each week to discuss, with a volunteer leader for each article.  We expect to focus on articles related to the presidential campaign during this study group session.

This group is open to new and returning members.

Facilitator:  John Moore is an almost retire Allergist and Pediatrician.  He is a long-time fan of Time and Newsweek.

 

Best American Mystery Stories of 2005

Facilitators:  Ron Baker and Bev Herzog

The group will continue to read and discuss the “The Best American Mystery Stories” series.  This session group members will read the twenty stories in the 2005 volume, edited by Joyce Carol Oates, with series editor, Otto Penzler. With Oates as the editor, study group members should expect mainly dark stories, with few “cozies”.  In addition to many lesser known authors, the book contains entries Dennis Lahane, Laura Lippman, Scott Turow, and Scott Wolven.  New members are always welcome to this group.  Many members follow the session with lunch together at a local restaurant, where they may continue to discuss the stories and develop friendships.
Suggested topics for each session:  Group members will be expected to read and be ready to discuss to two to three stories, totaling approximately 40-60 pages, each week.  Group members will also be asked to volunteer to lead discussions of a story or two, including researching the authors of the stories and developing study questions.

Reading: The Best American Mystery Stories 2005 editor, Joyce Carol Oates, series editor, Otto Penzler. This is only available in hard copy, but can be found for as little at $4 (including shipping) on some internet sites.
Facilitators:  Bev Herzog is a retired geologist who has been an avid reader of mysteries since she was introduced to Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden as a child.  She has participated in mystery short stories study groups since joining OLLI in 2010 and has co-facilitated this group eight times since 2011 to excellent reviews. 

Ron Baker is a retired Federal Human Resources Manager and OLLI member since 2013.  He almost exclusively reads mystery stories and has been in several OLLI mystery story study groups.  He co-facilitated Alfred Hitchcock's Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense during the summer 2015 study group session.

 

Word Play

Facilitators:  Mary Kuetemeyer and Cheri Sullivan

6 sessions (not meeting the week of Thanksgiving and the first full week in January)

Sharpen your pencils, sharpen your brains and join us for some fun with language. We’ll play with jumbles, rebus puzzles, Britishisms, rhymes, obscure phrases, curious vocabulary and etymologies, anagrams, and a variety of word games – sometimes individually and sometimes in ad hoc teams. No special knowledge is needed; you already know a lot and you may learn a lot more! Everyone is welcome to join the fun – veterans will find some new activities (and the return of some popular ones from before), and new members won’t need anything besides their pencils and a sense of adventure to join in. We hope 2 C U N R class!
Facilitators:  Mary Kuetemeyer and Cheri Sullivan had such a good time facilitating the Word Play study group in the past that they’re offering it again. Both are long-time OLLI members (DV OLEV LOOR!)* who also love playing with words.
*Hint: O=L, V=E

 

Ken Burns Baseball Part II

Facilitator:  John McCord

BASEBALL!   This group is a continuation of the summer study group, which viewed the first six episodes of Ken Burns’ documentary Baseball.   This group will primarily view the remaining five episodes of the documentary.  The first session will include a recap of the summer session.

Discussions following each episode will be largely at class discretion regarding the episode viewed and the documentary to date.   The facilitator will be prepared with additional perspectives on each episode and the period covered in each with, as appropriate, additional materials about baseball in that period either not covered or only lightly touched upon.  This group is open to both returning and new participants.

Sources:  Official histories of all current teams; numerous sources for defunct teams and leagues. Danny Litwhiler:  Living the Baseball Dream (2006)

Facilitator:  In addition to being a fan of the game for as long as he can remember and having attended over 100 major league games in eleven cities and 14 ballparks, plus minor league and independent league games, John has a long interest in the history of the game.  In 2004, he wrote a 220 page history of baseball covering the game form its earlies reference in 1791 to date for very limited distribution. John has a B.S. in history from the United States Naval Academy and a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law.  He taught a course on the Panama Canal at OLLI in the spring.

New American Stories Discussion Group


Facilitator:  Paula Watson

Using New American Stories edited by Ben Marcus,   we will sample short stories written over approximately the last ten years.  Authors will include both contemporary literary stars like Anthony Doerr, George Saunders, Don DeLillo and Zadie Smith, as well as emerging talents such as Yiyun Li, Said Sayvrafiezadeh, and NoViolet Bulawayo.  (All new names to me.)  According to an enthusiastic review in U.K.’s the Guardian,  this collection captures well what it means to be American in the post 9/11 era and, more fundamentally,   what it means to be human.  Each week we will focus critical discussion on two or three stories, examining how well each succeeds at crystallizing moments in the life of a character that move us in some way.

