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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
Public images of the 1920s emphasize frivolity: bathtub gin, flappers, flagpole sitters, and “flaming youth.” All these were indeed part of that decade. But so was the emergence of a society we recognize as much like our own, and that will be the theme of this class. The twenties saw the growth of consumer values and mass consumption, pleasure outranking work, the rise of the mass media, spectator sports, bitterly fought culture wars and the eclipse of WASP cultural command, the appearance of urban racial ghettos, corporate dominion, and the crushing of short-lived labor power. All these themes persist into the 21st century. Michael Homel is Professor Emeritus of History at Eastern Michigan University. He specializes in 20th century American history and American urban history. He is the author of Unlocking City Hall: Exploring the History of Local Government and Politics, and other publications on urban politics and education.
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Fee: $30.00
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Instructor(s): Michael Homel
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Dates: 4/9/2025 - 4/16/2025
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 2
Days: W
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
In the 1950s, Dick Clark changed rock ‘n’ roll from lower-class and black rebellion to sanitized and whitened mass culture with his televised dance party American Bandstand. In so doing, Clark built a financial empire that gave him power and vast wealth. This class tells that story and includes music featured in the early years of his Philadelphia-based TV program. Michael Homel is Professor Emeritus of History at Eastern Michigan University. He specializes in 20th century American history and American urban history. He is the author of Unlocking City Hall: Exploring the History of Local Government and Politics, and other publications on urban politics and education.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Michael Homel
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Dates: 4/23/2025 - 4/23/2025
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
George Klein and Dana Foster will share their observations and perspectives related to changes in the great city of New Orleans. They will share their particular New Orleans interests of historic preservation, the effects and efforts of City of New Orleans city government related actions/politics on historic preservation, and their ongoing interests in New Orleans-based and New Orleans-influenced music. Dana and George were fortunate to be able to attend New Orleans Music festivals in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Their updates on redevelopment projects will include a significant historic preservation project involving historic structures on South Rampart Street in New Orleans which were very important in the early jazz and blues music development that included early American Jazz Artists such as Buddy Bolden and Louis Armstrong. George Klein has taught English and humanities at Wayne State University and Eastern Michigan University (EMU), and directed EMU’s study abroad programs. He also served as a music program host at WEMU for 30 years, and is now an independent producer of online jazz programs. Dana Foster was the City Manager for the City of Brighton Michigan for nearly 25 years, and now works in the private sector in Brighton. With George, Dana is an annual fellow traveler to the New Orleans Jazz Fest. He has become a New Orleans enthusiast and is eager to share his perspectives on the great city of New Orleans that has produced many diverse cultural and arts impacts on the U.S. and many other nations in the world.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): George Klein, Dana Foster
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Dates: 4/24/2025 - 4/24/2025
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Th
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
Join us to explore all the ways that costume, makeup, and hair design can help tell stories. Plays and musicals, live-action and animated movies and TV shows, theme parks, video games, and other types of entertainment use these design elements as an integral part of communicating their stories to the audience. Melanie will discuss various aspects of story and character and how costumes, makeup, and hair make them come alive. Melanie Schuessler Bond is the faculty Costume Designer at Eastern Michigan University. In addition to numerous university theatre designs, her professional design credits include productions at the Michigan Shakespeare Festival (Charley's Aunt, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, and others), Williamston Theatre in Williamston, MI (Chapatti, Five Course Love, The Art of Murder, and others), and Tipping Point Theatre in Northville (Southern Comforts and Crimes of the Heart). Professor Bond's portfolio can be viewed online at http://costumes.melanieandjeremy.net/.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Melanie Schuessler Bond
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Dates: 4/29/2025 - 4/29/2025
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Tu
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent the Friday before class begins.
Canadian author Louise Penny writes mysteries set in Quebec, Canada, primarily centered around the fictional village of Three Pines. Her images of Quebec life and locations have attracted tourists from far and wide. Linda Gintowt is an insider: born in Montreal, raised and educated in areas around Montreal, summering in her youth (and to this day) in the Eastern Townships of Quebec where Louise Penny lives and on which she models Three Pines. Linda will provide photos, facts, and first-hand accounts of Quebec culture as experienced by the bilingual-anglophone minority living there, as well as many of the locations featured in Three Pines. For context, if you are not familiar with her characters and settings, you may choose to read Still Life by Louise Penny, prior to the class. Linda Gintowt holds an M.A. in drama from the University of Toronto. She has a passion for history and the preservation of art, culture, and the natural world. Linda previously served as the Elderwise Program Coordinator and is pleased to share her interests with Elderwise friends.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Linda Gintowt
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Dates: 5/5/2025 - 5/5/2025
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: M
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent the Friday before class begins.
Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cezanne loved them. So will you – the colors, culture, and cuisine of Provence. Last fall, Gerlinda Melchiori took us on a journey to the Normandy Coast in Northern France. This spring, she leads us on a tour of southern France, primarily in the Provence region. We will visit famous historical sites such as the global port of Marseille, papal Avignon on the River Rhône, and the Toulon of Les Misérables, on the Mediterranean Coast. We will then walk the paths of the Impressionist painters, hike the steep canyons and vineyards, and view with joy the lavender landscapes of this exquisite region. And, we will do all of this without the millions of tourists who come here every year. Gerlinda Melchiori holds advanced degrees in history and business, and a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Michigan. She has served as an international consultant to universities around the world. Her special interests include the history and arts of regions and cultures worldwide.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Gerlinda Melchiori
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Dates: 5/12/2025 - 5/12/2025
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: M
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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HYBRID: In the classroom and online. A Zoom link will be sent to all one day before class.
The names of cities along America’s southeastern coast are almost magical. Names like Savannah and Charleston speak of hanging moss and mystery, of southern charm and hospitality, of beautiful homes and cultures immersed in history. The first stop on this journey through the deep south was St. Augustine, Florida, where it seems everything is the oldest in America. Next comes Georgia’s Jekyll Island, once a retreat exclusively for the very wealthy and now a vacation paradise for everyone. Savannah, Beaufort, and Charleston are within 70 miles of each other and, while each is distinctive, all share in creating a relaxed southern manner of living amid the architectural masterpieces they call home. George Jabol received his B.A. degree from Muskingum College in Ohio, and a Ph.D. in English language and literature from the University of Michigan. Fully retired now from a career with the federal government, George creates photographic slide shows as a way to remember his travels and share them with others.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): George Jabol
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Dates: 5/13/2025 - 5/13/2025
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Tu
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Building: Hybrid: In-Person and Online
Room: Vineyard Cafe and Zoom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
Cross-dressing has occurred since civilization began. This class will explore the reasons people cross-dressed, and how their cultures responded to their nonconformist attire. In some eras and places, no one really cared. In others, cross-dressing could get a person killed by people, by governments, and by religions. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake not just because of her heretical notions but because she dressed as a man. Many, like Joan, cross-dressed but made no attempt to hide their true sex. Others realized that indeed their gender identity was the opposite of their biological sex. We will watch and discuss The Danish Girl which centers on the lives of real people. Eddie Redmayne portrays Einar/Lili who undergoes an early sexual reassignment surgery in the early 20th century. Susan Nenadic holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history and English. She is known for her integration of history and literature in teaching, and is the author of several books and articles, including A Purse of Her Own: Occupations of 19th Century Women, and Legendary Locals of Ann Arbor. Susan currently leads Friends of Amoru, a non-profit organization building a secondary school in Uganda.
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Fee: $45.00
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Instructor(s): Susan Nenadic
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Dates: 5/15/2025 - 5/28/2025
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 3
Days: W Th
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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1st session is on Thursday, May 15;
2nd session is on Wednesday, May 21;
3rd session is on Wednesday, May 28
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before class begins.
Hop on board and join Pat Butler for a road trip around the picturesque county of Cornwall. Situated on the southwesterly tip of the UK and enjoying an unusually mild climate, Cornwall has a plethora of interesting places to visit and fascinating tales to tell. We will visit quaint fishing villages, historic mining towns, medieval fortresses, and the famous Tintagel Castle where legend meets history. In addition to enjoying the stunning land and seascapes as we travel the county, we will also find time to stroll through the global gardens at the Eden Project, visit a seal sanctuary, appreciate artwork from around the world at the Tate, St. Ives, and so much more. Pat Butler was the Elderwise Administrator until retiring back to the UK in 2017. She is a Qualified Tour Guide for the National Trust's Living Back-to-Back History Museum in Birmingham, UK, and enjoys taking groups of visitors around this popular venue. Pat also enjoys presenting social history classes to members of Britain’s University of the Third Age.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Pat Butler
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Dates: 6/4/2025 - 6/4/2025
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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