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Alumni Discount Codes

We offer discounts for our three alumni association partners: KU, K-State and Washburn. These discounts are only available for paid alumni association members and can only be applied to courses; they cannot apply to special events:

  • KU Alumni Association Member Discount - KUAASPRING2022
  • KSU Alumni Association Member Discount - KSUAASPRING2022
  • Washburn Alumni Association Member Discount - WUAASPRING2022
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Courses & Events

A History of Community Involvement: Women in Lawrence

Join Osher as we partner with the Watkins Museum of History to bring you this exclusive event. Celebrate Women's History Month with an exploration of the ways women shaped Lawrence into the community we are today. A presentation by Kathryn Nemeth Tuttle and Georgann Eglinkski will tell the story of the Lawrence Friends in Council, the oldest women's study club west of the Mississippi, founded in 1871 and still active today. The purpose of Friends in Council has been to study, in friendly association, a subject drawn from literature, the arts, and the culture of the ages, including history, science, and music. The group will celebrate its sesquicentennial in April 2022. Following the presentation, museum staff will lead tours of two exhibits at the Watkins, Dear Friends: Lawrence's Literary Societies, and Lawrence Memorial Hospital: A Century of Care, which marks the centennial of the founding of the hospital and the legacy of Elizabeth Miller Watkins.
Presentation and exhibition tours at 10 a.m., Lunch at 12 p.m.,
$40 fee includes presentation, tours and lunch.

Friday, March 11, 2022, Watkins Museum of History (Lawrence, KS)

And Then There were None - A Mystery by Agatha Christie

In partnership with Theatre Lawrence, we present the classic! Ten strangers are summoned to a remote island all with wicked pasts they are unwilling to reveal and secrets that will seal their fates. As the weather turns and the group is cut off from the mainland, they begin to disappear one by one according to the lines of a sinister nursery rhyme. Don't miss this Osher exclusive to hear behind the scenes stories from the show director and designer as they discuss special effects and share the changes that have been required of the script over the years.
Pre-performance Preview and Dinner at 6 p.m., Performance at 7:30 p.m.
$65 fee includes pre-performance preview, dinner, drinks, and a ticket to the show.

Thursday, March 10, 2022, Theatre Lawrence (Lawrence, KS)

BEAUTIFUL-The Carole King Musical

BEAUTIFUL-The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King's remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation, featuring a stunning array of beloved songs. Pre-performance Presentation and Dinner - 6 p.m. Lied Center Pavilion, Performance - 7:30 p.m.
$90 fee includes pre-performance presentation, dinner, drinks and a ticket to the show.
$45 fee for Lied Center ticket holders who wish to attend the pre-performance presentation and dinner.

Monday, February 14, 2022, Lawrence Campus Lied Center (Lawrence , KS)

Birds of a Feather: A History of American Birding

Almost 50 million Americans watch wild birds in their yards. In this course we'll look at American birdwatching from its origins in the American wilderness through today's eBird listers. The first session covers, not only John James Audubon, but explorers before him and the frontier ornithologists he inspired. The second part looks at the development of ornithology as a profession and the beginnings of conservation efforts, such as the Audubon Society. The final session reviews the popularity of modern birding, which started in 1934 when a young schoolteacher publishes A Field Guide to the Birds. This course is based, in part, on Scott Weidensaul's book, Of a Feather, A Brief History of American Birding. 

Instructor Bio: Thomas Luellen recently retired after 31 years in hospital administration and 14 years as an adjunct instructor at Washburn University. He has a master's degree in geography from the KU. His personal interests have always been his native state and its history.

January 28, 2022 to February 11, 2022, Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging (Topeka, KS)

Charles Curtis: Native American, Kansan, Vice President of the U.S.

Kansan and enrolled Kaw Charles Curtis was the first person of color to serve as Vice President of the United States. From Congressman to Senator, his career spanned seven administrations before the election of Herbert Hoover with Curtis as his running mate. He died in 1936 working on Kansan Alf Landon's campaign for the presidency. His contemporaries included Will Rogers and Amelia Earhart, and his sister's feud with Alice Roosevelt Longworth made headlines until their deaths. Historian Deb Goodrich has researched his life for two decades and shares insights into his mixed-race background and the relationships that shaped his life and legacy.

Instructor Bio: Deb Goodrich is the host of the TV show "Around Kansas," and the Garvey (Texas) Foundation Historian in Residence at the Fort Wallace Museum. She chairs the Santa Fe Trail 200, the bicentennial of that historic route in 2021. Deb has appeared in numerous documentaries including "The Road to Valhalla," "Aftershock," and "American Experience" on Jesse James, as well as the series, "Gunslingers" on AHC. She wrote and produced the docu-drama, "Thof's Dragon."

January 26, 2022 to February 9, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

Citizen MoJo - How to Contribute as a Citizen Mobile Journalist

Your local news has been revolutionized: TV, newspapers and radio have all pivoted to mobile Journalism, which is produced and often consumed on smartphones. Content is shot, edited, packaged, designed, and published to social media through a smartphone. And it's not just reporters having all the fun. News brands rely heavily on citizen journalists to contribute. And these skills extend beyond the news business. In this class you'll learn how to create content with your smartphone, how to produce it for different audiences on different social platforms, and how to strategically deliver it. This knowledge is useful for anyone who has a presence on social media or for those just curious about this new way of communicating. Join us and get your Mojo Workin'. 

Instructor Bio: Stephen Knifton, an Emmy-award winning TV news producer, is credited for creating and producing engaging and highly rated news programming. In the digital content world, he has created work for museums, engineers, architects, designers, hospitality and tourism, and others. He teaches video storytelling and smartphone filmmaking at several colleges in Canada and the U.S.

March 8-22, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

City and County Governments in Kansas, What Do They Do and How are They Financed?

Ever wonder about your City and County government? In this course we will explore how Kansas Counties are different from Cities, what each does, and who pays for what. Students will learn about the history of these local governments and study their own city and county. We will cover budgets, taxation, planning, zoning, economic development, public health, and other major policy issues. Come discover the often-unknown inner workings of the most impactful government in your daily life?local City and County governments.

This course is online only. It will no longer meet in-person. 

Instructor Bio: Hannes Zacharias is the Robert A. Kipp Professor of Practice for the KU School of Public Affairs and Administration following a 35-year career in local city and county government administration. He has served as City Manager of Boonville, Mo., Hays, Kan., and County Manager for Johnson County, Kan.

January 25, 2022 to February 8, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

Climate Change: More Fires, Floods, Droughts and Hurricanes

Join us as we explore the causes and history of climate change and discuss how the planet has been uninhabitable five times in the ancient past due to climate change. Learn about the evidence available to indicate that climate change is occurring as we look at the various floods, droughts, fires and storms in 2021 and compare them historically. In addition, we will spend time considering the current programs and long-term solutions to stop climate change. The class will conclude with a discussion on "With great change comes great opportunity"; in short, new industries will blossom and some companies and industries will disappear. 

Instructor Bio: Charles "Chick" Keller is a retired senior executive and retired professor. He worked 15 years at each Sprint, and Black and Veatch in strategic planning and strategic marketing raising to the VP level both times. In 2000 Chick began a career as a professor at the University of Kansas, Master of Engineering Management program where he taught Finance and Strategic Planning.