Participants will need to purchase New American Stories, Ben Marcus, ed. (New York:  Vintage, 2015). ISBN-10: 0804173540.  Ben Marcus published an earlier anthology in 2004 called the Anchor Book of New American Short Stories. Be careful not to buy that one by mistake.

Facilitator: Paula Watson has led numerous OLLI short story discussion groups.  She holds a Master’s degree in English literature.

 
Fridays 

iPad + iOS9 = What?

Facilitators:  Mary Margaret Avelis, Candace Wilmot, Larry Mayes
4 sessions
Recently, Apple updated the operating system that runs on the Apple iPads. This four week study group will look into the new features, how to use them and some hidden items. Be aware with this upgrade, NOT all iPads are equal.  The older iPads (iPad 2, iPad Air and iPad Mini) are unable to take full advantage of all the new features. News, Split screen, Slide over, wifi assist and Siri updates are examples of new features for the iPad. 

Facilitators:  Mary Margaret Avelis will be the facilitator. She has led several iPad study groups. Co-facilitators will be Candace Wilmot and Larry Mayes. They both have technical backgrounds and have participated in iPad study groups.  Mary Margaret has over 27 years of experience working with computer technology. This includes computer support for both Windows and Apple computers, troubleshooting network problems, teaching computer literacy, and recently consulting and training with computers and other devices for individuals.

 

Writers’ Café

Facilitator:   Frank Chadwick

Each week we meet to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages we’ve written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. We write all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it. All levels of experience welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals.

Facilitator: Frank Chadwick is a published historian and novelist and his Desert Shield Fact Book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list.  He has facilitated several OLLI study groups and an OLLI course on “Writing the Novel”.

OLLI Spring 2016 Study Groups

 

Mondays

Recorder Ensemble
Facilitator:  Ellen Elrick

 

Would you like to play music in a Recorder Ensemble? All levels welcome, including beginners.  Our group will focus on expressive music performance while covering basic techniques.  The facilitator along with the participants will select music to match our skills.  Expect an introduction to basic skills at the beginning of each session, followed by a mix of ensembles both beginner and beyond.  Bring your recorder, some favorite music to share (if you wish), and join the group!

Participants will need to have a recorder (soprano, alto, tenor, or bass).  For those who do not already have recorders at home, good quality plastic instruments are recommended:  soprano--Yamaha YRS 302B or YRS 312B; alto--Yamaha YRA 302B or YRA 312B.  A recorder method book and chamber music will be determined by the playing experience of the group members.  Guides and music will be provided on the OLLI download page or through e-mail.  Some music reading skill is very helpful.

Facilitator:  Ellen Elrick is a music educator and performer in Champaign-Urbana. During her career she taught flute and recorder independently; recorder ensemble and group piano at Parkland College; flute, recorder and pre-school music at The Conservatory of Central Illinois; and she taught band for 20+ years in the Urbana public schools.  Ellen has played recorder with others as a continuing interest and activity through the years.  She currently plays piccolo and flute with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony.

 

Submitting Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction to Literary Magazines and Websites
Facilitator:  Frank Modica

 

4 weeks

This study group will consist of discussions on the challenges, mechanics, and processes of submitting works to journals/magazines, and websites. While the focus will be on online submissions, we will also talk about submitting the old fashioned way: hard copies to magazines. We will focus on practical considerations for submitting literary works, with hands-on experiences during class time if possible.  Frank will share experiences of rejections and successes in the submission process.

Facilitator:  Frank Modica has intermittently submitted poetry to magazines and journals over the past 30 years.  After joining OLLI and participating in the Writers’ Café study group, he has committed to a more regular regimen of submitting poems, short stories and nonfiction pieces to magazines and journals, with the goal of at least one submission per week.

