Let's All Go to the Movies: Film Critique and Conversation *Two locations*

June 9, 16 & 23
6:30 p.m. - 8: 30 p.m. (lectures)
KU Edwards Campus, 12610 Quivira Road, Overland Park, Kansas
July 11: Noon - 3 p.m. (film screening)
KU Edwards Campus, 12610 Quivira Road, Overland Park, Kansas
Cost: $75

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Description
Learn how to watch a movie like a film critic with veteran film critic Abby Olcese and join other Osher students for a specially curated film screening and discussion. This is a three-part course explores the fundamentals of filmmaking and film criticism designed to help the everyday movie fan understand how critical thinking works when watching a movie - and how to apply those concepts to watching movies at home or with friends and expanding their cinematic horizons. To top it off, we'll meet on a Saturday to view a film curated by Abby. She'll lead a discussion following the screening. We'll bring the popcorn and candy! Abby Olcese is the film editor at The Pitch, a contributor to Sojourners, Rogerebert.com and Paste and the author of Films for all Seasons: Experiencing the Church Year at the Movies. She is an experienced film critic with a special interest in the connections between movies, social justice and Christian spirituality.

Includes three-session class, private film screening and refreshments.

KU Mini College *Multi-Day Event*

June 1-3
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
Cost: $185 Osher members | $210 non-members

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Description
KU Mini College an educational event for inquisitive adults offered in partnership with KU's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. KU Mini College is a beloved program that has continued to bring adult community members, alumni, and non-alums from all over the world to the KU Lawrence campus to attend presentations from KU faculty and other professionals on current topics of interest. This year's event will be held on campus with most events being held at Slawson Hall in the Beren Conference Center. Our 3 day lecture series will feature many of KU's outstanding professors and faculty. Attendees will have time to explore the Lawrence campus and visit with friends old and new! The Mini College Schedule of events will be released later in the Spring semester.

Existing Osher members pay a $185 fee and includes a continental breakfast each morning, light snacks, three days of presentations, field trips and one lunch. Non-Osher members pay $210 fee and includes all the same benefits of an existing member plus access to sign up for additional Osher programming and includes access to numerous exclusive Osher Member benefits.

Cartoons: From Disney to Saturday Morning to Pixar & Beyond *Multiple locations*
Instructor: Karl Menninger

June 11, 18 & 25 
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Beacon Mental Health (Clay County Senior Services), 3100 NE 83rd St., Second Floor, Kansas City, Missouri
 
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Description
We started watching cartoons as children, either at the movies or on television on Saturday mornings. Many of us continue to watch them, even without children or grandchildren. We'll look at the invention of the animated cartoon in the Silent Era, the creation of a certain Mouse by a guy from Kansas City and the entertainment empire that spawned, cartoons from other studios (Betty Boop, Popeye, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tom and Jerry, Mr. Magoo, Mighty Mouse), how cartoons went to war in the 1940s and how they migrated to television, both on Saturday mornings and on "kiddie" shows on weekday afternoons. We'll review the Disney renaissance in the 1990s, with "The Little Mermaid" and "The Lion King," long-running prime-time cartoons such as "The Simpsons," recent Disney competitors (Don Bluth, Ralph Bakshi, DreamWorks), and Pixar, who led the way in computer-generated animation with "Toy Story" and "Frozen". We'll also share where we watched cartoons: the movies, television, VHS/DVD/BluRay and now streaming services like Disney+.

Karl Menninger is a retired government lawyer who seems to have found an avocation teaching courses on disability law, citizenship, comedy and James Bond, among other topics. 

A History of Music in The White House from 1948 - 2016 *New class
Instructor: Jean Hein

June 9, 16 & 23
10 a.m. - noon
KU Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Drive, Lawrence, Kansas
 
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Description
oin us for a survey history of music in the White House from the Truman administration through the Obama years. Fun facts: President Truman was an accomplished pianist who started piano lessons at age seven! Yo-Yo Ma was seven when he performed at the White House for Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower. Paul McCartney was approaching age 70 when he rocked the building performing "Hey Jude" for President and Mrs. Obama and their guests. Want to learn more?

Jean Hein recently moved to Kansas from South Carolina, where she was director and recorder performer with Columbia Baroque as well as a clarinetist. She currently teaches online recorder classes for seniors. Hein has served on the board of Early Music America. She holds music degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and Northwestern University.

Broadway Musicals of the 1950s
Instructor: Paul Laird

June 24, July 1 and July 8
2 - 4 p.m.
KU Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Drive, Lawrence, Kansas
 
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Description
The 1950s were a very special decade in the history of the musical with such figures as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Frank Loesser, Leonard Bernstein and Jule Styne writing such shows as The King and I, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story and Gypsy for the Broadway stage. This will be survey of the decade's most popular shows, the people who wrote them and the stars who played in them.

Paul Laird is a professor emeritus of musicology who taught at KU for 30 years. He has published widely on the American musical theater and taught dozens of Osher courses over the last three decades.