February 16, 2022 to March 2, 2022, Lawrence Campus Osher Institute (Lawrence, KS)
March 10-24, 2022, St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (Mission, KS)

Conquistadors in Kansas

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Spanish explorers in search of great riches ventured onto the southern plains in what is now Kansas. Two major expeditions, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado and Juan de Oñate, visited the plains in search of Quivira. Both explorers had previously gone to New Mexico looking for Cibola, but were disappointed in the Pueblos there. On the plains they found extensive Indian villages along the Arkansas River growing corn, beans and squash and hunting buffalo. We will examine these and other expeditions to understand the Spanish experience and learn about indigenous people and their contact with Europeans in the early centuries. 

Instructor Bio: Lindy Eakin has his doctorate in History fromthe University of Kansas. He has taught classes in Native American history, theSpanish Frontier in North American and U.S. history. He has published on nativepeoples in Spanish Texas.

February 15, 2022 to March 1, 2022, KU Edwards Campus Regnier Hall and Online (Overland Park, KS)

Cruising Concordia

Join us as we explore many of the unique sites in Concordia. We'll visit the Cloud County Historical Museum which preserves and exhibits objects and documents of historical items representing early-day Kansas. Records are on display of the military Prisoner of War Camp, churches, organizations, schools, and businesses. 

While enjoying lunch you will be treated to a presentation about the history of Cloud County. We'll spend time at the Whole Wall Mural, the longest sculpted brick mural in the U.S. which is 140 feet in length. This incredible piece of public art depicts the history of Cloud County.

Next, we'll visit Camp Concordia, a prisoner of war camp for captured Germans, which was maintained a few miles north of Concordia during World War II. At its peak, the Camp housed 4,000 German prisoners and 1,000 military and civilian staff. We'll stop by the large T-9 warehouse where the POW Museum is located and see the original guard house that has been restored. Lowell May, author of Camp Concordia: German P.O.W.s in the Midwest will serve as our tour guide offering insights and additional information.

Concordia is the home of the national Orphan Train complex, housed in the restored historical Union Pacific Railroad Depot. The Orphan Train Museum pays tribute to a partnership forged with the railroads in which infants and children, orphaned or abandoned, were systematically relocated away from large cities by two of New York's Largest orphanages, the Children's Aid Society, and the New York Foundling Home. We'll tour the museum and research center dedicated to the preservation of stories and artifacts of those who were part of the Orphan Train Movement from 1854 to 1929.

Our last stop will be at the Brown Grand Theatre, a fully outfitted opera house restored to its original 1907 state which now serves as a tourist attraction and performing arts/community center.

Friday, April 29

7:30 a.m. - Coach departs the Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Dr., Lawrence

6:45 p.m. - Arrive back at Osher Institute


$120 fee includes coach transportation, museum admissions, guided tours, presentations, snacks, and lunch.

Friday, April 29, 2022

CSPAN Ranks the U.S. Presidents

With each incoming administration, CSPAN asks distinguished historians and observers throughout the nation to rank the presidents on ten criteria ranging from moral authority to international relations. Deb Goodrich, one of those participating historians, discusses the results of the rankings of and how perceptions of our chief executives evolve over time, who has risen and who has fallen, and why. The most recent survey has Kansan Dwight D. Eisenhower breaking into the Top 5, and Abraham Lincoln remains on top, ironically above George Washington. The debate over the qualities and circumstances that can make or break a presidency are lively and thought-provoking. 

Instructor Bio: Deb Goodrich is the host of the TV show "Around Kansas," and the Garvey (Texas) Foundation Historian in Residence at the Fort Wallace Museum. She chairs the Santa Fe Trail 200, the bicentennial of that historic route in 2021. Deb has appeared in numerous documentaries including "The Road to Valhalla," "Aftershock," and "American Experience" on Jesse James, as well as the series, "Gunslingers" on AHC. She wrote and produced the docu-drama, "Thof's Dragon."

Tuesday, April 5, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

Cyrus Holliday in the Kansas Territory

Cyrus K Holliday, one of the founders of Topeka, wrote the charter and was first president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. The Nebraska/Kansas Act, which took effect on May 30, 1854, resulted in the creation of the Kansas Territory and provided the first opportunity for non-Native settlers to own property in the Kansas territory. Prominent issues of the time were slavery and creation of the Kansas territorial government. In this presentation we will look at early life in the Kansas Territory as viewed through letters of Holliday to his wife Mary, who remained in Pennsylvania until 1859. We will look at the colorful history of the AT&SF Railroad from laying its first track on October 30, 1868, in Topeka until it reached the western boarder of the State of Kansas in July 1873. On April 26, 1869, the AT&SF operated its first train on seven miles of track pulled by the 4-4-0 "Cyrus K. Holliday" Locomotive. 

Instructor Bio: Tom Coleman holds a bachelor's degree in Business and Economics from Washburn University and is a retired Federal Contracting Officer.

March 30, 2022 to April 13, 2022, Washburn University Henderson Learning Center and Online (Topeka, KS)

Distinctive Cattle Culture of the Flint Hills

The Flint Hills of Kansas, the largest surviving expanse of tallgrass prairie anywhere in the world, have developed a distinctive folk culture, based largely on seasonal grazing of transient cattle, i.e., stockers raised elsewhere, grazed here during the summer, then sent on to packing plants in earlier years, feedlots today. We will look at changes that have occurred from the Open Range Era, through the Railroad Era, to today's Trucking Era and will examine differences that distinguish the Flint Hills from other ranching regions of the West, as well as stories of interesting people who have lived here. 

Instructor Bio: Jim Hoy, a native of the Flint Hills near Cassoday ("Cow Capital of Kansas"), is director emeritus of the Center for Great Plains Studies at Emporia State University. He is the author of Flint Hills Cowboys, and has another Flint Hills book forthcoming: "Gathering Straysin the Flint Hills: Observations, Contemplations and Reminiscences from America's Last Tallgrass Prairie".

March 8-22, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

Donation to the Osher Institute

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at KU was established in 2004 by a grant for the Bernard Osher Foundation as an outreach program of the University of Kansas. Its mission is to offer noncredit enrichment courses and events to folks over 50 years of age, although we welcome learners of all ages. We rely on financial support from our members and the community to create a sustainable program. If you would like to support the Osher Institute, please click the link below. If you have questions, please contact Linda Kehres at 785-864-1373 or linda.k@ku.edu. Thank you.

December 8, 2021 to May 31, 2022

Eleanor Roosevelt: Her Private Struggles and Public Triumphs

Recognized among the most admired people of the 20th Century, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt first had to overcome an affluent-but-unhappy childhood when both parents and a younger brother died before she was 10 years old. Sent to school in London, she returned in 1905 to marry her distant cousin, Franklin Roosevelt, and was given in marriage by her uncle, President Theodore Roosevelt. Her marriage combined a complicated personal life--involving a controlling mother-in-law, six children and FDR's affair--with an extraordinarily successful political role as FDR's surrogate, the nation's longest-serving First Lady, an ardent civil rights activist and respected international diplomat. 

Instructor Bio: Jim Peters, J.D., is director emeritus of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at KU and author of "Arlington National Cemetery: Shrine to America's Heroes. He also teaches a course on the Underground Railroad in Northeast Kansas

February 17, 2022 to March 3, 2022, Tallgrass Creek Retirement Community (Overland Park, KS)

Eleanor Roosevelt: Her Private Struggles and Public Triumphs - Tallgrass Residents

Recognized among the most admired people of the 20th Century, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt first had to overcome an affluent-but-unhappy childhood when both parents and a younger brother died before she was 10 years old. Sent to school in London, she returned in 1905 to marry her distant cousin, Franklin Roosevelt, and was given in marriage by her uncle, President Theodore Roosevelt. Her marriage combined a complicated personal life--involving a controlling mother-in-law, six children and FDR's affair--with an extraordinarily successful political role as FDR's surrogate, the nation's longest-serving First Lady, an ardent civil rights activist and respected international diplomat. 

