This course focuses on Russia’s experience, ideas and values, and discusses why its history is significant as both a shaper of world history and a story of human experience.  Part II covers the period from the last Tsar, Nicholas II, to Putin.  Teaching Company video lectures and class discussions will be supplemented with other videos and specialized presentations.

Coordinator:  Paula Stefani.  Paula has led several courses at A.L.L. on such diverse topics as genealogy, suspense films, anthropology, and history. 

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Each week a different volunteer from the class will provide several topics for discussion and lead these discussions.  Lively exchange of opinions and points of view make this class an opportunity to explore our world in the context of what is currently impacting our lives and the lives of others.

Coordinator:  Bruce Murphy.  Bruce has coordinated Current Events for 20+ semesters.

The purpose of this course is to introduce investment principles and to evaluate stocks with class participation.  This is a fun course--we will discuss stocks, but will not be investing.  Handouts will be provided by the instructor.  This course was previously offered under the title “Stock Investing for Fun.”

Coordinator:  Vernon Ellars.  As a hobbyist, Vern has been involved for over 40 years in international/domestic stock clubs and adventures in the stock market.

We will look at the lives of early TV comedians, including Uncle Miltie, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Jack
Benny and others.  The course will include clips of their early TV shows.

Coordinator:  Peg Holmes.  Peg is leading this course for the sixth time.

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Using lecture with slides, this course will cover the development of art in the first 100 years of our nation.  We will look at a range of subjects from portraits to cigar store figures.  We’ll spend some time discussing antiques and auctions.  The class will wrap up with a museum visit, guided tour of Sandwich (the oldest town on Cape Cod), and a buffet luncheon at the coordinator’s home.  This is the final time this class will be offered.  This is a fun, interactive and lively course.

Coordinator:  Beth Friend.  Beth has B.A. and M.Ed. degrees and has taught this course seven times.  She has an extensive art history background and experience working with auctioneers and running her own antiques business.

Whether you’re ready to travel at a moment’s notice, like to plan your trips well in advance, or are an armchair traveler, join us as we uncover travel secrets that will help you make the most of any trip and save you money. We'll explore popular and off-the-beaten-track destinations; discuss great Internet travel sites; and share secrets that will help you plan and enjoy your trip.  Each week we'll take a virtual tour to a locale you might want to consider for your next trip.  And classmates will share travel tips and advice.

Coordinator:  Connie Champlin.  Connie has traveled extensively for the past 40 years to practically every state in the union and almost all continents. She has taught travel classes in Sandwich and this class four times at A.L.L.

How well do you address the role of emotions and the spirit in making hard decisions?  This is called “discernment.”  Students will participate in group discernment for important decisions in the second half of life:  living arrangements, health care, relationships, activities and ethical wills.

Coordinator:  Frank Noonan.  Frank is a retired university professor in engineering and management.  He is certified in spiritual direction and counseling. 

We will examine in depth three Shakespeare plays as usual, concentrating this term on a romance, Pericles, a particularly relevant tragedy, Coriolanus, and a comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor.  The course is primarily discussion with occasional lectures. Please read Pericles through Act 2, scene 2 (use any Shakespeare text) prior to the first class. 

Coordinator:  Steven Blume.  Steve has taught literature for 44 years at the college level, and has acted and directed in community theater.

This course provides students with a dynamic support class that fosters spontaneity and creative expression.  Topics are relevant to each student’s life experience.  The goal is to eliminate self-consciousness and fear of making mistakes so that each student can effectively communicate with a sympathetic native speaker.

Coordinator:  Lore DeBower.  Lore is bilingual--a native speaker of both French and English.  A medieval scholar, she has taught French language courses at CCCC for over 35 years. 

Writing exercises are suggested to stimulate poems and to share them.  Gentle critiquing.  Workshop goal:   two poems you are proud of, plus a favorite poet.  For the first class, bring any poem that comes to mind.  Please note:  This course meets for two and a half hours.

Coordinators:  Peter Saunders and Jean Gleason.  Peter received an MFA in poetry from Goddard College and a PhD in Narrative Gerontology from Union Institute and University.  He has nine poetry chapbooks. “My Father’s Shoes” was published in 2010.  “Silent No More—Older People as Poets” is in publication.

