SCHEDULE OF COURSES June Sampler 2016
June 1-30
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
OLLI’s academic year concludes June 30 with the all about Michigan classes in this catalog. Because of the support you have given, this year has been one of OLLI’s best - and Carol, Corey and I thank you. Look for our free kick-off class in September with researcher, Dr. Michael Fossel, a former physician at Mercy Health St. Mary’s, author, and lecturer at Grand Valley State University’s biomedical program as he presents the topic, “Alzheimer’s Can Be Cured.” This will be a great time to introduce your friends to OLLI and sign up for memberships!
COURSE HIGHLIGHTS Virtual Canoe Trip Down the Grand River page 2
MONDAY Take a Virtual Canoe Trip Down the Grand River 9:30-11:30 a.m. Michigan’s Jazz Scene 9:30-11:30 a.m. Lighthouses of Michigan 9:30-11:30 a.m. The Parks of Michigan: Public Space for Public Good 1:30-3:30 p.m. Brookby and the Blodgetts 9:30-11:30 a.m. Mother and Daughter Journeys 1:30-3:30 p.m. Brothers in Blue: The 6th Michigan and the 4th Wisconsin Serving Side By Side in the Civil War 1:30-3:30 p.m.
TUESDAY The Spirituality of Work – The Work of Spirituality 9:30-11:30 a.m. Murder & Mayhem in Grand Rapids 9:30-11:30 a.m. Crowley’s Department Store: Gone but not Forgotten 1:30-3:30 p.m. Lubbers Family Farm Tour 10-11:30 a.m. The Anatomy of Anatomy of a Murder 9:30-11:30 a.m. Ghosts and Legends of Michigan 1:30-3:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Michigan: Mittenful of Riches 1:30-3:30 p.m. Todd & Brad Reed: Photographing Michigan 9:30-11:30 a.m. The French Tarte: Michigan Berries, Tarts and Tea 1:30-3:30 p.m. The City of Grand Rapids: The Police Chief’s Perspective 9:30-11:30 a.m. The 2016 Presidential Election: Does Our Democracy Work? 11:30-1:30 p.m.
THURSDAY Postmark Paradise 9:30-11:30 a.m. Richland Park Horse Trials: Where Future Olympians are Made 1:30-3:30 p.m. Applewood: The Mott Estate 100 Years of Stories 1916-2016 9:30-11:30 a.m. America’s Arsenal of Democracy: Michigan during WWII 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Modern as Tomorrow: MidA Fluid Frontier: Slavery, Century Modern Architecture along Resistance, and the the Michigan Underground Railroad Roadside in the Detroit River 1:30-3:30 p.m. Borderland 9:30-11:30 a.m. FREE MEMBER CLASS West Michigan Refugee Education and Cultural Center 9:30-11 a.m.
FRIDAY
The Parks of Michigan: Public Space for Public Good
May It Please the Court: Michigan Cases that May Impact Our Lives 9:30-11:30 a.m.
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Tour of the West Michigan Aviation Academy 10 -11:30 a.m.
Ghosts and Legends of Michigan
American Pottery from the Great Lakes 9:30-11:30 a.m. FREE MEMBER CLASS OLLI Player Perform at OLLI 10-11 a.m. … to a Better Life 9:30-11 a.m.
Murder & Mayhem in Grand Rapids page 4
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Michigan: Mittenful of Riches page 5
Todd & Brad Reed: Photographing Michigan page 6
America’s Arsenal of Democracy: Michigan during WWII page 8
May it Please the Court? page 8
PRO-RATED MEMBERSHIPS STILL AVAILABLE Because OLLI’s year is half over, we have reduced our annual Bronze and Silver membership fee by 50%. As of February 1, Bronze Memberships are only $12.50, and Silver Memberships are $30 through June 2016. All membership advantages still apply with reduced pricing on tuition classes. When you purchase a membership, you help the OLLI at Aquinas College program!
• Reminder: No OLLI credit will be given without a 24 hour notice. • All classes are held in the Browne Center - unless noted or notified. • Class cancellations due to weather at OLLI are based on Aquinas College closing – please check local TV stations and aquinas.edu
OLLI TUITION COURSES
MONDAY Take a Virtual Canoe Trip Down the Grand River Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 6 Jeff Neumann has taken to the river after retiring from teaching at GRCC three years ago. Starting his small business, GR Paddling, has given him the opportunity to help folks appreciate all that Grand Rapids area lakes and rivers have to offer. From the front seat of a virtual canoe, take a tour down 600 miles of the Grand River with Jeff as your guide. There’s absolutely no chance that you’ll flip this boat or even get your feet wet. We’ll be making several virtual stops along the way to stretch our legs, look
Call to register: 616.632.2430
around, and appreciate some of the wonderful attributes, history, and characteristics that are associated with these critical assets of Central and West Michigan. If you’d like to join, just put on a virtual life jacket and grab a paddle (or just float if you’d like). The Captain has granted you permission to “Come Aboard” – virtually! M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20 NOTE: Immediately following this virtual river trip, how about heading to the river for a real paddling experience? Contact Jeff @ GR Paddling: 616-558-2609 or jeff@grpaddling.com to register.