Instructor Bio: Jim Peters, J.D., is director emeritus of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at KU and author of "Arlington National Cemetery: Shrine to America's Heroes. He also teaches a course on the Underground Railroad in Northeast Kansas.

February 17, 2022 to March 3, 2022, Tallgrass Creek Retirement Community (Overland Park, KS)

Eugenics: Building the Perfect Race

Eugenics is a theory that the human race could be improved if positive characteristics (e.g. intelligence, attractiveness) were passed on to the next generations and if undesirable characteristics (e.g. mental disability, inheritable diseases) were eliminated from the gene pool. We'll discuss the scientific validity of eugenics and examine how eugenics was used to create laws authorizing sterilization of persons with mental disabilities, a strict anti-immigration statute and how it was used by Nazi Germany to sterilize and kill thousands of persons with disabilities. We'll also look at its legacy today, with genetic engineering and population control.

Instructor Bio: Karl Menninger recently retired from a legal career in federal and state government, mostly dealing with issues concerning persons with disabilities. He teaches courses on disabilities and the law and the insanity defense at the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law.

February 16, 2022 to March 2, 2022, KU Edwards Campus Regnier Hall and Online (Overland Park, KS)

Exploration Time: Discover the Thirteen United States Presidential Libraries and Museums

What is similar between these American cities: West Branch, Iowa, Hyde Park, New York, Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia? These places are homes to a United States Presidential Library and Museum. It all began with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the late 1930s. These impressive structures are repositories of valuable presidential documents and artifacts. Where else can you find a wheelchair that was used daily by one the presidents, a collection of moon rocks, the "Flying White House," the presidential Air Force One plane, or view the World War II actual world maps studied by the U.S. Commander in Chief before sending American troops to strategic locations? The course gives a general overview of the Who, Where, When, What and Why of the thirteen U.S. Presidential Libraries and Museums. Special emphasis is on the two outstanding local Presidential Museums in the Kansas City area, the Eisenhower Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas and the Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri. The other 11 U.S. Presidential Libraries and Museums will also be mentioned, based on personal visits to the libraries and museums and scholarly research done by the presenter.

Instructor Bio: Attorney Anita Tebbe is a retired a professor of legal studies at Johnson County Community College.

February 16, 2022 to March 2, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

Exploring the British Northern Isles

Have you ever wanted to play the game of Ba', walk the Ring of Broghdar, sit in a Black House, smell a peat fire, speak Orcadian or sail Scapa Flow? If the answer is yes, come aboard the ferry departing from the Scottish mainland on October 27 for Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. We will explore the physical, economic and cultural geography of these fantastic islands. After an introduction to the geography of Highland Scotland, we will discuss topics such as archaeology (why Orkney is the "Egypt of the North"), land tenure (clans, crofts and clearances),ecology (the machair) and economies (sheep and oil) of each of the three island groups. 

Instructor Bio: Tom Schmiedeler, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of geography at Washburn University.

March 8-22, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

Finding the Forgotten: Lost Stories of Four American Soldiers

This class will examine three relatives of the instructor who served in the U.S. Army in World War I and II-and a fourth soldier (unrelated) who fought for the Confederacy. Each had a remarkable wartime story that had been largely forgotten. We'll see how in each case a single clue led to an understanding of their experiences and the sacrifices they endured, and a surprising discovery at the end of each search. 

Learn about the search for the forgotten story behind the photos, the letters, and the envelope to discover the "rest of the story" aspect. This class is not a full genealogical study, biographical work or military history but has aspects of each. Primarily, it is a glimpse into the process of discovering information with limited resources (online, archives, publications) when there's very little to start with or go on. Many records are lost or never existed, but enough remain that these four common "lost" soldiers are no longer entirely forgotten.

Instructor Bio: Kevin Boatwright is emeritus director of external affairs in the KU Office of Research. He has a bachelor's degree in English and master's degrees in journalism, history and higher education administration. He studied Canadian history at the University of Northern Iowa and the University of Manitoba, and is a past president of the Midwest Association for Canadian Studies.

March 29, 2022 to April 12, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

Folklore of Kansas

Kansas is a state rich in folklore, arising from the many ethnic groups who have settled here from across the country and around the world, the diverse geographical regions of the state, and the wide variety of occupations of Kansas residents. This course will consider the abundant legends and tales of Kansas, the rich tradition of folk art in the state, the unique folksongs that originated here, and our distinctive customs, traditions, and superstitions, among other things.

Instructor Bio: Jim Hoy, a native of the Flint Hills near Cassoday ("Cow Capital of Kansas"), is director emeritus of the Center for Great Plains Studies at Emporia State University. He is the author of Flint Hills Cowboys, and has another Flint Hills book forthcoming: "Gathering Strays in the Flint Hills: Observations, Contemplations and Reminiscences from America's Last Tallgrass Prairie."

March 8-22, 2022, Brewster Place (Topeka, KS)

Fort Wallace: Protector on the Prairie

Post Civil War America was moving westward and forts sprang up across the West to facilitate expansion. On the frontline was Fort Wallace, established in 1865 to protect the traffic on the Smoky Hill Trail which led from Atchison to Denver. The post was literally in the middle of encroaching civilization and Plains Tribes who were resisting the onslaught. Legendary western personalities had ties to the fort including Capt. Myles W. Keogh, Medicine Bill Comstock, Companies of the Buffalo Soldiers, and Cheyenne leaders Roman Nose and Tall Bull. Join Garvey Texas Foundation Historian in Residence at the Fort Wallace Museum Deb Goodrich to learn the colorful history of this post.

Instructor Bio: Deb Goodrich is the host of the TV show "Around Kansas," and the Garvey (Texas) Foundation Historian in Residence at the Fort Wallace Museum and chairs the Santa Fe Trail 200. Deb has appeared in numerous documentaries including "The Road to Valhalla," "Aftershock," and "American Experience" on Jesse James, as well as the series, "Gunslingers" on AHC. She wrote and produced the docu-drama, "Thof's Dragon.

February 17, 2022 to March 3, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

FRANCE - Liberté, égalité, fraternité?and Food

The culture of France has been shaped by geography, by historical events, and by foreign and internal forces and groups. France, and in particular Paris, has played an important worldwide role as a center of high culture since the 17th century. From the late 19th century, France has also played an important role in cinema, fashion, literature, technology, the social sciences, and cuisine. 

Instructor Bio: Chef Larry Canepa is a Certified Culinary Educator with over 40 years of food and beverage experience and 20 years of teaching cooking, food and culture, and STEAM-focused classes. He has taught culinary classes at Le Cordon Bleu, the International Culinary School at the Art Institute, corporate wellness events, libraries, community centers and other venues. His engaging, entertaining, educational 'food-tainment' events have been enjoyed by hundreds.

Friday, March 4, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

Frederick Douglass: From Slave to Statesman

Frederick Douglass (c. February 1817 - February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, becoming famous for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. Douglass wrote three autobiographies, describing his experiences as a slave, and following the Civil War, he was an active campaigner for the rights of freed slaves. This course will begin by focusing on Douglass' life as a slave and escape from slavery; continue with a look at his autobiographies and other writings; and conclude with his life in Washington, D.C. as an elder statesman. 

