Summer 2018 Newsletter
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Volume 2, Issue 3 June 2018 Summer 2018 Newsletter Summertime By Roberta McManus Time in the summer just seems different. In fact, life just seems to change gears in the summer. Is it the longer daytime hours? More kids around now that schools are letting out? Vacation plans crystallizing? Humidity? Time just seems to go slower in the summer. Whatever it is, life here at Immaculata is different too. There are not as many LLI members walking the halls, fewer classes are offered, and the biggest change is the absence of the undergrads. We may not know them but we sure do miss them. They are polite, helpful, and their youthful presence is energizing. Unlike them, we are gathering in classes. Crafters are knitting and quilting, movie lovers are delighting in Michael’s new series, books are being read, and Ross is packing them (literally) into history classes. With the cafeteria and cafes closed, we seniors are finding empty classrooms to gather in over lunch and, consequently, forging new friendships. We are relaxing together and sharing our stories. In this newsletter, you will find articles about a In This Issue: popular history teacher, an honored veteran, and the fund raising project. We also offer you advice, trivia, recommendations, and Summertime a sneak peek for fall semester plans and dates. Important Semester Dates Summer Movie Series Trivia As we enter these lazy, hazy days of summer, what will you be Curtis Symphony Orchestra doing? Vacationing in a new place or letting a good book take Into the Wild Blue Yonder you away via the comforts of your favorite chair? Will you put Join a Club your toes in the warm sand or maybe enjoy mountain breezes? Make Your Days More Meaningful Are you gardening and enjoying the fresh vegetables, flowers, May We Recommend? and fruits? After all, nothing beats a sweet fresh watermelon or Enjoy the Outdoors, Safely taking corn straight from the stalk to the kettle. What books and LLI Needs You! movies will occupy your time? How will you stay in touch with LLI Gives Back your LLI friends? Whatever occupies your time this summer, Instructor Spotlight relax, and refresh. Enjoy. After all, it is summertime and the LLI Photos Quote from Barbara Failini living is easy. Trivia Answers Instructors interested in teaching in the fall semester must submit their course proposal by Friday, June 15th. All fall courses MUST be submitted before this date to allow appropriate time for review, editing, and formatting. If you need to complete a course proposal please CLICK HERE to be directed to the online form. The Fall 2018 program will be mailed at the beginning of August and registration will be processed on a first-come first-serve basis. The ten week fall semester begins on Tuesday, September 11th and will end on Monday, November 19th. There is NO CLASS on Monday, September 10th in observance of Rosh Hashanah, and Friday October 6th as the University is closed. 10 Week Classes: September 11th-November 19th Session A: September 11th - October 12th Session B: October 15th - November 19th New Member Orientation Do you know someone interested in joining the LifeLong Learning Institute? The New Member Orientation is the ideal opportunity to learn more about the program, ask questions, and meet other new members. Invite your friends to attend the orientation on Tuesday, August 21st at 11:00am to learn more about the Institute. More details will be included in the fall 2018 course catalog. FREE Summer Open to Movie Series the Wednesday’s beginning at 1:00pm Public! Loyola Hall, room 127 Bring a guest, bring your lunch, bring your love of film! July 11 – “Labyrinth of Lies” (2015, 2 hrs, 4 min.) Roberta Matz 1968 Germany, almost no one remembers the war nor recognizes what Auschwitz was nor feels any guilt over their past. A young prosecutor takes a case against a former concentra- tion camp guard. (German language, English subtitles) July 18 – “Up” (2009, 96 min.) Michael Simeone An animated film about an elderly man who is disappointed with his life until he embarks on a wild adventure with a young companion. (English subtitles) July 25 – “Murder on the Orient Express” (2010, 93 min.) Ann Calef This Agatha Christie murder mystery explores the nature of justice and the limits of law. (English subtitles) August 1 – “Roman Holiday” (1953, 2 hours) Ross Kershey A princess escapes for a 24 hour holiday from royal duties and has a brief romantic inter- lude with an American journalist, Gregory Peck. The film was nominated for an Academy Award and Audrey Hepburn won for her portrayal of the princess. August 8 – “Cabaret” (1972, 2 hr. 4 min.) Terry Smallacombe Cabaret is set in a glamorous, foreign venue – Berlin’s KITKAT club – and has great memorable music sung by Liza Minelli and Joel Grey; there’s a chorus dancing in fabu- lous 1930’s costumes. But underneath is the oncoming Nazi threat, as the club’s clientele subtly changes from noisy foolishness to solemn, booted watchfulness. August 15 – “The Sting” (1973, 129 min.) Amanda Atkins Winner of seven Academy Awards, The Sting is an intricate comedy about a small-time crook (Robert Redford) and a veteran con man (Paul Newman) who seek revenge on a crime lord. Music Trivia - by Carole Curtis 1. The licorice stick is the nickname for what musical instrument? 