-Session A Courses   

General Robert E. Lee and his subordinate Confederate Generals James Longstreet, Stonewall Jackson, Jeb Stuart, Richard S. Ewell and George Pickett were instrumental serving in the Army of Northern Virginia combatting the Generals Ulysses S. Grant, George B. McLellan, and Philip Sheridan and the Army of the Potomac. Donahue will present lectures along with Prof. Gary Gallagher and videos from Ken Burns's American Civil War during 6 classes. Also, a field trip to the American Civil War Museum in Richmond may be included.

The process of photography offers individuals with many potential decisions that must be made in the process of capturing a quality image. There are technical decisions that are critical to the quality of the photograph, such as focus and depth of field, as well as the exposure triangle of ISO, shutter speed and aperture. There are also aesthetic decisions less technical in nature that truly makes the difference in one's effort to capture a dramatic and interesting image that attracts the viewer. Examples of the aesthetic decisions include choice of subject matter, timing, composition, quality of light, and angle of view. This three-day workshop will provide the participants with the opportunity to learn how to enhance their decision-making skills resulting in stronger, more dramatic images. Notes: The instructor will have material prepared that can be shared with participants in advance to help prepare them for the class. Each participant shall have access to a digital camera to use during the class. 

SCHEDULE:

Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 - 5 p.m.

On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln in Ford's Theater. The president died the following day and the country, which had been celebrating the recent surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, now mourned the shocking death of a great leader. How and why Lincoln was murdered is the subject of the first hour of Fred Borch's talk, including a discussion of how Lincoln transformed the Civil War from a struggle to preserve the Union to a fight for freedom for Black people. The second hour of the talk examines how and why the U.S. government used a military commission to prosecute the seven men and one woman accused of conspiring to murder our 16th president, including a discussion of the legal procedure and evidence presented at the trial.

The local wine industry has become an important feature of Charlottesville's landscape. This course will provide an overview, designed to help casual wine drinkers and enthusiasts get a better appreciation of the industry and a background on how it all comes together. Topics will include: 1) history and background of the industry, current status and future challenges; 2) key decisions and steps involved in starting and operating a vineyard, the science and art of making wine—methods, equipment, and decisions involved; 3) an on-site visit to DuCard Vineyards in Madison County, where we will walk through the vineyard and the winery to see it all first-hand and enjoy a tasting. 

*You are welcome to bring your own cheese and crackers to enjoy in the classroom.

Note: Wine tasting at DuCard will involve a separate fee; transportation is on your own. 

2024-25 marks the 50^th Anniversary Season of the Charlottesville Symphony at the University Virginia. In conversation, imagery and performance, this six-session course traces the unique history of UVA’s orchestra; introduces participants to the conductor’s craft; explores the range and versatility of percussion instruments;  ponders the future of classical music and the modern symphony orchestra; and offers a sampling of orchestral music new and old.

Participants will hear behind-the-scenes anecdotes; learn what goes into the creation of a season’s programming; try their hand at conducting; visit the Percussion Room at Old Cabell Hall for an up-close performance on unusual percussion instruments; and consider innovations and trends in symphonic music that will connect people and performances in the next half-century.  Attendees will also receive an invitation to an Open Rehearsal of the full orchestra during the 2024-25 season.

When Joni Mitchell’s “Songs to Aging Children Come'' appeared in 1969 many of us could barely imagine the psychological angst that would accompany the process of aging and the prospect of death. However, the concerns that Joni cited are pressing realities and subjects of earnest debate. Modern poets offer insight, advice, and comfort to what Edmund Spencer called “mutability,” the inevitability of old age, decline, and death.  This course will explore modern poems, exhibiting a wide range of religious and atheistic postures, that address these critical topics. Participants will be asked to read the poems and discuss them during class sessions in a strictly ecumenical manner.

This class is not intended to teach right from wrong, but explores “why” people think something is, or isn’t, and what they would have done. We will practice arguing heartfelt opinions without insult or defamation. We will begin with an overview of the general field of ethics, concentrating on two basic axes: whether the ends can justify the means, and whether exceptions can be made to ethical rules depending on circumstances. The next four sessions will compare debatable situations from two of those viewpoints, in turn. For the final class, each student will try to figure out their personal ethical style. 

