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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
More than sixty years later, the “sound of young America” still stirs us, evoking memories of hope and lost youth. That's when a black-owned business made Detroit world famous for something other than automobiles. This class on Motown Record's early years tells how the combination of a vibrant community, an ambitious family led by a single-minded entrepreneur, abundant local talent, and wise musical and business strategies, secured stunning cultural and financial success. We hear wonderful music, meet the people who made it, and briefly mention forces behind Motown’s unfortunate downfall. 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: $40.00
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Instructor(s): Michael Homel
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Dates: 9/9/2026 - 9/16/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 2
Days: W
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
If you grew up in Michigan, you are certainly familiar with Vernor’s ginger ale, Faygo pop, Jiffy Mix, Gerber, Sanders, and Better Made Potato Chips. Plus, we practically invented cereal! Did you know that Ritz crackers were invented in Jackson? To learn more about our great state’s food history, join us for a highly entertaining and informative afternoon of food memories. Gail Offen and Jon Milan, authors of the book Classic Michigan Food and Drinks:The Stories Behind the Brands, will amaze and delight you with their stories of road trips throughout both peninsulas, exploring Michigan food brands. Be prepared for a gustatory trip down memory lane! Gail Offen is an adjunct professor at Lawrence Technological University and an award-winning advertising creative director, writer, and branding specialist. She and writing partner Jon Milan have written Grand River Avenue: From Detroit to Lake Michigan, Iconic Restaurants of Ann Arbor, and Michigan Haunts: Public Places and Eerie Spaces. Jon Milan is a lecturer, journalist and photographer specializing in topics related to Michigan social history, travel, and music. He is a professional pianist and was a Corporate Communications manager. In addition to the books he authored with Gail, he has also written Detroit: Ragtime and the Jazz Age, and Old Chicago Road: US-12 fromDetroit to Chicago.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Gail Offen
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Dates: 9/9/2026 - 9/9/2026
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Gallery Walks goes Whole Earth and beyond in this brief history of maps. Our nomadic species has always utilized elements of science, art, and spirituality to make maps to aid our wanderings, ensure our survival, embellish our storytelling, guide our pilgrimages, and expand our prosperity. Since our paleolithic ancestors began making images, we have made maps to guide us through time and space. Digital communication, atomic clocks, deep space telescopes, and earth satellites have Introduced our present "golden age” of maps. But there have been previous "golden ages." Let's take time to savor some most memorable maps from long ago and far away. Michael R. Kapetan is an artist whose own work is informed by the scientific, the aesthetic, and the spiritual as he creates holy images for churches, synagogues, and temples, plus unique solar sculptures that mark the turning of the seasons. Mike is retired from the University of Michigan’s School of Art. He holds a degree in art history from Harvard University, and a master’s degree in sculpture from the University of Michigan.
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Fee: $40.00
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Instructor(s): Michael R. Kapetan
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Dates: 9/16/2026 - 9/23/2026
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 2
Days: W
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
The nearly forgotten French period of Michigan history helped to frame our modern life. Michigan’s cultural heritage is deeply influenced in many of our French place names, foods and daily lives. What was life like in 1700’s “New France”? Join us as Charlie Shelton examines this dynamic period: the people, the furs, the culture, and the commerce of 1750 Fort Michilimackinac and colonial Michigan. Charlie Shelton is a Great Lakes historian with a special interest in Michigan’s Indigenous, French, British, and American experiences. Charlie is a descendent of the Chippewa Metis Nolan family. The Nolans were successful fur traders, interpreters, and educators in the Upper Great Lakes region and beyond. As a citizen of the Metis Nation of Ontario, Charlie feels a sense of gratitude when he shares his family history and its place in the context of Michigan history.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Charlie Shelton
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Dates: 9/22/2026 - 9/22/2026
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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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Broadway musicals have captivated American – and worldwide – audiences for many decades. In this two-session class we will view and discuss the PBS documentary film series “Broadway: The American Musical,” narrated by Julie Andrews. This class covers the period from 1893 to 1960, highlighting the Broadway shows and songs that defined each decade. The individual segments include on-camera interviews with the principals of various shows, rare performance footage, and newly restored film clips. Come to this class and enjoy the best seat in the house for the greatest Broadway shows of all time. Note: The third and final session of this series (1957-2004) will be offered in Winter 2027. Toby Teorey is the current Vice Chair of the Elderwise Learning Council. He retired from the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan (Computer Science) 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: 9/24/2026 - 10/1/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 2
Days: Th
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
There is an epidemic that no one is talking about outside of Indian Country. Within the Indian community we are dealing with an epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women. With numbers so high that they are unreported, how do we deal with it all? Why aren’t there concrete statistics? What has the FBI done to help with this epidemic? Why do the crimes go unreported? What does “Missing White Woman Syndrome” have to do with this? Join us to discuss some history, and to learn about why this is an issue and what we can do in and out of the Indian Country to make sure that our sisters, mothers, daughters, wives, and girlfriends, don’t become statistics. Heather Bruegl is a citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and a first-line descendant of the Stockbridge- Munsee Tribe. She is a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she studies First Nations Education. Heather’s research focuses on the importance of telling the truth in history, in museums, and in cultural institutions. She is also a public historian, activist, and independent consultant who works with institutions and organizations for Indigenous sovereignty and collective liberation.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Heather Bruegl