Based on Winston Churchill’s biography of his ancestors, the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, the class will follow them from the court of King Charles II through five decades and five monarchs from the House of Stuart.  The class format will be the video series, The First Churchills, along with discussion.

Coordinator:  William Stark.  A retired English teacher, Bill holds a Master of Arts degree with a thesis on Jacobean Drama. He has previously conducted classes on literature at A.L.L.

Noble, mystic, sage?  Cruel, warlike savage?  Come explore the various depictions of Native Americans from 1950’s TV series to 21^st century made for TV movies.  Discussion and critique of stereotypes, historical accuracy, and balanced humanization will be utilized following the viewing of videos.

Coordinator:  Frank Cuphone.  Frank has spent many years visiting reservations, museums, and sites while also researching/teaching Native American topics.

Cover stories and cover-ups abound in European history.  They reveal the values of the historical eras during which they happened.  They deal with scandals the likes of which have kept the National Inquirer and reality TV in business today.  Elaborate cover-ups were created to hide the truth.  This course exposes selected episodes which are both revealing and entertaining.

Coordinator:  Jim Perry.  Jim has taught history to secondary school students and adults for 30 years.

In the Great Books tradition of shared inquiry, as relevant today as ever, we invite your participation in a class of reading, reflection and discussion. Our text for this semester will be The Civically Engaged Reader, which includes selections of literature, philosophy and religion from classical times to the present. The book is available online at www.greatbooks.org or by phone at 800-222-5870, ext. 2.
Coordinators: Mary Joyce and Barbara Irlen. Both Mary and Barbara are professional teachers, constant learners, and avid readers.

This class will look again at the problems of global climate change and pollution, reviewing the issues and focusing on changes in the science, societal reactions, and politics of these major threats to our local and global ecosystems. Classes will include viewing and discussing videos, reading and discussing articles, listening to and questioning local people knowledgeable about the topics.

Coordinator:  Merton Ingham.

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This is a current events class focusing on the 2012 national elections.  Class members will be asked to read material that assists them in weekly discussions.  Web sites such as Politico will be used as well as the New York Times and other major newspapers and periodicals.  The class will be challenged to come up with a tool to evaluate candidates and existing elected officials.  Political junkies with well-developed views are welcome.  It promises to be a lively 12 weeks.

Coordinator:  David Darling.  David is a Professor Emeritus at Kansas State University, has been a part of the government of Botswana, and was an advisor to state and local governments during his 34-year career.

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The goal of this class is to give students the confidence to experiment and explore. From “getting started” to “it’s in the details,” we will discuss perennial partners and creative color effects. There is no required text. The coordinator will be using the book The Perennial Gardener’s Design Primer by Stephanie Cohen and Nancy Ondra, as a guide for the course, and will provide handouts. Bring your ideas and questions.
Coordinator: Judy Larocque. Judy is a Master Gardener and has taught gardening courses at A.L.L. and other venues.

This course will feature films chosen for their superior qualities of movie making and/or their message that will provoke debate and discussion.  The coordinators will give background about the movie, the class will view it, and discussion will follow.   Please note:  This class runs for three hours.  There is no second six-week session this semester. 

Coordinators:  Arlene Lewis and John Koesel.  Like most of us, Arlene and John love movies and see as many as they can.

This course is a reading/discussion class which explores the nature, roles, relationships, and feelings of women expressed by women writers through essays, short stories, poems, plays, and short novels.  The focus of this semester will be short novels (novellas) and poetry by 19^th and early 20^th century women writers.  The text is Nine Short Novels by American Women, edited by McMahon, Day, and Funk.  Used copies can be purchased inexpensively at Amazon.com or Alibris.com.  Please bring text to first class.

Coordinator:  Elaine Horne.  Elaine is a retired Professor of English and English Department Chair from Manchester Community College in Connecticut where she taught full time for 19 years.  She also taught part-time at Central Connecticut State University and Capitol Community College.

