LIRA N EWSLETTE R LEARNING IN RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION Office of Community and Cultural Affairs – UMass Lowell Member of Elderhostel Institute Network Tel.: (978) 934-3135 Web: uml.edu/community/LIRA

March 2013 Vol. 20 No. 1 5 >¢andtinw{w¢tl’wmaw A Spring Session! 0 e Join us for the Town Meeting Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 10 AM to Noon Alumni Hall, 84 University Avenue, Lowell, MA Shuttle bus from the Perkins Street Parking Lot Come hear about our new Spring Schedule, have some refreshments and sign up for classes! VYou might thinf that aftex thousands of years of coming up taa sean and getting frozen, the cracus family would fiave fiad a Gittle sense fnackied inta it. Robest Benchley - el .-

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Holiday Party 2012 Finding Flow The 2012 Holiday On January 9th, Professor Party was a huge Kathleen Leonard kicked success: about 90 off our new year of winter members attended, intersessions. She is a the weather Developmental cooperated, and the Psychologist at UMass auction made Lowell. Her topic was $434.00 for the "Identity, Adaptation, and Scholarship fund. Finding Flow across the The decision to Lifespan". She felt that simplify the food too much emphasis was and just bring put on early child finger food didn’t development, and wanted raise any objections to discuss research in and we had a Developmental delicious array of Psychology as it applies goodies. The room to ongoing growth at Alumni Hall was through adulthood. She referenced leading theorists, including beautifully Erik Erikson, Paul Baltes, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who decorated by all emphasized the opportunity for healthy growth and change Hospitality co- in adult years. In essence, as individuals we are propelled chairs, Dawn Gillogly and Mary Willis with beautiful bird through a series of crises that shape our identity, relationships, house centerpieces at each table (see picture). Thanks to both and commitments. As well as we adapt to losses in our lives. of them for all their hard work. Yet, she emphasized that during aging we have the power and Bill Terris, chairman of the Scholarship Committee, awarded ability to maximize gains in available resources to reach our the three $1500 scholarships as described in an article in this goals. She agreed with Csikszentmihalyi's Flow Theory in that newsletter. Carol Cannistraro ran the consumable auction with individuals can achieve optimal experience seeking rewarding help from Barbara Willman. Joan Aseltine, from Community activities that balance a level of challenge and skill. As LIRA Teamwork Inc. told us how much she appreciated our members we are able to experience these challenges and donations. See her letter in this newsletter. Thanks to Elaine opportunities for growth. Thus, the rewards and Jelescheff for arranging with CTI to pick up our donations. accomplishments throughout our lives can give us the potential for lifelong learning and growth. It was a privilege and honor Thanks to all for their contributions of food, consumable to introduce Professor Leonard to LIRA. She was all smiles at auction items, buying raffle tickets and donations of books, such an interesting audience and was open to questions and hats and mittens. It was a great party and best of all – no answers at the end of the session. I feel that LIRA and snow! Professor Leonard were extremely compatible! Martha Hill Collage Workshop Pamela Wamala, from the Brush Art Gallery & Studios of Lowell, offered LIRA members a hands-on workshop to create a memory collage from favorite photos, postcards, magazine pictures or calendars to name a few. She brought many pictures, stickers and backgrounds that we could use to build our collage. She was very helpful giving ideas as we were busily trying to arrange our ‘works of art’. Below are some examples of finished collages.

Claire Frassica’s Grandchildren Jeri Durant’s Favorite Connie Lanseigne-Case’s Family Vacation Spot Sn i p p e t s o f T u rk ey

