Education….Enjoyment….Entertainment….Enligh tenment

January 2014
FSU President Robert V. Antonucci:
When I was approached early in my presidency
about starting a lifelong learning institute at
Fitchburg State, I knew immediately that the
idea was a winner. ALFA services the
continuing vision for this institution as a
community resource, bringing new people and
new energy to our campus each semester.
ALFA is a winning program for this university
and I am proud of its demonstrated record of
success. Access and affordability are two of this
institution’s core values, and the novel work
being done in the ALFA program is grounded in
that philosophy. Hundreds of adults enroll in
ALFA courses each semester, studying an array
of topics from geology to film under the
guidance of talented educators, including
tenured members of the university faculty.
Many ALFA students venture off-campus for
day trips that create additional opportunities
for experiential learning. And all of this is
accomplished at minimal cost to students.
While there is no doubt that ALFA has provided
great benefit to its students, the program has
enriched Fitchburg State University as a whole.
The joy of lifelong learning embodied in our
ALFA students is infectious.
Congratulations to all those who believed in
ALFA on achieving this milestone, and I join you
in imagining the possibilities for its next 10 years.
ALFA President’s Notes
Greetings,
Have you all noticed how quickly time has been flying by? As we look back on
our first two sessions which ran from September to October and November to
December, we are thrilled to announce ALFA had a banner year. There were a
total of 612 attendees in our classes, and we welcomed 59 new people who
had never before taken ALFA courses. A warm welcome to you newcomers
who may now be reading ALFA-BITS for the first time. We hope you will
continue to enjoy ALFA classes during the coming years. Certainly the numbers
are great, but as important are the friendships formed, the new ideas
explored, and the fun of learning and sharing.
The Curriculum Committee led by Lisa Moison has varied the course selections
by category; offered were: art, literature, science, cooking, current events,
history, hiking, dancing, breathing, and botany classes to name a few. Have we
missed a category that interests you? Let us know if we have. We can't
promise but will certainly look into it as a possibility for the future.
th
On June 3, 2014 our year will culminate in a grand 10 Anniversary
Celebration. Bruce Goyette and his hard working committee are planning an
outstanding event, and you are all encouraged to join in this party. It will be a
time to look back in amazement at all the progress that has been made and to
look forward in anticipation to an even better ALFA in the years to come. All
the details are here in the newsletter so be sure to seek them out. Looking
rd
forward to seeing you on June 3 .
Carol DeCarolis, President ALFA board
Special Events
ALFASchedule
Museum of Art/Rhode Island School of Design, Federal Hill, Providence,
Rhode Island, Friday, May 16, 2014. Departure time is 8:00a.m. from the Mall
at
Education….Enjoyment….Entertainment….Enligh
Whitney Field Leominster.
tenment
Robert V. Antonucci
Food for Thought Series
Peter Alden: “Changes in our Flora and Fauna from Thoreau’s Time to
Today,” March 25, 2014, 2:30 p.m., Ellis White Lecture Hall in the newly
renovated Hammond Hall
Our Opinion
This ALFA newsletter and all components of this very popular
program could not function without the assistance of
volunteers. If you wish to help, please contact the ALFA
Office at 978-665-3706. If you would like to submit articles,
reviews, artwork, or poems for publication in ALFA-BITS,
pleases forward copy to [email protected] (978) 5978090.
Bruce Goyette, General Editor
Gil Tremblay, Associate Editor
Marion Stoddart: Success Story for Earth Day, April 29, 2014, 2:30 p.m., Ellis
White Lecture Hall in the newly renovated Hammond Hall
Shirley Pick Spring Series
Versatile actress and storyteller Judith Black on Wednesday, May 21, from
2:00 to 3:30 p.m., at the Ellis White Lecture Hall in the Hammond Building.
ALFA NEWS
The Shirley Pick Spring Series – May 2014
In Memory of ALFA’s Founder
Presents
Steam Train & Riverboat Trip cont.
at the 1892 Essex Railroad Station. At Deep River Landing,
ALFAS boarded the Becky Thatcher (Tom Sawyer's girl
friend from Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer), a 70- foot
Mississippi-style riverboat. It was a wonderful foliage
show and a very good narrator who told stories of the area.
Mixing It Up:
Celebrating Diversity
The talented and versatile actress and storyteller Judith
Black will make a return appearance for this year’s Shirley
Pick Spring Series.
Judith will bring to life stories of our rich immigrant
history, past and present. Join us for a memorable journey
as Judith introduces us to Loan Trihn from Vietnam,
Feygelah from Eastern Europe, and explores our multicultural heritage with her lively and irresistible renderings
of story, history, and song!
Time:
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Place:
Ellis White Lecture Hall in
the Hammond Building
Parking: Civic Center and shuttle
Hammond Building
North Street Lots 1 & 2
Carpooling is encouraged!
to
the
Remember to put May 21 on your calendar!!!