Instructor Bio: Paul Post, a native Kansan, received a B.A. in History from KSU and a law degree from the KU Law School in 1974. Now retired from the practice of law, he is a member of the Topeka Landmarks Commission and was Commission Vice Chair in2018. He has authored essays on the history of SBA Hill/ former Menninger Campus in Topeka; Topeka's Bates Family; The Fred Harvey Company; and on Duke Ellington.

March 30, 2022 to April 13, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

From Gilded Age to the Progressive Era

The Gilded Age (1876-1896) was a time of unprecedented American industrial expansion, which generated powerful corporate empires, rising inequality, violent worker-management clashes, Populist discontent in farm states like Kansas, as well as remedies ranging from "free silver" to socialism. During the Progressive Era (1900-1916), Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson helped promote more modest reforms, such as "trust busting" laws and court rulings, the Federal Reserve System, and Meat Inspection Act. Were people like Andrew Carnegie "captains of Industry" or "robber barons"? We tackle this and other questions by examining conflicting viewpoints as well as film clips from historical documentaries.

Instructor Bio: Carl Graves, Ph.D., holds a master's degree in US history from KU and a doctorate from Harvard. He taught at the university and community college levels, and at Kansas City's Pembroke Hill School.

February 14-28, 2022, New Century Fieldhouse (New Century, KS)

From Normality to Terror: Inside Nazi Germany

Most of today's research on Nazi Germany is focused on its system of terror that ultimately led to the death and destruction of millions of people. While we will discuss the role of governmental surveillance and brutality, we want to first and foremost explore what daily life was like for ordinary citizens in 1930s Germany. By looking at various societal paradigms, such as education, employment, cultural expression and the role of women we will gain insights into how the German people were oscillating between normality and terror and how the Nazis were able to turn Germany into a brutal and horrific dictatorship.

Instructor Bio: Anette Isaacs, MA, is a German Historian and Public Educator who has been presenting hundreds of programs on more than 30 different topics (all pertaining to her native country's history, politics, and culture) in the Chicagoland area and in South Florida. Ms. Isaacs holds Master's Degrees in American Studies, Political Science, and History and is an adjunct faculty member at the lifelong learning departments of Oakton College, the College of Lake County, Harper College, the College of DuPage, and McHenry County College, all located in Illinois. She is also a popular instructor at Florida Atlantic University's OLLI in Boca Raton.

February 14-28, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

George Orwell: Life and Works

George Orwell died young and spent most of his life as an obscure writer struggling to make ends meet. Today, his essays are recognized as classics of the art, and his novels and memoirs remain widely popular and an indispensable reference point for thinking about modern politics. Orwell's influence can be measured by the neologisms that his masterpiece, 1984, bequeathed to the English language: "Big Brother," "memory hole," "newspeak," "doublethink," "thoughtcrime"-to name only a handful. This class will provide an overview of Orwell's life and works and consider the sources of Orwell's greatness as a writer and political commentator.
 
Instructor Bio: Eliah Bures holds a PhD in history from UC Berkeley. He is a fellow at Berkeley's Center for Right-Wing Studies and the author of multiple essays and scholarly articles on far-right politics.

February 16, 2022 to March 2, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

Great Hebrew Prophets

Who were the great Hebrew prophets, whose words are enshrined in the Jewish Scriptures, which Christians call the Old Testament? What was their role in ancient Israelite society? Were they revered members of the religious and political establishment charged with making predictions about events and persons in the distant future? Or were they independent-and unauthorized-radical critics of the established structures, calling their people and their leaders-and a host of others-to account considering a higher standard of belief and behavior? In this course, we will examine key texts in the oracles of the Hebrew prophets to gain some insight into how these figures were remembered by those who preserved their legacy. We'll discuss the impact their words may have had in the social, political, and religious contexts in which they have been recalled and brought to speech. Lectures for this class are based on texts from the Bible so it could prove helpful for members to bring a bible with them to class.
 
Instructor Bio: Barry Crawford, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of religious studies at Washburn University.

February 15, 2022 to March 1, 2022, Northland Innovation Center In-Person (Gladstone, MO)

Groundbreaker, Trailblazer: Elizabeth Dole's Career of Firsts

Join us as we partner with the Dole Institute of Politics to bring you this exciting event. When she was appointed U.S. Secretary of Labor in 1989, Elizabeth Dole became the first woman to serve in two different cabinet positions in two different presidential administrations. Other firsts in her career include when she became the first woman U.S. Secretary of Transportation in 1983, and in 2002, when she became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate for North Carolina. In this exclusive Osher program, come explore a reinstallation of the Dole Institute exhibit, "What Would a Woman Offer Her Country? Elizabeth Dole's Ground-breaking, Trail-blazing Life of Service," dedicated to Senator Elizabeth's career in service and featuring materials from her own archives that are housed at the Dole Institute. Participants will tour the museum and archives, look in depth at the exhibit, and explore related archival materials with special, behind the scenes access.

March 28, 2022 to April 4, 2022, Lawrence Campus Dole Institute of Politics (Lawrence , KS)

HERE BE DRAGONS: Maps & Imagination

Although conventional maps are a factual picture of geographic locations, they have an instinctive appeal to the imagination that echoes ancient charts of exploration into the unknown. We will trace the development of cartography from the earliest times as a history of adventures and ideas, often expressed with great artistry. Among many examples, the class will review beautiful medieval mariners' portolan charts, star maps used for navigating the first moon landing, fictional and factual maps of Mars, intergalactic renditions of the Cosmos, the iconic London Underground, and the location of lost cities from trade records on ancient cuneiform tablets.

Instructor Bio: John Doveton grew up in Britain and has visited and lived in many of the locations associated with British fiction. He will describe the story behind each of the stories, as well as sharing his own experiences of these magical places. John studied geology at university and took field trips all over Europe before starting his career as a wellsite geologist on drilling rigs in Canada. He has taught at the University of Kansas for more than 40 years.

January 26, 2022 to February 9, 2022, Lawrence Campus Osher Institute (Lawrence, KS)

History of the World According to the Great Composers Part II

History of the World According to the Great Composers Part II. What is it that motivates composers to write great music? Over the years, some of the most inspirational music has been writing about events of history. This course is organized as a world history course, starting in ancient times, and continuing to the present. Whenever we encounter an event of history about which a composer has written music, we play samples of the music. For example, in previous offerings of the Part I series for Biblical times we studied Rossini (Moses), Saint-Saens (Samson) and Bach (the Passion masses).

Instructor Bio: Don Dagenais has been a preview speaker for the Lyric Opera for more than 20 years, and he teaches classical music and opera courses for local organizations. He enjoys studying American political history and has compiled an extensive collection of memorabilia from presidential political campaigns from 1840 - the present. He recently retired as a real estate attorney.

January 24, 2022 to February 7, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

I goes to fight mit Sigel!: The German-American Experience in the U.S. Civil War

I goes to fight mit Sigel!, a popular song of the Civil War era, reflects the fact that roughly one-third of the soldiers fighting for the Union cause were either recent immigrants from the German states or sons of such immigrants. These Germans on the Northern side, to the soldiers in Southern gray either the "Damned Dutch" or the "Hessians," rallied to the cause in no small measure because they saw the "war to save the Union" as the continuation of the German Revolution of 1848-49, which failed to unite the German states and provide for democratic reforms. They were led into battle by many of the same military leaders who had played prominent roles during the Revolution in Germany, such as Friedrich Hecker, Carl Schurz and especially Franz Sigel. Join us as we explore this fascinating topic.

Instructor Bio: William Keel, Ph.D., is a professor emeritus of German at KU, having taught the history and culture of German settlements in Kansas and Missouri.