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invasion of the Philippines. Another unit, the 5307th Composite History of the Army Rangers Unit, called Merrill’s Marauder’s, was formed in 1943 and As an example of the fought the Japanese in Burma behind enemy lines. dangerous life they lead, U.S. Disbanded after World War II, the Rangers were reinstated and Army Ranger, Danny Davis, airborne for the first time during the Korean War in 1950 and presented us with a vivid formed the only all black Ranger unit in U. S. history. In description of a patrol on Vietnam, Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol and the Airborne duty in Afghanistan. His son, Ranger Company attempted a raid on a POW camp which has using a helmet camera, become a classic study on rescue. The Rangers were involved in entered a small village near the rescue operations of the American hostages in Tehran in Kabul and engaged in a fire l980, fought in Granada in 1983, Panama, the Persian Gulf War, fight with the enemy. Before Somalia, Iraq and now Afghanistan. the video taken last year, Danny first explained the The Rangers train at the U.S. Army conducted in history of the Rangers and , Georgia and Elgin Air Force Base in Florida. The their rigorous training. intense training consists of three phases lasting 68 days. Soldiers are instructed in mission planning, physical fitness, water The U.S. Army Rangers have survival, day and night navigation, mountaineering, parachuting. a long, heroic history They learn that surrender is not a Ranger word and are prepared beginning with the first Ranger Company in 1676 for King to deliver maximum surprise and shock to the enemy. . After Philip’s War. During the French and Indian wars, Major Robert graduation, the Rangers are presented the Ranger Tab worn on Rogers combined Indian tactics with European discipline using the left sleeve of their uniforms and a tan beret. The first, snowshoes and moving under cover of trees, developed the Rules second, and third Ranger battalions are still in service and the of Ranging. Colonel John Mosby’s Rangers, fighting the Union formed in 1986 is now the largest special soldiers, were famous for their stealth in movement in the Civil operations combat element in the U.S. army. War. Mary Willis During World War II, Major Will Darby formed the first Ranger Battalion fighting in North Africa, Salerno, Sicily, and Anzio in Note: Danny Davis came to us from the National Ranger Italy. During the Normandy invasion, the Memorial Foundation which assists Ranger families with assaulted the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc under continuous fire by the recognition and scholarships. If you would like to donate to this Germans, immortalized in the movie “The Longest Day”. foundation, send donation to National Ranger Memorial Meanwhile in the Pacific, the led the Foundation, Inc. (check made out to same name), P.O. Box 53369, Fort Benning, GA 31995.

Navigation before GPS J. Leon Poirier gave LIRA members a fascinating talk about early navigation and the instruments they used. He has taught navigation for 30 years and actually built many replicas of old navigation instruments that were widely used in the 15th to 18th centuries. One of the earliest navigational devices is called a kamal that determines latitude. It consists of a small wooden card to which a string with several equally spaced knots is attached through a hole in the middle of the card. Each knot represents about 1 degree. Holding the end of the string in your teeth, the card is positioned along the string where the bottom edge is even with the horizon and the top edge is in line with a star. The angle is measured by counting the number of knots from your teeth to your card. Leon demonstrated many other devices that measured latitude, angles and the speed of the vessel such as a quadrant, cross staff, astrolabe and chip-log. He is pictured with a traverse board which measures the direction of the vessel on the top half and the speed on the bottom half. During a 4 hour watch, a crew member would insert a peg in the top every half hour indicating the direction. Every hour he would insert a peg in the bottom half to indicate the speed of the vessel. At the end of the watch, the navigator would record the information, make sure they were on track and remove the pegs to be ready for the next watch. Jeri Durant

Our three Scholarships given at the Holiday Party are funded Coffee Break Note through the generosity of our LIRA members and the money To everyone who contributed to the refreshments during collected at our coffee breaks helps to fund two of these our coffee breaks at the Rec Center, they were greatly scholarships .Thank you for your generous support of our enjoyed and appreciate d. dedicated UMass Lowell scholarship students through our coffee donations . A special thanks to Paul Marion, Executive Director of The Hospitality Committee Community and Cultural Affairs, for funding the coffee at Dawn Gillogly and Mary Willis the Talon Club meeting s.

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Quilt Raffle LIRA Scholarships Awarded to Jean Schott has made this beautiful, 43 by 50 Three Students inch lap quilt to be After reviewing 53 UMass Lowell student applications, the raffled off at the May following three students received $1500 each at the Holiday Annual Meeting. The Party in December. fabric is a potpourri of some batiks and others of deep turquoise and purplish blue. Most of it was bought in Florida and makes one think of the warmth of the tropics!! Raffle tickets will be sold at the March Town Meeting and every Wednesday at the Art & Music sessions that are at the Tsongas Center. Tickets are $1.00 apiece or 6 for $5.00 and the proceeds will go to the Scholarship fund.

