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WISE Summer 2024

Join us with a new season of engaging courses. A PDF version of the WISE Summer 2024 Catalog is available here. 

Need help learning Zoom? WISE offers instruction, assistance, and support during our WISE Office Hours almost every Monday at 1:30 PM (except for holidays). 

All Zoom courses are recorded, so if you miss a class you can catch up. Our online Member Resources provides easy access to recordings for up to 30 days after each class session. 

You can also see some of our recent course offerings on the Past WISE Courses page.

Courses

  • D2. Two Jews, Three Opinions

    • 03/25/2024
    • 05/06/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person - Library, Congregation Beth Israel (15 Jamesbury Drive, Worcester)
    Registration is closed

    There is an often used expression “two Jews, three opinions.” And although Jews often employ it jokingly, even mockingly, most of us believe that it contains a kernel of truth. Now if two Jews have three opinions, then one of those two Jews has two opinions. Can one person hold two opinions concurrently? Apparently, they can, and if they are a Jew, they often do!  In this course, we will look at the diversity of Judaism and why this might be true. We will also spend a significant amount of time looking at Jewish texts on discourse and the importance of being able to have a relationship with those who hold different views than us.

    Rabbi Aviva Fellman is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel in Worcester, MA. She holds a BA in Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh and earned her Master’s in Talmud and Jewish Law from Machon Schechter in Jerusalem. Rabbi Fellman was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in NYC in 2012.
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  • D11. The Piano Men - Five Greats

    • 03/28/2024
    • 05/02/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person - Kennedy 112 at Assumption University
    • 20
    Register

    Since bursting on the scene in the 1970’s, the great song writer and artist Billy Joel has been known as the “Piano Man”, and the song of that name from his first album has been his signature song ever since.  Not to be overlooked, there have been a number of other great songwriters and artists whose principal instrument has been the piano – notably Elton John, Barry Manilow, Jackson Browne, and Ray Charles.  This course will feature many of the great musical compositions and performances of these wonderful talents who have enriched our lives so much with their music.  One artist will be featured each week throughout this 5-week course.

    Joe Corn spent most of his professional career as an engineer. He has taught in the NYC school system, Springfield Technical Community College and Penn State University, and worked as a technical instructor for Moore Products Co. Since joining WISE in 2010, Joe has presented both music and technical courses and is also a past President of WISE.
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  • D13. Survey of the Collections at the Worcester Art Museum

    • 04/05/2024
    • 05/03/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person - Worcester Art Museum
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    The course will consist of a series of gallery

    talks covering most of the collections of the

    Worcester Art Museum.  The course is designed

    for members who want a broad introduction to the museum.


    Course limited to 20 attendees.

    Paul Mahon is a professor Emeritus at Assumption University and is a Worcester Art Museum docent.  He collects Chinese and Japanese decorative arts and has had pieces from his collection shown at WAM.

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  • D14. Humor 101

    • 04/05/2024
    • 05/03/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person - Kennedy 119 at Assumption University
    • 37
    Register

    In Humor 101, we will delve into the types, history, and characters of comedy. We will  deep-dive into slapstick, dark, stand-up, surreal, improvisational, topical, and observational humor with the likes of Buster Keaton, Lucille Ball, Henny Youngman, Monty Python, George Carlin, Richard Pryor as well as modern comics like Jerry Seinfeld and Worcester’s Orlando Baxter.  Homework will involve researching a type of humor that makes you laugh.  The goal is an appreciation of all types of humor.

    Joe Fusco has been a Worcester humorist/poet/storyteller for almost thirty years. Worcester Magazine publishes one of my humor pieces monthly. I have four books of humorous essays/poetry available at local bookstores and Amazon. I’ve featured at clubs, coffeehouses, bookstores, and other venues in Central Mass. I currently teach Humor to high schoolers at Gateways Academy in Shrewsbury.
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  • D15. The Great Depression and the New Deal

    • 04/05/2024
    • 05/10/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person - Kennedy 119 at Assumption University
    • 29
    Register

    This course traces the path of the Depression, starting with the speculation of the late 1920’s through the Crash of October 1929. As the Depression worsens, it is not abated by the inaction of the Hoover administration.  When the Depression reaches its depth, in March,1933, Franklin Roosevelt takes office, and immediately addresses the serious banking situation. The programs created in the “Hundred Days” of 1933 begin to take effect. After a sweeping re-election in 1936, FDR makes a serious misstep, but the economy experiences a slow but gradual recovery until events in Europe command the nation’s attention.