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Dates: 9/30/2026 - 9/30/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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OFFSITE: Friend-Hack House Museum, 775 County Street, Milan
Join us as we tour the beautiful 135-year-old Friend-Hack House Museum in Milan, Michigan, also known as the “House that Sugar Built.” Retired teacher and former president of the Milan Area Historical Society, Anne Farmer will lead us through the house and tell us the story of:
A Friend – the woman who had the house built
A Fraud – the scandalous story of where the construction money came from
A Founding Family – going back to Bethuel Hack, one of the original founders of Milan
This lovely home, built in 1888, is now listed with the National Register of Historic Places. After the house tour, participants will be free to wander the property and go through the outbuildings, including the three-hole outhouse that had a unique flushing system. And, hopefully, the beekeeper will be available to show you the site’s working hive of honeybees, which has a permanent home and display in the aviary building. Anne Farmer holds a B.S. degree in elementary education and an M.A. degree in special education. Prior to retirement, she taught in the Milan school system for 26 years. She is a long-time member of the Milan Garden Club, whose members maintain the Hack House gardens. Anne has been active in the Milan Area Historical Society for more than 18 years and recently stepped down after serving as president for 14 years. Additional important information will be emailed to class registrants a few days before the tour. Special Note: The house is not fully accessible. Please contact the Elderwise Learning office with any questions, espcially if you use a wheelchair. Thank you.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Anne Farmer
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Dates: 10/2/2026 - 10/2/2026
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: F
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Building: Offsite
Room: Friend-Hack House Museum, Milan
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Leonardo da Vinci wasn’t just a painter from 500 years ago; he was a visionary whose ideas spanned aviation, engineering, art, anatomy, architecture, and design, and whose influence still surrounds us today. In this engaging presentation, we explore how Leonardo’s extraordinary powers of observation, captured in notebooks he wrote in reverse, revealed principles of flight centuries before they could be tested. But Leonardo’s genius extended far beyond flight. In art, he transformed how we see the world, perfecting perspective, pioneering the use of light and shadow (sfumato), and creating masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, where human emotion, natural landscapes, and scientific observation converge. Through powerful visuals and compelling comparisons, we connect Leonardo’s living legacy to the innovators who followed, and to the technologies we rely on today. Along the way, we uncover the remarkable journey of his notebooks: scattered, lost, rediscovered, and ultimately preserved as the codices that continue to inspire the modern world. Join us to discover how Leonardo isn’t just part of history – he is still shaping how we think, create, and soar. Once you see the world through his eyes, you may never look at everyday things the same way again. 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: 10/8/2026 - 10/8/2026
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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HYBRID: In the classroom and online. A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants one day before class.
This class runs from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Join George Jabol for this exciting slideshow presentation of his 2009 journey to India. George will take us to sites in northern India, including Delhi, Jaipur, and the Ranthambore National Park, where tigers roam. We will visit the breathtaking Taj Mahal In Agra, the exotic temples at Khajuraho, and the sacred city of Varanasi on the Ganges River. With his outstanding photography, George is eager to share the wonders – often strange to Western eyes – that he encountered on his unforgettable journey to the heart of India. George Jabol received his B.A. degree from Ohio’s Muskingum University, 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: $20.00
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Instructor(s): George Jabol
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Dates: 10/8/2026 - 10/8/2026
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Th
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Building: Hybrid: In-Person and Online
Room: In the 2275 Platt Road Classroom and on Zoom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
“Past, Present, Possible” is Washtenaw County’s Bicentennial theme as we celebrate the County’s 200th Anniversary throughout 2026. In October, a new exhibit exploring the County’s earliest days will open at the Museum on Main Street, located at the intersection of North Main, East Kingsley, and Beakes Streets in Ann Arbor. Built in 1835—just nine years after the County was officially organized in 1826—the house was moved from Lowertown across the Broadway Bridge in 1990 to become a “Museum of County Life.” It has also become a center for community collaborations. In this session we will connect the County’s past to the present through photos, stories, memories and more. Beverly Willis is the current administrator of the Washtenaw County Historical Society at the Museum on Main Street in Ann Arbor. She has 15 years of experience working with and learning from local historians and meeting some of the people who make that history.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Beverly Willis
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Dates: 10/13/2026 - 10/13/2026
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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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakoff (1844-1908) is usually known as the composer of the colorful tone poem Scheherazade. In fact, he accomplished much more than that and is now recognized as the most important composer of late 19th Century Russia. Largely self-taught during a career in the Russian Navy, Rimsky-Korsakoff wrote numerous colorful operas, tone poems, and chamber works. He helped fellow composers such as Borodin and Mussorgsky finish work, and taught a later generation of musicians including Stravinsky, Prokofieff, and Glazunov. In this presentation we will consider his brilliant career and play excerpts from operas and orchestral works. During the second hour, we will show a video of the Ballet Russes production of Scheherazade. Henry Aldridge is an EMU Professor Emeritus of Electronic Media and Film Studies and an avid music lover. He has served for many years as one of the organists at the Michigan Theater.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Henry B. Aldridge