Classes in the Talon Club Room

This spring’s classes are being held in the Talon Club Room at From left to right: Peter Jones, Briana Manalow, the Tsongas Center, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell, Petyer Trearchis, Bill Terris MA. Parking is in the lot to the right of the building. If the Talon Club Room is not available, the location will be Peter Jones---a Plastic Engineering student with a rich announced well ahead of time. background of community Service activities, as a teacher in Coffee and tea, but no snacks, will be provided by Aramark for Paris helping children in underprivileged neighborhoods to our morning and afternoon classes. Snacks by Aramark are have fun and learn English, founder of the Bellarmine High cost prohibitive: as an example, the cost of the coffee and School Choir, assisted with education programs for war snacks for 60 people was $245.00, for 25 people was $98.31 veterans, and built houses for homeless people in Uruguay, and it is not feasible for us to pay as much as this for every South America. class. But we must also remind you: THERE IS NO FOOD Briana Manalow---A Music Student, whose Community ALLOWED IN THE TSONGAS CENTER THAT HAS Service includes volunteering at Emerson Hospital, being a NOT BEEN PROVIDED BY ARAMARK. Therefore, if Sunday School teacher , being a Study Center and Fund raiser you are in the morning and afternoon classes and would like to Volunteer, involvement in Community musicals, cantor at bring your lunch, it must be eaten outside or in your car. Parishes in Methuen and West Boylston, and performing The Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about this situation. National Anthem at over l00 ball games. We have changed the time to the afternoon classes to begin at 1:00pm so that those who would like to go somewhere to get a Petyer Trearchis---a Chemical Engineering Student who was bite to eat would have enough time. It is a short walk to the the valedictorian of his high school class, served at the Wannalancit Building which has a small snack bar/cafeteria. Community Service Day at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, You would just need to find a place to eat it! served as team Captain in the relay for life, volunteer for the river clean-up, participated in the Greek Festival in his church, a speaker to high school students and served as a volunteer on the Career Services Advisory Board. Details for Town Meeting The Lira Scholarship Committee was most impressed with the quality of the applicants and the three recipients were a The Town Meeting will be held in Alumni Hall on University reflection of the wonderful students at UMass Lowell. Avenue, Lowell from 10 a.m. to noon. The hall is part of the Lydon Library and the entrance to the hall is on the left as you Bill Terris, Scholarship Chair are facing the building. A shuttle bus will be taking us from the parking lot to Alumni Hall, leaving us off in the front of the building. The shuttle will be running from 9:15am to 1:00pm for as many trips as needed. Newsletters on Website Parking is in the Perkins Street Lot. This is the lot where we The newsletter will appear on the website in color, around the normally park when we attend classes at the Rec Center. The first of the month. If you would prefer to read them there bus will be on Riverwalk Way right in front of the entrance to instead of getting a hard copy, please let Shirley Mitchell know. the lot. You should use your hangtags in this parking lot. The website for the newsletter is www.uml.edu/community/ LIRA/newsletters.html

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China Odyssey Member News LIRA members Richard Between the surgeries and falls, there are many LIRA members and Nancy Grove recuperating at home that could use your encouragement while described their October they are recovering. 2012 trip to China at an Intersession meeting in Dorothy Bromage, Kay Collins and Eleanor Belanger are at February. The trip home and are still in various stages of recuperation. included visits to Jerry Gilmore has been making great progress after his surgery Beijing, Xi’an, and his time in rehab. We wish him well through his many Shanghai, and a cruise months of treatment that he still has in front of him. on the Yangtze River through the Three Dotty Morris and Simone Allard are at home and recovering Gorges. There were from their surgeries. Joan Kerzner fell and broke her leg and is opportunities to meet recovering at home. ordinary Chinese It was reported in the last newsletter that Jean Dettman suffered citizens: farmers in a a stroke. Sadly, Jean died on November 15, 2012 and the rural village, students in Nancy and Richard at the Great Wall memorial service was on December 8, 2012. Jean joined LIRA a middle school, a farmer relocated by the Three Gorges dam in 1992 and had to move to Hingham with her son after a fall in project, several university professors, and university students. 2008. She was very active, a past president, on many Beijing is the capital of China and seat of government of the committees and participated in all the study groups. LIRA People’s Republic of China. In November the new leaders of China for the next 10 years were announced in Beijing. Beijing donated $50.00 in her name to the Scholarship Fund. was also the imperial capital of China beginning in the Ming Please contact me at [email protected] or tele 978-256- dynasty (1410 AD). The Forbidden City was both the 8572 if you know of any members who would like to be administrative center of the imperial government and residence remembered by LIRA so that I may send cards. of the emperor. Richard and Nancy also visited the Great Wall of China fifty miles north of Beijing. Xi’an was the capital of the first united China in 221 BC. An elaborate tomb containing 8000 life-sized terracotta warriors was constructed for the emperor. Soon after his death a revolt destroyed the tomb and all memory of it was lost. In 1974 farmers digging a well discovered pottery fragments and the ReServe, Inc. pays skilled seniors tomb was rediscovered. It is now a World Heritage site with continuing archeological work. for Community Service work China is a dynamic country that has made great progress in the "ReServe Inc., a nonprofit that puts adults age 55 and up to last 30 years of economic reform. 300 million people joined the work in schools, government offices, and community agencies. urban middle class but 600 million still live in rural poverty. ReServe matches people - often recent retirees or unemployed Everywhere there is new construction: highways, high-speed older workers - with part-time jobs, paying them $10 an hour rail, new apartments and office buildings, and lots of cars and for their help." This quote was from a Boston Globe article by traffic. People are proud of the great progress but there is Megan Woodhouse: widespread unhappiness about corruption in the one-party government and great disparity in wealth. With 500 million http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/seniors-news/ internet users and 350 million users of a Chinese Twitter-like retirees-lend-their-expertise/ service, the Chinese people are very aware of problems. The The organization opened its doors in Boston fairly recently. China- relationship will be of great importance in st There will be an information session on May 14th in the 21 century. Framingham. In order to attend you must fill out a very brief Richard Grove questionnaire, which can be found at [email protected]. See their website at www.reserveinc.org/greaterboston. Nominating Committee for 2013 If we could get a large number of people from the LIRA area we might be able to convince them to have a location for the Members of this year’s Nominating Committee are Connie Lower Merrimack Valley region. Please sign up for the Lanseigne-Case as Chairman, Ann Dahlman and Carol information session. If you would like further information, McCarthy. The positions of President, Vice President, Secretary please contact LIRA member Barbara Kager, and Treasurer are open for reelection. If you wish to nominate a [email protected]. candidate for any of these positions, please let the nominating committee know as soon as possible. Toby Hodes

