Winter/Spring 2010 Courses
Twenty great courses are scheduled beginning February through May for the 2010 Winter/Spring term. A scholarship fund has been established for Adult Learners Institute enrollments (see the bottom of home page for details). Adult Learners Institute courses are conducted in cooperation with Washtenaw Community College.
Registration is required for all ALI courses. Registration continues by mail. Mailed in registration forms are accepted throughout the semester. Click here for a registration form. Courses that are filled are marked as Closed.
If you have questions, please send an e-mail to info@adultlearnersinstitute.org or see phone number (with note) on Contact Us page.
Please Note: ALI courses are cancelled when Chelsea District Schools are closed due to inclement weather [Call 734-433-2275. Ext. 3, for information]. Courses cancelled for any reason will not be automatically rescheduled.
The Bittersweet World of Chocolate
Kevin Frahm and Judy Radant
Mar. 16 & 23 [two Tuesdays] 1:00—3:00 p.m. (Note date change)
First United Methodist Church, 128 Park St., Chelsea, MI.
Students will explore our world’s passion for chocolate, the history of chocolate, explore the cultural significance of chocolate, learn how chocolate is produced, and how the increased awareness of Fair Trade is positively impacting the lives of farmers, producers and consumers. Students will sample chocolate, receive recipes, participate in preparing a chocolate recipe, and take their recipe home. Click here to see a poster for the course. Special Note: Class fee includes an additional $3 fee for materials.
Rwanda:After the Genocide
Ron Biedron
Feb. 4 [one Thursday] 1:00—3:00 p.m.
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI.
This course will provide a small window into life in Rwanda in 2009. It has been fifteen years since the genocide that left nearly one million Rwandans (mostly Tutsis) dead. Rwanda is not the most densely populated country in Africa. Much has changed in Rwanda. Where is the Tutsi/Hutu conflict today? How does the population survive? Can the wildlife survive?
Journeys through Western Civilization
Nancy Nilsson
Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26 (skip March 5), March 12, 19, 26, April 2 [eight Fridays] 10:30 a.m.—12:30 p.m.
Silver Maples I, Silver Maples, Old US 12, Chelsea, MI.
Explore Art from the Glories of the Gothic Period through the Impressionists of the late 19th Century. Nancy Nilsson, with her usual abundance of slides and enthusiasm, will trace the development of artists’ freedom to paint/sculpt/design whatever they wish in whatever styles they choose. Special Note: At least one session will take place at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. Participants must arrange their own transport.
Women in the Bible Part III
Ken Phifer
Feb. 10, 17, 24; Mar. 3 & 10[five Wednesdays] 10:00 a.m. —12:00 noon
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI.
This is the third of a three–part course on women in the Hebrew Bible. The purpose is to look at women in the text and see how we understand their roles, how tradition understands their roles, and how modern scholars understand their roles. This is a new approach to reading the Bible as, until just a few decades ago, women were mostly overlooked in the commentaries, rituals, and sermons/lessons. This new approach reveals many things previously unnoticed, yet very important, and shows the vitality of women in shaping the culture that became Judaism, and then Christianity. We will study the books in this order: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, The Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, I Chronicles, II Chronicles. Ken will use the Jewish Publication Society translation of the millennium old Masoretic Hebrew text, but whatever translation you have into English is fine. If you want to buy a book to prepare, Ken recommends: Carol A. Newsome and Sharon H. Ringe, The Women’s Bible Commentary (Paperback).
Electric Trolleys in Chelsea: Mass Transit 1890's Style
Martha Churchill
March 5 [one Friday] 1:00—4:00 p.m.
Silver Maples I, Silver Maples, Old US 12, Chelsea, MI.
Starting in the 1890’s, Chelsea found itself in the center of an electric mass transit revolution. Not one, but two electric inter-urban companies competed with each other to provide transportation to and from Chelsea by electric-powered rail. One company expanded from Chelsea and east; the other company flourished west of Chelsea. Ms. Churchill will explain how the miles and miles of track were paid for, not to mention the elaborate cars, stations, conductors, and motormen. The course will include information about the safety challenges they faced. Learn where the electricity was produced for the inter-urbans and about the worst inter-urban wreck, which occurred in Chelsea. Find out why the electric-powered transit system disappeared in Chelsea in the late 1920’s.
Container Gardening for Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers
Wendy Chido
March 8 [one Monday] 1:00—3:00 p.m.