Free and open to the public. Bring a friend!
Refreshments !
Steam Train & Riverboat Entertain
ALFAS
The ALFAS
journeyed to
Essex,
in
Connecticut,
for a thrilling
Connecticut
River Valley
steam train and riverboat excursion during a crisp and
sunny October day. They rode through the marshes of the
River Valley, then boarded a Mississippi-style riverboat to
cruise the river. The 2 1/2 hour-narrated journey began
A sumptuous lunch
was served at the
historic
Oliver's
Taverne by very
caring
waitresses.
ALFAS rode in our
new bus company buses, Wilson Bus Lines, Inc., which
had
very
experienced
drivers.
Special Trip to RISD
ALFAs will visit the Museum of Art/Rhode Island School
of Design, Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island, Friday,
May 16, 2014. Departure time is 8:00a.m. from the Mall at
Whitney Field Leominster (park near Sack Entertainment
Cinemas), and return around 4:00 p.m. There is
walking.Cost: $34.00 per person(lunch not included). We
have room for the first 55 registrations. No refunds unless
the trip is cancelled
RISD MUSEUM: The Museum acquires, preserves, exhibits, and
interprets works of art and design representing diverse cultures
from ancient times to the present. The Museum educates and
inspires artists, designers, students, scholars, and the general public
through exhibitions, programs, and publications.
FEDERAL HILL, PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND: Federal
Hill is often characterized by its culinary reputation. Atwells
Avenue has over 20 restaurants within a quarter-mile section, such
as Angelo's Civita Farnese. The area's proximity to Johnson and
Wales University has allowed Providence to attract and retain
skilled chefs, many of whom work in the many restaurants on
Atwells Avenue.
Stories by Lauretta Conlon and photos by Joanne
Schreiner
WIP Into Shape
ALFA is launching a new Wellness Incentive Program, “WIP,”
designed to encourage and reward healthy habits. We hope that
you enjoy living a healthy lifestyle and will also enjoy a fun way to
be rewarded for it! Starting in February, participants can simply
record points for their activities related to heart health, nutrition,
stress reduction, meeting personal health goals, etc., and submit
them for a monthly prize drawing starting with the March ALFA
board meeting. The prize is a free ALFA class certificate for the
upcoming daytime classes. Further detailed information starting
with January classes will be distributed by class aids, posted on
the ALFA office, and online at the University's ALFA website.
By Judy Shaughnessy
ALFA
Lead Report
Ten Years and Growing
If you are a relative newcomer to ALFA, you would
be forgiven for thinking that ALFA arrived on the
scene ten years ago as fully formed as you experience
it today. You may be surprised to know that the first
session in Spring 2004 was comprised of only two
offerings: The Middle East: Challenges for the Future
and Consuming the Past: Material Culture and
Historical Memory.
These classes were taught by college professors who
must have been wondering what exactly they had
gotten themselves into as they greeted their new
students, people who could have been the
grandparents or great-grandparents of their usual
students. But the experience was a great success for
both instructors and students. The course selections
grew from two offerings to nine in just one year to
nearly forty in the most recent semester.
Instructors now come from the greater community as
well as the many disciplines of the halls of academe.
The breadth of subjects has grown from history and
current issues to music (both classical and
contemporary), the sciences, writing, appreciation of
writing, movement (Tai Chi, Zumba, stretch and
tone), cooking (and tasting) foods from around the
world.
ALFA moved beyond the classrooms of McKay
Building C to Leominster Library, Fitchburg Senior
Center, Fitchburg High School, and the myriad Mass
Audubon sites in North Central Massachusetts.
ALFA students have learned how to sing in harmony,
play the ukulele, judge the age of rocks, and paint
with watercolor. ALFA members have traveled to
Tower Hill Botanic Gardens, the Museum of Russian
Icons, and Symphony Hall in Boston.
So, welcome newcomer! Now you can see and
appreciate how ALFA has grown over the past ten
years and is growing still. To celebrate ALFA’s ten
brilliant years, you are invited to the Tenth Year
Anniversary on Tuesday, June 3, from 3 to 5:30
A humorous play that summarizes the development
of ALFA, student art work, a sample of teaching an
ALFA class, an ALFA choral performance, and a
sumptuous buffet will be featured.
By Joanne Huse
We’ve all heard about toxicity of leaded gasoline,
paint, pipes and solder. But that problem’s been
solved, right? WRONG!
Mark Pokras, wildlife veterinarian from Tufts,
presented an eye-opening Food For Thought program
on health dangers of lead that continue to plague us.
Lead, malleable and extremely useful, is toxic in all
forms. Wherever calcium is vital in our bodies and
cells, lead follows and interferes with normal
functions. At its worst it kills in days. At low levels,
it causes problems with the nervous system, digestive
system and cell signaling problems.