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Thank you…… Chelmsford Library Lecture Ser ies The following is a thank you note from Joan Aseltine of The Lecture Series that the Chelmsford Library is running in Community Teamwork Inc. thanking us for our donations of conjunction with LIRA will continue this spring. Information books, hats and mittens. about these lectures can be found on the library website. Dear Toby, www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/programs/programs/ Thank you so much for LIRA’s continued generosity in friday_morning_lectures.html donating children’s books and warm items to benefit so many Lectures scheduled are: needy children and CTI clients in the Greater Lowell area. It worked out perfect that your holiday party was on Wednesday, March 8, 2013:"U.S. and Iran Relations" by Rustin Zarkar the day we are open for our Coats for Kids program. We were April 12, 2013: "Egypt" by Sarah Moawad able to immediately distribute much needed 50 sets of May 10, 2013: "Gardens by Design: the Life and Writings of children’s hats, mittens, scarves along with a very cute boy’s Harold Caparn" by Oliver Chamberlain jacket and several other hats, gloves and socks. I also brought June 14, 2013: "The Master Class: Living Longer, Stronger and over to Milly’s Place, one of CTI’s shelters, 52 children’s Happier" presented by Peter Spiers books and many children’s hats as well. There were some very cute baby board books I will be delivering shortly to our WIC program and over 20 young adult books that will be going to our Big Brothers Big Sisters program. I will also be delivering some adult hats to our new Veteran’s Corner at Coats for Kids (and adults). Our thanks again to LIRA members for their kindness and special gifts. Our best wishes to everyone for a happy, healthy New Year. Sincerely, Joan Aseltine, CTI Senior Corps Program Specialist

The Annual Meeting will be held on May 15, 2013. The Summer intersession begins on Wednesday, June 5, 2013.

The next newsletter will be out on May 1, 2013; the deadline for news items is April 15, 2013. Please remember that the coordinators are now responsible for getting someone to write an article about their program, if you want something to appear in the newsletter. Articles may be given to me at any time before the deadline. Jeri Durant

Just a reminder that Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 10. Set your clocks ahead one hour.

Joan Aseltine and Elaine Jelescheff with the table of donations

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Moses Greeley Parker Lectures Time for a Change If you want to remain current with LIRA The following is a calendar of events for the Parker lecture members, take pen or pencil in hand and make series held on the day, time and place noted. The lectures are the following changes in your membership lis t. free and open to the public. March 14, 2013 Pollard Library – 7:00pm Thursday New Members “Margaret Bourke-White, Courageous Photographer” John and Patricia Bernazani M. Barbara Kager by Sally Matson 192 Concord Rd, 2000 Skyline Drive Apt 5 “To do all the things that women never do”. In this presentation Chelmsford, MA 01824 Lowell, MA 01854 you will hear about her adventures climbing on skyscrapers, 978-256-6232 978-937-2122 leaning out of airplanes, going into war zones. She email: email: photographed Stalin, Churchill, Patton and Gandhi. She had an [email protected] [email protected] indomitable spirit and a craving for attention and the lead story and cover for the inaugural issue of Life magazine in Loretta L. Curtis November, 1936. Her thousands of photographs continue to 5 Nesmith St Phone Change: hold our attention as they reveal her courage and compassion. Methuen, MA 01844 Janice Shuhany Sally Matson will bring to life Margaret Bourke-White through 978-688-5215 978-726-5059 the use of letters, diaries photographs and other primary email: resources. [email protected] April 7, 2013 Lowell National Park Visitor Center – 2:00pm Sunday “Native People and the Whaling Industry” by Dana Benner The late 1700s to the mid-1800s were the golden age of whaling, with New England being the hub for the whaling fleet. These sailing ships needed crews and who better to serve than the Native people of New England. In this talk we will discuss what it took to be a crew member on one of these ships and look at why Native American men took these jobs, jobs that many people wouldn’t even think about taking. April 21, 2013 Lowell National Park Visitor Center – 2:00pm Sunday “The Founding Fathers: What Were They Thinking” by Richard A. Hesse Mythology about the Founding Fathers and their work at the Convention has obscured both fact and legitimate analysis of the events leading to the agreement called the Constitution. This program explores the cast of characters called “founders,” the problems they faced and the solutions they fashioned. April 25, 2013 Pollard Library – 7:00pm Thursday “Lessons Learned the Hard Way” by Deborah Greenslit After winning over $750,000 on a slot machine, Deborah Greenslit thought she had it made. Today she will tell you differently.” When casinos come to Massachusetts, Greenslit sees her story as a warning to others. Greenslit is a therapist and wellness expert who has helped other people deal with healing our addictions thru living with a loving heart towards ourselves. Today she is working on her memoir with the working title “Pennies from Heaven, Lessons from Hell”.

