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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Permanent escape was one means of resisting American slavery. Southeast Michigan citizens played an important role in providing safe havens and in influencing public opinion and legislation. Carol Mull will discuss some significant historic events and challenges that led to the development of successful interracial, interstate, and international Underground Railroad networks of freedom. Carol E. Mull is an Ann Arbor historic preservationist and Underground Railroad scholar. She is the author of The Underground Railroad in Michigan (2010) and a contributor to the recently published collection A Fluid Frontier: Slavery, Resistance, and the Underground Railroad in the Detroit River Borderland [2016]. Carol was the recipient of Eastern Michigan University's 2012 Alumna Achievement Award.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Carol Mull
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Dates: 3/25/2026 - 3/25/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W Th
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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Offsite Tour: 110 W. Cross Street, Ypsilanti
Enrollment: This tour is limited to 20 attendees. A waitlist will be available.
Fee: Member $10 Nonmember $20 plus an additional $5 entrance fee, added at checkout
Please let the Elderwise office know if, after registering, you are unable to attend this event. This gives students on the waitlist an opportunity to join. It also helps the onsite class assistant have an accurate roster.
Join us for a guided tour of the Michigan Firehouse Museum. Located nearby in Ypsilanti’s historic district, the museum combines an original 1898 firehouse with a modern exhibit area constructed in 2002. Both buildings are filled with historic firefighting apparatus. The older structure offers a glimpse of life in a firehouse circa 1900, complete with horse drawn vehicles, a restored bunk area, and an original brass pole. The new multilevel display area houses changing exhibitions of motorized vehicles, photographs, memorabilia, and collections of equipment such as helmets, ladders, bells, extinguishers, and clothing.
The museum’s docent staff will share with us aspects of the history and technology behind the work of putting out fires. Additional important information will be emailed to class registrants a few days before the tour.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Michigan Firehouse Museum Docent Staff
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Dates: 3/27/2026 - 3/27/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: F
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Building: Offsite
Room: Michigan Firehouse Museum
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Ted Kaczynski (1942-2023) was considered a brilliant mathematician. He received a BS degree from Harvard and a Ph.D. in theoretical mathematics from the University of Michigan (1967). After two years with the faculty at the University of California-Berkeley, Ted moved to a primitive one-room cabin in Montana. In 1978, with no discernible motive, he began sending bombs to what appeared to be unrelated people at universities and in the airline industry, killing three and severely injuring several others. Without knowing his identity, the FBI and the press dubbed him the Unabomber. In 1995, at Ted’s request, a 35,000-word manifesto was published jointly by the New York Times and Washington Post, which ultimately led to his identity. Why did he leave a promising academic career to become a hermit and a notorious serial bomber? What does Ted Kaczynski’s case tell us about the connections between mental health and ideological extremism? While exploring these questions, we will discuss new material about Kaczynski’s anti-technology Luddite philosophy, his selection of targets, and how the FBI ultimately identified him. Greg Stejskal is a retired special agent of the FBI. He served from 1975-2006 and was the case agent on the bomb that was sent to James McConnell at the University of Michigan. He also participated in the 2020 Netflix documentary The Unabomber: In His Own Words, and recommends it.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Gregory Stejskal
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Dates: 4/9/2026 - 4/9/2026
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Th
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before class begins.
Located five miles upriver from Windsor Castle, this 17th century Italianate mansion with its beautifully landscaped gardens has been home to a Prince of Wales, two Dukes, an Earl, and the Viscounts Astor. Through the biography of the house, we will uncover real-life stories which have peppered its history with scandal, intrigue, and controversy. Originally built for aristocratic hedonism during the Restoration, it has served as a counter-court for Hanoverian power struggles, a hub for political intellectuals and abolitionists, and home to the first female Member of Parliament to sit in the House of Commons. It gained notoriety in the 1960s for a political scandal that rocked the nation, leading to the downfall of the Conservative Party. Cliveden is currently a prestigious country hotel set in 360 acres of grounds. Pat Butler was the Elderwise Learning Administrator until retiring to Warwick England in 2017. She is now a tour guide at the National Trust’s Living History Museum in Birmingham U.K., and enjoys taking groups of visitors around this popular venue. Pat also presents history classes to the U.K.’s University of the Third Age.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Pat Butler
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Dates: 4/10/2026 - 4/10/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: F
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
He knew what his neighbors knew. They (and he) knew the economy was bad, war was possible, the plague inevitable, contentious religious issues dangerous, and social unrest equally dangerous. They wondered if witchcraft was real, if eclipses were really portents, whether the earth was the center of the universe, why they had indigestion, whether alchemy really worked, how their own minds worked, and how money worked. If you had been an Elizabethan, you would have worried about these things too. In this class we will try to understand them, and why they were worrisome. There is no required reading for this literature class. Bill Ingram is Professor Emeritus of English Language and Literature at the University of Michigan. He is known for his work on early modern drama and performance.
 
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Bill Ingram
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Dates: 4/14/2026 - 4/14/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Tu
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before each class session begins.
Japan has had a long and enigmatic history, oscillating between the extremes of world isolation and global engagement over many centuries. To help us understand this fascinating and unique culture, we have turned to the popular lecture series from The Great Courses with Professor Mark J. Ravina from Emory University. This third group of lectures will focus on Japanese history in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with special attention to the international culture contributions of Japanese gardens, art, and Haiku poetry.