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Many of us have opinions on a lot of subjects, but few of us have the skills to argue our point of view effectively. This is a course designed to improve those skills. The focus will be on improving two types of these skills: clarity of thought and clarity of expression. This is an experiential course in which students will research a topic, evaluate sources of information, argue a point of view, participate in debate, and learn to give and receive criticism. Active participation is essential. The course will be given twice; take one or take both for extra practice!
Coordinator: Bruce Johnson. A Harvard MBA, Bruce has a long career as a marketing consultant for large corporations, and , more recently, for non-profit organizations. He has taught business students at Robert Morris University and Babson Graduate school, and developed this course to help those students develop their skills in argument and communication.
 

No later Western art can be discussed without reference to the Italian Renaissance. This course focuses on the radically new art that emerged in Italy, largely in Florence, in the first decades of the 15th century. Featured artists will include Giotto, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Donatello, Masaccio, Fra Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi, Piero della Francesca, and a host of others. Each class will consist of a viewing of a 30 minute lecture by art historian William Kloss from the Great Courses series, followed by an hour of informal class discussion of the lecture, with slides and close-ups of particular art works pertinent to that day’s lecture. Short reading materials and, where possible, digital images will be distributed in advance of each class to facilitate discussion.
Coordinator: Penn Szittya.  Penn was a professor of medieval literature at Georgetown University for many years. Currently he masquerades as an art historian in a Georgetown-affiliated tour of Renaissance art in Florence, Assisi, Siena, and San Gimignano every spring.

The class will discuss two to three short stories or essays at each session, sharing ideas and perceptions to enhance the understanding of the writings. The texts for this course are The Best American Short Stories 2011, edited by Geraldine Brooks and The Best American Essays 2010, edited by Christopher Hitchens. The books are available at Barnes & Noble, or used copies are available online. For the first class, please read the Foreword, Introduction, "Ceiling" and "Housewifely Arts," both in the Brooks text.

Coordinators:   Pat Howitt and Sheryl Lajoie.  Pat and Sheryl have led this class for years!

Participants will be encouraged to express ideas, opinions and points of view about national and international issues.  Class members will have the opportunity to make presentations and lead discussions.  We will explore breaking news and encourage active, critical and analytical debate.  There is no text required for this class.

Coordinators:  Ronald Glantz and Joe Werner. Ron and Joe have been active participants in this class for many years.

This study group will provide a chance to learn about regulations and the necessary licenses; the equipment needed; where to find seafood; and how to cook it.  Field trips and guest speakers will be included.  Find out that seafood always tastes better when you gather and cook it yourself!

Coordinators:  Don Bell and Peter Bogar.  Don has extensive experience in the subject.  He has taught the course 14 times for A.L.L. 

This is a continuation of the course which began in the fall 2011 term, (not a prerequisite), and will comprise lectures 19-36 from the Great Courses series.  We will continue to discuss major events that have shaped history, starting from the defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588) to September 11, 2001.  The course gives equal attention to politics, culture, religion, economics, and society, based on lectures by J. Rufus Fears (University of Oklahoma).   One or two half-hour lectures will be shown in each class, followed by associated material presented by a class member and then a general discussion of the topic.

Coordinators:  Gershen Rosenblum and Stan Kaczynski. 

For Academy members who wish to share their writing and receive constructive comments from class members.  Supportive commentary from the class is encouraged.  Experience has shown that class members can be writing in a wide variety of subjects and forms – memoirs, essays, books and commentary, or agreed upon topics.

Coordinator:  Merton Ingham.  Mert has been coordinating this course for several years.

The class will identify and discuss problems and opportunities encountered by the gardener on Cape Cod. 

Coordinator: Mert Ingham. Mert has coordinated gardening classes several times before at A.L.L.  He has been a home gardener for more than 50 years at various locations in the U.S.

Whatever kind of writing you do can be more fun and satisfying as well as technically better by using the whole brain as you write--not just your imagination or your research or your personal feelings. This class is meant to build your skills through in-class and out-of-class exercises, and discussions of techniques and of examples of good and bad writing.
Coordinator: June Calender. June has written in almost all forms from high school newspapers to off-off-Broadway plays. She has published essays, short stories, poems and plays. She has taught Writing with the Whole Brain at A.L.L. since Spring 2010.
 