Newsletter Committee Geraldine Durant, Editor & Calendar [email protected] Suzanne Knapp, Layout & Reproduction [email protected] Shirley Mitchell & Sally Cady, Distribution [email protected] Simone Allard, Member News [email protected] Jeanne Gunion, Member Spotlight [email protected]

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2

3 4 5 6 7 810a.m.to Noon 9 ChelmsfordLibrary LectureSeries— U.S.andIran Relations R.Zarkar

10 11 12 1310a.mto Noon 14 1510a.m.to Noon 16 Book Discussion- Daylightsavings TownMeeting begins—setclocks AlumniHall Bringup theBodies- aheadonehour. HilaryMantel

17 1810a.mto Noon 1910a.m.to Noon 2010a.m.to Noon 2110amto Noon 22 23 Immigration-Bob Shakespeare—Frank LifeandMusicof Great Decisions- Forrant Carroll Verdi—Barbara ShirleyMitchell 1-3pmBuddhism- 1-3pmHomefront Wagner 1-3pmMovies— TobyHodes duringWWII FirstdayofSpring Merrill’sMarauders

24 25 10a.mto Noon 2610a.m.to Noon 27 CurrierMuseum 28 10amto Noon 29 30 Immigration-Bob Shakespeare—Frank Manchester,NH Great Decisions- Forrant Carroll ShirleyMitchell 1-3pmHomefront MeetatHannaford 1-3pmMovies— Passover duringWWII at10amtocarpool NorthwestPassage

31 April 2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

110a.mto Noon 210a.m.to Noon 310amto Noon 4 10amto Noon 5 6 Immigration-Bob Shakespeare—Frank Great Decisions- Forrant Carroll Turkey’sLegacyof ShirleyMitchell 1-3pmBuddhism- 1-3pmHomefront CivilizationsandCul- TobyHodes duringWWII—Pat ture– Connie 1-3pmMovies— Fontaine Lanseigne-Case Up theYangtze

7 810a.mto Noon 910a.m.to Noon 1010amto Noon 1110amto Noon 1210amto Noon 13 Immigration-Bob Shakespeare—Frank Great Decisions- ChelmsfordLibrary Forrant Carroll CubaToday- ShirleyMitchell LectureSeries- 1-3pmBuddhism- 1-3pmHomefront Jose Ramirez Egypt::TheRevolu- TobyHodes duringWWII—Pat 1-3pmMovies— tionContinues Fontaine Rabbit-ProofFence SarahMoawad

14 15 1610a.m.to Noon 17AmericanTextile 1810amto Noon 1910amto Noon 20 Shakespeare—Frank HistoryMuseum, Great Decisions- Book Discussion Carroll Lowell ShirleyMitchell 1-3pm—Physics in LastCall:TheRise yourLife—Emanuel MeetatMuseumat 1-3pmMovies— andFallofProhibi- Polizzi 10am. Gallipoli tion—DanielOkrent

21 2210a.mto Noon 2310a.m.to Noon 24 WhistlerHouse 2510amto Noon 26 27 Immigration-Bob Shakespeare—Frank Museumof Art, Great Decisions- Forrant Carroll Lowell ShirleyMitchell 1-3pmBuddhism- 1-3pm—Physics in TobyHodes yourLife—Emanuel MeetatMuseumat 1-3pmHadyn— Polizzi 10am. JeanneGunion

28 29 10a.mto Noon 3010a.m.to Noon Immigration-Bob Shakespeare—Frank Forrant Carroll 1-3pmBuddhism- 1-3pm—Physics in TobyHodes yourLife—Emanuel Polizzi May2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 10amto Noon 2BostonSymphony 3 4 Great Decisions- Open Rehearsal ShirleyMitchell MeetatHannaford 1-3pmHadyn— at7:15amforbus. JeanneGunion

