History & Humanities   

Come with us as we discover and celebrate the author Sanora Babb. Largely forgotten until recently, Babb chronicled the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Her work paralleled, influenced, and rivaled the work of John Steinbeck – who may have actually plagiarized much of her work. In this class, we will explore Babb's biography alongside her novels and short fiction.

Required Texts:

• Babb, Sanora. Whose Names Are Unknown: A Novel. University of Oklahoma Press, 2004. ISBN‎: 9780806137124. 
• Jamahl Dunkle, Iris. Riding Like the Wind: The Life of Sanora Babb. University of California Press, 2026. ISBN‎: 9780520430785. 
• Babb, Sanora. Cry of the Tinamou: Stories. Muse Ink Press, 2021. ISBN: 9780985991555. 

This class is a follow-up to the Winter 2026 quarter’s class Dante in His Time and Ours: The Lower Circles, but students who have not taken that class are still welcome to attend this one.

This is a HyFlex class, meaning that each class meeting you may choose to attend either in person or online via Zoom. The Zoom Meeting ID and link will be included in your registration confirmation email.

Required Texts (choose only one):

• Alighieri, Dante. Purgatorio. Trans. Robert and Jean Hollander. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2004. ISBN: 9780385497008.
• Alighieri, Dante. The Purgatorio. Trans. John Ciardi. Penguin Publishing Group, 2009. ISBN: 9780451531421.
• Alighieri, Dante. Purgatorio. Trans. D.M. Black. New York Review of Books, 2021. ISBN: 9781681376059.

No class held 10/13 or 10/20.

This time, we will investigate the "sleepers" and overlooked films from major directors. These are films either failed to capture audiences' or critics' attention during initial release or found themselves omitted from their directors' "canon". Together, we will explore films by Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and several others. Come prepared to unearth and discover! 
No class held 11/27.

We will also hear from guest speakers from the Walla Walla Immigration Rights Coalition.

Required Texts:

• Henry, Patrick. We Only Know Men: The Rescue of Jews in France during the Holocaust. Catholic University of America Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780813226163. 

For ages 18+. No Quest membership required.

While arguably the most famous Amendment in the Bill of Rights, the 1st Amendment is far from the only important one – nor is it the only one to be scrutinized, interpreted, and applied across the history of the Supreme Court's cases. In this class, we will study and discuss Amendments 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8, as well as the questions that arise when they are applied to factual settings. What is due process, double jeopardy, or an unreasonable search? What police searches may be conducted pursuant to an arrest without a warrant? What, if any, laws regulating or restricting gun ownership may be currently constitutionally permitted? Is the giving of a Miranda warning required by the Constitution? What constitutes taking private property for public use? What is cruel and unusual punishment? And what is “scrupling” with regard to jury selection in a criminal case? Over ten weeks of lecture and discussion, we will explore all of these topics and more. 

While arguably the most famous Amendment in the Bill of Rights, the 1st Amendment is far from the only important one – nor is it the only one to be scrutinized, interpreted, and applied across the history of the Supreme Court's cases. In this class, we will study and discuss Amendments 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8, as well as the questions that arise when they are applied to factual settings. What is due process, double jeopardy, or an unreasonable search? What police searches may be conducted pursuant to an arrest without a warrant? What, if any, laws regulating or restricting gun ownership may be currently constitutionally permitted? Is the giving of a Miranda warning required by the Constitution? What constitutes taking private property for public use? What is cruel and unusual punishment? And what is “scrupling” with regard to jury selection in a criminal case? Over ten weeks of lecture and discussion, we will explore all of these topics and more. 

Students will carpool to a secondary location. All students must sign a field trip liability waiver before the start of class in order to attend. Upon enrollment, a link to the waiver will be included in the order confirmation email.

Suggested Materials: Sturdy shoes, water bottle.

Participants must be able to walk over uneven surfaces. Please no wheeled walkers. In the event of inclement weather, the tour may need to be rescheduled.