The first half of the class will focus on a motley crew of “Marvelous Characters,” and the last half will follow the usual eclectic format. There may be an occasional docu-drama. Please note: This class meets for three hours.
Coordinators: Lili Seely and Cathy Staples. Lili has been a seeker of great film since seeing a dubbed version of La Strada on a pathetically small TV as a teenager. Her film passions are for foreign, independent, and documentary films. Cathy is an avid supporter of the arts and enjoys films of all types.

This is a beginning course that introduces the many uses of the computer and its wonderful editing capabilities. Students will learn to create documents, make corrections and/or modify them, then save them with a file name either on their own computer or onto a flash drive for future use.  Students will also learn how to set up an E-mail account and about receiving, sending and filing E-mail messages. Attaching pictures and documents, organizing an address book and mail groups will also be covered. The Internet portion of the class will focus on using a web browser and search engine to surf the internet and apply the computer skills learned in this class. Students should have access to a computer for practice.  A materials fee of $15 is payable at the first session.

Coordinator: Toni Martin

This course will involve lectures on the lives of Gilbert and Sullivan; discussion of films and viewing of operas; and discussion about Bab Ballads and oral readings thereof.   

Coordinators:  Martin Sokoloff and John Kennedy.  Marty is a former professor who has been carrying on a relationship with Gilbert & Sullivan since college, characterized by acting in, directing, and attending performances of, their operas.

This course will cover operas about nobility including Boris Godunov, Turandot, Semiramide, Idomeneo, Giulio Cesare, Die Frau ohne Schatten, and Gloriana, with video performances from the world’s great opera houses.

Coordinator:  John Hagon.  John has 50 years of teaching and conducting experience in many venues.  He is currently Conductor of the Cape Cod Conservatory Concert Band and the Cape Community Orchestra, and is on the faculty of Berklee College of Music in Boston.

PowerPoint lectures, hand-outs, and discussions will focus on four topics-- our homes, our cars, the electric power grid, and bio-fuels-- now and in the future.  Each topic will encompass two sessions, plus a discussion/question/answer session the following week. 

Coordinator:  Hans Stern.  Hans practiced professional engineering from 1942 in India until 1986 (35 years at General Electric), with a five year break from ’46-’51 to study at MIT.  After retiring, he taught what he practiced from 1986 until 2000 at Purdue University.  He never had a dull moment all that time, and he can’t quit now!

The intent of this course is to give the general student an opportunity to learn and discuss the basic causes, events, and consequences of the systematic murder of six million Jews and millions of other people during the time period 1932-46.  There are no assignments in the form of readings, texts or papers although there will be some in-class readings.  The main format for the course will be the presentation of materials to elicit class discussion.

Coordinator:  Christopher Sidoli.  Chris is a retired educator, specializing in history and social studies at the high school level. 

Each class member will write a 10-minute play, after learning and practicing dramatic elements:  structure, character, dialogue, conflict, action.  Participants will read (aloud) at least one 10-minute play each class meeting and discuss it.

Coordinator:  June Calender.  Literary manager at a professional theater for 9 years, June then spent 25 years in New York City taking classes with well-known playwrights and seeing her plays given staged readings and full production off-off Broadway—most recently as far off-off as Alaska.

Vocal arts to be taught from the breath support to the repertoire to fit your talent and need.  This course is designed to develop individual voices, choral and ensemble singing.  A vocal program will be presented at the end of the semester.  Appreciation of musical comedy songs, art songs, operetta, and popular and other vocal forms of music will be used in this course.  This is an opportunity to start an A.L.L. chorus and vocal participation at several levels of accomplishment.  No one will be turned away.

Coordinator:  Lesli Loosli.  Lesli is a concert vocalist and music educator.  She has taught voice at the college and high school levels and served as Artistic Director for twelve years at the Bloomfield Opera Theater in N.J.  She currently teaches voice privately and at the Cape Cod Conservatory.

Islam is a total way of life.  After a very brief introduction to Islam, the religion, we will be spending our time on the political side of Islam, the part of Islam that dictates every aspect of a believer’s life, and includes the radical movement within Islam.

Coordinator:  Barbara Baron.  Barbara has previously coordinated a course on evolution, which she gave three times.  She has been studying radical Islam for years.

