Stimulation - Knowledge - Interaction - Fun
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Dear Members and Friends,
Happy February! I hope you are enjoying your Winter courses. There are still openings in many of our Spring 2019 classes which begin on March 18
th
.
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Get your calendars ready! We have a lot of upcoming events - several Coffee Clashes, February Food for Thought, our Cabin Fever Party, and more. And people ask us what we do here in the winter!
This month's
Senior College Story is an inspiring account from Nat Fenton about his first teaching experience for ASC. Do you have a story to tell?
Thinking further ahead to spring: this year's Art Show theme (during the month of May) is "
Conversations." Now is the time to get creative while the weather is cold.
As always, send me your news, announcements, and photographs (especially class-related photos) for inclusion in an upcoming newsletter.
Janice Kenyon, ASC Administrator
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Just added!
Friday, February 15
th
David Einhorn
"Affirmative Action"
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Affirmative action has been a divisive issue
for our society and politics. We will explore its history and pros and cons.
Friday, February 15, 2019
9:00 a.m.
At Sips in Southwest Harbor
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Friday, March 1
st
Joanne Harris
"Has 'Me Too' Gone Too Far or
Not Far Enough?"
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Joanne Harris will facilitate a discussion
on the 'Me Too' movement.
Friday, March 1, 2019
9:00 a.m.
At Sips in Southwest Harbor
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Friday, March 8
th
Jack Russell
"Is there a 'Vital Center' in
American Politics?"
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Friday, March 8, 2019
9:00 a.m.
At Sips in Southwest Harbor
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Coffee Clash Reminders:
- In fairness to Sip's wait staff, each person will be charged $5 and receive a coffee and pastry. (Unless purchasing more than a $5 breakfast.) Tips are always appropriate.
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February Food for Thought
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Friday, February 22
nd
Jeff Dunn
"Universal Health Care in Maine"
Friday, February 22, 2019
At Birch Bay Village Inn
The hot buffet at Birch Bay Village begins at 11:30 and costs $12; the lecture is from
noon to 1:00.
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Reservations are required for both the lunch and lecture and
must be received by noon on Wednesday, February 20
th
.
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Friday, March 1
st
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Where:
George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History on the College of the Atlantic, 105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor.
When:
Friday, March 1
st
from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Who:
ASC Members and their guests are welcome. Join friends, fellow students, instructors, and board members for a potluck party and winter celebration.
Bring:
finger food appetizers or dessert to share (ready to serve, as there is no kitchen). ASC will provide wine, and beer will be provided by The Black Bear Brewery in Orono.
Music:
Rob Collins and his Jazz band will again be on hand for entertainment.
No RSVP required.
(Snow date: Saturday, March 2
nd
)
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Opera Preview: "
La Fille du Régiment
"
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Saturday, March 2
nd
Bob Gallon, ASC Instructor and opera enthusiast, will introduce Gaetano Donizetti’s opera,
“
La Fille du Régiment
”
prior to the Metropolitan Opera Live Broadcast at the Grand in Ellsworth.
11:00 a.m.
- Preview and talk with Bob Gallon
12 noon
- Lunch. Sandwiches available for purchase at the Grand, bring your own, or enjoy an Ellsworth lunch spot
12:55 p.m.
- Live Broadcast of
"La Fille du Régiment"
The preview talk is free. Tickets for the Live Broadcast are $27 ($25 for Grand members) and can be purchased at the door.
No reservations required
.
The Grand, 165 Main Street, Ellsworth, ME 04605
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Sunday, April 7
th
, 3:00 p.m.
Bangor Symphony, Collins Center for the Arts
Leonard Bernstein’s masterpiece of operetta,
"Candide."
Tickets will be $27 each
. Stay tuned for more information...
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My Senior College Story
by Nat Fenton
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Last Minutes of the Last Class - October 2019
It was late October of 2009, a momentous time for the voters of the State of Maine as, in two weeks, we would choose a new Governor (Paul LePage as it turned out) and would vote for the first time on gay marriage (the voters failed to adopt gay marriage in a close vote but would adopt it 3 years later). It was also a momentous time for me, as I was nervously teaching my first ASC class on “Lincoln” to 12 classmates.
Class was being held in the library at Birch Bay, and the seating was tight when all the classmates appeared. We had reached the final 5 minutes of our final class in the course.
Then she put her hand up. She had not spoken a word in 11 hours and fifty-five minutes of six two-hour classes. This was not a purely lecture course and most classmates had spoken in all of the six class sessions, some several times in each class. There were one or two who maybe had spoken in only half the classes. The small classroom contributed to a feeling of familiarity and the classmates felt comfortable speaking or asking questions, and I was becoming more at ease. I recognized that no one is required to speak in ASC classes and accepted her silence as part of the ASC model. No homework, no tests, no pressure to contribute to the subject matter - you can just sit and learn if you wish.
The room was silent. No one was going to miss this. I called on her. Looking just at me, she said, “I just want you to know that, even though I do not believe in gay marriage, I have a niece who is gay and I want her to be able to marry the one she loves. Because of this course, I am going to vote in favor of gay marriage.” Know that we had never talked about gay marriage at any time during the course, a course that was dedicated to a period of our history where a man came out of nowhere and, due to the support and comfort of a loving illiterate stepmother and the friends Abe made during his lifetime, was able to lead this nation during its most trying time 150 years ago.
I think about this student often. She translated the story of Abraham Lincoln to her own time and circumstances, and concluded that she would do as Lincoln would have done. She was the embodiment of “[W]ith malice toward none; with charity for all….” Now you know why I am still teaching in Acadia Senior College.
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Do you have a Senior College Story you would like to share?
What does ASC mean to you in your life? Did a class you took lead you to a new interest, new skill, new friendships or relationships? Did it open your mind to a new idea or way of thinking? Has it expanded your view of our society, our island, or the world we live in? Did it change the way you see yourself or others?
Please write a brief (one page) narrative telling your Senior College Story. We would like to share these in our newsletters and on the website!
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Spring Course Registration
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There are still spaces in many Spring 2019 classes! The spring term runs from March 18
th - May 24
th. Contact ASC if you need help with registration.
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As winter courses finish up in the next few weeks, you will receive an email with a link to the course feedback form. Please complete your form - it's easy and your feedback is very helpful.
Note
: you must be logged in to your Acadia Senior College account in order to access the form.
To get to the feedback form directly from the website, choose "Courses" and select "Student feedback form" from the menu (again you must be logged in).
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The February 2019 newsletter from the Maine Senior College Network is available now. Find out what's happening around the state.
Click here
.
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Class and Event Cancellation Policy
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Acadia Senior College cancels events and classes when the MDI schools close for snow or weather events. When a delay occurs, ASC also cancels events or classes that start within the delay time period.
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