Michigan’s Jazz Scene Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 2 Classes – June 6 & 13 Tim Froncek is one of the busiest drummers in West Michigan; performing, directing, teaching, lecturing or
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judging one of the many jazz festivals in the mid-west. Tim is an affiliate professor at GVSU where he teaches the history of jazz and directs the university jazz orchestra. His motto is “have drums will travel!” Join Tim as he talks about Michigan’s jazz music scenes and the musicians who contributed to the popularity of the sound. Tim will talk about neighborhoods in Detroit such as the Black Bottom and Paradise Valley where jazz venues popped up overnight. These areas were so popular that the likes of Count Basie and Duke Ellington visited often. But, Detroit had its own players like Milt Jackson, Marcus Belgrave and the Jones Brothers who made this new art form popular, and who brought in hundreds of people night after night. This new lightly swinging music spread quickly to cities on the west side of the state, especially in Benton Harbor where the people packed clubs to hear
COURSES CONT. this new sound. Come learn about jazz in Michigan while listening to great music! M: Bronze $34 Silver $28 NM: $40
Lighthouses of Michigan Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 13 Jack Buege is a life member of the Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association (SPLKA). SPLKA is responsible for four lighthouses, including two of the tallest in the Great Lakes - Big Sable Point Lighthouse located in Ludington State Park and Little Sable in Silver Lake State Park. In addition, the association operates the Ludington North Breakwater Light and the White River Light Station. Jack is a past president of the association and was on the board of directors for seven years. He was a volunteer keeper at Big Sable for ten years and has led training sessions for volunteer keepers. He also holds the record for climbing Big Sable - 1347 times! Current lighthouses no longer serve the purpose they use to, but they are still a fascinating part of Michigan’s history. A number of lighthouses are open for climbing, and some have keeper programs where you can live in the original keepers’ quarters, or act as docents for visitors. These programs will be explained along with detailed descriptions of the SPLKA keeper program, and how to become a keeper. Why does Michigan have more lighthouses than any other state? Why are lighthouses so different from each other? What is meant by a lighthouse’s daymark, or characteristic? Jack will cover the purpose of lighthouses, their history, and what it was like to be a lighthouse keeper. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
The Parks of Michigan: Public Space for Public Good Monday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 2 Classes – June 13 & 20 Matthew Daley, Ph.D., is associate professor of history at GVSU. Dr. Daley’s research focuses on urban public and social policy, Great Lakes maritime culture and technology, and public history. He is editor of the Grand Rapids Historical Society’s magazine Grand River Valley History. Green spaces, vest pockets, recreational areas are all names we use today to describe parkland throughout the state of Michigan. The idea of open spaces being available to the public is not a concept unique to Michigan, but one that has great significance in the rural and urban areas of both peninsulas. Parks come in all shapes and sizes, from entire islands like Lake Superior’s Isle Royale and Belle Isle in the Detroit River, National Parks like Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, state parks like Grand Haven, urban areas such as Garfield Park in Grand Rapids—and Veterans Parks in communities everywhere. Matthew will discuss the origins of parks in the U.S. and Michigan, the contentious political issues that come with designating places as parks and the use of those areas. Matthew will cover parks in communities great and small, spaces spectacular and contemplative, and across both peninsulas. M: Bronze $34 Silver $28 NM: $40
Brookby and the Blodgetts Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 20
BACK BY POP UL DEMAN AR D
Jeffrey Sytsma received a BA in history and a MA in secondary education. After ten years of teaching high school history, Jeffrey pursued 3
his other passion of gardens and landscaping, with an interest in historic gardens. He is a trustee of the Grand Rapids Historical Society. What is the history of the John W. Blodgett Estate, officially named Brookby, and now owned by Aquinas College? Who was John W. Blodgett and his wife Minnie? What do we know about this magnificent mansion and the Blodgett family who lived there? Jeffrey will focus this talk on the life of John W. Blodgett and the building of Brookby, the grand estate which still resides on the corner of Plymouth Road. Built during the Roaring Twenties, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since the 1980s, numerous photos of indoors, outdoors, and of letter and receipts will help tell the tale and answer your curiosity on both the Blodgetts, and on Brookby. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Mother and Daughter Journeys Monday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 1 Class – June 27 Annette Y. Kirk is president of the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, director of its residential Fellows Program, and publisher of the journals, The University Bookman and Studies in Burke and His Time. Andrea Kirk Assaf is a journalist living in Rome and Remus, Michigan. In 2015, Andrea edited Pope Francis’ Little Book of Wisdom. She and her husband, Tony Assaf, direct the Rome program for Aquinas College students. Annette and her daughter Andrea will share their city-mouse, countrymouse stories of their marriages and work that have led them from New