The Pines Community Room, 325 Wilkinson, Chelsea, MI
This is a one-time course on growing seasonally in upright containers, using vegetables, herbs and flowers together, to create a visually appealing, as well as edible, mixture of plants. We will cover the basics of good container selection, soil preferences, fertilizer requirements, and plant choices. Also included will be a short synopsis on insect and disease issues and how to address these. Lightweight, moveable containers that can follow the sun and need minimal maintenance will be emphasized.
Climate Change: Insights from Science/Imperatives for Policy
Rosina Bierbaum
March 9 [one Tuesday] 2:00—4:00 p.m.
Silver Maples I, Silver Maples, Old US 12, Chelsea, MI.
Dean Bierbaum will take participants through the compelling science that informs the climate change discussion, will talk about current national policy related to global climate change, and consider the vital role that impartial science should play in the making of policy.
Healthy Cooking for One or Two People
Emily Neace
March 10 [one Wednesday] 3:00—5:00 p.m.
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI.
Tired of eating leftovers for days at a time? Need to know what foods really should be included in your diet? Come learn guidelines for healthy cooking at home, recipes that don’t make large quantities, and tips for making your time in the kitchen short and sweet! Explore healthy “convenience” items as well as staples to keep on hand. We will also review easy ways to incorporate special dietary modifications into everyday food choices.
Our Greek Heritage
Bill Allen
March 15 & 22 [two Mondays] 10:00 a.m.—12:00 noon
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI.
Much of what we enjoy in the 21st Century we owe to the Greeks who lived 2400 years ago: democracy, philosophy, mathematics, medicine, and drama, for example. As 21st Century Americans, we owe it to ourselves to examine our roots in the Greek Culture of the 5th and 4th Centuries B.C. In doing so, we will become acquainted with such giants as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, Euripides, and others.
History of the American West: 1805 to 1973
John Gibney
Mar. 17, 24, 31, (skip April 7), Apr. 14, 21 & 28[six Tuesdays] 6:30—8:30 p.m.
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI.
John covers the American west in his popular style. This class will explore the West of the Imagination. Week 1: (1803-1830) The Lewis and Clark expedition and the Tragedy of Tecumseh. Week 2: (1830-1867) The Manifest Destiny from the Alamo to the Red Cloud’s War. Week 3: (1868-1880) Custer and the Battle of the Greasy Grass (Little Big Horn). Week 4: (1880-1890) Rise of the Cowboys, and the “Shootists”, including Jesse James, Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok, & Billy the Kid. Week 5: (1890-1920) The Massacre at Wounded Knee, Butch Cassidy, and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. Week 6: (1920-2000) Realities of Western movies and the last Indian uprising at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
Welcome to the Cold War
Tom Collier
March 18, 25 & April 1 [three Thursdays] 10:00 a.m.—12:00 noon
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI.
In 1945 Americans were rejoicing that their huge war effort had finally brought victory, peace, and the return home of over 12 million from the armed forces. By 1975 they had experienced Cold War, Limited War, Mutually Assured Destruction, Flexible Response and Missile Crises, Counter-insurgency, and had unprecedented large peacetime armed forces. We will discuss how the United States conducted its foreign and defense policies in those first three decades of the Cold War and balanced national interests with national power to meet shifting international challenges.
Redecorating with What You Have
Wendy Warrick and Dana McGrath
March 24 [one Wednesday] 10:00 a.m.—12:00 noon
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money or buy new furniture to get a great new look, and it can be easy and fun. Let us show you these tricks of the trade. Optional: bring photos of a room you’d like to work on, plus 2 more rooms.
Historic Washtenaw County
Grace Shackman
April 12, 19, 26, May 3, 10 & 17 [six Mondays] 1:00—3:00 p.m.
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI.
This continuation of Grace’s popular Washtenaw County series consists of six sessions, all dealing with the western side of the county, but in a more thematic approach with a focus on bridges, cemeteries, and one-room schools. Classroom slide shows will combine with field trips that illustrate the subject matter. Field trips will include the Foster, Delhi and Bell Road bridges, Weber-Blaess one-room school and Rentschler Farm Museum, both in Saline, and the Lodi Cemetery and Township Hall. Activists who helped save each of these sites have agreed to be on hand to show us around and answer questions. Special Note: Participants will be expected to arrange their own transportation or car pools to the sitesincluded in the field trips.
Wine and Dessert Tasting with Chef Craig (Closed)
Craig Common
April 13 [one Tuesday] 7:00—8:30 p.m.
