OLLI fall semester announced

The OLLI Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Fall 2017 semester begins Tuesday, Sept. 5, with a dramatic, real-life rescue adventure story by noted author, Michael Tougias. The programs are held at 2 p.m. Tuesdays and last about an hour and a half.



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SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The OLLI Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Fall 2017 semester begins Tuesday, Sept. 5, with a dramatic, real-life rescue adventure story by noted author, Michael Tougias. The programs are held at 2 p.m. Tuesdays and last about an hour and a half. The meeting location is the Nolin Murray Center on Pleasant Street, next to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Springfield, Vermont. This local educational group is pleased that its membership has steadily increased as people have become familiar with the engaging style of the speakers and the topics offered. Sponsored by the University of Vermont, OLLI is run by local volunteer members and is geared mainly toward seniors who are 50 years of age and over who enjoy learning for the fun of it. Anyone who would be interested in this type of program, regardless of their age, is welcome. Memberships are $45 each semester and include entrance to all nine programs in the semester as well as admittance to the seven other Osher Institute programs throughout Vermont, such as in Brattleboro, Rutland and St. Johnsbury. Non-members are welcome and encouraged to attend individual programs for an $8 program fee. To facilitate registration, please send memberships to UVM OLLI Registration Office, 460 South Prospect Street, Burlington, VT 05401. Checks should be made payable to The University of Vermont. Indicate that it for the Springfield OLLI. Memberships and day fees may also be paid at the program. The latest brochures have been printed and distributed throughout the area at public locations such as local libraries, town halls, community and senior centers, and chamber of commerce offices. Requests for a brochure can be made by calling (802) 885-3094. The program listing can be viewed and downloaded from the internet at www.learn.uvm.edu/olli. Choose Statewide Sites and scroll to Springfield. Following is the listing of programs for the Fall 2017 semester: — Sept. 5 “So Close to Home,” by Michael Tougias, New York Times bestselling author. Hear a dramatic presentation based on Tougias’ co-authored book, “So Close to Home,” which tells an American family’s World War II story of survival after a U-boat attacked them. —Sept. 12 “The Owl, Silent Predator of the Night,” by Kurt Valenta, naturalist, educator, founder of Exordium, a Nature & Outdoor Education Organization. Co-sponsored by Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society. Take a close-up look at one of the most relentless predators of the skies. — Sept. 26 “Big Bands: When Swing Was King,” by Erik Nielsen, Professional Composer. During the pre-World War II years, big band music was the most popular music in America, with millions of fans. Why was it so big during the Depression, and why did it die so soon after the end of World War II? — Oct. 10 “Airplanes of World War II,” by Bruce Johnson, aviation historian. Explore the development of the airplane as a tool of warfare from the years between the World Wars and through the accelerated development of the war years. — Oct. 24 “New England Poor Houses and Town Farms,” by Steve Taylor, farmer, writer, scholar of all things rural. From its earliest settlements New England has struggled with issues surrounding the treatment of its poor. This program examines how the poor were treated in alms houses, poor farms and later, county institutions. — Oct. 31 “The Brain: How Does It Work Anyway?” by Robert Hamill, M.D., Prof. Emeritus of Neurological Science, University of Vermont. Dr. Hamill discusses new understandings of brain function and dysfunction plus evolving research techniques and strategies for improving brain health as we age. — Nov.14 “Painting a Nation: American Art at Shelburne Museum,” by Katie Wood Kirchhoff, associate curator, Shelburne Museum. Looking closely at selected paintings, Kirchhoff will discuss the formal relationships between academic and folk traditions and explore the methods artists used to tell their stories via the brush. — Nov. 28 “Sherlock Holmes: The Hidden Truth,” by Michael Atkinson, Prof. Emeritus of English and Comparative Literature, Univ. of Cincinnati. Come explore some surprising facets of this fascinating figure with Michael Atkinson, whose book, “The Secret Marriage of Sherlock Holmes,” won the coveted Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. — Dec. 5 “Going Deep: Exploring the Universe with Space Telescopes,” By Mark Breen, director of the Lyman Spitzer Jr. Planetarium at the Fairbanks Museum. Breen will share deep-space discoveries using a vast collection of fascinating images and offers insights about the advancements in scientific understanding.