5 6 10a.mto Noon 7 10a.m.to Noon 810amto Noon 9 10amto Noon 1010amto Noon 11 Immigration-Bob Shakespeare—Frank Great Decisions- ChelmsfordLibrary Forrant Carroll LifeandArtofJames ShirleyMitchell LectureSeries— 1-3pmBuddhism- 1-3pm—Physics in McNeillWhistler- TobyHodes yourLife—Emanuel JeanSchott 1-3pmHadyn— Gardensby Design Polizzi JeanneGunion Oliver Chamberlain

12 13 14 1510amto Noon 16 1710amto Noon 18 Book Discussion AnnualMeeting AlumniHall TheBuddha in the Attic—JulieOtsuka

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 Memorial Day 28 29 30 31 SPRING 2013SCHEDULE

Springstudygroupswillmeetinthe TalonClubRoomattheTsongasCenter, 300MartinLutherKingJr.Way,Lowell, MA. Seedirections,includingparking,byvisitingthewebsiteat www.uml.edu/community/lira.Registrationwilltakeplace attheTownMeeting,Wednesday,March13at10:00a.m.atAlumniHall,84UniversityAvenue,Lowell,MA.Eachcourse descriptionincludes,beneaththetitle,thepersonwhoispresenterorfacilitator.Belowtheparagraphisthenameofthecourse coordinatorwhomakesthearrangementsandhasresponsibilityforcarryingoutdetailsoftheclass.

GETTINGHEREWASHALFTHEBATTLE:IMMIGRATIONANDTHEMAKINGAND REMAKINGOFTHEMERRIMACKRIVERVALLEY 7Mondays10:00-Noon Mar18,25,Apr1,8,22,29,May6Presenter:Bob Forrant

ThestoryofimmigrationisthestoryoftheUnitedStatesandtheregionweliveintoday.Inthiscoursewewilltakeaclose lookatthegeneralhistoryofimmigrationandaswellstudyimmigrationintothispartofMassachusetts.Thetimeperiodwill befromapproximately1870throughtherecentwavesof SoutheastAsianandAfricanimmigrationtoday.Wewillread: Ethnicityin Lowell byRobert ForrantandChristophStrobel.Itcanbefoundonlineat http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lowe/ethnicity.pdfand TheBigMove byRobertForrantandChristoph Strobel.Thisbooksellsfor$10andIwillbringcopieswithmeforthefirstclassforeveryonetopurchase. Coordinator:RussMacLeod*

GREATWORLDRELIGIONS:BUDDHISM 6Mondays1:00-3:00 p.m .Mar18,Apr1,8,22,29,May6 Facilitator:Toby Hodes*

Inourcontinuingquesttobegintounderstandthegreatreligionsoftheworld,wewillspendourspringsemesterexploring Buddhism,a2500yearoldreligion.Accordingtotheprofessorwhoselectureswewillbeviewing,althoughBuddhismplays theroleofa“religion”inmanycultures,itchallengessomeofourmostbasicassumptionsaboutreligion.Buddhistsdonot worshipaGodwhocreatedandsustainstheworld.Theyreverethememoryofahumanbeing, SiddharthaGautama,who foundawaytobefreefromsufferingandbringthecycleofrebirthtoanend. ForBuddhists,thisreleasefromsufferingisthe ultimategoalofhumanlife. Coordinator:RussMacLeod*

SHAKESPEARE’S“MIDSUMMERNIGHT’SDREAM” 8Tuesdays10:00–Noon Mar19,26,Apr2,9,16,23,30,May7 Presenter:FrankCarroll*

Ournextventureintotheworldof Shakespearewillbeareturntocomedy. Forthisspring’seffortwehavechosen“A MidsummerNight’sDream.”Thisisanearlyplay,datingto1595andisthefirstoftwo“fairy”plays—thatis,playsfeaturing thoseetherealindividuals.Theotherisamuchlaterandequallywell-knownplay,“TheTempest,”of1611.Thesourcesof mostofShakespeare’splaysarewell-known,butforthisworktheprovenanceisstillamystery.Mostcriticsconsideritbased onseveralthemesfromChaucer’s“CanterburyTales,”whileotherswithequalinsistenceclaimitclearlycomesfromstoriesin the“Metamorphoses”oftheLatinpoet,Ovid.Inanycase,itistheBard’sfirstcomicmasterpiecedespitetheassertionsmade bycriticsthatismoreofamasquethanaplay,andtheabundanceofpuns,conceits,andclassicalallusionsareoverdone. Despiteallthat,itisamongthehalfdozenorsoofthemaster’splaysthataremostfrequentlyperformedonthemodernstage. Well,perhapsso,butwewilllookforwardtounravelingandenjoyingitsmanymysteries. Coordinator:AnnDahlman*