This course will offer advice Judy Mandell learned from editors. Most of the information will be of interest to beginning writers and anyone who is curious about magazine and newspaper publishing. Judy will ask students to write up proposals that will be read in class. The course will answer questions such as: How do editors usually acquire articles? Is it best for freelancers to email or snail-mail queries? How can a first-time writer break in? Should a writer send a query or a completed manuscript? What do editors want to see in a query? How much of the article should be included? How do writers know the appropriate editor for their article? Which section of a publication is the best place for newcomers to break in? Is it okay for a freelancer to call an editor if the story is timely? How long should a writer wait to hear from an editor before she sends her query elsewhere? Do editors ever steal ideas from rejected queries? How can writers figure out hot topics? Do editors have a stable of freelancers upon whom they depend? How can a writer become a regular contributor?

The Athenian democracy was designed to prevent tyranny. The democracy was praised and criticized by the Athenians themselves, and we will read examples of both.  Demagogues with their populist appeals and fiery rhetoric began to dominate the Athenian political scene in the last third of the fifth century B.C.E. We will read Thucydides’ descriptions and Aristophanes’ mockery of them.  We will finish with Plato’s account in the Republic of democracy and how easily and quickly it slips into tyranny.  There will be some lectures but mostly class discussion.

Drawing is a way to discover an entire new world. Before modern techniques about learning to draw were developed, many of us thought we couldn't draw or had no talent. Now we can learn to ""see"" like never before and give up saying things like, ""I can't even draw a straight line."" (After all, maybe that's what rulers are for!)

Required Materials:

ESSENTIAL - Bring a ""can-do"" attitude, the willingness to practice, and an eagerness to do something you didn't think you could do! These are the things to bring.

Paper: Look for paper that is 60-90 lb. and smooth to the touch. Sketchbooks with this weight of paper are found in the art section of department and craft stores.

Pencils: Bring any that you like to make marks with or even a fine-tip pen. Pencils come in many options, from very light to very dark. You can achieve a variety of effects depending on how hard you press on the pencil. There is no need to buy a set of pencils, unless you just want to.

Erasers: Try to find a "kneaded" eraser, great for erasing mistakes. They are grey, wrapped in plastic, less than 2" square, and can be held in your hand to warm them up and become malleable for a spot you might want to erase. These erasers don't damage the surface of the paper as much as other kinds.

Suggested Reading: Edwards, Betty. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, 1999. Dodson, Bert. Keys to Drawing, 1990. Garcia, Claire Watson. Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner, 2003.

One needs to know only the most rudimentary principles of a competitive sport to see sports as symbolic of life’s obstacles and its triumphs. We will examine two books that do just that: Sacred Hoops, a basketball memoir by Phil Jackson, and The Legend of Bagger Vance, a novel about golf by Steven Pressfield. These two books not only shed insight into the nature of competitive sports but, more importantly, serve as superb examples of the difference between the Western and Eastern worldviews. What we will see is that taking the best from both is not only possible but worthy of consideration in both the personal and political spheres of activity.

Although the future of our public schools’ rests within state constitutions and current state legislators, the next President of the United States will hold significant power to shape educational policy and practice. Both Republican and Democratic presidents have left their mark on our nation’s public schools. Dwight D. Eisenhower enforced Brown v. BOE by sending federal troops to protect African American students integrating Little Rock High School.  Under Gerald Ford’s leadership, students with disabilities and women gained greater access to public education programs. Both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush pushed educational standards and accountability, resulting in massive testing that has restricted what teachers teach and students learn today. Presidents can strengthen our public educational system, which Jefferson believed was the bedrock of our democracy, or they can weaken and even destroy our public schools.  This course examines not only the tremendous impact U.S. Presidents have had on America’s public schools, but also the educational platforms of 2024 Presidential candidates and how their proposed policies could affect educational access, funding, and the very survival of public schools. Participants will take active roles in debating issues and candidate positions that are sure to shape the 2024 Presidential Election.