 

French Comedies
Facilitator:  Marganit Weinberger-Rotman



Comedy is the most popular genre of French cinema. Most French comedies are social comedies. They abound in slapstick, farce, sarcasm and self-mockery. Among the great names of past comedians are: Luis de Funes, Bourvil, Fernandel, Jacques Tati and Colouche. [Inexplicably, the French are huge fans of Jerry Lewis]. Not many French comedies have crossed the Atlantic, perhaps under the assumption that their humor won’t translate well here (or maybe because there are too many subtitles to read). The French, it seems, are less squeamish about political correctness: they poke fun at regional and ethnic stereotypes (Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis; Rien a declarer; Que’est qu’on a fait au bon dieu?); religious bigotry (Rabbi Jacob); phony intellectuals (Le prenom); disabilities (Intouchables; La famille Belier); snobbery (Le dinner des cons) immigrants (Les femmes du 6iem etage; Une heure de tranquilite); and many other human foibles. We will view and discuss these films (in the order that they become available) and try to decode French humor.

Knowledge of French is not required.  Movies will be subtitled.

Facilitator:  Marganit Weinberger-Rotman worked for Israeli Television for many years and attends the International Jerusalem Film Festival every year.  She has facilitated three OLLI study groups involving Israeli cinema.

 

Let’s Play Scrabble (Hurray!  I drew a blank!)
Facilitator:  Judy Reynolds

 

While playing Scrabble in small groups, we’ll be challenging each other to improve our game strategy and keeping our vocabulary skills sharp.  If you’re mentally adding up how many points you’d get for ‘v-o-c-a-b-u-l-a-r-y’ if you played it on a Triple Word Score, this is the study group for you.  We’ll be mixing up the groupings, so you’ll play with a variety of players.  All levels welcome. Please bring a Scrabble game if you have one – any version.  Also bring a dictionary if you’d like.

 

Facilitator:  Judy Reynolds has been playing Scrabble for about fifty years.  She always enjoys finding new people to play with.  She has co-taught several dance classes at OLLI.

 

Homer’s Iliad
Facilitator:  Richard Meier

 

The group will read slowly through each chapter of the Iliad.  Members can bring different translations (materials may be found in the Classics Library).  The group will discuss issues of war, religion, human jealousy and aggression, as well as other topics that come up.  We will go chapter by chapter, without haste, with the possibility of the group continuing during a later session.

Facilitator:  Richard Meier has degrees in philosophy and history, but is not a classical scholar. He first studied the Iliad under a teacher who worked in the Great Books tradition.  Since then, he has read much in Greek history and religion.  He recently read an excellent new translation.

 

Tuesdays

Keeping up with the Science Joneses:  Further Readings in Science and Nature
Facilitators:  Claudia Reich and Dirk Mol

 

The group will continue the discussions started during the previous Study Group session (Fall 2015). Every year a panel of experts selects the best science and nature writing for the general public, that incorporate the latest in science news.  These are then published under the title The Best American Science and Nature Writing. The 2015 edition was edited by Rebecca Skloot, an award- winning science writer and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.  Topics covered range from the hard sciences to the social sciences, including genetics, psychology, environmental science, and sociology.  

This study group will focus on selections from this volume.  Each session we will read and discuss two of the pieces. Participants need to buy or borrow a copy of the volume in order to make the most of their participation.  

Leadership will be shared by Claudia Reich and Dirk Mol, both experienced study group leaders, one a biological scientist and the other a social scientist.

Facilitators:  Claudia holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  At UIUC, she has been a Postdoctoral Fellow in Biochemistry, and Research Professor and Senior Scientist in Microbiology and the Institute for Genomic Research.  Her research has centered on molecular biology and genomics of microorganisms. At OLLI she has facilitated several study groups and taught a course on “The Microbial World."

Dirk has been a mental health professional for over 20 years, following a career as an Episcopal priest.  In both capacities he has engaged in teaching and small group facilitation.  He has a lifelong interest in the natural world, especially the human brain, and what science can teach us about it.  He has facilitated two OLLI study groups focusing on psychology and culture.

 

The First Churchills
Facilitators:  Fred Christensen and Cindy Mann


This group will watch and discuss the 12-episode BBC series The First Churchills, the first Masterpiece Theatre series, broadcast in 1971 and now available as a DVD set.  Based on Winston Churchill’s biography of his famous ancestor, the first Duke of Marlborough, this is a love story and a tale of political intrigue at court and military campaigns in the field.  At a time when most marriages were made for money and position, Sarah Jennings (played by Emmy-winning Susan Hampshire) and John Churchill (played by John Neville) married for love.  Their long lives were spent at the center of political power at the 17th-century English court.  He was a military genius who never lost a battle; she was the intimate friend of a princess who became a queen.  This series follows them from their budding romance at the bawdy Restoration court of King Charles II through five decades and five monarchs of the Stuart dynasty. 
The group will meet from 1:30-3:30 PM, with the exception of three sessions (April 5, 12, and 19) when two episodes each will be viewed and discussed.  On those dates the group will meet from 1—4:30 PM.
Facilitators:  Fred Christensen has presented several OLLI classes and study groups on British history, and enjoyed this series when it was first shown in 1971.  He points out that it picks up where the recent OLLI "English Civil War" class ended.