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York City to the Village of Mecosta and from the Eternal City of Rome to a farm in Remus Michigan. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Brothers in Blue: The 6th Michigan and the 4th Wisconsin Serving Side By Side in the Civil War Monday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 1 Class– June 27 Gordon Olson is Grand Rapids City Historian Emeritus and has written many books about Michigan and Wisconsin history. He is currently working on an account of the National Guard Red Arrow Division and its service in New Guinea in World War II. “Terrorism” and “counterterrorism” are not terms generally used in the narrative of the United States Civil War. Gordon will focus on two infantry regiments that served together through much of the war, helping the Union take control of the Mississippi River in 1863, and then dealing with small groups of Confederate partisans, irregulars and outlaws—to many, terrorists in modern parlance. Gordon’s most recent book, The Notorious Isaac Earl and His Scouts; Union Soldiers, Prisoners, Spies will be the focus of the class. The book is the story of a small group of Wisconsin soldiers who spent nearly a year as a Union Army counterinsurgency squad. Heavily armed, experienced soldiers, Earl’s Special Scouts tracked down and arrested guerrillas and smugglers from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to the White River in Arkansas. The 6th Michigan regularly sent similar small squads into the region. At the end of the war, both regiments served together to secure Mobile Bay for the Union. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Call to register: 616.632.2430
TUESDAY The Spirituality of Work – The Work of Spirituality Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 7 Albert Lewis, Ph.D., former director of the Emeritus College, is a nationally recognized author, speaker, rabbi, and specialist on aging. Rabbi Lewis will look at how religion, spirituality and work impact our sense of self, community and others. He will explore how corporations are recognizing the importance of spirituality in the workplace and will address the question, is it all right to say “spiritual,” but not “religious?” M: Bronze $ 17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Murder & Mayhem in Grand Rapids Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 14 Tobin T. Buhk began his life as a true crime writer when he did a stint as a volunteer in the Kent County morgue, where he stood behind Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Cohle, quietly observing as Dr. Cohle unraveled baffling forensic mysteries. This experience led to their first collaborative book, Cause of Death, which was followed by a second , Skeletons in the Closet. He published Poisoning the Pecks of Grand Rapids in 2014, and Murder & Mayhem in Grand Rapids in 2015. Travel back in time to yesteryear in Grand Rapids with author and crime historian Tobin T. Buhk. Take a look inside the old Kent County Jail and eyewitness a jail break. Follow
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authorities as they track the train robber who murdered Detective George Powers. Come face to face with Jenny Flood, who murdered for insurance money. Attempt to solve the enigma of the 1921 bank robbery that led to the shooting deaths of two Grand Rapids police officers. Tobin will present these and other fascinating stories from the sinister side of Grand Rapids in his presentation Murder and Mayhem in Grand Rapids. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Crowley’s Department Store: Gone but not Forgotten Tuesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 1 Class – June 14 Bruce Kopytek is an architect and graphic designer who writes, lectures, and maintains a blog called, “The Department Store Museum.” His book, Jacobson’s: I Miss It So was published in 2011 and selected as a Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan. It will be followed this year by two others, The Three ‘L’s: Shopping in Downtown Toledo’s Big Three Department Stores and a yet to be titled history of the T. Eaton Co. of Canada. Operating in the shadow of the enormous J.L. Hudson Co., Crowley’s earned Detroit’s trade with fine merchandise and good service, all in an atmosphere that made it the Motor City’s friendly department store. Generations of customers still hold Crowley’s close in their memories, fondly recalling the store’s ancient wooden escalators, fashionable merchandise and special events like “Breakfast with Santa.” Wander back in time with historian Bruce Kopytek through the venerable old store and its suburban branches to discover all the things that made Crowley’s such a special retail destination. Along the way, students will discover
COURSES CONT. fascinating but hidden historical tidbits such as the brutal murder of a Chicago partner of Crowley’s predecessor store, the relationship of one of the story’s characters to the Irish Home Rule movement in the late 1800s, and the time Harry Houdini worked himself out of a crate secured by employees! M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Lubbers Family Farm Tour Tuesday, 10-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 21 Tour this picturesque farm located along the Grand River in West Michigan. You will see the gentle Jersey cows out on pasture, ancient Australorp chickens hunting for bugs, and pigs in the pasture reveling in their piggyness, as only a pig can, and two grumpy geese may honk their welcome. Check out the bakery and the creamery, and visit the historic barn made by hand long ago with 50’ oak timbers. Stroll through the abundant gardens that feed this family that no longer buys food from grocery stores. Walk into another world and learn about the guiding principles embraced by this farm that honors the earth. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20 Location: Please meet at the farm, located at 862 Luce Street SW Grand Rapids 49534, no later than 9:45 a.m. Note: 30 maximum
