Kansas State University

Registration open for fall 2018 Osher Lifelong Learning Program in Manhattan

Submitted by Charlene Brownson

Registration for the fall 2018 Osher Lifelong Learning Program in Manhattan is now open.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Kansas has teamed up with Kansas State University to bring to the Manhattan area the diverse content, innovative learning opportunities and quality faculty that promote lifelong learning in the community. The program in Manhattan is coordinated by UFM Community Learning Center.

The Osher Institute offers courses for participants age 50 and over that stress the joy of learning. Courses meet weekly for two hours over a three-week period and require no homework, out-of-class preparation, or testing.
To enroll, call KU Osher toll-free 877-404-5823 or 785-864-5823, or register online. 

The following are fall 2018 Osher classes offered in Manhattan: 

• Triumph over Terror: How Two Men Survived Nazi Horrors. Two Holocaust survivors, one a young Jewish boy, the other a Catholic teenage Polish Resistance fighter, would meet years later as professors at KU and form a strong friendship. Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, instructor, is the author of 19 books. This course is based on her book, "Needle in the Bone: How a Holocaust Survivor and a Polish Resistance Fighter Beat the Odds and Found Each Other." Offered from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 4, 11 and 25, at the Unger Complex. No class on Sept. 18.
• The Civil War in the West, 1861-1865. The course will consider the Civil War in the crucial western theater 1861-1865. Robert Smith, instructor, is the director of the Fort Riley Museum. He has a doctorate in history from K-State and has published numerous articles on military history. Offered 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 13, 20 and 27, at Meadowlark Hills. 
• Burns, Bagpipes & Barleycorn. Three strands of Scottish culture braid themselves together in a class that celebrates the essentials of Scotland. Thomas Fox Averill, instructor, is writer-in-residence and professor of English at Washburn University. A quarter Scot, he has written about Scots in Kansas in his 2005 novel, "The Slow Air of Ewan MacPherson," which also weaves together the powerful iconography of Scotland — Burns, pipes and whiskey. His recent novel, "A Carol Dickens Christmas," is a Kansas Notable Book for 2015. The last hour of the third session will have a whiskey lesson with tasting. A $15 tasting fee is required to cover the cost of the whiskey. Tasting is optional. Offered from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 2, 9 and 16, at the Manhattan Arts Center. 
• Osa and Martin Johnson: Life Is a Safari. Between 1917 and 1936, Martin and Osa Johnson of Chanute, Kan., traveled throughout the South Pacific and Africa documenting their adventures with reels of black and white film. Today, the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum in Chanute stands in testament to their work. Russ Hutchins, instructor, teaches U.S. history, western civilization, and economics at Friends University in Topeka. He is a retired public school administrator and educator for 41 years. Offered 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 23-Nov. 6, at the Unger Complex. 
• Life and Leadership of King David. This course is a study of the life of King David, including his tragedies and triumphs. Attention will be given to the leadership qualities of David as well as his leadership style and abilities. The primary focus will be on the moral, ethical and theological teachings of his life and their personal and professional relevance to the present. Jennifer L. Anderson, instructor, earned a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in theology from Fuller Seminary, then attended St. Andrews University in Scotland where she earned a Master of Letters in biblical studies. Offered 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 11, 28 and 25, at Meadowlark Hills. 

• Killers of Kansas, Part II. This course will examine infamous cases of murder and murderers from Kansas History. Janet Balk, instructor, is an administrator and instructor at Barton Community College, Fort Riley Campus. She teaches courses in history, criminology and thanatology. She earned her bachelor's degree in history and master's in adult education from Kansas State University. Offered 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays, Nov. 1, 8 and 15, at Meadowlark Hills.

This year's special event is: A Centennial Commemoration: A Visit to the WWI Museum and Memorial. Join us Friday, Oct. 12, for a bus trip to Kansas City, tour of the museum, and hear Robert Smith, curator of the Fort Riley Museum, review the events leading to the armistice and its aftermath.