Cindy Mann is a lifelong enthusiast of English history and culture, whether reading, viewing, or sharing information.  She has a special fondness for the Restoration era.

 

Poetry Readings
Facilitators:  Bill Breeding, Linda Coleman, Kendall Rafter, Claudia Reich, Joy Thornton-Walter, Helen Thursh

 

Poetry is a dish best enjoyed among friends.  Poems evoke feelings, meanings and experiences that are personal in nature; what moves you may not move me, what intrigues me may not intrigue you. And when we share our different responses to poems, we all gain a deeper understanding.

Every week we will read and discuss poems, from the classics to the modern. Selections will be chosen by consensus and we will draw on available free resources such as The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org) and other Internet sites. We envision this Study Group as a communal endeavor, and we will share the responsibilities of proposing poems to read and facilitating discussions of them.

The naming of facilitators only reflects the necessity of providing channels of communication, but we stress the notion that participation will require active engagement from everyone in the group.

 

To Infinity and Beyond: A Grown-Up Appreciation of Pixar’s Animated Films
Facilitator:  Christine Catanzarite

 

Pixar Animation Studios is a pioneer in the field of computer animation, with an unprecedented record of success and roots in cutting-edge technology (Steve Jobs was one of the studio’s co-founders). The studio has made 16 feature films since 1995, with 15 Academy Awards (and 50+ nominations), 7 Golden Globes, and 11 Grammy Awards among their many honors. Their average worldwide gross is $650 million per film; Inside Out, currently nominated for 2 Oscars, is the highest-grossing film of 2015 and the 45th highest-grossing film of all time.

Although they created a new art form, Pixar’s greatest strength lies in the studio’s commitment to compelling stories. The studio’s films have received a staggering 8 Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay, competing alongside the most prestigious feature films.

Pixar’s hallmark is their sophisticated, richly layered storytelling, which is designed to be appreciated and enjoyed equally by children and adults. We will see films that understand the complexities of growing up, growing old, navigating change, developing and letting go of relationships and valued traditions . . . the stuff of life, at any age.

Each session will begin with a short introduction of the film, followed by a screening of the film and a lively discussion. Each film will be accompanied by a delightful Pixar short film, just as they are when they are shown in theaters.

Feature films to be shown are the Toy Story trilogy, The Incredibles, Cars, WALL-E, Up, and Inside Out.

Short optional readings excerpted from Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration (written by Pixar co-founder and president Ed Catmull) will be posted online for those who are interested in exploring further.

Facilitator:  Chris Catanzarite is a professor and historian of film and popular culture who has taught 3 film courses for OLLI. Since January 2012, she has been the Director of OLLI. This is her fourth study group.

 

The Philosophies of Spinoza and Leibniz
Facilitator:  Frank Hoss

 

The group will read and discuss the book The Courtier and the Heretic: Leibniz, Spinoza and the Fate of God in the Modern World by Matthew Stewart.  The group’s time will be divided between the two philosophers.

Facilitator:  Frank Hoss has an M.A. in Philosophy and Classics and a B.D. in Theology.  He has facilitated several study groups, including: The Examined Life: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and most recently From Socrates to Sartre:  The Philosophic Quest.

 

Wednesdays

The New Yorker
Facilitators:  Kathleen Holden & Marilyn Resch


The New Yorker provides a unique mix of articles and reviews on current topics, literature, and the arts. This study group is designed for readers of The New Yorker who want to get together to discuss current articles from the magazine. Members will be encouraged to choose and lead the discussion of one or more articles during this session. Participants are required to have some reliable means of obtaining the articles to be discussed.
Facilitators:  Kathleen Holden is a retired UIUC administrator.  She has been a member of several interesting OLLI study groups, including the New Yorker.  Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney.  Since joining OLLI in late 2013, she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics.  The New Yorker is one of her favorites.   