The Anatomy of Anatomy of a Murder Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 2 Classes – June 21 & 28 Ian MacNeil, recent Aquinas College graduate in political science and mathematics, former film reviewer for AQ The Saint newspaper, is now employed in the real world of engineering. He has, however, not
lost his passion and knowledge of movies. Courtroom crime dramas don’t come more intense than Otto Preminger’s 1959 classic Anatomy of a Murder. “Strong suspense and pounding drama... uninhibited and uncensored,” raved The New York Times. Adapted from the novel by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker (as Robert Traver) and starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, and George C. Scott, this film broke cinematic and legal ground by harmonizing Hollywood storytelling with realistic trial procedure. Join Ian MacNeil, host of the OLLI Oscar Preview Party, as he returns to show and discuss this Oscar-nominated film set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and inspired by a real Michigan crime. In the first week, Ian will introduce and screen the first portion of Anatomy of a Murder. Return the second week for the film’s dramatic climax and an intriguing analysis of its central themes. M: Bronze $34 Silver $28 NM: $40
Ghosts and Legends of Michigan Tuesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 2 Classes – June 21 & 28 Amberrose Hammond, a local history enthusiast, has lectured extensively on her research of ghost stories, legends, old true crimes and other unusual topics in Michigan. She is the author of Ghosts & Legends of Michigan’s West Coast, Wicked Ottawa County and Wicked Grand Rapids. She has a BA in English from GVSU. Her pursuits into paranormal in 2000 led her to develop Michigan’s Otherside, a website exploring the mysterious worlds of the Great Lakes State.
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Amberrose will begin with an explanation of Michigan’s most haunted spots and urban legends. She will then take a trip back in time to explore some of west Michigan’s forgotten true crime stories. One such story will be about a local school principal who lost his “cool” in a bad, bad way. Amberrose will also tell the story of the day the Ku Klux Klan lit their fiery crosses along the Grand River. Join author Amberrose as she explores these forgotten Michigan tales and the villains and colorful characters involved. M: Bronze $34 Silver $28 NM: $40
WEDNESDAY Michigan: Mittenful of Riches Wednesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 1 Class – June 1 Mary Jane Dockeray, Ph.D., was Curator Naturalist of the Blandford Nature Center from 19681990. She was recently named one of Michigan’s Women of the Year and inducted into Michigan’s Hall of Fame. The four major chapters in the geologic “book of Michigan” are written in the layers of rock and sediments that we live on and travel over every day. From the violent volcanic beginnings to the more recent crushing Ice Age, the stories in the rocks help us to understand what makes Michigan what it is today. Mary Jane’s program traces the development of Michigan from its earliest prehistoric days to the present – a geologic travelogue. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
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Todd & Brad Reed: Photographing Michigan Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 8 Todd and Brad Reed are a father-son outdoor photography team from Ludington, Michigan. Todd has been recording Michigan scenes for over 40 years – over half of those years as a photojournalist for the Ludington Daily News. Brad carried his father’s gear as a young boy and learned to see the world through photographs – learning to chase the light and capture defining moments. Todd and Brad have a simple approach to photography: choose subjects that touch them in emotional ways and convey these emotions through their photographs. In 2013, their book Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed: A Michigan Tribute was published. This book recorded images of Michigan’s natural beauty from sunrise to sunset on Tuesdays for a year. The following year, the team set out to photograph the splendor of Michigan every Wednesday – the end result is their latest book Todd and Brad Reed’s Michigan: Wednesdays in the Mitten. This father-son team will visually show the beauty of this remarkable state we live in through the artful lens of their camera. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
The French Tarte: Michigan Berries, Tarts and Tea Wednesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 1 Class – June 15 Susan Vandenberg, MD, returns to Grand Rapids after a 20year hiatus during which she made the decision to leave her career as an emergency medicine
Call to register: 616.632.2430
physician and pursue her passion for fine pastry. In 2006, she attended the baking and pastry program at Apicius Culinary Institute in Florence, followed by completion of Le Diplome de Patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Her small cottage business, The French Tarte, focuses on teaching French pastry techniques and offering delicious French style pastries, tarts and shortbread. She shares her tips and techniques of recipe evaluation on her blog, “Baking with the French Tarte.” With Michigan’s summer fruit bounty upon us, it’s the perfect time to learn the techniques for two classic tart doughs and their use in seasonal fruit tarts. Enjoy a demonstration plus recipes and tasty treats, along with a look at the practice of afternoon tea and all its charms. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20 Note: All registrations please add $5 fee for materials