Children
nibbling lead paint may suffer life-long learning
disabilities.
Birds and scavengers inadvertently
ingest lead sinkers or shot. Hunters often swallow
bits of lead during a delicious venison meal. Postmenopausal women have high blood lead levels as
lead that accumulated in their bones over a lifetime
returns to the bloodstream.
Lead’s toxicity has been understood for hundreds of
years. Ben Franklin was flabbergasted that people of
his day continued to use lead. And here we are, in
2013, still using lead in paints, aviation fuel, hunting
ammunition, fishing sinkers, wheel weights and
chimney flashing. Although affordable, nontoxic
alternatives to most lead products exist, people resist
change due to stubbornness, ignorance, or political
pressure. The FFT audience got lots to chew on at
the October program.
By Emily Norton
Boston Library &Trinity Church
The Boston Public Library and the Trinity Episcopal
Church were visited by ALFAs on Jan. 8. Docents
provided brief histories of both buildings. The
library was magnificent in its architecture and the
extraordinary number of books and periodicals it
neatly displayed. The Trinity Episcopal Church
showcased a wood carving of the reredos and Biblebased stained glass windows that sparkled when the
sun penetrated the colorful panes of the glass. The
English-Gothic inspired cathedral had many
Medieval facets, such as gargoyles, flying buttresses,
and cruciform layout. "Breathtaking," exclaimed
several ALFAs who admired Trinity Episcopal
Church.
By Lauretta Conlon
Flora and Fauna Changes from
Thoreau’s Time to Today
Peter Alden, a world famous naturalist, ecotourism
guide, lecturer and author will entertain and enlighten
us Tuesday, March 25, 2:30 p.m., in the Kent Recital
Hall, about the changes our living landscape has
undergone since the time of Thoreau. Peter is the
author of 15 books on wildlife from North America,
Latin America and Africa. You may have one of his
National Audubon Society’s field guides on your
bookshelf. A Concord native, Peter organized the
MA Biodiversity Days starting in 1998. He has also
led natural history tours in more than 100 countries.
Considered an authority on birds, invasive species,
and other wildlife, Peter is often consulted for his
knowledge. An energetic and captivating speaker,
Peter will provide us with a program we won’t forget.
Food for Thought's Featured Speaker
Marion Stoddart and Her Role in
Cleaning-up the Nashua
Come be inspired as Marion Stoddart on Tuesday,
April 29, 2:30 p.m. at Kent Recital Hall, describes
how she spearheaded the clean-up of the Nashua
River
which
flows
through
north-central
Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Never
discouraged by the size of her dream nor the
difficulty of her task, Marion succeeded and made a
huge positive impact in our region and beyond. In
recognition of her lifelong work, Stoddart has
received many awards including the United Nations
Global 500 Award, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Environmental Award, and a
presidential commendation. In 1969, Marion cofounded the Nashua River Watershed Association
(NRWA) and now serves the organization as
Founding Director Emeritus. Marion is active in the
NRWA's Greenway Initiative to protect open space
along the Nashua River and its tributaries and serves
on both the Groton and Fitchburg Greenway
Committees.
Stories by Emily Norton
(Ed. Note: Both programs will be held in the Ellis White
Lecture Hall in the newly renovated Hammond Hall.
Parking is available in the North Street parking lot. In
addition, there are a few handicap parking spots behind
Hammond Hall.)
Kudos to Aids & Greeters
The one person that we all see is the Class Aide. This
is the person who takes attendance, gives ALFA
Alerts, assists the instructor, finds answers to our
questions, calls us when a class is canceled and much
more. First session: Judy Shaughnessy, Barbara
Patterson, Linda Kennedy, Terri Hillman, Anne Seed,
Karen Nelson, Grace McWalter, Jackie Stanton,
Gloria Sweeney, Joanne Bianco, Jane Rabbitt, Harry
Semerjian, Joanne Schreiner, Jackie Vandergriff,
Debra Faust-Clancy, Ida Kymalainen, Judy Nathan,
Pat Fiola, Ellen McCann, Judith Griffin, and Barbara
Carpenter.
Second session: Joanne and Aldo Bianco, Beverly
Chase, Carol McShane, Mary Lavin, Linda Olson,
Jackie Stanton, Gloria Sweeney, Ellen McCann,
Nancy Gates, Joanne Huse, Jackie Vandergriff, Janet
Cragin, Stuart McDermott, Debra Faust-Clancy,
Sharon Donahue, Linda Kennedy, Carol PanekClark, and Simon Blake.