April 16 The Importance of Japanese Gardens
The Meaning of Bushido in a Time of Peace
Japanese Poetry: The Road to Haiku
April 23 The Meiji Restoration
Three Visions of Prewar Japan
War Without a Master Plan 1931-1945
Toby Teorey is the current Vice Chair of the Elderwise Learning Council. He is retired from the Computer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Michigan and in retirement pursues his enduring love of world history, music, and culture.
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Fee: $40.00
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Instructor(s): Toby Teorey
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Dates: 4/16/2026 - 4/23/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 2
Days: Th
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Eleanor Roosevelt wasn’t born fearless. She wasn’t raised to lead. And for much of her early life, she believed what others said about her – that she was awkward, unattractive, and destined to stay in the background. But Eleanor found her strength by lifting others, and in doing so, became one of the most respected and inspiring voices of the 20th century. This presentation traces her journey from self-doubt to self-assurance. We will hear how she faced grief, betrayal, war, and public scrutiny – and how she used each experience to deepen her courage and sense of purpose. Along the way, she teaches us what it means to show up, speak out, and live with integrity, even when the world tells us we are not enough. Eleanor’s wisdom is timeless: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Join us to be inspired by the words and actions of one of history's most unexpectedly dynamic leaders. Wendy Zielen, originally from upstate New York, became a lifelong Michigander after meeting her husband at the University of Michigan. As Executive and Development Director of Bendix Academy, a nonprofit in Brighton, Michigan, she fosters mentorship through hands-on toolmanship education. Deeply committed to historical preservation and youth advocacy, Wendy draws inspiration from the “can-do” spirit of WWII. Her passion for history grew while retracing her Doughboy grandfather’s footsteps across France, and she continues to honor the legacy of America’s heroes by working to help empower future generations.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Wendy Zielen
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Dates: 4/30/2026 - 4/30/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Th
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Join us for a hands-on session puzzling over dozens of mostly odd and unfamiliar tools, hardware, and other objects, some of which have not been identified, and many of which are distinctly old. Many of these metal, wood, and other objects come from past trades or practices, or are not readily available outside of museums. You will have an opportunity to add your own expertise, and perhaps uncover the nature and origin of some of these oddball items. Elderwise Learning participants will certainly recognize more of these curios than will their children and grandchildren! Tom Friedlander is a retired University of Michigan trained tree-and-shrub taxonomist who spent 38 years teaching and coaching at Greenhills School in Ann Arbor.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Tom Friedlander
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Dates: 5/26/2026 - 5/26/2026
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Tu
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
On July 4 of this year, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation's birth. At risk to their lives, a group of American colonial leaders signed a Declaration of Independence from Great Britian. The document's stirring words were principally authored by a young soft-spoken farmer from Virginia, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson went on to play a pivotal role in shaping the new nation's democracy. He served as Vice President under both George Washington and John Adams, then as America's third President for eight years, then as Minister to France, then as Governor of Virginia, and founder of the University of Virginia. Along the way, he doubled the size of the new nation by negotiating the Louisiana Purchase from France, wrote eight books, learned multiple languages, discovered plant species unknown to botanists, and insisted that slavery be banned from the Northwest Ordinance states. John Stewart is a retired software developer with degrees in biology from the University of Michigan. He is in awe of the career of Ann Arbor high school graduate, Ken Burns.
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Fee: $40.00
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Instructor(s): John Stewart
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Dates: 6/2/2026 - 6/9/2026
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 2
Days: Tu
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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OFFSITE TOUR: 797 W. Textile Road, Ann Arbor
This class has an enrollment limit of 20. A waitlist will be available.
Please let the Elderwise office know if, after registering, you are unable to attend this class. This gives students on the waitlist an opportunity to join. It also helps the onsite class assistant have an accurate roster.
The Past IS Worth Preserving. Join us for a story of the Sutherlands and Wilsons. This tour of the Sutherland-Wilson farm includes a presentation on the history of Pittsfield Township, as well as the six generations who lived in this home. We will explore the house, barn, and outbuildings, and learn how they have been renovated over the years by the Pittsfield Township Historical Society. If you enjoy local history, you will enjoy this tour. Carol Pollack-Rundle, a retired ophthalmic technologist at Michigan Medicine, has been interested in history for years. She is a charter member of the Pittsfield Township Historical Society and has served as its treasurer for four years. She is also a house docent and owes her knowledge of the house to other members of the historical society, especially Ed and Mary Ellen Wall, the authors of many books on Pittsfield Township history. Additional important information will be emailed to class registrants a few days before the tour.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Carol Pollack-Rundle
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Dates: 6/5/2026 - 6/5/2026
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: F
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Building: Offsite
Room: Sutherland-Wilson Farmstead, Ann Arbor
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- ONLINE registration for this class is now closed.
If the start date of the first session has not happened yet,
please call or email the Elderwise office to get registered.
Thank you!
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent the Friday before class begins.
Throughout the 19th Century, Astronomy underwent some of its most dramatic technological advancements. Telescopes were getting bigger, better, and more complicated. Join Austin Edmister as he explores the major telescopes, technologies, and advancements of the 1800’s. Austin Edmister serves as assistant director for astronomy at the Detroit Observatory on the University of Michigan campus. Austin holds a B.S. in physics from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and an M.S. in astrophysics from Michigan State University. He has over a decade of experience using telescopes and planetariums to teach about the wonders of the night sky.
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