 

Writing and Performing Poetry
Facilitator:  John Palen

 

At each session, members will read and briefly discuss a model poem, then write a quick draft of their own poem that the model leads us to in some way.  Poems will be read aloud.  The study group session will conclude with a poetry reading.

Facilitator:  This is the third iteration of this study group.  John Palen is a published poet.  He is a retired journalist and journalism educator and has earned a doctorate in American Studies from Michigan State University. 

 

The Armory Show: America’s Art Awakening
Facilitator:  Sharon Williams

 

The Armory Show (The International Exhibition of Modern Art of 1913) jolted young American artists into a new dialogue with experimental art forms, but it also polarized the art community and American public.  It started what would be a long debate between people who claimed to be championing the most advanced artistic ideas and others who thought the new art was “a general movement to disrupt and degrade, if not destroy not only art but literature and society as well”.

During this Study Group, we will begin with an overview of the organization and art of the Armory Show.  Then, so that we can better appreciate why the Armory Show caused such an uproar, we will investigate the social climate and major American artists of the late 19th and early 20th Century, covering such topics as The realism of Homer and Eakins, The American Renaissance and Expatriate Artists, American Impressionism, The Eight, The Ashcan School, and Alfred Stieglitz. We will then return for a closer look at the art of the Armory Show and discuss why and how it had an impact on Modern Art in America.

Each week Sharon will post on the OLLI website readings and paintings, which will be the basis of that week’s discussion.  Additional paintings, videos, with comments from art historians, and films will be used to add to the understanding of each week’s artists and topics.

Facilitator:  Sharon Williams is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and is a State of Illinois licensed Interior Designer who was co-owner of a furniture and design business for over 35 years. She has an interest in art and art history and hopes to share her knowledge and learn from other OLLI members.  She has been the chair of the OLLI Study Group Committee and participated in numerous other study groups and courses. This will be the seventh Art History Study Group she has facilitated.

 

Advanced Latin
Facilitator:  Harold Diamond

 

Advanced Latin is a continuation of the Latin Study Group which has been meeting through OLLI for the last three years.  Participants should have some prerequisite skills in the Latin, e.g. some familiarity with grammar and vocabulary.  Group meetings are lively and, along with Latin readings, include discussion of historical and etymological topics.  The study group will review material from Orberg’s Lingua Latina Pars I, and will continue with Orberg’s Pars II.

Reading materials: Orberg’s Lingua Latina Pars II, Roma Aeterna, published by Domus Latina, MMIII.  It will also be useful to have a Latin grammar book and a Latin dictionary for this study group.

Facilitator:  Harold Diamond had Latin in high school, attended Kay Neal’s OLLI classes, and participates in the Advanced Latin Study Group.

 

Sherlock Holmes through the Ages
Facilitator:  Bob Eisenstein

 

The Guinness Book of World Records has listed Holmes as the most portrayed movie character, with more than 70 actors playing the part in over 200 films.  We will see Holmes played by John Barrymore (in a 1922 silent film), Basil Rathbone, Jeremy Brell, Peter Cushiing, Ronald Howard, Arthur Wantnur, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen, and Johnny Lee Miller.  We will also learn about Arthur Conan Doyle, and how “Sherlock changed the world” of real-life criminal and forensic investigation.

Facilitator:  Bob Eisenstein is a fan and collector of Holmes media.

 

CANCELLED -

The Federalist Papers:  Would Publius recognize us today?
Facilitators:  Frank Chadwick, Craig Cutbirth and Tim Smith

 

 

Thursdays

Best American Mystery Stories of 2015
Facilitators:  Bev Herzog and Ron Baker

 

We are continuing to read and discuss the “The Best American Mystery Stories” series.  This session we will read the twenty stories in the 2015 volume, edited by James Patterson, with series editor, Otto Penzler.  Penzler’s introduction states that “this is a wonderful collection of original fiction about extremes of human behavior caused by despair, hate, greed, fear, envy, insanity, or love—sometimes in combination….”  Patterson notes that short stories have been the sources for many movies and that he wishes “more people would read these imaginative, rich, complex tales before (if?) they get the big screen treatment….”  Publisher’s Weekly says these stories have “…a fine sense of character along with solid plotting and minimal violence.”
Group members will be expected read and be ready to discuss to two to three stories, totaling approximately 40-60 pages, each week.  Group members will also be asked to volunteer to lead discussions of a story or two, including researching the authors of the stories and developing study questions.