On our first day of classes for each session we are
met by the ALFA Greeters who will remind us of
parking rules, get our parking info, and direct us to
our classrooms. Volunteers: Sharon Donahue, Gail
Allo, Bev Mulholland, Stuart McDermott, Nancy
Turner, Linda Olson, Linda Kennedy, Eleanor
Gilmartin, Lenore Rainey, Dante and Joseph Wysk,
Janet Cragin, Carol DeCarolis, and Nancy Gates. A
special thank you to my committee member Linda
Olson and Diane Rouleau-Gardula who helped with
calling and finding all of these people to come to the
aide of their ALFA. We can’t do it without all of you.
If anyone would like to help or join our committee,
please call Linda Kennedy 978-400-5259.
By Linda Kennedy
Walk About Class, led by Sally Hens and Karen McNall,
enjoyed trekking through woods and streams, mainly State Forests.
Class Reviews
Fly Like an Angel
The Fungus Among Us
Taking Flight, a class on how aircraft fly and manmade controls affect airplanes, was ably taught by
Fred Angel.
This fall ALFA’s amateur mycologists travelled to
Wachusett Meadow Audubon Sanctuary, in
Princeton, to learn from one of the best. Joe
Choiniere, naturalist extraordinaire, led this
exploration into the world of destroying angels, fairy
rings, slime molds, puffballs and fall’s ephemeral
mushrooms.
Flight, according to Angel, was copying nature by
early man who saw birds exhibiting freedom, sacred
paintings of winged angels, and knew the myth of
Daedalus. The Wright brothers explained their
success by mimicking "our fine feathered friends--the
birds."
After defining aeronautical terminology, from
fuselages, wings, landing gear, etc., our instructor
demonstrated flying techniques using model
helicopters, planes, and drones (which he believes is
the precursor to a totally new way of fighting wars by
using man-less weapons).
Instructor Angel showed us numerous planes which
he made based on his extensive research in aviation.
He presented us with diplomas that certified our
completion of ALFA's Flight Class, thereby allowing
us membership in the Junior Birdmen of America.
Story by Santa Amico and Photos by Bruce Goyette
ALFA Instructor Joe Choiniere (left) is a Mass. Audubon's
Property Manager for the Wachusett Meadow in Princeton,
where students completed their class.
As the growing season approached its end, invisible
underground mycelia awakened, and their sporebearing fruiting bodies erupted overnight.
Identifying mushrooms involved detective work:
peaking under caps for gills, pores or teeth; and
creating colorful spore prints. Some mushrooms
changed color when bruised; some leaked milky
latex. Did the gills flake off like candle wax? Was
there a ring of tissue around the stalk? Was the stalk
thick and short or slender with a bulb at the base?
Did it smell like raw potato? Students used all their
senses, as they explored the mysterious world of
fungi.
Since poisonous and edible mushrooms are often
easily confused, Joe cautioned students against
foraging beyond grocery store aisles. Joe discussed
ecological roles of fungi as nature’s recyclers,
decomposing organic matter. Most land plants
require mycorrhizae, symbiotic fungi that help roots
absorb minerals from the soil.
The ALFA / MA Audubon partnership has enriched
the curriculum by providing quality natural history
classes.
Story and photo by Emily Norton
So You Want to Write a Book
...Tin Pan continured
Eleven eager-to-learn students completed a highlymotivating writing course with Instructor William E.
May, former Police Chief and published author (Billy
Boy and Once Upon a Crisis) of Townsend. Thefive week course was entitled, "So You Want to
Write A Book."
songs of the 20s, 30s and 40s. He encouraged the
class to sing along, but, believe me, we didn’t need
much encouragement! He also drew forth
reminiscences from students who had great stories of
attending concerts and dances and who remembered
the songs and the singers with fondness.
Our class was interesting,
educational,
encouraging, and most of
all fun!
We learned
helpful
hints,
along
with some great advice
from guest authors, Joe
Simoneau and Lonna
Thiem. During classes,
we shared some very
good spontaneous writing with each other. Selfpublishing, marketing, punctuation, dialogue and
rewards of writing were discussed. (file photo)
Chet did assign a final, though. He asked each of us
to choose a song from the era and make a
presentation about it at the last class. We learned
many of the particulars of songs like "Star Dust,"
"Alexander’s Ragtime Band," "A Garden in the
Rain," and "When You’re Smiling." Chet would
often throw in another little known fact like, “That
lyric writer grew up in Worcester” or “The publisher
came from Clinton.” We sang and laughed and
remembered the good old days of melody and lyric,
and I can assure you that a very good time was had
by all!
On the fourth week, we enjoyed sharing with the
class our homework assignment: write the first
chapter of our very own book! I highly recommend
the class be offered again and again. Student
comments on the last day of class included,
motivating, encouraging, helpful, interesting,
practical, and fun! Thank you, William May and
ALFA, for making this course available.
Savoring Tea Clad in Mystery
By Lindsay Morand
Songs and Songwriters of Tin Pan Alley
On the subject of Tin Pan Alley, Chet Williamson
really knows his stuff. And I believe he was delighted
to discover that his ALFA students really know it,
too.