The City of Grand Rapids: The Police Chief’s Perspective Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 22 David Rahinsky holds a MS in criminology from Florida State University and is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He began his tenure as the Police Chief of Grand Rapids in 2014. Supported by his 29 years of law enforcement experience, Chief Rahinsky holds an extensive knowledge of police leadership, crime control and prevention, and investigative work. He remains committed to the goal of strengthening community relationships while focusing on making Grand Rapids the safest city of its size in the nation. Chief Rahinsky will discuss the state of the Grand Rapids Police Department: where we are, where
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we are going and how we will get there. Included will be the current hot topics about trust with community members, the use of body cameras, and what is being done to prevent crime. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
The 2016 Presidential Election: Does Our Democracy Work? Thursday, 11:30-1:30 p.m. 1 Class– June 22 Join Glenn Barkan, retired political science professor and current political analyst, as he facilitates this on-going group discussion on the 2016 Presidential election. Each meeting will be an exchange of ideas on the candidates, campaigns and issues of the next election. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
A Fluid Frontier: Slavery, Resistance, and the Underground Railroad in the Detroit River Borderland Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 29 Veta S. Tucker Ph.D. is an Underground Railroad historian, African American Literature scholar, and a recently retired GVSU professor. She is the author of A Twenty-first Century History of the 1847 Kentucky Raid in Cass County, Michigan and the co-editor of A Fluid Frontier: Slavery, Resistance, and the Underground Railroad in the Detroit River Borderland. As the major gateway into North America for travelers on the Underground Railroad, the U.S./Canadian border along the Detroit River was a boundary that determined whether thousands of
COURSES CONT. enslaved people of African descent could reach a place of freedom and opportunity. Veta will explore the experiences of the freedom-seekers and their advocates, both black and white, against the backdrop of the social forces – legal, political, social, religious, and economic – that shaped the meaning of race and management of slavery on both sides of the river. She will also tell the stories of those who eluded slave catchers with the help of people in towns like Marshall, Michigan! M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
THURSDAY Postmark Paradise Thursday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 2 Local TV commercial and industrial filmmaker, Thompson Clay, produced and directed a 35mm feature length, dramatic movie, Postmark Paradise – a heartwarming story about a Russian mail-order bride who comes to American to live in a small Midwestern farm town. His pals bought him a mail order bride from Russia as a joke… They got more than they bargained for. The movie won many awards at film festivals and had distribution from coast to coast. Thom will screen his movie (which was locally filmed) and discuss with the class the creative challenges involved with making this movie. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Richland Park Horse Trials: Where Future Olympians are Made Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 1 Class – June 2 Kate Dernocoeur has ridden horses since age 2, thanks to her godmother (now age 90, and still riding). When Kate isn’t riding, she stays busy creating an adventurous life which most recently involved writing a history book for the National Outdoor Leadership School, training her Search & Rescue K9 (a German shepherd named Amazing Grace), and volunteering with the Ada Fire Department as an EMT-firefighter. You do not need to know a thing about horses to appreciate this one of a kind event. West Michigan— Richland, to be exact—is home to one of the top five Eventing venues in the nation. Some explain the sport by dubbing it Equine Triathlon, because the horse-rider teams compete over three or four days through three phases of competition before winners can be announced: dressage (a beautiful dance of balance and rhythm), show jumping (in an arena with colorful jumps set close together), and—the heart of the sport—cross country jumping (across fields, through woods, up and down hills, into the water, off banks, over ditches, and more). It’s a blast! The cross country course at Richland Park Horse Trials sits on 340 gorgeous acres. More than 400 teams from all over attend, including most of the “big names” in the sport, many of them Olympians. Kate will encourage students to attend the trials (August 2016). It’s a great show to watch and there’s even a fun trade fair - you could make a day of it! M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Applewood: The Mott Estate 100 Years of Stories 1916-2016 Thursday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 9 Susan Newhof had been writing for the Ruth Mott Foundation for a decade when she was offered the extraordinary opportunity to immerse herself in the family archives, and more than 20,000 photos, to chronicle Applewood’s first one hundred years. From her home in Montague, Susan works as a writer and communication strategist for foundations and nonprofit organizations. Her books, Michigan’s Town and Country Inns and Spirits & Wine, a novel, are published by the University of Michigan Press. Join author Susan Newhof for an illustrated armchair tour of the gentleman’s farm built in Flint in 1916 by philanthropist and General Motors founder Charles Stewart Mott. Take a look back at Applewood’s first one hundred years, the celebrations and tragedies, the beloved wives and children, and the decades when most of the family’s food came from the animals and crops raised at the estate. Susan weaves the stories with passages from personal letters, recollections from family members and staff, and notes from C.S. Mott’s detailed daily diary that spanned forty-one years. New and historic photos give an intimate look at the private life of a very public family and the place they called home. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
