"Thank you for your passion, your research, and the devotion you show

to your topics and your students. Much gratitude!"

-Participant, "The Prophetic Passion of Leonard Cohen"

Jessica's Note

Are you enchanted by maps, topography, and geography? Check out the two upcoming opportunities to indulge!

The Intersection of Maps and History is a six-week online course with Osher Online beginning April 19. This course features cartographic history and visual analysis using the extensive (and primarily digitized) cartographic collections of the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education at the University of Southern Maine. Each session will feature an engaging illustrated topical lecture and a lively Q&A session with the instructors. This class is for you if you want to know more about how maps can illuminate historical eras, events, and topics. Click or tap here for more information or to register.

The second opportunity for map and geography lovers is to volunteer for the Science Olympiad Road Scholar event on April 19. Students answer interpretive questions that may use one or more state highway maps, USGS topographic maps, Internet-generated maps, a road atlas, or satellite/aerial images. Click or tap here for more information or to sign up as a volunteer.

Let the joy of curiosity chart a course to lifelong learning.

Jessica Alvarez

Program Coordinator, OLLI at MSU

April Friday Forum: Is a New City and County Government Structure Needed for Our Growing Community?

The Montana Constitution requires local governments to ask their citizens to review local government structures every 10 years to decide if the existing form of government meets that community's needs. Gallatin County will mail ballots to county residents in June.

At the Friday Forum, Ashley Kent, Associate Director at the Local Government Center at MSU, will discuss the history of this feature in the Montana Constitution and how it can benefit communities experiencing change. Forum participants are encouraged to submit questions and comments in advance via Zoom registration.

This Friday Forum meets on April 12 from noon to 1:30 p.m. online via Zoom. Click or tap here for more information or to register directly through Zoom.

Participants must register by 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 12. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions on how to join the Friday Forum. Registration is required to receive the Zoom information.

Friday Forum offers presentations and campus discussions on local and regional timely topics. OLLI at MSU Friday Forum is free and open to the public.

Click or tap here for past Friday Forum recordings on the OLLI at MSU Recordings page.

Historic Female Bootleggers

Developed by an OLLI at MSU volunteer writer

In November 1916, the voters of Montana approved a state-wide ban on the sale of alcohol. Prohibition, in many ways, was a split decision. On the one hand, many thought it would help reduce crime and corruption, and the economic impact would be worth the sacrifice. As expected, others, whose livelihood depended on alcohol manufacturing and distribution, were opposed. Nonetheless, Prohibition became the new law but did not taper demand. Under the radar, the alcohol demand was filled by a surprising new group of entrepreneurs: women, who were either widowed or needed additional income to feed and clothe their families, became the lifeblood of the ever-increasing bootleg industry. The brewing of “hooch” in family kitchens created lucrative economic opportunities. Their children were often used to distribute it to evade detection.

In Montana, the law was nearly impossible to enforce. The size of the state, its remoteness, and its abundant wheat supply created the ideal conditions for bootlegging. At the time, the mining town of Butte was the epicenter. Residents didn’t take kindly to the new law and perceived it as a right that outsiders stripped away. As a result, the bootlegging industry of Butte exploded as women made their stashes in stills while the men worked the mines. Nora Gallagher, Mary Ann McGonigle, and Lavinia Gilman are just a few of Butte’s notorious women bootleggers.

One of the most famous stories of homestead bootlegging is that of Josephine Doody. Her husband met her in a dance hall where she was performing. When he found out that she had an opium addiction, he tied her up to his mule wagon, brought her to his remote homestead, and locked her up in a room until she broke the habit. After he died and Prohibition became law, she turned to the illegal manufacturing and selling of alcohol. She built one of the largest distilleries in the state. Known as “The Bootleg Lady of Glacier Park,” she would cross the Middle Fork of the Flathead River in a small boat to deliver moonshine to travelers at stops along the Great Northern Railroad.

On December 5, 1933, Congress repealed the 18th Amendment, ending Prohibition in the U.S. However, it was not unanimously approved. While many would now benefit from legal alcohol sales, a small group of enterprising Montana women had to find new ways to make a living.

SOURCES: Montanawomenhistory.org Distinctlymontana.com; Image of Josephine Doody used with permission from Glacier National Park Archives

Upcoming OLLI at MSU Programs

Courses

Our Constitutions, Federal and State, Plus a Few Others To Boot with Stephen Maly. Tuesdays, March 26 - April 30, 10:00 a.m. - noon. Hope Lutheran Church. Learn about the origins and evolution of federal and state guiding documents. How are they interconnected and how do they compare with others around the world? 

Gardening Under the Big Sky with Toby Day. Wednesdays, March 27 - May 1, 10:00 a.m. - noon. Hope Lutheran Church. Discover ideas to tackle Zone 4 growing challenges. Waitlist available.

Modern Art with Sarah Maki. Please note the dates have changed to April 11, 25, May 2, 9, 16, 30 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. There will be no class on April 18 and May 23. Hope Lutheran Church. Gain a broader understanding of art and learn to view works of art critically, no matter the style, era or culture.