For five extremely tuneful weeks, we met in Room
C-154 and Chet shared his considerable knowledge
of the beginnings of what we now think of as the
Great American Songbook. He started with the late
1800s-early 1900s and moved on through the decades
up to the 1950s. He showed how the changing
technology - from song pluggers to recording
cylinders to records to microphones to radio and so
on - influenced the making of America’s popular
music industry.
Chet made good use of YouTube by conjuring up
some wonderful entries that take the listener back in
time to the big bands and big names and much-loved
By Joanne Huse
Danielle
Beaudette,
owner of The Cozy Tea
Cart in Brookline, New
Hampshire,
is
a
certified tea specialist
who has taught classes
at ALFA several times.
She stresses current
trends
and
health
benefits of tea. (File
photo)
Much to my surprise and that of the other gentlemen
in the class, we learned that there are many different
teas. In each of the class sessions, we sampled two to
five different kinds of tea from countries like China,
Sri Lanka, India, etc.
We ate food in which tea was an ingredient. We
learned the health benefits that tea has for those who
drink it. We became acquainted with where and
when and how tea is picked and cured and processed.
Most of those who took this course came away with
feeling that we had truly missed something in life
because of an unawareness of the varieties of tea.
Now I know why my friends recommended that I
take this course.
By Bob McDermott
GLOBAL ISSUES IN FILM
Professor Eric Budd used documentary and feature
films to explore some of the major global issues of
our era. Each class consisted of a lecture, a film, and
discussion period.
The
Food,
film,
Inc.,
documented
changes in food
production
from
small farms to
highly mechanized
large
operations
controlled by a
small handful of
corporations
that
often put profit
ahead of consumer
health.
ALFA Students Quick on the Draw
The tag line of NIKE sportswear would serve as an
apt motto for Alma Bella Solis’ ALFA class in
drawing with charcoal: JUST DO IT!
first
Minutes into the first session students were putting
charcoal to paper: sketching a rough composition,
refining the outline, and fine-tuning details. In
following sessions, they put final touches on their
drawings and used shading, blending, and
highlighting to bring the finished portraits to life.
(File Picture)
The Wasteland was a documentary based around the
lives of garbage pickers at Jardin Gramacho in Brazil.
Artist Vik Muniz used materials from the landfill to
create artwork featuring the pickers, with profits
funding a recycling center and library.
Lilya 4-Ever dealt with human trafficking. This film
was based on the story of a teenage girl from the
Soviet Union who was taken to Sweden and held
captive.
Yesterday depicted a young woman in South Africa
who contracted Aids from her husband, her struggles
to get health care and the fear and lack of
understanding of villagers.
No Man’s Land, set in the midst of the Bosnian war,
illustrated nationalist conflict and the role of UN
peacekeepers and the media.
All of the films were designed to bring attention to an
issue and stimulated class discussion. This course
was well planned, informative, and thoughtprovoking.
By Nancy Gates
The enthusiasm, encouragement, and expert one-onone instruction provided by Ms. Solis along each step
of the way ensured no student’s efforts went awry.
The proof of the effectiveness of the learn-by-doing
approach? Drawings by two students were accepted
for showing this fall in the “Art at the Gleason” show
in Carlisle.
Stories and photos by GEORGE R. FRENCH
Interested in
Teaching A Class?
We Love New Ideas!
Contact Us At The
ALFA Office (978) 665-3706
Samples from Holiday Cooking
The Foodies gathered together for five dee-licious,
scrumptious sessions of Holiday Cooking.
Louisa May Alcott & Her Family Circle
Sally Cragin, our instructor in
"First Daughter of Concord:
Louisa May Alcott and Her
Family Circle," is a wonderful
teacher who truly knows her
subject. She manages to make a
work of literature come alive.
(file picture)
We got a jump on the holiday celebrations with Chef Bruce
Goyette's French Canadian Christmas with an awesome
meal of savory tortiere, a "flavor to die for" creton (a spicy,
pork pate), mashed potatoes with celery root, maple-syrup
based cranberry sauce, and topping it off with a delectable
blueberry dessert.
Chef Chris Barnacoat, ably assisted by First Mate Eileen,
entertained and informed us as he stirred, chopped, blended
a savory meal of turkey, leek, and ham pie, a "leftovers"
into an outstanding roast-veggie soup, followed by more
scrumptious "left overs" into the classic bubble and squeak,
topped by a tasty Yule log. Boxer's Day was observed!
Most women of my generation grew up with Alcott's
books, particularly Little Women, Little Men, and
Joe's Boys.
