Turn-of-the-Century Holiday Traditions Tour *New event

Dec. 12
8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
In-Person
The Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center, Kansas City, Kansas
St. John the Baptist Church, Kansas City, Kansas
Vaile Victorian Mansion, Independence, Missouri
Meet at Edwards Campus (Overland Park) and St. Andrews Office Building (Lawrence)
Cost: $135

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Description
Did you miss out on the sold-out Strawberry Hill tour last spring? Here is your chance to experience this wonderful hidden gem. Experience the holidays through the lens of history by visiting two of Kansas City’s turn-of-the-century mansions, completely transformed for the Christmas season, and a traditional Catholic church built in 1900. The day will start with a tour of the Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center, housed in a mansion built on a bluff overlooking downtown Kansas City in 1887. Each of the mansion’s rooms will be awash in holiday décor, including traditional Eastern European decorations. After a traditional Croatian lunch in the St. John the Baptist Fellowship Hall, we‘ll tour the St. John the Baptist Church, celebrating its centennial this year. Next we will board the bus and head east to the Vaile Victorian Mansion, one of the best examples of Second Empire-style architecture in the United States. The 31-room mansion includes nine marble fireplaces, spectacular painted ceilings and a 48,000-gallon wine cellar, all transformed for the holidays.

Includes docent-led tours of the Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center, St. John the Baptist Church and the Vaile Mansion, a traditional four-course Croatian lunch, executive coach transportation and a special Christmas treat. The coach will pick up and drop off students at the St. Andrews Office Building in Lawrence and at the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park.

Happy Days: A Nostalgic Review of the 1950s
Instructor: Carl Graves

Dec. 1, 8 & 15
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 
In-Person
KU Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Drive, Lawrence

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Description
For a significant majority of Americans, the ‘50s were good times. The Baby Boom, prosperity and rising home ownership fueled more fun than in previous and subsequent decades. Do you remember “Howdy Doody,” poodle skirts, S&H Green Stamps, the McGuire Sisters and big cars with chrome and tail fins? We’ll look back on these things and more when covering topics such as suburbanization, television, cars, movies, music, fads, fashions, foods, beverages, toys, games and print media. We’ll also touch on social critiques and worries like polio. We’ll compare our memories to documents, film clips and music. 

Carl Graves, Ph.D., holds a master’s degree in U.S. history from the University of Kansas and a doctorate from Harvard. He taught at the university and community college levels and at Kansas City’s Pembroke Hill School.

Structural Issues in the U.S. Government *New Class
Instructor: Sarah Rosenson

Dec. 4, 11 & 18
2 – 4 p.m.
Online

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Description
We’ll put several issues related to our democratic framework under the microscope in this interactive online discussion class. The House of Representatives is supposed to be representative by population, but is it? Should there be mandatory retirement ages for senators, congresspeople and presidents, or would that be unethical age discrimination? Should voting be mandatory? 

Sarah Rosenson holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in Jewish studies from the Spertus Institute. She practiced law, then taught classes on ethics, philosophy and world religions at a private high school. She currently teaches adults both in-person and online, including several Osher classes.

Sisters in Sorrow, Equal in Suffering: The Women of Bleeding Kansas *New Class
Instructor: Michelle Martin

Dec. 3 & 10 
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Online

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Description
Let’s travel back in time to share the experiences of women who made Kansas Territory their home from 1854 - 1861. Regardless of their political sentiments, women in Bleeding Kansas shared sorrow and grief equally as the territory roiled with turmoil. From the staunch abolitionist Sara Robinson to a young woman robbed of her fiancé, we’ll look at the compelling human dramas that took center stage as Kansas decided if she would be a free or slave state.

Michelle M. Martin is a Michigander by birth and a Kansan and Oklahoman by choice. Martin earned her doctorate in history at the University of New Mexico. Her research probes interracial marriage, gender, race and power in the Mvskoke Nation in Indian Territory from 1870 - 1897.

Understanding George Orwell: His Life and Legacy
Instructor: Vic Peterson

Dec. 2 & 9
10 a.m. – Noon
In-Person
KU Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Drive, Lawrence

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Description
This two-session course explores the life and works of George Orwell, a pivotal 20th-century writer known for his sharp critiques of totalitarianism, class inequality and political corruption. First, we’ll delve into Orwell’s life, from his upbringing in British India to his formative experiences in Burma, the Spanish Civil War and World War II. We’ll connect these moments, which shaped his political views and literary voice, to his early works, such as “Down and Out in Paris and London” and “The Road to Wigan Pier.”

The second session shifts focus to Orwell’s most iconic works, “Animal Farm” and “1984.” We’ll explore their themes of power, propaganda and societal control, discussing their relevance to modern political and digital landscapes. The session also examines Orwell’s influential essays, including “Politics and the English Language,” and his enduring legacy as a writer and thinker. Through discussions and reflections, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Orwell’s contributions to literature and his resonance in contemporary times.

Vic Peterson is the author of “The Berserkers” (Hawkwood 2022/Recital 2023), set in a fictional Nordic country. He worked as a business executive and now divides his time between Lawrence, Kansas, and Northport, Michigan.