    John Northgraves is currently an adjunct faculty member (History) at Mass Bay Community College, where he has taught since 2013. Before teaching at MBCC, he conducted study groups at Tufts Univ.  and Regis College during 2010 to 2013. John is a 1967 graduate of Tufts (Political Science major) and has focused on U.S. History for his Study Groups.  After service in the Navy, John’s career was in the technology field.
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  • D12. Law of War

    • 04/11/2024
    • 05/09/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person - Kennedy 112 at Assumption University
    • 18
    Register

    The term “the law of war” might seem an oxymoron. Are there any meaningful legal constraints on warfare? Or is all fair in love and war? This course will examine the central principles of international humanitarian law, which has developed over centuries through custom, treaties, judicial proclamations and international conventions. One scholar has called the law of war “a collection of international prescriptions on the conduct of war and the protection of victims of combat.” We will first examine the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the law of war, then address the evolution and application of international humanitarian law focusing on the Hague and Geneva Conventions and other protocols. We will also examine how the law of war is enforced and look at a number of case studies, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war. 

    John S. Ross, III (Jack) holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Virginia School of Law. He served as Adjunct Professor of Law at Washington & Lee University and has taught numerous courses in the WISE program with a focus on constitutional law and the Supreme Court.  Jack also facilitates the WISE Special Interest Group focused on discussing Supreme Court case decisions.
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  • S4. Five Major American Art Museums

    • 05/28/2024
    • 06/13/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • Zoom only
    Register

    This course meets 5 times.

    We’ll explore the history and highlights of five major American art museums from across the country. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the MFA, Boston, both founded in 1870, to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, founded in 1997, we will discover what makes these museums American treasures.  The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is also one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country. We’ll also examine Andrew Mellon’s contribution in creating the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, modeled after the London National Gallery, which Mellon admired while America’s ambassador to England.

    Martha Chiarchiaro has brought art history to life for more than 30 years. She received her master’s degree in the history of art from Williams College and has taught a variety of classes at the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester State University, WISE, and other cultural organizations. 
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  • S5. Fourteen Days, A Collaborative Novel

    • 05/28/2024
    • 06/25/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person - Kennedy 119 at Assumption University
    • 59
    Register

    This course meets 5 times.

    Fourteen Days is the creative effort of 36 authors who have collaborated on producing a Covid novel which occurs primarily on the rooftop of an apartment building whose tenants were unable to flee the City for their nonexistent summer homes unlike many more affluent New Yorkers who could and did.

    Typical of NYC apartment buildings, most of the tenants did not know each other, and only when they were trapped by Covid restrictions did they come together for connection in a similar way that Chaucer’s Pilgrims only meet because of their individual desire to travel to Canterbury and do so at the same time.


    Required Reading:

    Fourteen Days: A Collaborative Novel. Eds..Atwood and Preston (978-0-35-816638-2)


    Optional Reading:

    The Canterbury Tales Penguin Classics by Geoffrey Chaucer (978-0-140-42438-6)

    Marcia Tannenbaum is a longtime WISE Instructor who has been teaching Literature in various venues since she was a student teacher while at Simmons (College) University where she earned a Bachelors Degree in the School of Education and a Masters Degree in English Language and Literature.

    Marcia’s roots are in New York City, the location of the apartment building which is where the novel takes place. She lived in the Bronx as a young child and in the West Village after her graduation from Simmons in 1967/1969. For her, NYC is “the City.”

    The idea of a Collaborative novel is very appealing to this instructor as she has been trained as a Collaborative Lawyer and sat for many years on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council. In addition, Marcia is a fan of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. [See course description below.] 

    Most recently, she taught a course entitled We Read Banned Books at Wise in the fall, 2023.
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  • S8. Honeybees and Beekeeping

    • 05/29/2024
    • 06/19/2024
    • 4 sessions
    • In Person - Kennedy 119 at Assumption University
    • 60
    Register

    This course meets 4 times.

    Most people are aware of and concerned about the future survival of honeybees and other pollinators.

    This course will focus on honeybees and begin with the history of honey hunting/beekeeping.  We’ll look at current beekeeping practices by comparing the different types of hives currently in use.

    We’ll take a deeper dive into the hive to learn about who lives there and honeybee social structure, life cycles and communication.  We’ll examine some of the theories of why honeybees are in danger and look at some ways that all of us can help honeybees and other pollinators survive.

    (this is not a course on how to be a beekeeper, but rather about honeybees and beekeeping)

    Anne Lenault has been interested in honeybees since she was a young adult, which inspired her to acquire her first hive when she was 23. This first journey lasted about 10 years.  She returned to Beekeeping 11 years ago and in that time, her interest has grown from simply keeping hives to studying current scientific research and attending national bee conferences.