In Sally Cragin's class we learned what a prolific
writer Alcott was; she wrote a great variety of works,
such as newspapers, magazines, gothic novels, and a
memoir during her long writing career. In one
article, "Transcendental Wild Oats," the Alcotts
travel to Harvard, Massachusetts, to help start a "new
world." I have taken family to this site--but when I
do again, I'll be able to fully explain, thanks to our
great teacher, Sally Cragin.
Story by Margo DeSmet
Chef Walter Kondig enlightened us on the Christmas Eve
Vigil celebrated in Poland. The menu consisted of produce
right from his garden. Beginning with appetizers of zingy
pickled beets and pickled herring, a crowd-pleasing
vegetable salad, complete with gherkins, a savory
sauerkraut soup; a mouth-watering salmon dish, and an
incredible dessert.
As the kaleidoscope of colors emerged outside, so did Chef
Kathy Flynn's Italian Christmas Eve Dinner. Her map of
Italy antipasto was a geography lesson of where all the
ingredients
came from in Italy. The involini with
homemade linguini adorned with tasty bracolini was a
gourmet's delight. A perfectly-baked biscotti followed.
We ended our delicious culinary holiday excursions with
the celebration of Ramadan for Muslims. Chef Joyce
Hinckley, aided by her husband Billy, created roasted
peppers with felfel, vitamin-enriched salad, followed by a
flavor-filled kefta with green beans. Chef Joyce took all
the stress out of cooking with her simple, direct humorous
recipes.
The chefs' knowledge, expertise, and passion for cooking
was appreciated by all.
Photo by Joanne Schreiner and story by Janet Cragin
Local Geology: Rocks, Ledges, and Hilltops
Joe Choiniere made us aware of our outdoor environment
in our rocks, ledges and hilltops in his glacial-formation
class. We hiked to see a glacial boulder that was the size of
a house and how parts of the glacial boulder deposited
15,000 years ago subsequently were broken into pieces by
weathering and ice.
One more class took us to the 1312-foot Brown Hill at
Wachusett Meadow in Princeton, where we enjoyed
spectacular views in every direction. Joe pointed out glacial
scratches and small colonies of three-toothed cinquefoil,
and stone walls put in place many years ago. Hickory
hornbeam forest and a shrub meadow were also shown to
our class.
The Fitchburg formation was discussed and we found out
it starts in Princeton and goes all the way to High Rock
Road in Fitchburg and includes the Rollstone quarry that
sits high above down town. Rindge Road also sits on top of
this formation. Joe held our attention with all that he knows
about glacial rocks and formations.
Story by Lauretta Conlon
Turbans, Tiles, and Tulips: Ottoman Empire
Essex Trip in Pictures
Whatever we may have known about the Ottoman Empire
was enhanced tenfold by our ever-popular instructor, Dr.
Joyce Hinckley. She transformed 600 years of Ottoman
history into enchanting stories that made the people, places,
and events of that period come alive.
The steam train and river boat trip to Essex, Conn., were
photographed by Joanne Schreiner. ALFAs obviously
enjoyed the excursion with its vintage train; Mississippistyle riverboat, "The Becky Thatcher;" and the 1892 Essex
Station.
From the 13th century to the
20th century, 36 sultans ruled
the
Ottoman
Empire--an
empire that began in a small
area of Anatolia (Turkey) and
at one point grew to
encompass an area bordering
Russia, China, Asia, Europe,
and Africa. (Photo by Joanne
Schreiner)
We learned about the most
famous of the sultans, including: Osman, the first leader of
the empire from whom all sultans were descended; Murad
I, the first person to use the title of sultan; Mehmed II, who
conquered Constantinople; Suliman the Magnificent, the
longest-ruling and most successful Ottoman sultan.
Ottoman territory was expanded by the warlike nature of
the sultans, who built upon their nomadic skills to conquer
other lands. They led their armies into battle and reaped
booty from the conquered. The Janissaries, an elite corps,
were vital to the armies of the sultans. They were Christian
slaves taken from villages, trained as soldiers to be loyal to
the sultan, and made to convert to Islam. However, as Dr.
Hinckley pointed out, the policy of the sultanate was to
conquer and tax, not conquer and convert.
All sultans kept a harem but we learned that it was not a
place of fun and debauchery; rather, the sultan’s mother,
who held power of life and death over all harem residents,
ruled it. Her job was to ensure that sons would be born to
carry on the line, but once a harem slave produced a son,
her usefulness was over.
By the end of the 16th century the Ottoman Empire began to
decline.
The world was changing because of
industrialization; trade routes bypassed Constantinople, the
janissaries and others became power brokers, and other
nation states emerged with their own power base. The
Ottoman Empire resisted all change and modernization.
Mehmet IV was the last Sultan.
To lend reality to her presentation, our instructor displayed
objects of art and needlework that represented the artistic
creativity of people in the Ottoman Empire. This exhibit
was an enhancement to a fascinating course.