February 17, 2022 to March 3, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

Introducing the Poetry of Anna Akhmatova

Anna Akhmatova was a Russian poet, a poet of the people, who lived during a time of revolution and terror. Akhmatova, however, never waivered in her commitment to her country and its people. Despite her work being censored for over 25 years, she continued to live and write in Russia. This overview course will acquaint the participants with her life, and a fraction of her over 800 poems.

Instructor Bio: Renee Neff-Clark has a degree in Religious Studies from the University of Kansas and has been a lover of all types of literature since she learned to read.

Thursday, March 31, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

John Brown: Ardent Abolitionist or Domestic Terrorist

John Brown considered slavery to be America's original sin-first declaring that all men are created equal only to disavow that in the Constitution. Not only did he oppose slavery, but he was also the leading exponent of violence in the abolition movement. We'll closely examine Brown's life and the roles he played during the Bleeding Kansas period, the sacking of Lawrence, the Pottawatomie massacre, the battles of Black Jack and Osawatomie, his incursions to free slaves in Missouri, and finally, the failed raid on Harper's Ferry, which led to his hanging. 

Instructor Bio: Jim Peters, J.D., is director emeritus of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at KU and author of "Arlington National Cemetery: Shrine to America's Heroes. He also teaches a course on the Underground Railroad in Northeast Kansas.

January 27, 2022 to February 10, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

Kansans and the Experience of Civil War, 1861-65

The Bleeding Kansas era of 1854-61 is well remembered, but how did the new state of Kansas fare during the ensuing Civil War? From 1861-65, the border struggle heated up as Kansans fended off Confederate attacks, welcomed the formerly enslaved into their communities, and engaged in bitter political debates. Men of all backgrounds-white, black, and Native American-served in uniform, while women managed farmsteads and formed societies to help the needy. This course will recreate the experiences of Kansans and their frontier communities during this pivotal period of state and national history and explain how the war changed Kansas.

Instructor Bio: Will Haynes has a doctorate in history from the University of Kansas. He plans, manages, and promotes public programming at the Watkins Museum of History, the headquarters of the Douglas County Historical Society.

March 7-21, 2022, KU Edwards Campus Regnier Hall and Online (Overland Park, KS)

Movies that Changed the World

This course will review a selection of motion pictures that have forever transformed our world. Some of them, like The Birth of a Nation (1915), threw a racist bomb into contemporary politics; others, like Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Fritz Lang's Metropolis, expanded our vision of the future. Still others, like the work of Charlie Chaplin and Walt Disney, used comedy and animation to deliver satiric jabs at our popular culture. The medium of the motion picture itself has been radically transformed by experiments in storytelling by filmmakers like Ken Burns, in his documentaries about the Civil War, jazz and baseball.

Instructor Bio: John Tibbetts is emeritus professor at KU, where he taught courses in film history, media studies, and theory and aesthetics. He is an author, educator, broadcaster, artist, and pianist. He holds a Ph.D. from KU in multi-disciplinary studies and was awarded the Kansas Governor's Arts in Education Award in 2008. In class he draws upon his book, Composers in the Movies (Yale, 2005).

March 9-23, 2022, Edwards Campus KU Edwards Campus, Regnier Hall (Overland Park, KS)

Music and Lives of the Great Composers, Part I

In this course we will explore the music and lives of some of the great composers of classical music. We will track their careers from their early work, through influences that impacted their musical styles, to the late work that culminated their careers. Each class will explore one or two composers in detail, with many musical examples. Composers will range from Johann Sebastian Bach to Philip Glass and several in between.
 
Instructor Bio: Don Dagenais has been a preview speaker for the Lyric Opera for more than 20 years and he teaches classical music and opera courses for local organizations. He enjoys studying American political history and has compiled an extensive collection of memorabilia from presidential political campaigns from 1840 - the present. He recently retired as a real estate attorney.

March 29, 2022 to April 12, 2022, KU Edwards Campus Regnier Hall and Online (Overland Park, KS)

Nonsense Up with Which I Will Not Put! Writing Rules in the Digital Age

Do grammar and punctuation still matter in the age of texts and tweets? This class will consider the nature of writing rules, where they come from, which ones can't be broken, and which ones can. We will look at some cases of shifting usage in modern times and at frequently confused words that embody subtleties worth preserving. We will also look at the origin of some famous nonrules-for example, the idea that you can't split an infinitive or end a sentence with a preposition. If you've ever corrected a dangling participle or changed who to whom, this class is for you! 

Instructor Bio: Eliah Bures holds a PhD in history from UC Berkeley. He is a fellow at Berkeley's Center for Right-Wing Studies and the author of multiple essays and scholarly articles on far-right politics.

March 31, 2022 to April 14, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

Osher Institute Gift Certificate

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Kansas offers noncredit short courses and special events developed especially for folks over 50. Give the gift of learning through an Osher Gift Certificate which enables the recipient to attend one Osher course for free! Our courses are taught two hours each week for three weeks. To give someone an Osher Gift Certificate, please click the link below. If you have questions, please contact Linda Kehres at 785-864-1373 or linda.k@ku.edu.

December 8, 2021 to May 31, 2022

Pluralism, Communitarianism, and Declining Social and Political Trust

This course will focus on declining social and political trust, especially in America, as suggested by refusals to submit to public mandates to contain the Corona pandemic, protests against police brutality, and the insurrection on January 6, 2021. How persuasive and alarming is evidence of declining trust among citizens, between citizens and governmental leaders, and in our political, social, and economic institutions? What are main causes of declines in trust and what are the implications? To think about what might increase trust, we will consider recent analyses of these matters by leading commentators and scholars like David Brooks, Robert Putnam, and Heather McGhee.

Paul Schumaker, Ph.D is a retired University of Kansas political science professor. He has taught courses in American political history and democratic theory.

January 27, 2022 to February 10, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

Prominent Women of the Late 1800s-Paving the Way

Women may not have had the vote in the late 1800s, but that did not mean they failed to pursue careers and leadership roles. While suffragettes and temperance leaders may be better known, many other women forced their way into various professions and influential roles that had in the past been reserved for men. In the 1800s, particularly in the last quarter of that century, women paved the way for the women who followed as newspaper writers and editors, ministers, lecturers, social reformers, and lawyers among other achievements, married or single, with or without children. Even though women didn't have the vote and were restricted by laws and corsets, they were nevertheless breaking into many fields and succeeding. What they accomplished and the doors they opened were remarkable.
 
Instructor Bio: Lynda Beck Fenwick lives a life fueled by curiosity, as a teacher, attorney, and author. She has published three books, one of which she was named nonfiction Georgia Author of the Year. Born and raised in Kansas, her career took her to New England, New York City, and the South. Her new book is, Prairie Bachelor, the Story of a Kansas Homesteader, and the Populist Movement.

Friday, February 4, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

Redistricting, Gerrymandering and Representation

Elections for the U.S. House, state legislatures and many local offices are held in single-member districts. Every ten years in a process called redistricting, those districts must be redrawn based on Census numbers to ensure population equality under the "one person, one vote" principle. That process will occur during late 2021 into 2022. Redistricting is an unavoidably political process. The drawing of district lines decides how much electoral competition exists, who gets represented in government, the diversity of government, and the fates of politicians and their political careers. This course examines the nature of representation and the redistricting process, focusing especially on how states draw lines, partisan and racial gerrymandering, the effect of redistricting on elections, and alternatives to our current system.

