Winter 2013

The Rutland Area Osher Lifelong Learning Institute exists to promote continuing education for area residents aged fifty and over. Started in 2003 as an affiliate of the University of Vermont with a startup grant from the Osher Foundation, we are an all–volunteer, nonprofit organization. We are grateful to the Rutland Recreation and Parks Department, to the Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging, and to the volunteers who make this program possible.

Time and Place
Each of the twelve lectures in this term will be from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon at the Godnick Adult Center, 1 Deer Street (off Woodstock Avenue) in Rutland. For directions to the Godnick Center or for program information call 446-2041 or 492-2300. What if it snows? In the event of a sever winter storm or storm warning, we will follow the lead of the Rutland High School. If RHS closes for the day (not simply a delayed opening) we will cancel our program for that day. RHS closings are announced on local radio and TV and www.vpr.net/community/school closings.

The Creative Spirit

January 4
Sculpture and the Creative Process
John Tidd is a metal sculptor with a studio in West Bridgewater. For 40 years he has been fascinated with unusual shapes in nature and in scrap steel. He will share photographs of sculptures that hold interesting stories of the creative process that brought them forth. This will lead to a discussion of what are the essential ingredients for creativity to happen.

January 11
The Vermont Institute of Contemporary Arts
Abby Raeder is the executive director of this recently inaugurated gallery-museum-school in Chester. She will share with us the joys and challenges that beset her and her collaborator, Robert Sarly, when they decided to start this exciting artistic venture. This non-profit operation has become an inviting locale that supports and showcases innovative contemporary artists.

January 18
Japanese Boat Building
Douglas Brooks, a boat builder from Vergennes, will discuss the use of traditional boat building and the skills and knowledge necessary to fabricate wooden boats. He will look at the building of Japanese crafts that has a tradition of secrecy but has been handed down from one builder to another. He is interested in preserving the traditions of this unusual craft of which he has written extensively.

Celebration 300

Friday, January 25
Rutland Area Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is pleased to invite the community to a special free program to celebrate the completion of 300 programs since our founding in 2003. Adam Boyce, award-winning Vermont fiddler, will portray, in character, “The Old Country Fiddler: Charlie Ross Taggart, Vermont Traveling Entertainer”. He will share recollection on his life, with some live fiddling and humorous sketches interspersed.

Please join us on Friday, January 25 at the Godnick Center. Fire regulations require us to limit attendance to the first 100 arrivals

Revisiting The American Revolution

February 1
“Taxation Without Representation Is Tyranny!
Why Did the 13 Colonies Rebel?”
Paul Andriscin is an adjunct professor of history at Castleton State College and the College of St. Joseph. His presentation will cover why the colonies decided to commit treason en masse and overthrow King George III and Parliament. Was it really just the taxes issue or were there other compelling reasons why the colonists rebelled?

February 8
Ethan Allen: Philosopher on Horseback
Willard Stern Randall is a professor of American history and has taught at both UVM and Champlain College. A prolific Revolution-era biographer, Mr. Randall peels away mythological facades and transports listeners to a reality-based New England. He will review Ethan Allen’s role as Green Mountain Boy and discuss his lesser-known experiences as well.

February 15
To Fight Another Day
Carl Fuller grew up and lived a good part of his life on what is the Hubbardton Battlefield Historic Site, where he has been the site caretaker and interpreter for the past 26 years. His presentation will center on that famous battle and will include events before, during, and after this event. He will also talk about some of the people who were involved in the battle and who lived in Hubbardton at the time.

February 22
John Stark: Live Free or Die
Karl Crannell was public programs coordinator at Fort Ticonderoga for 12 years and now works as site interpreter for the Chimney Point State Historic Site. In his research on the Continental Army, he was fascinated by John Stark who was chosen to lead troops from New Hampshire when the war began in 1775.Mr. Crannell is the author of a book for young readers about this remarkable hero who coined the saying “Live Free or Die” which was chosen as the New Hampshire motto in 1945.

March 1
U.S. Culture and Society in the 1950′s
Kate Ratcliff, Professor of American Studies at Marlboro College, will draw upon her expertise in the history of suburbia to explore patterns and themes in American life after World War II. During this postwar period large corporations dominated the economy. The emergence of the social order was organized around the values of mass consumption. Professor Ratcliff will also review role changes in gender and family life in that era.

March 8
The Cold War at Home and Abroad
In this lecture, Professor Ratcliff will focus on how the Cold War shaped American politics and culture. Anti-Communism colored virtually every aspect of U.S. foreign and domestic policy with some surprising results. There will be an exploration of the national security state, the civil rights agenda, and the growth of cutting-edge art and music. There will be an overview of the suppression of dissent and the undermining of democracy that occurred at the same time.

