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Governor Bill Ritter has declared Tuesday, May 20, as the Day of Lifelong Learning. Boomers and beyond can "make the most of it" by attending a FREE One Day University with the Academy of Lifelong Learning.
There will be 10 morning and afternoon classes on subjects ranging from Michelangelo to Mao, plus a handful of lunch-hour lectures on topics as provocative as "How Japan's Strategy Bombed at Pearl Harbor." The programs will take place at Wellshire Presbyterian Church, 2999 S. Colorado Blvd., as part of a week-long "Focus on Aging." Reservations aren't required, but seating is limited and participants will need tickets, which will be given out at 9:00 am or half an hour before the other sessions.
"This is just a sampling of what we offer during the Academy's regular terms," says Diana Wilson, Professor Emerita at DU and president of the nonprofit Academy, now in its sixth year. "We hope that people will take advantage of this free event to experience these exciting learning opportunities in Denver."
Director Sally Kneser adds, "The Academy helps people make the most of their lives. People who stay engaged in stimulating mental exercise in a social setting have been proven to increase longevity and stay healthier."
Billing itself as "the athletic club for your mind," the Academy offers daytime courses for adults in two 10-week terms each year -- all at low cost and without exams, grades or prerequisites. The volunteer instructors include some former professors and teachers, plus individuals with passion for a particular subject.
Joanne Mendes, one of about 500 "students" currently enrolled, says that "as my experience with the Academy expands, I am increasingly impressed with the intellectual level of the facilitators and participants. What a stimulating group of people!"
Another participant, Heather Land, says she is particularly pleased to "have been able to share some of my knowledge and accumulated information and handouts with my grandchildren."
The curriculum for the One Day University begins at 9 a.m. with coffee and selection of classes. The morning courses, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., will cover "The Economics of Immigration;" "Genocide: Rape as a Tool of War;" "How Culture Shapes Nations: What Is Needed for Success," "Michelangelo, Manet & Monet: What They Have in Common," and "Origins of Blues in the Rural South: Ma Rainey & Bessie Smith."
The noon-hour lectures, to which attendees are invited to bring sack lunches, will address "End-of-Life Choices: Decisions You Should Make Now;" "How Japan Lost the War at Pearl Harbor;" "Hollywood, Censorship & Charlie Chaplin;" and "Who Is Clyfford Still and Why Is Denver Building a Museum for Him?"
The afternoon sessions, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., will be "How Much Is That Kidney in the Window: The Tragedy of Transplantation;" "Music of the Civil Rights Movement: Calling the Nation to Moral Account;" "Why Despotic Leaders Destroyed Art: Mao and Others;" "Women, Children & Other Missing Persons in Classic Maya Culture," and a repeat of the Michelangelo class.
Board member Ralph Plimpton advises, "If you are busy or out of town on May 20, send your friend or neighbor to find out what it's all about. This FREE One Day University may be page one of the best chapter in your life. Make the most of it!"
For more information, go online to www.AcademyLL.org or call 303-770-0788.
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