America’s Arsenal of Democracy: Michigan during WWII Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 3 Classes – June 16, 23 & 30 Fred Johnson, Ph.D., is associate professor of history at Hope College. Dr. Johnson earned his Masters and
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Doctorate degrees at Kent State University. His primary field of study is 19th Century U.S. History, specifically, the Civil War. He has authored many books, and currently is completing the book America’s Blind Spot: U.S. Foreign Policy in Africa 1945-Present. Dr. Johnson has received many awards including the Hope Favorite and Most Outstanding Professor Awards. During the Second World War, the state of Michigan, already long known as the car capital of the world, redirected its industrial might toward producing the weapons that helped achieve victory. Dr. Johnson will explore the amazing story behind the talent, determination, and manufacturing brilliance that helped Michigan become America’s Arsenal of Democracy. M: Bronze $51 Silver $42 NM: $60
Modern as Tomorrow: MidCentury Modern Architecture along the Michigan Roadside Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 1 Class – June 23 Christine Byron and Tom Wilson, of Grand Rapids, share a love of northern Michigan and a fascination with its history. They are co-authors of the five books in the Vintage Views series. The pictorial histories, illustrated with vintage images and ephemera, explore the development of tourism in Michigan. The Michigan roadside landscape changed dramatically after WWII with the rise of “mid-century mod“populuxe”. This style of architecture is characterized by flat planes, geometric angles, large glass windows, 1950’s colors, and oftentimes flat roofs. Although Michigan produced a wealth of wellknown architects, such as Alden B.
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Dow and Eero Saarinen, most of the motels, restaurants and gas stations in this presentation were not created by such well-known figures. And unlike the buildings by these famous architects, most of the roadside mid-century modern buildings have been razed, significantly changed, or “remuddled.” Through their postcard and ephemera collection, Byron and Wilson have documented this architectural period where spaceage and “Jetson-style” buildings were once seen along major highways in Michigan. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
FRIDAY May It Please the Court: Michigan Cases that May Impact Our Lives Friday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 3 Bruce Courtade, an attorney with Rhoades McKee, practices civil and commercial litigation, construction law, business disputes and general business counseling. Bruce received both his bachelor’s degree and juris doctor from the University of Michigan. In 2010, he received the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award. In 2012-2013, Bruce served as the president of the Michigan State Bar. The intersection between the legislative and judicial branches of our government is not often discussed, but impacts our lives on a daily basis, as new laws are passed and new cases decided which often have dramatic impact on the manner in which we work, live and even the manner in which we die. Among the issues that will be discussed are legislative efforts
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to deal with issues like the wages that need to be paid on Statefunded jobs; issues dealing with the aftermath of the Flint water crisis; cases decided by Michigan’s state and federal courts that impact everything from how we conduct business to who can access our private records; and ongoing efforts to modernize and streamline our court system to bridge the “justice gap” between our increasinglyexpensive court system and those who cannot afford the costs associated with it. Bruce will be joined at times by representatives of the legislative and judicial branches of our government, who will offer their perspective on some of these issues they see shaping and changing the lives of Michigan’s residents. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Tour of the West Michigan Aviation Academy Friday, 10 -11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 10 Patrick J. Cwayna, CEO of WMAA, has over 40 years of experience as an educator in Michigan. He spent over 20 years as principal of East Grand Rapids High School, and under his leadership, East was recognized as an exemplary state and national school. Before joining the Aviation charter school, he served as Chief Liaison for Presidential Affairs and Vice President for College Relations at Grand Rapids Community College. Join Pat Cwayna as he gives a tour of and talks about the West Michigan Aviation Academy, an innovative, successful charter school. Dick and Betsy DeVos founded the Academy in the fall of 2010 because of their passion for education and aviation. The school began with 80 freshmen students and has since grown to over 280 students. The tour will give a better understanding of charter
COURSES CONT. schools in Michigan as well as a glimpse of a state of the art facility where “attitude meets altitude.” M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20 Location: Please meet at 9:45 a.m. at the school located at: 5363 44th ST SE 49512 NOTE: Maximum 30
American Pottery from the Great Lakes Friday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 1 Class – June 17 Ward Paul and Charles Schoenknet are two of Grand Rapids’ best when
it comes to antiques. Their knowledge and expertise of antiques is unsurpassed in West Michigan. They have hosted and appraised many local road shows as fund raisers for non-profit organizations and they are always an OLLI favorite.
