Spotlight on Courses and Open Courses List!
Take another look at these courses! Members may register online or call the office.
Open Course List
For a full list of open courses, click on the link below!
Summer 2024 Spoghtlight on Courses!
Click on the course titles below for descriptions and schedules.
5105 The Doomsday Machine (Randy Weinberg)
Wed 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM; 3 sessions; starting 5/8/2024, ending 5/22/2024
Cyert Hall, Osher Room b
Today, almost 80 years since the first use of nuclear weapons, there is enough nuclear fire power to destroy life on this planet as we know it - many times over. In this course, we look at key moments in the evolution of nuclear weapons and the underlying (in)sanity of their use. Examples of near catastrophes will be used to highlight technologies, strategies, and ongoing risks (human and technical) of accidental or unintentional use of these ultimate systems of mass destruction. The fuse is short. Can we really continue to live with the Doomsday Machine indefinitely?
5030: Singing In A Choral Group (Connie Rapp)
Thu 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM; 6 sessions; starting 5/9/2024, ending 6/13/2024
Community Site, Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
In an atmosphere of collegiality, the class learns choral music spanning the centuries. No experience is necessary; however, the class does learn 2- and 3-part music. Reading music is helpful. The desire to participate and learn is essential!
5078: AARP Smart Driver 8-Hour Initial Course (David Zimmer)
Tue 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM; 4 sessions; starting 5/21/2024, ending 6/11/2024
Cyert Hall, Olmsted Activity Room
The updated AARP Smart Driver Course features the most informative and relevant content from previous course editions—updated to reflect current state regulations and the latest driver safety and transportation innovations. Thanks to recommendations from external researchers and experienced volunteers, some exciting new content is featured in the course, such as mental focus, roundabouts, alternative intersections, sharing the road, future actions worksheet, finding travel options, and expanded information on automobile technology. Attendance at all eight hours of this course is required for receiving the Completion Certificate to provide to your insurance company. More than just saving money, the course teaches proven driving techniques to help keep you and your loved ones safe on the road.
5079: AARP Smart Driver Refresher Course (David Zimmer)
Tue 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM; 2 sessions; starting 5/7/2024, ending 5/14/2024
Cyert Hall, Olmsted Activity Room
This course is intended for those who have taken an AARP Smart Driver Course within the past three years. The updated AARP Smart Driver Course features the most informative and relevant content from previous course editions—updated to reflect current state regulations and the latest driver safety and transportation innovations. Thanks to recommendations from external researchers and experienced volunteers, some exciting new content is featured in the course, such as mental focus, roundabouts, alternative intersections, sharing the road, future actions worksheet, finding travel options, and expanded information on automobile technology. Attendance at all four hours of this course is required for receiving the Completion Certificate to provide to your insurance company.
5043: Write Your Own Legacy (Christine Michael)
Wed 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM; 6 sessions; starting 5/8/2024, ending 6/12/2024
Online, Zoom
Write your own legacy; tell your story of your own words. Through weekly themed prompts you will answer in journal or scrapbook fashion, various life probing questions, e.g. How did you get your name? What was your first job? What was the best advice given to you? Answering these prompts will help you create your story. Each class you will be given the questions for that week, you can use them as a prompt to motivate yourself and/or you can share your writings with fellow classmates if you wish. Every life is a story.
5068: How To Deal With Bullies (Susan Morris)
Tue 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM; 2 sessions; starting 6/18/2024, ending 6/25/2024
Online, Zoom
No matter someone’s age, there can be people (whether it’s an on-again, off-again friend, a nasty neighbor or an unfriendly acquaintance) who will use insults, humiliation, dismissiveness or worse to belittle others. The students will learn to recognize bullying when it happens and learn practical strategies to respond effectively. Through discussion and guided role playing, students will gain the know-how and confidence to stand up to bullying.
4997: Liberty And No Excise! (Denise Cummins, Tracie Liberatore)
Tue 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM; starting 6/18/2024, ending 6/18/2024
Community Site, BHHA Meeting House
This was the rallying cry for the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, the first test of the power of the federal government under the new U.S. Constitution, when the unpopular excise tax levied against frontier farmers incited them to violent protest. The morning session is a lecture providing an overview of this insurrection and to establish historical context. The afternoon session is a site visit to the Bradford House Museum, where participants will tour the beautifully restored and appointed National Historic Landmark home of Whiskey Rebellion leader David Bradford, and the Whiskey Rebellion Education & Visitor Center, where visitors will walk through an illustrated timeline of events and period displays. Knowledgeable docents, in period attire, will provide additional insight as well as answer questions. All sites are located on South Main Street, Washington PA.
5016: Verbal Self Defense For Women (Jackie Umans)
Tue 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM; starting 6/18/2024, ending 6/18/2024
Cyert Hall, Olmsted Activity Room
Your voice is your first line of defense against being mugged. Muggers will often “interview” their victims beforehand by saying or doing something intimidating. Knowing what to say is not as important as knowing how to say it. If you are soft spoken and polite, the mugger is more likely to believe that you would make an easy target. We all have within us an inner fierceness that can knock a mugger off his stride. The purpose of this course is to provide a safe place for practicing how to say “No!” in a way that maximizes our chances for driving away the mugger.
5059: Norman Rockwell’s The Three Umpires (Ron Backer)
Wed 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM; starting 6/26/2024, ending 6/26/2024
Cyert Hall, Osher Room b
The Three Umpires depicts a moment in a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brooklyn Dodgers in which the umpires are looking at the sky, trying to make the tough decision of whether or not to call the game because of rain. The class will go into detail about the creation of the work (including Norman Rockwell’s taking of reference photos at Ebbets Field), anomalies, controversies, and interesting facts about the painting (such as why only three umpires are depicted, the models for the three Pirates players shown in the painting, and why the Dodgers manager is smiling and the Pirates manager is frowning even though the Pirates will automatically win if the game is called because of rain). An overview of Rockwell’s other baseball paintings will also be provided. Note: this is not a class about art history or style. It is Norman Rockwell from a baseball perspective.