March 15
Film Classics of the 1950′s
Rick Winston is very active in the cultural life of central Vermont where he is an arts presenter, teacher and musician. Film and film history is a special interest and he will share with us his thoughts on some of the great films of that period. Included will be “High Noon”, the sprightly musical “Singin’ In The Rain”, and some Hitchcock oeuvres as well as others which will be instantly recognizable to film enthusiasts.

March 22
Finding a Voice: American Opera in the 1950′s
Zeke Hecker, a composer, English teacher, lecturer in opera, and leader of teacher workshops at the Metropolitan Opera will discuss the enduring American operas of the 1950s. Included are the works of Carlisle Floyd, Douglas Moore, Gian Carlo Menotti, Samuel Barber, and Aaron Copland. The presentation will be accompanied by recordings and video clips.

 

Spring 2013

 

ON STAGE

April 5
(This lecture only will be from 1:00 to 2:30PM)
The Director’s Role
Steve Stettler is the Producing Director of the Weston Playhouse and has directed abroad, in New York, and in major regional theaters on both coasts. His related experiences include teaching, adjudicating, site reporting, panelist, and board member. His talk will look at the multiple roles of the director with illustrative anecdotes and examples drawn from his many years in the field.

April 12
Costume Design: What It is and What It is Does
Martin A. Thaler is a Professor of Theatre/Costume Designer at UVM and has had wide experience designing productions in major cities of the Northeast. His lecture will look at how a costume designer must make choices and create designs that are period and personality appropriate. He will share parts of his portfolio that demonstrate the approach he takes to make his imagination come to life on stage.

April 19
What Is A Review?
Jim Lowe, Marlboro College graduate, has been writing about theatre, music and the business of the arts for the Rutland Herald and the Times Argus since 1985. He is currently arts editor of both publications and continues to review theatre and music statewide and in Montreal. He will talk about how he became a theatre and music critic and how he creates a review.

April 26
Theatre Is Not For Wimps & Shakespeare Is The Olympics of Theatre!
Gary Meitrott is an adjunct lecturer in music at Green Mountain College, artistic director of Shakespeare on Main Street in Poultney, and perhaps best-known as founder and director of Drum Journeys of Earth. Passionate about reviving the English language with performing Shakespeare, he will lecture on the value of using Shakespeare as a model to rekindle language and speaking well.

VARIETY SERIES

May 3
How Technology Influenced the American Civil War
Don Wickman, Vermont historian and author, is a frequent contributor of historical features for the Rutland Herald and other publications. He is recognized as the regional authority on the American Revolution site of Mount Independence plus the Vermont Civil War battleflags.
He will talk about some of the inventions and technological introductions that influenced the Civil War.

May 10
Lessons Learned from “Irene”
Ethan Swift has been a Watershed Planner with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources since 2000 and works with other agencies on watershed protection and restoration projects. He will discuss some of the ways that we can build better flood resiliency in response to Irene, both for private property protection, as well as municipal planning, zoning and improvements to infrastructure.

May 17
The Vermont Statehouse at 150 Years
David Schutz began his career as Vermont State curator in 1980 when the statehouse, after years of modernization, was losing its historic character. With his art history expertise, and through two decades of meticulous research and passionate attention to detail, Schutz supervised the restoration of the capitol to its original splendor. He will explore the architectural, cultural, and political significance of one of the nation’s oldest and best-preserved capitol buildings.

May 24
The Bear Necessities
Nancy Bell is the Vermont Director for The Conservation Fund, a national organization she has been involved with since 1995. In her presentation, she will talk about the bear’s biology, habits and habitat needs accompanied by remarkable pictures. She will discuss why the health of the bear population is dependent on the continued conservation of a diverse open landscape.

May 31
Ethan Allen: Philosopher on Horseback
(Rescheduled from February 8)
Willard Sterne Randall, history professor at Champlain College, is a presidential scholar and prize-winning biographer of leading figures in the American Revolutionary War period. Referring to his latest book, “Ethan Allen: His Life and Times”, Professor Randall will share the remarkable history of Ethan Allen, from big-game hunter, to land speculator, to leader of the Green Mountain Boys, to two decades of confrontation over statehood.

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Membership Information

Become a member today!

Membership in your local OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) entitles you to attend programs at any of the other 7 OLLI sites throughout Vermont, as well as EEE-Burlington (Elder Education Enrichment). Your active OLLI membership also entitles you to the discounted member rate for the OLLI programs on the UVM campus. Simply present your membership card during the corresponding semester.

Nonmembers may attend individual sessions for $5 at the door. Reservations are NOT required.

Memberships may be purchased at any session.
Regular price: $40

For information call Bob Perkins at 802-773-0184

For a complete listing of all programs, see our listing in a pdf format.