Instructor Bio: Patrick Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas, where he also directs the Washington, D.C .Internship Program. His areas of specialization include political psychology, public opinion, electoral behavior, survey methods, and statistics. His research focuses on using surveys and experiments to apply psychological concepts to the formation of political attitudes, and linking those to attitudes to political behavior. He received his B.A. with high honors from the College of William & Mary in Virginia, and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

March 31, 2022 to April 14, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

Reminiscences of a Career Soldier

Bernie Kish served in the US Army for over 29 years, completing his service as a Full Colonel. This class will focus on three of his tours: Germany (1960-1964); Vietnam (1968-1969) and Cambodia (1974-1975). Kish will talk about his first-hand experience of the Berlin Crisis, the erection of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the impact of President Kennedy's death of the military and the people of Germany. He shares reflections of the operations of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese units and provides insight into the daily life of an officer in Vietnam. Kish will discuss his role as officer on the multiservice Military Equipment Delivery Team (MEDTC) which provided support to the Cambodian Army, Navy and Air Force in their fight against the Khmer Rouge. Kish will speak about being part of the US Embassy in Phnom Penh and explain his work with Cambodian Officers and civilians as the Petroleum Officer on the Team.
 
Instructor Bio: Bernie Kish has taught sport management classes at KU since 2005. One of the classes that he created and teaches is The History and Tradition of Kansas Athletics. He also authored the chapter on KU Athletics in the recently published book Transforming the University of Kansas, A history, 1965-2015. Kish is a veteran of the US Army, serving on active duty for over 29 years and completing his service as a Full Colonel.

March 29, 2022 to April 12, 2022, KU Leavenworth Campus, Townplace Suites (Leavenworth, KS)

Rockne, Haskell and Mizzou: Memorable Kansas Sport History Reflections

Join us as we discuss the iconic Notre Dame Coach Knute Rockne and explore his many Kansas connections to people and institutions. We'll also talk about his death in an airplane crash in the Flint Hills on March 31, 1931. Week two will be a study of the Glory Days of Haskell Athletics from 1900-1932. Reflections will be given on the founding of Haskell in 1884 and the growth of its football and track and field athletics programs. Haskell played the best teams in college football, such as Notre Dame and Minnesota, and had incredible success. Several of its track and field athletes competed in the Olympic Games. We'll wrap up class on week three with a lecture on the Border Showdown: Kansas vs. Missouri. This heated rivalry with its roots in the Civil War began in the late 1890s and continued until 2012 when Missouri left the Big 12 Conference for the Southeast Conference. Discussions will center on memorable games and outstanding players and coaches. 

Instructor Bio: Bernie Kish has taught sport management classes at KU since 2005. One of the classes that he created and teaches is The History and Tradition of Kansas Athletics. He also authored the chapter on KU Athletics in the recently published book "Transforming the University of Kansas, A history, 1965-2015." Kish is a veteran of the US Army, serving on active duty for over 29 years and completing his service as a Full Colonel.

February 14-28, 2022, Edwards Campus KU Edwards Campus, Regnier Hall (Overland Park, KS)

Spirit of the Mask: Works of Mystery and Beauty

Masks are much more than just disguises-they can transform a person's face into a new powerful spirit. For thousands of years, people have created masks as a means of expression. They are treasured worldwide for their historical and cultural significance, teaching us how cultures deal with their lives and their environments. Masks are attributed to folklore, chiefs, shamans and religious leaders. They play a role in dance forms and storytelling and are used in agriculture, carnivals, celebrations, dance, death, fertility, hunting, initiation, midwinter observances, religion and theater. 

Instructor Bio: Carla Hanson, a K-State University music graduate, is curator of "Spirit of the Mask," a traveling mask exhibit. Her collection, representing more than 45 countries, numbers in the hundreds. She is currently studying with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts adding music and dance to her presentation.

March 10-24, 2022, Senior Resource Center for Douglas County In-Person (Lawrence, KS)

Tea 'ching

From Buddhist monks using it in their religious ceremonies to American revolutionaries tossing it in to Boston Harbor, tea has become more than a beverage; it has become an event. For nearly 5,000 years this drink has been a source of medicine, meditation, piracy, political upheaval, social order, congregation, and superstition. This fascinating exploration of tea by Certified Tea Master, Chef Larry P Canepa, includes a review of unique teas and delicious appetizers.

Instructor Bio: Chef Larry Canepa is a Certified Culinary Educator with over 40 years of food and beverage experience and 20 years of teaching cooking, food and culture, and STEAM-focused classes. He has taught culinary classes at Le Cordon Bleu, the International Culinary School at the Art Institute, corporate wellness events, libraries, community centers and other venues. His engaging, entertaining, educational 'food-tainment' events have been enjoyed by hundreds.

Friday, January 28, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

Teddy Roosevelt: An American Icon

Theodore Roosevelt sits atop Mount Rushmore, nestled between Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. He was chosen to be a part of this historical structure in 1927 because he was considered among our greatest presidents, a position he retains among historians today. We'll examine T.R.'s life, overcoming debilitating asthma as a child to build a reputation as a robust outdoorsman, astute politician, pioneering conservationist and international statesman. Roosevelt was New York City's police commissioner, assistant secretary of the Navy, volunteer Rough Rider, New York governor and vice president before becoming the youngest president at age 42 following William McKinley's assassination in 1901. 

Instructor Bio: Jim Peters, J.D., is director emeritus of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at KU, and author of Arlington National Cemetery: Shrine to America's Heroes, which has been the nation's best-selling book on Arlington Cemetery for more than 25 years. He also teaches a course on the Underground Railroad in Northeast Kansas.

March 16-30, 2022, Claridge Court (Prairie Village, KS)
March 29, 2022 to April 12, 2022, Village Shalom (Overland Park, KS)

The 1930s: The Troubled Decade

The 1930s shattered the normalcy and prosperity that had existed in the 1920s. The Great Depression, which began in 1929, rapidly spread around the globe affecting the livelihood of people in many nations and their reexamination of the existing world order. This class is a world survey of that tumultuous decade. The first class examines the Depression in America and its effects on society, politics, and even the military. The second class crosses the Atlantic and focuses on Europe and its response to the economic dislocation, most notably the rise of fascism in Germany and the Stalinist Revolution in Soviet Russia. The final class will look at events in Asia such as the rise of militarism in Japan, India's struggle for independence, and both Mao Zedong's challenge to the government of Chiang Kai-shek and the origins of the Sino-Japanese War.

Instructor Bio: Robert Smith, PhD, is the Director of the Fort Riley Museum. He has a doctorate in history from KSU, and has published numerous articles on military history.

March 7-21, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

The 1936 Olympics and the History of Athletic Shoes

Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics with shoes provided by Nazi Party members, Adolf and Rudolf Dassler. Owens excelled wearing spikes made specifically for him, which caused embarrassment for Nazi chief Adolf Hitler and dispelled racist notions of Aryan superiority. The athletic shoe class will cover: ?The history of performance footwear ?The Dassler brothers's split into Adidas and Puma, as well as the founding of Nike ?The great KU track teams (Mills, Oerter, Ryun) that wore Adidas ?The sport stars like Danny Manning (Reebok Pump) promoting shoes ?The design technology used to craft durable and lightweight footwear ?The sneaker culture where sport (Michael Jordan, Shaq, LeBron), music (Pharrell Williams, Drake, Kanye West), and movie (Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Cybill Shepherd) stars intersect with marketing the high-end shoes. We'll also discuss the product placement of sneakers in movies (Back to the Future II and Kill Bill Volume 1). Finally, we'll examine factors like forced labor sweatshops needed to keep Air Jordan unit costs at $25 ($175 retail).