Financial education is an important step in helping you achieve a better future. That is why our Financial Workshop: Your Source for Financial Education offers clear and practical investing education in a convenient and comfortable format. By attending this workshop, you'll gain a better understanding of the key principles of saving and investing and also learn specific strategies to help reach your long-term goals.

Guided Autobiography (GAB) is a researched and developed method whereby participants are led through a series of themes and sensitizing questions that evoke memories of events otherwise tucked away or seemingly forgotten.  Each participant writes a two-page story on a particular theme that is explored and discussed each week.  They then share their story within small groups in order to connect with one another, reflect on their life's journey or leave a written legacy for their family.  No experience in writing necessary.

Anti-Asian violence is not a modern-day occurrence. Fear, hatred, and racism toward the Chinese and Japanese began in the mid 1800’s culminating with the incarceration of over 125,000 Japanese at the beginning of WWII, two thirds of whom were US citizens. Presented through the perspective of a third generation Japanese-American (Sansei), we will discuss the how, when and why racism landed Americans in what is more accurately described as prison camps, and what we can do to countermand the effect of anti-Asian violence and racism in America today.

Americans are tired of politics as usual. We yearn for statesmanship - leaders concerned about the next generation not just the next election. This course focuses on five leaders at turning points in America’s history.  We'll explore Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, George Washington's Farewell Address, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Letter from the Birmingham Jail, Susan B. Anthony’s Statement at her trial for voting, and Gerald Ford's assumption of the presidency and pardon of Richard Nixon.  In each class, we'll explore the leader’s words and actions and derive lessons about leadership and statesmanship not just for their times but for ours.

Listening is a skill used every day in our lives. How many people could be better listeners? Ironically, for a skill that is so important and used so much, most people never have had any training or education in developing the skill. Listening skills can be developed and strengthened through understanding and practice. In this course the instructor will present a simple model of the communication process. The sessions will include "one-on-one" student interaction and some whole group discussion. Throughout the course, many opportunities will be available to practice new skills.

Discover the native trees, shrubs, and vines that make up our local landscape. This class will help beginning botanists build their identification skills.

Note: There are two books required for this course. Please bring $8 to the first class, either a check or exact change. Hand lenses will be available to borrow during class or bring your own. Weather permitting, much of the class time will be spent outdoors, so dress accordingly. There will not be any strenuous walking.

The goal of this course is to show people how to see beyond the Us-vs-Them views we too often have of others. To the extent that our civic space is built on our perceptions of each other, we should investigate the nature of perception. The course reveals the human perceptual mechanism which empowers "inherited myth," and prevents us from breaking free of Us-Against-Them. It distinguishes another way of seeing the world than perception allows, providing an actual experience of common ground among people whose opinions or positions may be irreconcilable.

"Civic relationships ... are not chiefly based on rights, economic ties, political access, or a standardized civics curriculum.... If we lived more truthfully and dared to live more lovingly, we would be more vulnerable to one another, and more trusting.  We may not pledge allegiance to the same symbols, but we would have more secrets and public spaces to share, we would remember, feel, urge, touch, and care for one another more often.  The problem with educating those who inherited a myth is their tendency to flee from touching others.  They are situated to find the assumption of interpersonal solidarity unnecessary because they possess the power to keep others abstract and at bay." ("Facing the Civic Love Gap:  James Baldwin's Civic Education for Interpersonal Solidarity," John P. Fantuzzo)

Each class will feature a live 60-minute performance of music by composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Brahms, and others. There will also be 30 minutes of discussion about the composer and each piece. 

The 19th Century is known for Romanticism.  The retrenchment of empires after the Congress of Vienna led to a period of peace in Europe that ended with the First World War.  The structures and styles that typified Classicism of the 18th Century were abandoned for a more expressive and individualistic style, especially in the performing arts.  Art reflected the revolutionary movements in Europe.  Enduring works of the musical repertoire debuted during the century.  We will examine this period from the opera house and the concert stage.  Vivid visual images and musical examples will accompany the lectures.