their artists and their production and sales. Changes in pottery styles, forms and colors reflecting the same changes happening in the culture, will be examined. Many examples will be available for viewing. Students are also invited to bring just one item of pottery from their personal collections for identification and evaluation. This will be another one of Chuck and Ward’s entertaining, educational, yet fun class. M: Bronze $17 Silver $14 NM: $20
Join Chuck and Ward as they look at the history of American Art Pottery in the Great Lakes region. They will introduce you to many different producers, compare the individuality and commonalities in their styles,
FREE MEMBER CLASSES AT THE BROWNE CENTER West Michigan Refugee Education and Cultural Center Wednesday, 9:30-11 a.m. June 1 Over 600 refugees enter West Michigan every year. Susan Kragt worked in the refugee services in a variety of roles before becoming the first executive director of West Michigan Refugee Education and Cultural Center in 2012. She has worked with refugees from around the world including Somalia, Burma and Syria. Learn more about this unique organization in Grand Rapids and the wonderful work that Susan and her staff do to welcome refugees to West Michigan and successfully integrate them into our community.
OLLI Players Perform at OLLI
… to a Better Life
Friday, 10-11 a.m. June 3
Friday, 9:30-11 a.m. June 24
You really don’t have to grow up – ever! Let the OLLI Players show you how to stay young and young at heart. This fun, outgoing group of performers will entertain you with their Saints Alive performance – a little song, a bit of dance and lots of laughs.
This is a success story about prisons and prisoners due partly to the work of a small underfunded, yet highly effective organization. Humanity for Prisoners is the only organization that works one on one with prisoners in Michigan. Because of their efforts, and those of countless others that provide support after prisoners are released, the number of prisoners who successfully re-enter society has increased. Join Doug Tjapkes as he discusses his involvement as an advocate for this organization.
Join the O Hiking G LLI roup.
All Who W an Are Not L der ost… The seco nd and fo urth Mon each mon day of th startin g April 25 . Details an d schedule on OLLI F acebook page
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M = members
NM = non-members
Thank You for Supporting Our
ANNUAL DONATION DRIVE! Mary Alexander
Trudy Evans
Cynthia Mader
Margaret Ryan
Marty and Sue Allen
Carl and Marilyn Failor
Judy Maggini
Phyllis and Stanley Saganski
Concetta Amante
Thomas Fehsenfeld
Joan Malik
Mary Schaffer
Madelyn Askins
Maurice and Sara Fetty
Kathleen Margo
David Schroeder
Glenn and Kathryn Barkan
Bill and Mary Ford
Kary Scheiern and Bill Martin
Marianna Scimeca
Patsy Barrett
Jeffery and Sheila Frank
Chet Maternowski
Joan Secchia
Syd and Mary Baxter
Mary Caroline Frey
Barbara Mayo-Johnson
Anthony Selvaggio
Susan Behnke
Diane Friar
George and Katy McAleenan
Mary Ann Sheline
Catherine Bela
Julie Friberg
Greg and Karin McAleenan
Joy Smith
Jim and Kathy Benjamin
Judith Furman
Susan McCarthy
John Smith
Eric and Anita Bennett
Charles Gearing
Terence McIlhargey
Deborah Snow
John and Micki Benz
Gene Gilmore
Joan Miedema
Rick and Sue Steketee
Bob and Val Bernecker
Inta Grace
Juddee Milito
Julie Strauss
Tom and Sandra Blackwell
June Hall
Anne Miller
Margaret Taylor
Michael Bosscher
David and Elizabeth Hamm
Glynis Miller
Ann Thomas
Susan Bowers
Marcia Hammerslag
Bill and Mary Moore
Larry and Julia Titley
Reynolds Brander
Terri Handlin
Joan Morris
Sr. Sue Tracy
Jack and Mary Brown
Catherine Haney
Lyle Morrison
Jan Treur
Bob Bultema
Jerry and Char Heckenmueller
Lee and Sue Murphy
Ron and Gerri Urbanski
Barbara Bunbury
Don and Sandy Hines
Louise Neller
Sharon Van Haven
Sandra Burns
Anne Horvitz
Jack Nichols
Jud and Judy Vander Wal
Bill and Char Bylsma
Ken and Noreen Hungerford
Elizabeth Nickels
Marjorie Virdin
Diana Campbell
Margaret Idema
Nick Nolan
Elizabeth Vittands
Kim Carnes
Barbara Irwin
Mary E. O’Connor
Betty Vogl
Carolyn Carter
Mary Ann Jackson
Terrence O Rourke
Irene Walker