By Eleanor Gilmartin
ALFAs boarding the vintage train at the Essex Station and
enjoying lunch at the Oliver's Taverne in Essex.
Holiday Cooking
Holiday Cooking featured a variety of ethnic cuisines,
including
French
Canadian, Italian,
Polish, English, and
Islamic. The
ALFA-BITS
photographer,
Joanne Schreiner,
focused
on
an
English
holiday
meal
that
was
artfully arranged by
Sous Chef Eileen
Barnacoat
and
ALFAs comparing notes while sampling a French
Canadian meal.
The Geology of the Mesozoic Era
The definition says, “A paleontologist can be said to be like
a coroner at a crime scene except that the witnesses are all
dead and the evidence has been left out in the rain for
millions of years.” Bringing this era, the age of the
dinosaurs which spanned about 180 million years, to life is
no easy task.
Dr. Robert Champlin,
‘dinosaur hunter’, with
his
rich
experience
searching for and finding
a wide variety of fossils
in such places as the
deserts of Mexico and the
wilds of Wyoming, and
his extensive knowledge
of geology certainly had
the ‘right stuff’.
Photo by Norm Fredette
With many illustrative handouts, examples of fossils, guide
books, and videos of digs, he dried off and cleaned up the
evidence and brought ‘back to life’ the bones and strata of
the Mesozoic Era for our inspection. As these ‘witnesses’
and ‘evidence’ were presented, a much clearer picture of
the three periods of the era, the Triassic, Jurassic, and
Cretaceous emerged. When dinosaurs roamed the earth the
landscape was very different from today. In what is now
the Americas, huge inland seas stretched from north to
south. Here, geologic processes created the sedimentary
rock that is the prime lithographic environment for the
creation and discovery of fossils. Dr. Champlin showed us
how the type and location of these fossils helps us
understand these geologic events.
We learned that while much has been discovered from
these fossils there are still many intriguing questions yet to
be answered. One of the most interesting ones we
discussed is whether dinosaurs were cold or warm blooded,
or poikilothermic.
Unlike our universe which began with a ‘big bang’ this
class ended with a ‘big bang,’ with the presentation of
evidence for the one that caused the mass extinction of the
dinosaurs about 65 million years ago.
By Chris Barnacoat
Mystery Writers of the West
There are people who feel that reading mystery novels is a
somewhat less than intellectual pursuit; that when we read,
it should only be serious literature. I say nonsense! Reading
doesn't always have to be a deeply transformative
experience. What's wrong with having fun? Reading
mysteries takes the reader to different times, places, and
cultures. They present the reader with a puzzle to solve
Who doesn't like a puzzle?
Each week Dr. Shirley Wagner
acquainted us with some of the
most prominent mystery writers
of the West. She obviously did
extensive research on these
authors, and some of them led
lives that were as interesting as
their novels. She pointed out that
even though they were all writing
mysteries, each had their own concerns such as social
issues or regional cultures. One regional culture that was
new to most of the class was the culture of the Métis. The
Meti people live in the Dakotas and Montana and are
descendants of Native Americans and French Voyageurs
that were pushed southward out of Canada.
We watched videos of different authors and heard them
speak about their lives and their work, and each week Dr.
Wagner supplied a stack of books that we could borrow.
We became aware of the differences within the larger genre
of mysteries.
Previously, Dr. Wagner taught a class on Asian mysteries,
which was fascinating, but Mysteries of Western U.S. was
just as satisfying. Many people in the class have taken both
classes and we are all hoping that she will do another series
from another part of the world, perhaps Scandinavia.
By Gail Allo & Photo by Joanne Schreiner
Contemporary Arab World: Insight and Inspiration
What covered four thousand years of history and included
information from today’s news? The class on The
Contemporary Arab World did. Dr. Yasser Derwiche
Djazaerly approached this complex and difficult topic with
great knowledge, passion, and insight. He made
connections across centuries, continents, and cultures; he
provided a base from which to begin a personal study of the
region and issues.
Most class members came to get a better understanding of
how the events in the Arab World influence the world in
general and the USA in particular. We got that and more.
From Biblical times to today, from Morocco to Yemen, Dr.
Djazerly showed how history, religion, and culture
combine in the trends and problems facing the Arab World.
He shared his personal experiences growing up in Assad’s
Syria as well as those of his family and friends living
across the Arab world. However, the most remarkable part
of this class was his matter-of-fact approach to tinder-box
issues which allowed students with vastly different
opinions opportunity to easily express views and ask
questions.
This was a special class taught by an
exceptional instructor.
By Joyce Hinckley
This I Believe
Jane Maguire, retired educator in the Leominster
School System, has through ALFA classes presided
over the popular "This I Believe" course, which
originated in a 1951 NPR radio program by Edward
R. Murrow. Daily five-minute recordings of men
and women sharing their philosophy and guiding
principles of life were eventually aired on 196 radio
stations and recorded in six languages throughout the
world.