Microbes in Sickness and in Health with Kari Cargill. Tuesdays, April 23 - May 14, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Hope Lutheran Church. Gain an appreciation for the role that microbes play in our daily lives and enjoy hands-on lab activities.

OLLI Extras

Taste of OLLI: Dry Hills Distillery Tour and Tasting Tuesday, March 26, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Dry Hills Distillery. Learn about Dry Hills Distillery's farm-to-bottle process and enjoy sipping craft spirits in their warm, inviting tasting room. Few spaces remain.

Rigging for Success: Fly Fishing Basics for Women or Rigging for Success: Fly Fishing Basics for Men with Matt Wilhelm. Fridays, April 5 and 12. Professional fly-casting instructor and guide Matt Wilhelm will share and demonstrate rigging, knots, gear, and tackle selection. These hands-on programs are perfect for beginner anglers with or without gear.

Speaker Series

Ptolemaic Queens as Greco-Egyptian Goddesses with Tara Sewell-Lasater. March 25, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

Life in Ice with Christine Foreman. April 8, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

Nelson Story: Bozeman Pioneer and Capitalist with John Russell. April 15, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

Finding Tut's Tomb with Tony Demetriades. April 22, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

Osher Online Courses

Osher Online programs are not recorded. These online courses are offered through the National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes.

Psychology Fundamentals: A 101 Overview with Andrés Gvirtz. Thursdays, April 4 - May 9, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Online via Zoom.

The Capable Consumer: Finding Your Purchasing Superpower with Susan Adams Loyd. Thursdays, April 4 - May 9, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Online via Zoom.

AI for Regular People with Hod Lipson and Melba Kurman. Thursdays, April 18 - May 23, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Online via Zoom.

The Intersection of Maps and History with Libby Bischof, Matthew Edney, and Louis Miller. Fridays, April 19 - May 24, noon - 1:30 p.m. Online via Zoom.

Click or tap here to see additional added Osher Online offerings.

Learning Opportunities for Everyone - Feed Your Curiosity at a Price That Works for You!

We strive to keep member participation affordable so everyone 50 years of age and better can engage with us in lifelong learning. Therefore, OLLI at MSU offers financial assistance for both tuition and membership.

We are grateful to the family and friends of our late OLLI at MSU leader and consummate lifelong learner, Doug Young, for establishing the Doug Young Memorial Scholarship Fund.

We encourage you and your neighbors or friends to apply for membership or program tuition assistance as needed. Our application is quick and easy. Click or tap here to view more information or apply for financial assistance. Applications must be submitted prior to program registration.

Spring Reads



OLLI at MSU offers three member exclusive book discussion groups. We are sharing the below titles to allow you time to enjoy a good cozy autumn read and join in the discussions! You may join any of the groups below for one, a few, or all of the sessions.

OLLI Mystery Book Discussion Group

1st to Die

James Patterson

April 2,

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI Non-Fiction Book Discussion Group

Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death, and Art

Rebecca Wragg Sykes

April 15,

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI at MSU Book Discussion Group

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

Olga Tokarczuk

April 1

3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Face-to-face

Hope Lutheran Church

Seeking volunteers for program development

We're seeking adventurous volunteers who are eager to infuse their unique perspectives into the OLLI experience.

Spark Your Imagination: The OLLI Extras Committee is looking for enthusiastic, curious volunteers who enjoy community outreach. Help us shape these fun, interactive, seasonal "OLLI Extra" experiences.



Empower Future Adventures: Consider lending your expertise to the Development Committee as we chart and implement new development initiatives and events to support program development and sustainability for generations and members to come.

We invite YOU to be a part of our vibrant community. Complete our short volunteer form or reply to this email, and we will contact you to discuss further. Let's make every OLLI moment extraordinary together! 

Campus Corner

Below are a few upcoming events offered on the Montana State University Bozeman campus that may interest our OLLI at MSU members. Click or tap titles and locations for more information. These events are not sponsored or produced by OLLI at MSU.

The Office of Research and Economic Development presents "994 Journeys" with Ilse-Mari Lee, dean of the Honors College. Tuesday, March 26, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Strand Union Building, Room 233. Ilse-Mari Lee will tell the story of where she trained, how she came to MSU, and a few key highlights of her research and scholarship.

History is a Joke Friday, April 5, 6:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies, Hager Auditorium. To celebrate April Fool's Day, Bozeman's finest comedians and historians will engage in a series of amusing challenges to determine who can provide the most entertaining hot takes on famous and notorious historical figures, locations, and incidents. At the conclusion of the event, the audience will choose the top three funniest performers for valuable and amusing awards. Click or tap here to purchase tickets. Ticket purchase required.

Dinosaurs and MOR! All Access Lecture Package Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14. Museum of the Rockies, Hager Auditorium. Over two days, 18 renowned paleontologists will present on topics ranging from trilobites to T. rex to fossil whales. Each presentation will be 30 minutes long and include a Q and A, making it an informative and engaging experience for all attendees. Click or tap here to purchase tickets. Ticket purchase required.

We hope you enjoy the selection of items we have chosen for this edition. Everything in this email will be archived on the Newsletter Archive page of our website.