Tai Chi for Health(TM) is a form of Sun-and-Yang style Tai Chi designed by a Chinese-Australian physician that uses a combination of Tai Chi forms as an exercise system. In this class, students will learn the Tai Chi for Beginners, an Introduction to Yang Style (TM) set, plus various other Tai Chi-related exercises. The emphasis will be on balance, fall prevention, flexibility, and strength building. NOTE: Before participating in any exercise program, participants should check with their doctors to ensure that there are no contraindications, special considerations, or limitations from a medical standpoint. Participants will be asked to sign a release form at the first class.

This course is designed to empower participants with skills to bring back America's political center.  We will examine the causes, effects, and consequences of the lack of civil discourse in our political and social lives and brainstorm strategies to bridge the divide between left and right. 

The Axial Age is a name given by the philosopher Karl Jaspers to roughly the first millennium BCE, during which several remarkable moral teachers and founders of religions were active.  Among the Axial Age figures the course will examine are Zarathustra, Confucius, Lao-Tzu, Mencius, the Buddha, Socrates, Micah, Hillel, and Jesus.  Attention will also be given to the "pre-moral" era out of which they arose and what might be ironically called our current "post-moral" era, characterized by our ignoring all the insights of the Axial Age teachers.

This course will examine some of the ways narratives have explored identity and probed human psychology through the use of the double.  The notion of the divided self is deeply embedded in Western conceptions of identity--whether the parts of the self represent such easy divisions as "good" and "evil" or more subtle distinctions between ego and superego or between the subconscious and the conscious. One's shadow-self, or "doppelganger," whether mischievous, malicious, friendly or forbidding--appears as a reflection of a crisis in identity and offers its alter ego the opportunity for self-exploration.

Required reading: 

Week 1: Robert Louis Stevenson - “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”

(required text: Penguin Classics)

Week 2: Mary Shelley - “Frankenstein”

(required text: Penguin Classics)

Week 3: Sylvia Plath - “The Bell Jar”

(required text: Harper Perennial})

Week 4: Vladimir Nabokov - “Pale Fire”

Week 5.  "Pale Fire"discussion continued

For those of you not yet familiar with Claire Keegan, the Irish author, you are in for a treat!  Her novella, Small Things Like These, short listed for the Booker Prize, has been called the best Irish book of the 21st Century!  Reading her is like reading poetry.  In her novellas, a brief 150 pages, she distills the heart of experiences in single lines.  In our class, we will read and discuss Small Things Like These, as well as Foster, also a novella, and watch the film, The Quiet Girl, based on her novella, Foster. When I first read Keegan, she took my breath away.  How was it that I didn’t already know her?   Please join me in the pleasure of reading and discussing and watching the work of the remarkable writer, Claire Keegan.

The course will focus on the analysis of dramatic works, with the reading and discussion of one-act plays. In certain respects, the reading of a play transforms the reader into a type of director, who can imagine inflection of the lines and a staging of the work. The course will be virtual and limited in the number of participants, so that the class sessions will be open—fittingly—to dialogue. The plays will include selections by August Strindberg, Anton Chekhov, Ferenc Molnar, Alice Dunbar Nelson, Louise Bryant, Arnold Bennett, Susan Glaspell, Alice Gerstenberg, Joseph Shipley, and others. Participants will receive files with copies of the playtexts and “points to consider.” The readings will average around 45 pages per session.

Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) was one of the most original and controversial thinkers of the 20th Century. Her 1951 classic, The Origins of Totalitarianism, examined how the two great evils of Nazi Germany and the Stalinist Soviet Union came about. In this course we focus on Arendt's concepts of political and public freedom and how the loneliness and rootlessness of people make them susceptible to propaganda, lies, tribalism and racism. Arendt was writing about the 'dark times' of the 1930s and 40s, but her insights have much to tell us about why Western societies today are so vulnerable to illiberal and authoritarian forces.

“Remember Pearl Harbor!!” was the battle cry, and the resulting Pacific air war was unlike any battle before or since.  Fought over millions of square miles of land and sea by the United States and Empire of Japan, the air campaign in the Pacific was a hard-fought struggle to the bitter end. Using pictures, videos and firsthand accounts, this course will examine the Men, Women, aircraft, and missions that ultimately crushed the Japanese empire during World War II.

*Recommended reading will be shared with those enrolled in this course.