Cover stories and cover-ups abound in European history.  They reveal the values of the historical eras during which they happened.  They deal with scandals the likes of which have kept the National Inquirer and reality TV in business today.  Elaborate cover-ups were created to hide the truth.  This course exposes selected episodes which are both revealing and entertaining.  The material presented at the two sessions will differ, so students may take either or both courses.

Coordinator:  Jim Perry.  Jim has taught history to secondary school students and adults for 30 years.

This class is planned to help participants record in an interesting manner significant memories of their lives.  Participants are encouraged to write new material weekly.   Class sessions are devoted primarily to sharing what the student has written and receiving suggestions from others for better understanding of the writings. 

Coordinator:   Dorothy Swanbeck.  Dorothy has taught this class for ten+ years.  She is a former teacher of English and writing.

The dawn of American high finance.  The life of Cornelius Vanderbilt, as well as Jay Gould, Jim Fisk, Daniel Drew and other notable figures, will be discussed and compared to today’s times.  We shall read The First Tycoon-The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt, by T.J. Stiles (New York: Random House, Vintage Books, 2010).  The first meeting will consider the first three chapters.

Coordinator:  William Painter.  Bill is a retired law professor with an international reputation in Securities Regulation.  He was Special Counsel and Director of the U.S. House of Representatives Study of the Securities Markets in 1971-72.  He has coordinated three A.L.L. courses and has taught at the Institute for Learning in Retirement in Washington D.C.  He lives in Yarmouthport with his wife, Marion, and his spaniel, Boswell.

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In this film course, we’ll watch the great dancers of Hollywood in classics from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.  See Fred  Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway, Leslie Caron, Gene Kelly, and more.  You’ll want to get up and dance!  Please note:  this is a three hour class.

Coordinator:  Antoinette Perkins.  A retired French teacher who loves film, Antoinette previously coordinated courses with Jack DiBenedetto.

Each week a different volunteer from the class will provide several topics for discussion and lead these discussions.  Lively exchange of opinions and points of view make this class an opportunity to explore our world in the context of what is currently impacting our lives and the lives of others.

Coordinator:  Bruce Murphy.  Bruce has coordinated Current Events for 20+ semesters

Discussion of sports-related issues, from professional to high school levels.  Focus will be on Boston area/Cape Cod, expanding to national and world, where applicable.  Students will participate based on their opinions and knowledge of the topics. 

Coordinators:  Barry Cohen and Joe Tinlin.  Barry, a former summer vacationer to Cape Cod, brings a NY/Metro slant to New England Sports. 

This course will present a brief history of American populism with a different focus each week:  Jefferson and Jackson; Late 19^th-early 20^th century figures such as Bryan, La Follette, Debs; the two Roosevelts; Carter and Reagan; today’s Tea Party and Moveon.org; and the future.

Coordinator:  Stew Goodwin. Stew has taught many courses for A.L.L. His original background was in finance.

Through a combination of lecture, handouts, and lively class participation, this course will examine such topics as:  personality traits and types; personality development; heredity vs. environment; theories of personality; the public vs. private personality; and personality assessment.

Coordinator:  Linda Koehler.  Linda has taught psychology for thirty years in diverse settings, including Mercy College in NY and Quincy College in MA.  This will be her second semester as a coordinator for  A.L.L., though she has been taking courses here for several years and loves it!. 

If you don’t know the difference between a real Cape Codder and a “washashore,” this course is for you.  The course will cover the Cape’s history from the Native Americans to the Kennedys.  No homework, no required books, just come and enjoy.  This course is primarily lecture (show and tell), with video and slide supplements.

Coordinator:  Jim Coogan.  Jim was raised on Cape Cod.  A well-known author, lecturer and columnist for the Cape Cod Times, Jim has been teaching and writing about Cape Cod for 40 years.   

We will have a combination of class discussions and handouts so we can examine such topics as: older people and their families; healthy successful aging; and special concerns.

Coordinator:  Linda Koehler.  Linda has taught psychology for thirty years in diverse settings, including Mercy College in NY and Quincy College in MA.  This will be her second semester as a coordinator for  A.L.L., though she has been taking courses here for several years and loves it!.