THEHOMEFRONTINWORLDWARIIANDLIFEINLOWELLDURINGWWII 4Tuesdays1:00-3:00 p.m. Mar19,26,Apr2,9Presenter:PatFontaine

ThisclasswilllookatthehomefrontinWWII,concentratingonwomenandminorities.ItwillalsoshowcaseLowellasa defensecityandtheopportunitiesgiventowomentodotheirshareinLowellbutalsoinBoston. Coordinator:CaroleMumby*

PHYSICSINEVERYDAYLIFE 4Tuesdays1:00-3:00 p.m. Apr16,23,30,May7Presenter:Emanuel Polizzi

Somefeatures:Diagnosticmedicalequipmentandwhytheskyisblue;howtoaskyourdoctorintelligentquestionsandhowto answeryourgrandkids’questions. Coordinator:DorothyBromage* ART&MUSIC 8sessions,usuallyWednesday Mar20,27,Apr3,10,17,24,May2(Thursday),8

BeginningMarch20andcontinuingthroughMay8,meetingswillstartat10:00a.m.andgountilnoonexceptforMay2, whichistheThursdaytriptotheBSOOpenRehearsal. Pleaseseeattachedschedulefordates,times,topics,presenters,and coordinatorsoftheArt&Musicsessions, Coordinator:BarbaraPage*

GREATDECISIONS 8Thursdays,10:00–Noon Mar21,28,Apr4,11,18,25,May1(Wednesday),9Facilitator: ShirleyMitchell*

TheGreatDecisionsstudiesarebasedonmaterialssuppliedbythe ForeignPolicyAssociationinWashington,D.C.The followingfourtopicswillbediscussedthissemester:Iran,Egypt,MyanmarandSoutheastAsia,andThreatAssessment.2013 briefingbooksareavailablefor$16.00each. Coordinator:ShirleyMitchell*

LET’SGOTOTHEMOVIES 5Thursdays,1:00-3:00p.m .Mar21,28,Apr4,11,18Presenter:BarbaraPage*

March21 Merrill’sMarauders (1962)ArmyRangersinWWII March28 NorthwestPassage(1940 )Rogers’Rangers April4 Upthe Yangtze (2007)TheeffectoftheThreeGorgesdamononefamily April11 Rabbit-ProofFence (2002)Australianorphanage April18 Galllipoli (1981) PeterWeir,Dir,starringMelGibson Coordinator:DorothyBromage*

MUSICAPPRECIATION:LEARNINGABOUTANDLISTENINGTOTHEMUSICOFFRANZJOSEPHHAYDN 3Thursdays1:00-3:00 p.m. Apr25,May1(Wednesday),9 Presenter:JeanneGunion*

TheClassicalstyleasexemplifiedinthemusicof FranzJosephHaydn(1732-1809)willbelistenedtoandappreciatedthrough studyinghisworksandlifeaspresentedondigitalvideodiscsintheTeachingCompany’sseriesbythelecturerRobert Greenberg.AfterviewingalecturebyDr.GreenbergtheclasswilllistentoHaydn’smusic. Coordinator:JudithRaiguel*

BOOKDISCUSSION 4Fridays10:00–Noon March15,April19,May17,June14 Facilitator:TobyHodes*

Doyouliketoreadfictionorperhapstheclassics,orarebiographiesyourpreference?Perhaps,youareanaficionadoofnon- fiction.Whateveryourgenrepreference,guaranteedsometimeduringtheyearthebookgroupwillreadanddiscussan examplethereof.Andwhatismoreinvitingtoapassionatereaderthananopportunitytodiscussabook—likeitorhateit— withotherlike-mindedpeople?Ourdiscussionsarealwayslively,interesting,andvaried,andanewpointofviewisalways welcome.Ourselectionsforspring2013are:

March15- BringUptheBodies, fictionbyHilaryMantel April19- LastCall:TheRiseandFallofProhibition, non-fictionbyDanielOkrent May17- TheBuddhaintheAttic, fictionbyJulieOtsuka June14- MakingOurDemocracyWork:AJudge'sView, non-fictionby StephenBreyer

Thefirst3willbeintheTalonRoomatTsongas.TheJunemeetingwillfollowourusualcustomandbeapot-lucklunchin someone'shome.

*DenotesLIRAmember Art andMusicSpring 2013

AllprogramsareonWednesdayfrom10a.m.tonoonexceptfortheBoston SymphonyOrchestraonThursday,May2.Directions willbeavailableattheTownMeetingandatHannafordinChelmsford.Therewillbesign-upsheetsfortoursattheMarch13Town Meeting.Ifyoucannotattend,youmayasksomeonetoputyournameonthelistforyourchoiceoftours.