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Dates: 10/15/2026 - 10/15/2026
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
From the Greek words “taphos” (tomb) and “philia”(love), a taphophile is a person with a strong interest in cemeteries and graves, and the history and art associated with them rather than a morbid fascination with death. Taphophiles might visit cemeteries to appreciate their historical significance, document gravestone art, research personal genealogy, visit the grave of a well-known citizen, or find solace and reassurance in the belief of an afterlife. Many cemeteries are also places for the living. Because of their many plants and animals, some cemeteries are also designated as arboretums. First introduced as “garden cemeteries” in the 19th century, these burial places were a welcome respite from the crowded and polluted cities of the Industrial Revolution, and a way to enjoy the quiet beauty and health benefits of nature. Kathy has visited most of the cemeteries in her presentation, but a few are still on her bucket list. Join us, and you may discover that you too are a taphophile and might include a cemetery as part of your next travel itinerary! Kathy Gunderson is a retired Art and Humanities teacher with an educational background in Art and History. Since shortly after her retirement, Kathy has continued her love of learning about art and its history by giving art presentations in the Ann Abor and Chelsea areas and, especially, sharing that love with those who previously have had little background in the arts. In addition to her art presentations, Kathy has been a docent at the University of Michigan’s Kelsey Museum of Archaeology for almost ten years. She also enjoys travel, gardens, and visiting museums of any kind.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Kathy Gunderson
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Dates: 10/20/2026 - 10/20/2026
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
Stephen Sondheim won eight Tony awards, eight Grammy awards, an Oscar, and a Pulitzer, although he wrote only one hit song. This class is for people who adore the American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021), and also for those who would like to learn about why he is so revered. With interviews and excerpts from his shows, we will examine his early life, his musical influences, his first Broadway successes, and one big flop. Film clips from his Broadway shows and movies will include West Side Story, Gypsy, Topper, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Company. Note: Hank will present two more classes on Sondheim in future terms. Hank Muir is a retired teacher and medical practice administrator. He has a bachelor’s degree from Graceland College and a master’s in American history from the University of Nebraska. He is a collector of books, records and movies.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Hank Muir
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Dates: 10/21/2026 - 10/21/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Many people have thought that the media has treated England’s new king harshly. In this class we will consider Charles III’s upbringing and adult actions. We will take a look at the problems he experienced as the heir to the throne. We will also look into how he occupied his time as he waited for the succession, including his relationship with his mother as she aged. Finally, we will discuss his current interests. Susan suggests that class participants may want to watch the following prior to the class: the series The Crown; an interesting film The Queen, which considers the death of Diana; Spencer, which portrays Diana facing difficulties in accepting her role as an HRH; and finally, a film version of the play King Charles III. Come ready to contribute to the class discussion. 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: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Susan Nenadic
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Dates: 10/27/2026 - 10/27/2026
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
Songs that make you feel ideas: That is how composer Yip Harberg (“Over the Rainbow,” Finian’s Rainbow) described the marriage of words and music in songs of the American Musical. Nicknamed “the conscience of Broadway,” Harberg echoed the sentiments of many in musical theatre: “Songs are the pulse of a nation’s heart. A fever chart of its health.” This class will chronicle the work of the composers and lyricists who reflected, reinforced, and, at times, raised America’s civic and social conscience. More importantly, we will learn how they did it with optimism, humor, and sentiment. It’s a whirlwind tour of the musical theatre with stops, some surprising, to see and hear the work of artists like Jerry Bock, Stephen Sondheim, Gretchen Cryer, Nancy Ford, Bert Williams, Will Marion Cook, Oscar Hammerstein, Abe Borrows, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Ken Stevens began his theater career in Cincinnati where he co-founded the Showboat Majestic and served as a Rockefeller Fellow at Playhouse in the Park and the University of Cincinnati. In 1972 Ken joined the faculty of Eastern Michigan University (EMU), where he created both the musical theater program and the graduate and undergraduate programs in arts management. He serves on the board of Villa Barr Art Park and Novi and the education program of Michigan Legacy Art Park, a wilderness sculpture park at Crystal Mountain Resort.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Ken Stevens
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Dates: 11/17/2026 - 11/17/2026
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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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
What do Sanskrit, English, Pashto, Greek, Welsh, and Yiddish have in common? In this presentation, based on the book Proto by Laura Spinney, we will learn how their precursor, Proto-Indo-European, arose near the Black Sea in the 5th millennium BC, spread around the globe, and fractured into the Indo-European language family. This story is still emerging but depends on studies of linguistics, archeology, and the genetics of ancient humans. Rick Neubig holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Michigan and an M.D. and Ph.D. from Harvard and MIT. He taught Pharmacology at U of M and Michigan State University. Rick has a passion for nature, especially birding, and recently became entranced with the study of ancient human origins.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Rick Neubig
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Dates: 11/17/2026 - 11/17/2026
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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