Reading materials:  “The Best American Mystery Stories 2015” editor, James Patterson, series editor, Otto Penzler. It is available in both hard copy and electronic versions.

Facilitators:  Bev Herzog is a retired geologist who has been an avid reader of mysteries since she was introduced to Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden as a child.  She has participated in mystery short stories study groups since joining OLLI in 2010 and has co-facilitated this group eight times since 2011 to excellent reviews.  Ron Baker is a retired Federal Human Resources Manager and OLLI member since 2013.  He almost exclusively reads mystery stories and has been in several OLLI mystery story study groups.  He co-facilitated Alfred Hitchcock's Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense during the summer 2015 study group session.

 

Time Magazine
Facilitator:  John Moore

 

The group selects three articles from Time Magazine each week to discuss, with a volunteer leader for each article.  We expect to focus on articles related to the presidential campaign during this study group session.

Facilitator:  John Moore is an almost retired Allergist and Pediatrician.  He is a long-time fan of Time and Newsweek.

 

Crowd Sourced Citizen Science on the Internet
Facilitator:  Robert McGrath

5 sessions

 

This discussion is a hands-on introduction to participating in “Citizen Science” on the Internet.  You will learn about dozens of Citizen Science projects that you can join today, and gain some expert insight into how they work and why your contribution might be important.
There are many kinds of “citizen science”, including the OLLI Citizen Scientist program.  This study group is primarily looking at Internet based “crowd sourced” approaches.  The group may, however, choose to compare and contrast these crowd sourced projects with other ways of doing citizen science and conventional science.

The first session will start with a short lecture to introduce the historical background and basic techniques.  Then the group will look at some examples of dozens of projects active today, ranging from Astronomy to Microbiology, Archaeology to Art History. A list of URL’s will be shared with the group.  Subsequent sessions will include discussion of initial experiences doing this kind of citizen scientist, exploring the results and evaluating the process.  The last session will examine some of the mechanics behind the scenes.

Facilitator:  Robert McGrath is a retired Software Engineer who, among other things, for many years pioneered web based science collaboration software (at NCSA).  In retirement, he blogs about various sociotechnical topics, including “crowd sourcing” and citizen science.

 

People, Protest, And Progress: Recent Documentaries About LGBT Lives And History
Facilitators:  Casey Sutherland and Scott Badman

 

We will present twelve documentary films (three sessions as double features due to shorter running times) covering a variety of topics important to the LGBT community and its history, with group discussions after each film. Several of the films are biographical in nature, but also included are films about historical events and movements, both well-known and forgotten. All but one of the films were produced in the 21st century, although the subject matter goes back as far in time as the 1940s. The documentaries are:

Stonewall Uprising (2011)
No Secret Anymore (2003) and Pride Divide (1997)
Brother Outsider (2003)
Radical Harmonies (2002)
Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria (2005) and Mr. Angel (2013)
How To Survive a Plague (2012)
Training Rules (2009) and Codebreaker (2011)
Wish Me Away (2011)

Facilitators:  This is Casey Sutherland’s second stint as an OLLI study group facilitator, having co-facilitated the “Happy Gay Films” study group with Scott Badman in spring 2015. She has participated in film study groups and film classes every term since joining OLLI in January 2014. She earned a B.A. in Drama and Communications from the University of New Orleans and a Masters in Library Science from the University of Illinois. She is a happily retired librarian, whose most-used iPad app is IMDb.
Scott Badman has team taught with Connie Hosier two well-received OLLI courses in LGBT film history.  In preparation for those courses he has done extensive reading and movie viewing.  A lifelong gay movie buff, he has seen most of the gay related movies that have come out since 1969.

 

Fridays

Current Readings and Writing on the Art of Dying
Facilitator:  Dirk Mol

 

6-8 weeks, depending on group decision

In the New York Times on Feb 8, the writer Andrew Solomon (author of The Noonday Demons) published a review of five recently published books, all dealing with matters related to death and dying.  The idea for this study group was born in reading that review. 

Of the five books listed below, In the Slender Margin is in many ways the most accessible and engaging.  The study will begin with that book and spend as many weeks as needed to read all of it.  After that we will sample some of the others as well as readings from other sources as time allows.

There will also be opportunities to share short accounts of and observations on our own experiences in the realm of dying.  Participants will be encouraged, but not required, to try their hand at writing about their own experience.