Instructor Bio: Rich Hughes received a bachelor's degree from KU and a master's in computer science from KSU. Hughes worked in various information technology and data analytic jobs and is an avid history buff after retirement. He has written three books rooted in Kansas and American history: Netting Out Basketball, 1936, Hitler's Olympic Festival, and If the Shoe Fits.

March 10-24, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

The American Generals Who Helped Win WWII

This class will examine the men who turned the decisions of Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Josef Stalin into action. We'll learn about the strategy and tactics employed by generals, including George Marshall, Omar Bradley, and George Patton, who guided the war in Europe to defeat the Germans. We'll learn how Dwight Eisenhower, the supreme commander in Europe, and Douglas MacArthur, the supreme commander in the Pacific, coordinated the Army, Navy, Marines, and Army Air Forces to win the war on both fronts. 

We'll also examine Gen. Joseph Stillwell's stand against the Japanese in the Philippines at Corridor Island. We'll discuss Gen. Lee Chenault and Gen. Hap Arnold's reorganization of the early Army Air Corps into a fighting machine that effectively dominated the skies over Europe and Japan. Dropping firebombs over Dresden and Berlin and atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki assured an American victory.

Instructor Bio: Russ Hutchins teaches U.S. History, Western Civilization, Economics, Business, Philosophy, and Business Management at Friends University-Topeka. He is a retired public-schooladministrator and educator of 40 years

January 24, 2022 to February 7, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

The Art of Albrecht Durer and Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Two Great Northern Renaissance Masters

Northern Renaissance is a blending of Late Gothic art, a careful observation of a man centered world, and the ideas found in the Reformation. No finer examples of this blending can be found than in the master works of Albrecht Durer and Pieter Brueghel the Elder. We will see in Durer's prints and his self-portraits hints of things modern. In Brueghel's work common people and their everyday activities become worthy of the artist attention. 

Instructor Bio: Dan Kirchhefer is an artist and professor emeritus who taught drawing, printmaking and the history of American Art at Emporia State University.

March 9-23, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

The Generals' Wives: How the Military Shaped the Role of First Lady

The role of first lady has evolved over the years and each first lady puts her own mark on the position. The first woman to be the president's partner, Martha Washington, was greatly influenced by what she had learned during her years of being in camps with her husband. Two later first ladies, Julia Dent Grant and Mamie Doud Eisenhower, were also military wives whose tenure as first lady was also influenced by their past experiences as military wives. This course explores their biographies and how they enacted the role of first lady.

Instructor Bio: Diana Carlin, Ph.D., is Professor Emerita of Communication at Saint Louis University and a retired professor of Communication Studies at KU. She has co-authored a book on gender and politics and taught courses on women as political leaders, the rhetoric of women's rights and communication and gender.

March 29, 2022 to April 12, 2022, Brewster Place (Topeka, KS)

The Geography of Kansas: What Dorothy Didn't Know About a Place Called Home

Geography is much more than place locations, and this course will prove it! From the Ozark lowlands to the High Plains, explore the physical and human geography of Kansas in three two-hour segments. We begin with nature, specifically land and climate as the context for human interaction in the form of resource extraction that was part of the historical economic geography of Kansas regions. Next, we will discuss the rise of key cities, especially Wichita, Topeka and Lawrence. Small-town life and the struggle for rural survival take us back to our roots, while suggesting a problematic future.

This course is open only to Aberdeen Village residents. 

Instructor Bio: Tom Schmiedeler, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of geography at Washburn University.

January 27, 2022 to February 10, 2022, Aberdeen Village (Olathe, KS)

The Life and Music of George Gershwin

One of the leading musical figures in the history of the United States, George Gershwin (1898-1937) combined influences from Tin Pan Alley, classical music, jazz, and blues into a distinctive musical style heard in his numerous Broadway musicals, songs for Hollywood films, and concert works. This course explores his biography and each aspect of his musical output. Emphasis will be placed on two of his musicals (Girl Crazy and Of Thee I Sing); his opera Porgy and Bess; and the concert works Rhapsody in Blue, Piano Concerto in F, and the tone poem An American in Paris.

Instructor Bio: Paul Laird is professor of musicology at the University of Kansas. He has published widely on musical history topics including four books on Leonard Bernstein. The most recent is the biography Leonard Bernstein in the "Critical Lives" series from Reaktion Books (University of Chicago Press).

February 14-28, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

The Medical History of American Presidents - Tallgrass Residents

This multimedia course details the impact injury and illness have had on the American presidency and, ultimately, United States and world history. Over the 232 years of the American Presidency there have been extraordinary advances in both diagnostic and treatment options for medical illnesses and injuries. Both the treatment at the time of presidential illness and speculation on outcomes with the advantage 21st century medical care will be discussed. We will also examine the changing American press and effects on disclosure of illness. Hidden illnesses in the White house are detailed, including clandestine surgery performed on a president on a yacht at sea, and illness and circumstance leading to the first "functional" woman president and re-election of a dying president. The fascinating medical history of Andrew Jackson and medical truths regarding John F. Kennedy are explored. Other topics covered include the medical aspects of presidential assassinations, controversies regarding the medical care and competency of the White House physicians, Dwight D. Eisenhower's heart attack, the health issues of 2020 presidential candidates, and health demographics which may affect the future of the American presidential elections. The course is designed to be historical, informative, entertaining, at times humorous, and ultimately inspirational and patriotic.

Instructor Bio: Dr. Jay Murphy is a recently retired cardiologist who practiced in Johnson County, Kansas for forty years. After being raised in Ohio and graduating from Denison University and The Ohio State College of Medicine, he completed post graduate training at the University of Kansas in Internal Medicine and Cardiology. Over his career he has been board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Echocardiography and Lipidology. He has spoken widely on preventive cardiology and the above topic and is the author of What Ails the White House, An Introduction to the Medical History of the American Presidency.

April 5-19, 2022, Tallgrass Creek Retirement Community (Overland Park, KS)

The Medical History of the American Presidency

This multimedia course details the impact injury and illness have had on the American presidency and, ultimately, United States and world history. Over the 232 years of the American Presidency there have been extraordinary advances in both diagnostic and treatment options for medical illnesses and injuries. Both the treatment at the time of presidential illness and speculation on outcomes with the advantage 21st century medical care will be discussed. We will also examine the changing American press and effects on disclosure of illness. Hidden illnesses in the White house are detailed, including clandestine surgery performed on a president on a yacht at sea, and illness and circumstance leading to the first "functional" woman president and re-election of a dying president. The fascinating medical history of Andrew Jackson and medical truths regarding John F. Kennedy are explored. Other topics covered include the medical aspects of presidential assassinations, controversies regarding the medical care and competency of the White House physicians, Dwight D. Eisenhower's heart attack, the health issues of 2020 presidential candidates, and health demographics which may affect the future of the American presidential elections. The course is designed to be historical, informative, entertaining, at times humorous, and ultimately inspirational and patriotic.

Instructor Bio: Dr. Jay Murphy is a recently retired cardiologist who practiced in Johnson County, Kan. for 40 years. He graduated from Denison University and The Ohio State College of Medicine then completed post graduate training at KU in internal medicine and cardiology. He is the author of What Ails the White House, An Introduction to the Medical History of the American Presidency.

April 5-19, 2022, Tallgrass Creek Retirement Community (Overland Park, KS)
April 6-20, 2022, Northland Innovation Center In-Person (Gladstone, MO)

The Politics of Public Health

Health is one of our most commodified social goods. We race for cures, rally for affordable and accessible healthcare, debate the ethics of various treatments, and pass laws meant to keep the public healthy. However, public health is also controversial. It's not even clear what we mean when we talk about "health" or what constitutes a "disease." This course examines several public health controversies, including health care access and cost; inequity across economic class, race, and gender; the politics of defining what is a disease; mental health access; conflicts surrounding individual rights in public health initiatives; and Covid-19.