The Life and Music of George Gershwin
Instructor: Paul Laird

June 9, 23, 30 (Note: No class June 16)
1-3 p.m.
Brewster Place Events Center, 900-B SW 31st Street, Topeka, KS 66611
 
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Description
One of the leading musical figures in the history of the United States, George Gershwin (1898 - 1937) combined influences from Tin Pan Alley, classical music, jazz and blues into a distinctive musical style heard in his numerous Broadway musicals, songs for Hollywood films and concert works. This course explores his biography and each aspect of his musical output. Emphasis will be placed on two of his musicals ("Girl Crazy" and "Of Thee I Sing"); his opera "Porgy and Bess"; and the concert works "Rhapsody in Blue," "Piano Concerto in F" and the tone poem, "An American in Paris."

Paul Laird is a professor emeritus of musicology who taught at KU for 30 years. He has published widely on the American musical theater and taught dozens of Osher courses over the last three decades.

Introduction to the Ethics and Use of Generative AI *New class
Instructor: Kathryn (Katie) Conrad

May 14, 21 and 28
2 PM - 4 PM
KU Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Drive, Lawrence, Kansas

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Description
Generative AI is everywhere - in your social media accounts and word processing programs, in your search engine and your doctor's office. What is it? Why is it everywhere? And should it be? This course will offer an introduction to generative AI, explaining how it works, what it can and can't do, what ethical problems trouble it from development to deployment, and how to protect yourself if you or others choose to use it.

Kathryn Conrad is professor of English at the University of Kansas, where her current research focuses on technology and culture and critical AI studies. She is an associate editor for the journal Critical AI and has published on critical AI literacy, most recently with Sean Kamperman, with whom she co-directs the AI & Digital Literacy project in partnership with the Hall Center and the National Humanities Center Institute, and with Tania Duarte and Ismael Garcia, of the UK nonprofit We and AI. In 2024, she was the US representative on an international expert panel advising the UN's Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education. She is also a founding member of the international Library of Babel group for technocritical educators currently housed by the Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology.

World Issues Discussion Group: Artificial Intelligence
Instructor: Chick Keller

May 20, 27 & June 3
10 a.m. - noon
KU Edwards Campus, 12610 Quivira Road, Overland Park, Kansas, & Online

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Description
This unique class will give us insight into worldwide issues affecting modern society - and a platform for lively discussions related to them. (Come ready to share your ideas and engage your peers!) For the second installment of our discussion series, we'll focus specifically on how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence may spark the fourth industrial revolution. How will AI impact the job market? What ethical safeguards need to be in place so AI serves the public good instead of running amok? How will AI's need for vast quantities of natural resources affect climate change?

Charles "Chick" Keller is a retired senior executive and retired professor. He worked 15 years each at Sprint and Black & Veatch in strategic planning and strategic marketing, rising to VP level both times. In 2000, he began a career as a professor in the University of Kansas engineering management program where he taught finance and strategic planning.

The U.S. Naturalization Process & The Path to Citizenship *New class
Instructor: Anita Tebbe

June 11, 18 & 25
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
KU Edwards Campus, 12610 Quivira Road, Overland Park, Kansas, & Online

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Description
The U.S. naturalization process has changed significantly since it started in 1790. We'll delve into the history of the process as well as walk through the steps of eligibility, application and interview processes and culminating ceremony.

Anita Tebbe is a retired professor in the legal studies department at Johnson County Community College. She earned an undergraduate degree in history, a graduate degree in education and a law degree. Anita is a Kansas-licensed attorney and has more than 40 years of teaching experience at the high school and college levels.

Immortalized: Sports Museums and Halls of Fame *New class
Instructor: Andrew Stockmann

June 10, 17 & 24
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
KU Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Drive, Lawrence, Kansas

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Description
Why do sports mean so much to so many in our society? Sports museums and halls of fame help build these emotional connections by remembering, celebrating and commemorating iconic athletes, coaches and events. We'll learn about the field of sports heritage, discover the different types of sports museums and reflect on how legends are remembered.

Andrew Stockmann is curator of exhibitions at the Watkins Museum of History in Lawrence. He grew up visiting baseball stadiums and museums with his family, which sparked his love for history. Andrew is from Liberty, Missouri, and is a 2024 graduate of the museum studies master's program at the University of Kansas and holds a bachelor's degree in sport management from Wichita State University.

The Willows Maternity Sanitarium & Kansas City, Adoption Hub of America
Instructor: KelLee Parr

May 7, 14 & 21
2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Santa Marta, 13800 W. 116th St., Olathe, Kansas

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Description
This course will share the reunion of a mother and daughter 66 years after being separated at birth at The Willows Maternity Sanitarium. We will delve into the history of The Willows and dozens of other maternity homes that brought more than 100,000 young women shrouded in secrecy to Kansas City.

KelLee Parr holds bachelor's degrees in agriculture and education plus a master's degree in adult and occupational education from Kansas State University. He has taught elementary school for many years in Topeka and now writes science curriculum for Nancy Larson Publishers.