Michael Cary
Ginny Glew Jaeger
Armen Oumedian
Jeanne Waller
Rita Citron
Kay Jefchak
Sheila Paavo
Caroline Waltz
Irma Cornelius
Chuck and Carol Jennings
Tom and Philomena Paniwozik
Karin Waterbury
Giles and Lorene Courtney
Bill Jones
Sheila Pantlind
Jerry and Ginny Weddell
Pam Daugavietis
Mary Kampfschulte
Lois Parker
Deborah Weemhoff
Clif Davidson
Dave Kampfschulte
Linda Patterson
Ivan Wheland
Harold and Betty Davidson
Barbara Keller
George and Darcy Pawlowski
Pia White
Bernie DePrimo
Don and Ann Kelley
Till and Bernice Peters
Margaret Wieland
Jon and Mary DeWitt
Ruth Kemp
Judy Pettenger
Amy Wilcox
Mary Jane Dockeray
Jack and Rita Kirkwood
Velga Plate
Larry and Betsy Willey
George Doyle
Sharon Knapp
Barbara Pobojewski
Joan Wilson
Nancy Duiven
Susan Kohloff
Peg Porter
Wiley and Karen Wilson
Nancy Dunn
Judy Kozlik
Bob Rander
Diane Woidan
Darcy Dye
Bill and Kathryn Kuhn
Jerry and Marybeth Rardin
Carolyn Wood
Dennis Echelbarger
Mary Jane Lamse
Peni Reed
Shirley Yule
Pat Edison
Mary Lange
Patricia Reid
Anne Zimmerman
Larry and Nancy Erhardt
Ann Layton
Patricia Rockwell
Peg Ernst
Mary Leonard
Jennifer Rose
Call to register: 616.632.2430
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Registration Form (June 2016)
Pricing Structure
Name(s)_________________________________________________________ Address________________________________________________________
NM
BRONZE
SILVER
1X
$20
$17
$14
2X
$40
$34
$28
City_______________________________________ Zip____________________
3X
$60
$51
$42
Home #_________________________Cell #___________________________
4X
$80
$68
$56
Email __________________________________________________________
**Additional fees may apply**
Membership (2015 - 2016 academic year) q Bronze $25 $12.50 q Silver $60 $30
Courses
# of Classes
MONDAY Take a Virtual Canoe Trip Michigan’s Jazz Scene Lighthouses of Michigan The Parks Of Michigan Brookby and the Blodgetts Mother and Daughter Journeys Brothers in Blue
TUESDAY The Spirituality of Work Murder & Mayhem in Grand Rapids Crowley’s Department Store Lubbers Family Farm Tour The Anatomy of Anatomy of a Murder Ghosts and Legends of Michigan
Price
1 2 1 2 1 1 1
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1 1 1 1 2 2
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MEMBER FREE CLASSES West MI. Refugee Center OLLI Players …to a Better Life
1 1 1
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WEDNESDAY Michigan: Mittenful of Riches 1 ________ Todd & Brad Reed: Photographing MI 1 ________ The French Tarte: Michigan Berries 1 **Add $5** ________ City of GR: The Police Chief’s Perspective 1 ________ Does Our Democracy Work? 1 ________ A Fluid Frontier 1 ________ THURSDAY Postmark Paradise Richland Park Horse Trials Applewood: The Mott Estate America’s Arsenal of Democracy Modern as Tomorrow
FRIDAY May it Please the Court? Tour of West MI. Aviation Academy American Pottery from the Great Lakes
1 1 1 3 1
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1 1 1
________ ________ ________ Total Amount $ ________
Check ( Make payable to OLLI at Aquinas College) q Credit Card q Mastercard/Visa q Discover CC # ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Exp Date: ___/___ Name (as it appears on the card) _________________________________________________
Call the OLLI office to register at 632.2430 11
Aquinas College OLLI at Aquinas 1607 Robinson Road SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799
Look for these exciting Fall I 2016 OLLI Classes:
Curing Alzheimer’s Disease: A Future beyond Alzheimer’s The British Monarchy: The Anglo Saxon Kings
June 2016
The General Election Four Mystics: Their Lives and Teachings 1956… What a Year!
MISSION STATEMENT
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Aquinas College is a community of adults joining together to achieve personal transformation of mind, body, and spirit through lifelong learning and community service.
Call to register: 616.632.2430
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Course Schedule Classes begin: June 1 Phone: 616.632.2430 Fax: 616.732.4480 aquinas.edu/olli
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