Instructor Bio: Patrick Miller, associate professor of political scienceat KU, directs the Washington, D.C. Internship Program specializing inpolitical psychology, public opinion, electoral behavior, survey methods, andstatistics. He received his B.A. from the College of William & Mary inVirginia, and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill.

February 15, 2022 to March 1, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

The Tallgrass Prairie Origins, Inhabitants and Remnants

The North American Tallgrass Prairie is one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Less than four percent of the original prairie still exists and most of that is in eastern Kansas. This course will increase your appreciation of what we have here. We will explore the geologic and climatic factors that created the prairie and discuss key inhabitants, from bison to butterflies to meadowlarks. We even discuss the first humans and indigenous tribes! Prairie remnants, starting with the long struggle to establish the National Prairie Preserve, are examined. A brief review of prairie-inspired literature concludes this course. 

Instructor Bio: Thomas Luellen recently retired after 31 years in hospital administration and 14 years as an adjunct instructor at Washburn University. He has a master's degree in geography from the KU. His personal interests have always been his native state and its history.

March 8-22, 2022, Mission Chateau (Prairie Village, KS)

Three Incredible American Military Campaigns

Military history throughout the ages witnessed many brilliant campaigns planned by excellent military strategists. America too, has its share of brilliant campaigns and incredible victories. This class, "Three Incredible Military Campaigns," focuses on a trio of American military campaigns from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The first class examines the Revolutionary War campaign conducted by the brilliant Nathanael Greene who lost every battle but was successful in driving the British out of the southern colonies. The second class looks at Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's 1862 Shenandoah Campaign. Jackson, while campaigning with less than 18,000 troops, was successful in defeating more than 70,000 Federal forces in a mere two months. The final class will focus on the largest American operation of World War I, the Meuse Argonne Campaign. General John J. Pershing's 1st and 2nd American Armies clashed with the Imperial German Army on a 35-mile-long fortified front defeating the enemy, which contributed to the end of the 1st World War. 

Instructor Bio: Robert Smith, PhD, is the Director of the Fort Riley Museum. He has a doctorate in history from KSU, and has published numerous articles on military history.

March 8-22, 2022, Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging (Topeka, KS)

Travels in Europe

In this course, we will explore some of the best quaint locations throughout western Europe. Discover the ways to travel from someone who has done everything from backpacking alone to attending group tours by bus, train or river boat. Favorite countries will include Italy, France, Portugal, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Norway and England. Many learning experiences from over 26 trips to Europe will be shared with the class. Find out the "do's" and "don'ts" of travels that will make your trips more rewarding.

Instructor Bio: Georgia Klein is a retired secondary educator from the Shawnee Mission School District. She has been to Europe 26 times and has presented workshops on travel to other continents. She has also been a guide for Road Scholars on a walking tour of the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, MO.

March 7-21, 2022, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility and Online (Lawrence, KS)

U.S. Religious History, 1925 to the Present

After the Scopes Trial of 1925, the mainline denominations were dominant through the Depression, World War II, and the immediate Post-War period. Church attendance boomed in the Post-War period. But in that period, Fundamentalism and Pentecostalism expanded through famous preachers, several higher education institutions, radio, and publishing. In the 1970's, the new white religious right emerged and grew greatly in size and voice. The religious right aligned itself so closely with the Republican Party that today scholars, nearly all evangelicals themselves, debate whether white "evangelicalism" is a religious or a political-cultural movement. Into that maelstrom we shall carefully tread.

Instructor Bio: James Showalter did seven years of historic preservation and 31 years of teaching History on the university level, including 30 years teaching American History at Langston University in Oklahoma. In addition to his university teaching, he has taught in the Oklahoma State University Osher course system for about nine years, covering a wide range of subjects. One of several areas of expertise he has developed is the History of Religion worldwide, and particularly the history of religion in the area that is now the United States.

March 10-24, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

William Inge: Playwright of the Plains

Kansas-born William Inge (a KU grad) was one of the most acclaimed playwrights of 1950s America. His unvarnished portraits of small-town and rural America, including Come Back, Little Sheba, the Pulitzer Prize-winner Picnic, and Bus Stop, took the country by storm, winning Tony Awards and becoming Oscar-winning films. In this exploratory seminar we will learn about Inge's at-times troubled, at-times triumphant, but ultimately tragic life-from Independence, Kan. to Broadway to Hollywood, where he died, a suicide, at age 60. We will discuss his work: its origins, themes, and the ways he portrayed Midwestern life and morality. For the richest experience, prior to each class meeting students should view filmed productions of some of his work via YouTube links that will be provided. 

Instructor Bio: Robert Weibezahl is a writer, editor, cultural critic, and publishing industry veteran who has worked with Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and countless bestselling authors. He has published a number of works of fiction and nonfiction, is an award-winning, internationally-produced playwright, and writes a monthly literary column for BookPage.

March 7-21, 2022, Zoom Facilitated Sessions (Online, WEB)

Woodstock at 50

Rock music during the 1967-69 countercultural era started with the Summer of Love and ended tragically just two years later. We will explore cultural and political events of the time from the Monterey International Pop Music Festival, through the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, and ending at the Altamont Speedway Festival. While Monterey introduced the world to many soon-to-be famous performers, Woodstock gave its name to a generation, and Altamont brought the era of love and trust to a sad end. Join the conversation as we recall this seminal time in American history.

Instructor Bio: Steve Lopes, AE, BA, MA, M Ed, was an educator for 15 years prior to 30 years of advocating for teachers as a Kansas-NEA organizer. He enjoys researching Rock 'n' Roll history and sharing it with Osher participants.

January 27, 2022 to February 10, 2022, Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse (Prairie Village, KS)

World Mysticism: The Quest to Merge with the Ultimate

The religions of the world all have a concept of an ultimate state of being or consciousness. The concept of "merging with the ultimate" is generally called "mysticism." There are mysticism traditions in both Western and Eastern religions as well as what might be called "spiritual mysticism" which is not attached to any particular religion. These traditions have much in common, including a transcendent reality and the possibility for humans to experience a merging with that transcendent ultimate being or consciousness. This course explores a few examples of mysticism from different ages in world history, examining mystical theories and methods.

Instructor Bio: James Gaither, Th.D. holds a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Kansas and ThD from Holos University Graduate Seminary. For over 25 years he has taught courses in history of Western thought, world religions, metaphysics and ethics and is currently a "semi-retired."

March 9-23, 2022, Northland Innovation Center In-Person (Gladstone, MO)

Would You Like to Meet the Beatles You Thought You Knew?

The Beatles were more than just another rock band. They were a cultural tsunami that forever changed fashion, manners, humor, media, values and style, while influencing musical genres and future musicians long after the group's demise. Their 213 songs, 28 albums and five films over seven years as a group were a mere prelude to their cultural impact that continues to this day. In addition to reviewing their origin story and "Beatlemania," we will try to understand how these four became so fabulous. Participants will be asked to engage in trivia quizzes and discussions of their legacy. 

Instructor Bio: Steve Lopes, AE, BA, MA, M Ed, was an educator for 15 years prior to 30 years of advocating for teachers as a Kansas-NEA organizer. He enjoys researching Rock 'n' Roll history and sharing it with Osher participants.

January 25, 2022 to February 8, 2022, Roeland Park Community Center (Roeland Park, KS)