Jane introduced
the
class
to
recordings
by
William
Douglas, Chief
Justice of the
United
States
Supreme Court,
who spoke on
faith in a power
greater than man;
Martha Graham,
dancer
and
choreographer,
and on practice, discipline and a tenacity of faith;
Harold Hongju Koh, whose father immigrated to
America to flee a dictatorship in Korea and reveled in
the freedom of "this great, great country;"
Oscar Hammerstein II, who stated
that life was imperfect but not to
allow this imperfection to destroy
hope and a desire to live; along with
many others who shared their
personal stories and rules to live by.
Lively discussion followed each tape.
Jane
encouraged the class to be self-reflective and write
our own guiding principles of life, offering
suggestions to spur the thought process. Our last
class was an enriching experience as our personal
philosophies were shared.
(file photos)
Story by Nancy Turner
Fitchburg's Prolific Architect, H.M. Francis
Joy Contois, the city's
master
historian,
celebrated Fitchburg's
250th Anniversary by
presenting an in-depth
review of H.M. Francis'
architectural feats of
designing 200 houses,
Protestant
churches,
schools, and hotels.
Born in Lunenburg in
1836, H.M. Francis
graduated
from
Groton's
Lawrence
Academy and studied
architectural drawing at Boston Architect and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and in 1868
established an architectural firm in Fitchburg.
Much of his work emphasized Queen Anne styles
with corner towers and extended porches while others
employed general Victorian features with bay and
Palladian windows as well as gingerbread trim. Other
styles he utilized included shingle, colonial revival,
Gothic revival, and the Mansard with convex and
straight roofs.
Our instructor sent ALFA students to scores of
streets, schools, and churches to capture city
buildings in pictures and then, in class, defend the
thesis that these structures followed styles
popularized by Francis. Rollstone Congregational,
Highland Baptist, and Faith United were churches
discussed by class members, while houses on
Atlantic and Bluff Avenues, High, Mechanic, Day,
and Prichard Streets were examined. The Phoenix
Building (home of the Fitchburg Historical Society)
and Moran Square Building were held under the
same architectural magnifying glass.
If Francis were given the task of designing a house
on a street where two or three levels were going to be
constructed (Fitchburg is the second hilliest city in
the country), he would apply multi-architectural
designs so that the house would have a distinctly
different view from one level to the next. Examples
can be seen on Prospect Street
Story and Photo by Bruce Goyette
ALFA
WHAT’S IT ALL
ABOUT?
ALFA offers non-credit daytime classes and special events
implemented by its members in coordination with the professional staff
at Fitchburg State University. The program presents classes for a wide
variety of interests with each weekly class running for ninety minutes
over the course of five weeks. Among the several classes offered this
past semester have been new topics such as History of Shakers in
Massachusetts, Songs and Songwriters of Tin Pan Alley, Holiday
Cooking, Global Issues in Film, Introduction to Veganism 'Bringing
Butterflies Home, Line, Form, Color, & Texture: A Workshop in
Impressionism, So You Want To Write a Book.
Also, First Daughter of Concord: Louisa May Alcott & Her Family
Circle, Figure Drawing, History of Savoring Tea, All About the Blues,
Flower Arranging, Fall Fungi, Geology of the Mesozoic Era, Charcoal
Pastel Art, Turbans, Tiles, & Tulips: Ottoman Empire, Local Geology:
Rocks, Ledges, & Hilltops, Walk About: Outdoor Walking, Renewable
Energy, Writing Your Autobiography, Mystery Novels Set in the
Western United States, The Contemporary Arab World,19th Century
American Women Writers, Nature Writing, Collecting Family Stories to
Write About, Italian American History, Contemporary Italy, and Earth's
Energy Resources.
Course selections are based on ALFA students’ suggestions which are
elicited on the evaluation form that is completed after each class. While most
classes are held in the C Wing of the McKay Campus Building, other sites
include Liberty Place, Fitchburg High School, Leominster Library, and
Conlon Arts Building.
The concept for an adult learning program began some seven years ago when
two neighbors, Shirley Pick and Dr. Philip Fallon, former Superintendent of
Fitchburg Schools, happened to meet by their homes in Fitchburg and to
engage in a conversation about the feasibility of establishing a program of
local adult education. Spearheaded by the two, the idea took on steam and
gained further momentum from the then-new President of Fitchburg State
University, Dr. Robert Antonucci, and Dr. Shirley Wagner, Associate Vice
President of Academic Affairs at the University.
Having begun with a handful of communities, the program, directed by a
volunteer board and advised by Dr. Lisa Moison, now serves some seventeen
cities and towns.
More than 303 members are currently enrolled in classes. For more
information or to be added to ALFA’s mailing list, contact ALFA’s Office at
(978) 665-3706.