2. Name the 4 string instruments in an orchestra in size order from smallest to largest. 3. The movie Saturday Night Fever used the soundtrack from what singing group? What style of music was it? 4. What is another name for waltz time? 5. What American composer grew up in a house on Church Street in West Chester, PA? 6. Who is the present music director and conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra? 7. What composer wrote The Firebird and The Rite of Spring? 8. List the birth order for Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach and Mozart. 9. Who is known as the Queen of Disco and her real name is LaDonna Adrian Gaines? 10. What is the official home of the Philadelphia Orchestra and when did the building open? *Answers can be found on the last page of the newsletter* Saturday, October 27, 2018 At 3:00pm - Alumnae Hall Theater 1145 King Road, IMMACULATA, PA 19345 Into the Wild Blue Yonder By Roberta McManus He is an honorary citizen of a Chinese city. He’s greeted by the Chinese with cries of “American Hero!” Chinese President Xi Jinping presented him with his country’s highest military medal (the equivalent of our Congressional Medal of Honor). Who is this man – a politician, a rock star, an Olympic athlete? No, it is LLI’s own Jack Goodrich. Jack earned his accolades during World War II in what is called America’s “forgotten theater”. Most people think of WWII as having been fought in the Pacific or Europe but fail to realize the aid China received from the brave airmen who provided it. Fortunately, the Chinese people have not forgotten and have expressed their gratitude. Let’s go back to the beginning of this story…. After Pearl Harbor the principal and guidance counselor of Jack’s high school in Michigan, both of whom fought in World War I, gathered the senior boys (Jack included). They urged them to stay in high school to earn their diplomas before joining up. They told them that the war wouldn’t be over quickly and they needed to think about which branch of the service they would join. Jack considered this to be sound advice and followed it. As soon as he graduated, he registered for the draft. However, so many men had joined that the recruiter told him that it would be a while before he was called up. So, Jack started college at Michigan State, joined ROTC and was assigned to the artillery. After a friend took the tests for the air corps, he told Jack that the tests were so ridiculously hard that Jack couldn’t pass them. Indignant, Jack bet him $5 that he could – and of course, he did! Jack qualified as a pilot, navigator, and bombardier. When he had to make a choice, Jack decided to become a pilot. It took almost two years from leaving college to landing at Myitkyina, Burma in January 1945, his base of operations for his overseas tour of duty. It consisted of four airfields; Jack flew out of the southern one. China had been cut off from the world by Japan. Her harbors were all under Japanese control and the Burma Road supply route had been cut off. The Japanese controlled all access to China except for over the Himalayas. Things were so desperate that China’s Chiang Kai-Shek, leader of the Republic of China, was considering a negotiated peace with Japan. However, Roosevelt didn’t want the Japanese soldiers in China released to fight Americans in the Pacific and didn’t want the Japanese emboldened to invade India either. Roosevelt wanted the Republican troops and the communists, headed by Mao Zedong, to continue their alliance and fight the Japanese. The US proposal was to supply China from Burma by flying “over the hump” to deliver supplies. This meant flying over the easternmost part of the Himalaya Mountains, which thankfully are not as tall as the western section (the location of Mt. Everest and K2). And thus was born the world’s first, longest, all weather, 24/7 aerial supply line in history. Into the Wild Blue Yonder cont. by Roberta McManus The C47 cargo planes that Jack flew were propeller driven, unarmed, not pressurized, had no radar, and were nicknamed “the old gooney birds”.