To benefit from the study group, members need to acquire In the Slender Margin and may want to get the others:

Death’s Summer Coat
What the History of Death and Dying Can Tell Us About Life and Living
By Brandy Schillace    Illustrated. 266 pp. Pegasus Books.

The Good Death
An Exploration of Dying in America
By Ann Neumann    240 pp. Beacon Press.

In the Slender Margin
The Intimate Strangeness of Death and Dying
By Eve Joseph    211 pp. Arcade Publishing.

The Iceberg
By Marion Coutts    272 pp. Black Cat. Paper

When Breath Becomes Air
By Paul Kalanithi     228 pp. Random House.

Total cover price for the five books is about $120 but I found all of them online for a total of about $50 / $76 for Kindle.

Facilitator: In his 45 years as an Episcopal priest and psychotherapist, Dirk Mol has spent many hours with people experiencing the reality of death.  He believes that talking about that reality before we encounter it is invaluable if we are to navigate the process without being emotionally overwhelmed.  Dirk is an experienced group facilitator and discussion leader with three prior OLLI study groups on topics centering on psychological themes.

 

Wikipedia: How It Works and How It Doesn't; How To Use It and How To Edit It
Facilitator:  Charlie Boast

 

4 weeks

Ideally, the "payoff" for members of this study group is to develop skills which enhance (a) their use of Wikipedia and (b) their ability to improve Wikipedia (via editing Wikipedia).

The study group will start with the basics of how Wikipedia works, including how one can navigate within Wikipedia.  Members will learn how to create a user name for editing.  Editing will start by fixing a simple "typo".  By examining the complete history of edits for specific Wikipedia articles, members will begin to learn how the community of Wikipedia editors interacts.

Study group participants will learn how to create an editing "sandbox" (for practice edits).  They will see how Wikipedia editors use automated computer programs (bots) in an attempt to maintain at least a minimal standard of uniformity across Wikipedia.  They will learn about templates for efficient editing, and for communicating with other editors.  They will begin to explore the vast Wikipedia "help" system, to learn more about Wikipedia features.

The strengths and weaknesses of Wikipedia will be explored through readings.  Study group members will learn how to add links and references, and how to create an article from scratch.  They will learn about how to incorporate pictures and tables in Wikipedia (including how to edit and correct tables).  They will learn how the differences between American, British and other English-language variants are accommodated in the English-language Wikipedia, and about the availability of Wikipedia systems in other languages.

Many other Wikipedia issues and features could be explored, depending on time and participant interest.

Main reading:           Wikipedia, The Missing Manual, John Broughton O'Reilly
The free, online, version is:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Wikipedia:_The_Missing_Manual

Facilitator:  Charlie Boast started editing Wikipedia articles in 2012, and has continued to do so sporadically since then, making 300+ edits (about two per week) in a wide variety of areas, mostly fine arts and tennis.  He consults Wikipedia almost daily, and often notices an issue which could be improved:  sometimes ignoring the issue, sometimes fixing it, and occasionally spending a sizable amount of time to learn how Wikipedia works, in order to make a complicated correction.  He has long thought about organizing a Wikipedia-editing-for-beginners study group, and is anticipating that he could learn a lot, and be often surprised, during the proposed study group.

 

Writers’ Café
Facilitator:   Frank Chadwick

 

Each week we meet to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages we’ve written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. We write all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it. All levels of experience welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals.

Facilitator: Frank Chadwick is a published historian and novelist and his Desert Shield Fact Book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list.  He has facilitated several OLLI study groups and two OLLI courses on “Writing the Novel”.

 

Dysfunctional Families in Films
Facilitators:  Tom Galer-Unti & Sten Johansen

 

This study group will present and discuss films about dysfunctional families.  Some are comedies.  Some are dramas.  Some are a combination of both.  We expect stimulating and lively discussions after each film.  There are no prerequisites or special knowledge needed.  Caution: there are situations in some of these films which are extremely adult in content and language, which some individuals might find offensive.  Films to be viewed (not necessarily in this order):

 

The Squid and The Whale (2005)
Still Walking (2008 Japan)
Precious (2009)
The Celebration (1998 Denmark)
Rachel Getting Married (2008)
Dogtooth (2009 Greece)
Happiness (1998)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Facilitators:  Sten has co-facilitated 2 study groups and taken numerous film classes and study groups.  He has always been interested in mental health issues and how they are presented in different cultural settings.  Tom has co-facilitated 4 study groups and taken numerous film classes and study groups.