The Common Grill Restaurant, 112 South Main St. , Chelsea, MI.
Join Craig Common for a wine and dessert tasting and hear his stories about the beginning of the Grill, writing his well-received cookbooks, and maintaining a restaurant that continues to draw people to Chelsea for fine dining
Special Note: The downstairs private dining room is not handicapped-accessible. Class fee includes $15 fee for food and service.
An Afternoon of Tea Tasting
Jeremy Lopatin
April 14th [one Wednesday] 1:00—3:00 p.m.
The Pines Community Room, 325 Wilkinson, Chelsea, MI
Tea is second only to water in worldwide consumption and it’s growing daily in popularity. Learn about this exciting beverage which has captivated the world for thousands of years. The course will focus on the many varieties of tea: how to prepare tea at home, its health benefits, and its cultural and historical origins. A wide variety of teas will be sampled to illustrate differences in manufacture, origin and preparation. You will leave this class equipped to continue exploration of this fascinating beverage on your own!
Change Your Thought, Improve Your Life with Self-Hypnosis
Deborah Bruening
April 21, 28 & May 5 [three Wednesdays] 1:00—3:00 p.m.
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI. These classes focus on how our thoughts affect our health and entire life. Session 1 shows how self-hypnosis aids relaxation and helps you achieve your goals. Session 2 focuses on the effect stress and unforgiveness has on your health. We will then practice “self-hypnosis” to take us into a relaxed state, with stress reducing suggestions. Session 3 focuses on your health. We will hear true-life stories of people who healed themselves when they changed their thinking.
From Chelsea to the Universe
Jack Brisbin and Arthur Suits
April 22 [one Thursday] 7:00—9:00 p.m.
Silver Maples I, Silver Maples, Old US 12, Chelsea, MI.
The University Lowbrow Astronomers is a diverse group of amateur astronomers, ranging from high school students to retirees and beginners to experienced observers. In this lecture, Arthur Suits and Jack Brisbane will show us how we can explore planets, comets, star clusters and galaxies, using commercial telescopes, binoculars, and amateur-built telescopes. They will show how amateurs, with a few tools, can make powerful telescopes at home. Special Note: You may choose to participate in a short observing session after the lecture, weather permitting.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHELSEA DISTRICT LIBRARY
Reclaiming a Jewel of Chelsea: History, Restoration and Tour of Glazier House
Learn more about the Glazier family home through this informative three-part program; two informational sessions and a home tour. Join us (Adult Learners Institute and Chelsea District Library) on April 22 & 29, from 7:00—8:30 p.m. to learn about the history and restoration of Glazier House, and again on May 2, from 2:00—4:00 p.m., for a home tour. Sign-up sheets for the home tour will be available during the April sessions. There is no cost for this program, but registration is required. Limited to 50 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. ALI is not registering participants for this course. To register, call the Chelsea District Library at 734-475-8732. The program is intended for high school students and adults. Special Note: The tour is not handicapped-accessible.
Inside the Purple Rose: Stories, Scenes, and Scoop
Guy Sanville
May 3 [one Monday] 10:00 a.m.—12:00 noon
The Purple Rose Theater
Hear how the Purple Rose began when Jeff Daniels decided to move his family back home. Guy Sanville, long-time director, describes the highlights of his years at the Rose. Guy has intimate knowledge of the growth and reach of audiences over the years, as well as the challenges overcome.
Senior Sages: Happiness and Mental Alertness as We Age
Barbara Cherem
May 11 [one Tuesday] 10:00 a.m.—12:00 noon
Triplett Building, Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle, Chelsea, MI.
A happy and fulfilling life is something we all wish for, but the path is sometimes elusive and unclear. What does research in positive psychology tell us about our choices toward happiness? What motivates persons to stay engaged in life and learning? Does engagement with friends and new learning really influence our aging? Does one need to be wealthy to be happy? Studies from around the world and closer to home reveal some common patterns that are fun to discuss. Andrew Weil, Martin Seligman, Ed Diener, and Edward Heath, are just a few of the adult development sources this lecture and experiential session draw upon as you examine what makes for happiness and quality aging.
Who We Are
Based in Chelsea, Michigan, the Adult Learners Institute (ALI) provides a diverse selection of quality community-based learning experiences and camaraderie for adults in western Washtenaw County. ALI is a Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) affiliated with the Elderhostel Institute Network (EIN), a group of 320 similar organizations. We conduct our programs in cooperation with Washtenaw Community College.