Members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University
of S. Maine in Portland were treated to a stimulating variety of courses
this past summer. Here is what they had to pick from:
Power and Democracy in the Sudan: How Decentralization Hurts
Particpants studied the historical evolution of the Sudan, including
Turkish rule, the Turko-Egyptian administration; the Islamic Fundamentalist
uprising under the Mahdi that leads to British rule and the confusion
that followed decolonization.
The Summer Film Festival: The Western as Art Form II
The Western film is the most popular American art form. Participants
examined a few examples of the prototype and variations on the theme.
They viewed each film and then discussed it and how it fits or differs
from the classic mold. Films viewed included:
The Western as Comedy – The Cheyenne Social Club
The Pure Western – Shane
The Cattle Drive Western – Red River
The Chase Western as Satire – True Grit
A Scotsman Rewrites Aesop: Robert Henryson’s Fables
Who doesn’t know about the country mouse and the city mouse, or
Chanticleer and the fox, or the lion and the mouse? Since Aesop wrote
these delightful fables, writers in many countries have rewritten them
to convey values, information, and entertainment particular to their
own cultures. Robert Henryson, a poet of late medieval Scotland, expanded
the fables into short verse-stories reflecting Scottish life, and added
to each a “moralitas,” and interpretive analysis. The fables
ranged from serious to comic while they educated and stimulated participants
thoughts, and entertained their souls.
Rossini Opera Film Festival
OLLI and Port Opera collaborated to offer this special four film series.
The course was open to the public and OLLI membership was not required
to attend. Participants viewed the following:
Rossini – The Cambiale di Matrimonio – La Grazza Ladra –
Moise et Pharaon.
Eldercare Series
This four-part series took a look at the variety of issues involved
in caring for an aging loved one, and offered strategies to help support
family caregivers. Topics included:
• Communicating About Health: Advocate for your loved one
with professionals and with family members
• Managing Stress and Setting Limits: Strategies for coping
with stress and taking care of yourself.
• End of Life Caregiving: How to make the journey a positive
one for the caregiver and receiver.
• Staying Sate and Independent at Home: Reducing risks and
supporting function in order to maintain independence.
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