Mar20-LifeandMusicofVerdi BarbaraWagner Barbarawillpresentreadingsfrombiographiesofthecomposerinterspersedwithmusicalexcerptsfromhismajoroperas. Coordinator:BarbaraPage*

Mar27-CurrierMuseumofArt,150Ash Street,Manchester,NH SpecialExhibit:LethalBeauty(SamuraiWeaponsandArmor) GroupAdmission:$8.00($5.00specialexhibitplus$3.00Docent) (Luncheoncanbeorderedwhenwegetthere.) WewillmeetatHannaford’ssideparkinglotinChelmsfordat10a.m.tocarpool.ChecksshouldbemadeouttoJaneCanterand giventoheratTownMeetingormailedwithpostmarkonorbeforeMarch11to4-AOldColonyDrive,Westford,MA01886. Coordinator:JaneCanter*

April3-Turkey’sLegacyofCivilizationsandCulture ConnieLanseigne-Case* ThecivilizationsassimilatedbyTurkeystretchfromprehistory.The2,000mileRoad Scholarspringtimejourneymainlyinthe AnatolianregionbeganinAnkarawithalookatmodernTurkeyandHittiteEmpireof1400BCE.TheHellenisticPeriod,Roman, Seljuk,Byzantine,OttomanandTurkishRepublicallexploredinmeaningfulwaysthoughtellinglectures,visitstorevealingmuseum exhibits,andimportantarcheologicalsites.The"fairymushrooms"ofCappadocia,amazingvolcanicforms, Seljukcaravansaries,a treasuretroveofRomanartifactsinAphrodisias'museum,andtheancientcityofEphesus,theseacoasttouristdestinationofmany. Theseplaceswereamongmemorablesitesphotographedandimmenselyenjoyed. Coordinator:BarbaraPage*

April10–CubaToday JoseRamirez JosereturnedtoCubainJanuary2013onhis9thtriptheresincehelefttheislandinhisyouth.Notexpectedwhenheplannedhistrip, hearrivedthereinthemidstofacholeraoutbreak.Hisinformativetalkwilldiscussthataswellasthemuchpublicizedchangesin immigrationlawsthattookplacewhilehewasthere.Alsodiscussedwillbeothercurrenttopicsofinterest. Coordinator:JaneCanter*

Apr17-AmericanTextileHistoryMuseum, 491Dutton St#2,Lowell,MA Themuseum’spermanentexhibit,TextileRevolution,portraystextilehistory.Thespecialexhibition,BehindtheVeil,withphotos anddresses,exploreshowbridesoverthepast150yearshavechosentheirweddingdressesandhowtheirdecisionsareshapedby fashion,family,andfinances.Wewillmeetatthemuseumat10a.m.foraguidedtourfollowedbyfreetimeintheMuseumorinthe caféforarelaxinglunchbreak.Cost:$7.60forseniors;$9.60foradults. PleasesendacheckpayabletoLIRA,Inc.postmarkedon orbeforeMarch23toCarolMcCarthy,398ActonRd.,Chelmsford,MA01824. Coordinator:CarolMcCarthy*

Apr24-WhistlerHouseMuseumofArt,243WorthenSt,Lowell,MA TheWhistlerHouseMuseumofArtwasthebirthplaceofJamesMcNeillWhistlerin1834.Itwasestablishedin1908asthe permanenthomeoftheLowellArtAssociation.Builtin1923,itrepresentstherichnessofthehistoryandartofLowell.Acopyofhis work,ArrangementinGreyandBlack: Portraitofthe Painter'sMotherisondisplayatthemuseum.Thetourbeginsat10a.m. Admissionis$5.00payableatthemuseum. Coordinator:Jean Schott*

May2(Thursday)–Boston SymphonyOpenRehearsal BernardHaitinkwillbetheconductorandNikolajZnaiderwillbetheguestviolinist. Program:BrahmsViolinConcerto Shubert SymphonyinC"TheGreat" BusleavesfromHannaford'ssideparkinglotinChelmsfordat7:15a.m.Costis$16members;$26nonmembers.Makechecks payabletoLIRAInc.postmarkedonorbeforeApril18. Sendto:JeanRubinstein,15 FairbanksRd.,Chelmsford,MA01824. Coordinator:JeanRubinstein*

May8–LifeandArtofJamesMcNeillWhistler Jean Schott* Whistler,borninLowell,leftthecityatanearlyage.Heisoneofthethreeoutstandingexpatriateartistsofthe19thcentury.Hespent mostofhiscareerinParisandLondon.Oneofthemostoriginalartistsofthatera,hewasacentralfigureintheVictorianartworld. Coordinator:ConnieLanseigne-Case* *DenotesLIRAmember