The Development & Evolution of the US Army: The Cold War Years 1947 - 1995 *New class
Instructor: Robert Smith

May 14, 21 & 28
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Brewster Place, 1205 SW 29th St., Topeka, Kansas

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Description
This class picks up where "The Growth and Evolution of the United States Army, 1775 - 1945" left off. Over three weeks we'll examine the changes of the U.S. Army during the Cold War years that focused on a doctrine of containing and limiting Communist expansion. In the first class we'll look at the Korean War and the planned deterrence of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact forces in Eastern Europe. Next, we'll focus on the Army's plans for continental defense in the nuclear/missile age and the restructuring of the Army's tactical organization from the 1950s Pentomic Division to the ROAD Division of the early 1960s. Lastly, we'll delve into the Army's operations during the Vietnam Conflict, its rebuilding and reequipping in the 1970s and its Land, Sea and Air doctrine of the Desert Storm era.

Robert Smith, Ph.D., is the recently retired director of the Fort Riley Museum. He has a doctorate in history from KSU and has published numerous articles on military history.

Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) *New class
Instructor: Anita Tebbe

May 14, 21 & 28
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tallgrass Creek Retirement Community, 13800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, Kansas, & Online

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Description
Prime Minister Winston Churchill is well-regarded across the world for his long-reigning influence in British Parliament, but did you know he had ties to Missouri and the Kansas City area? Delve into the professional and personal life of Churchill and discover this famous Brit's unique impact in the Midwest.

Anita Tebbe is a retired professor in the legal studies department at Johnson County Community College. She earned an undergraduate degree in history, a graduate degree in education and a law degree. Anita is a Kansas-licensed attorney and has more than 40 years of teaching experience at the high school and college levels.

German Settlements & Culture In Kansas
Instructor: Bill Keel

May 20, 27 & June 3
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Beacon Mental Health (Clay County Senior Services), 3100 NE 83rd St., Kansas City, Missouri

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Description
German is the most prevalent language after English and Spanish spoken at home in 77 counties in Kansas. Since 1854, thousands of German-speaking immigrants have sought better lives here, including Pennsylvania Dutch, Volga Germans, Mennonites, Austrians and Swiss. German churches dot the prairie, and some rural Kansans still speak a dialect of German.

William Keel, Ph.D., is a professor emeritus of German at KU, having taught the history and culture of German settlements in Kansas and Missouri.

The History of John Brown *New class
Instructor: Aaron Margolis

June 8, 15 & 22
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
KU Edwards Campus, 12610 Quivira Road, Overland Park, Kansas, & Online

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Description
In life and death John Brown was called many things: hero, terrorist, martyr and criminal. This class puts his life and legacy in the context of the times, exploring Brown as an individual and a determined actor that could only have existed in the Antebellum United States. A life full of contradictions, a supporter of civil rights and freedom, yet able to justify murder, Brown's actions were part of a uniquely American life whose legacy still echoes to this day.

Aaron Margolis received his doctorate in history from the University of Texas at El Paso where he concentrated on Latin American and borderlands history. He is currently an associate professor of history at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

1865: The Union Restored *New class
Instructor: Ethan Rafuse

June 10, 17 & 24
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
KU Edwards Campus, 12610 Quivira Road, Overland Park, Kansas, & Online

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Description
It's 1865, and the American Civil War has raged for four long years. We'll continue examining the military history of the war, including how the North and South each approached what would culminate in the war's end. We'll look at the evaluation of the ends, ways and means of both sides' strategy in 1865, and the course, conduct and outcomes of major operations. We'll also address strategic and political contexts that shaped military operations in Virginia, Tennessee and elsewhere, as well as the leaders, such as Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Joseph Johnston, Robert E. Lee, William T. Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant, whose decision and leadership influenced their handling of the war and its end results. * Please note: this class will be offered as a hybrid class but will not be recorded, at the request of the instructor. *

Ethan S. Rafuse received his doctorate at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and is professor of military history at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. His publications include "Robert E. Lee and the Fall of the Confederacy 1863 - 1865," essays in "The Chattanooga Campaign" and "The Chickamauga Campaign," and "U.S. Presidents During Wartime."

The Life & Wars of Robert E. Lee
Instructor: Ethan Rafuse

July 13, 20 & 27
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
KU Edwards Campus, 12610 Quivira Road, Overland Park, Kansas, & Online

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Description
Robert E. Lee was the son of fabled Revolutionary War general "Light Horse" Harry Lee. In this course, we'll examine how this general's son became one of the most respected officers in the U.S. Army, only to forge a record in the Confederacy that made him one of the most respected commanders in history. We'll look at the great maneuvers that carried him to triumph at Chancellorsville in 1863, and then to complete defeat in 1865. We will consider the factors that shaped Lee's generalship both in victory and defeat, then look at how Lee dealt with the aftermath of defeat in his postwar endeavors.  * Please note that this class will be presented in hybrid format but will not be recorded, at the request of the instructor. *

Ethan S. Rafuse received his doctorate at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and is professor of military history at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. His publications include "Robert E. Lee and the Fall of the Confederacy 1863 - 1865," essays in "The Chattanooga Campaign" and "The Chickamauga Campaign," and "U.S. Presidents During Wartime."