    She has most recently served as the Vice President for Worcester County Beekeepers Association, the largest and oldest county beekeeping club in the country. She is currently the Director of their beekeeping school, which serves 250-300 students each year in an 8-week beekeeping class. She continues learning and enrolled in a Master Beekeeper program at the University of Montana earning her Master Beekeeper Certification in 2022

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  • S16. Conservation in the American West

    • 05/31/2024
    • 06/28/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • Zoom only
    Register

    This course meets 5 times.

    This overview course of conservation in the American West will use case studies to explore the social, political, and ecological problems that accompany wildlife and wildland management in and around some of the country’s most iconic landscapes. The course will consider the history of American conservation, the roles of science, values, and profit in decision-making, and the way that controversies and conflicts over wildlife and public lands in the 1990s and early 2000s presaged and predicted the rise of militia movements and right-wing politics. The class will look ahead to the future of conservation work in an era of climate change and governance challenges.

    We will look closely at three species whose conservation trajectories highlight major themes, triumphs, and challenges in conservation – wolves, sage grouse, and wolverines. We will also consider evolving social and scientific technologies for better understanding and managing the environment, including AI, remote sensing and DNA, Indigenous Science, and other old and new approaches to the complex question of human/nature relationships.

    Optional readings:

    1.  True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America by Betsy Gaines Quammen (Torrey House Press, 2023)

    2.     American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God, and Public Lands in the West by Betsy Gaines Quammen (Torrey House Press, 2020)

    3.  Yellowstone Wolves by Doug Smith, Daniel Stahler, and Daniel  McNulty, editors, (University of Chicago Press, 2020)

    Rebecca Watters is a wildlife researcher who has worked on wolves, wolverines, and social perceptions of wildlife in Mongolia and the Western US for the past two decades. She lives in Bozeman, Montana.
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  • S2-Session 1. Fascinating History: Women Inventors

    • 06/03/2024
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • In Person - Kennedy 119 at Assumption University
    • 58
    Register

    This topic of this course meets 1 time. 

    Women Inventors covers several centuries of very clever women, starting with the first computer programmer in the 1830s, the inventor of car heaters, and windshield wipers, the inventor of the modern hypodermic needle, and the creator of user-friendly computer coding language, women have invented many very surprising things which have changed all our lives.

    Sari Bitticks has served as president of the Auburn Historical Society and Museum for the past 12 years. She has researched and presented over 70 talks on various subjects for the Society and for area schools, senior centers, and other organizations.
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  • S11. Jackie Robinson, Boston and the Integration of Baseball

    • 06/06/2024
    • 07/11/2024
    • 5 sessions
    • Zoom only
    Register

    This course meets 5 times.

    In 1947, Jackie Robinson, with the Brooklyn Dodgers, was the first player to break the “color line” in Major League Baseball. This historic event could have taken place in Boston, but the Red Sox lost that chance. In fact, they were the last team to have a black player when they brought up Pumpsie Green in 1959. Ever since then, there have been lingering questions about the racial policies of the team and its owner, Thomas A. Yawkey. These questions have been raised by baseball fans and by professional ball players who have expressed a reluctance to play in Boston. In February 2018, the Red Sox petitioned Boston to change the name of Yawkey Way back to its original name of Jersey Street. This course examines the events surrounding Robinson's Boston tryout and examines racial attitudes of the team and its owner, Thomas Yawkey.

    Optional readings:

    • 1.     Pumpsie and Progress: The Red Sox, Race, and Redemption, by Bill Nowlin (Rounder Books May 25, 2010) 978-1579401757


      2.     Red Sox Century: One Hundred Years of Red Sox Baseball  by Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt January 1, 2000) ‎ 978-0395884171

    David Nevard attended UMass Amherst and spent 35 years in information technology for a large corporation. From 1985 through 2002, he was editor of a baseball newsletter called A Red Sox Journal, published by the Buffalo Head Society. The newsletter is now in the collection of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.  This course combines his interests in baseball and history. 

    Since retirement, David has been an instructor at WISE and other area lifelong learning programs. David previously led the course called “Europe’s Lost and Found: Displaced Persons after World War II.”  Other History courses he has done for WISE include "Suburbia", "Berlin Wall", "Worcester Tornado", "Operation Paperclip", and "Nuremberg War Crimes Trial".  

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  • S2-Session 2. Fascinating History: Mary Roberts Reinhart, America’s Agatha Christie

    • 06/10/2024
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • In Person - Kennedy 119 at Assumption University
    • 58
    Register

    This topic of this course meets 1 time. 

    Mary Roberts Reinhart, America’s Agatha Christie,  was the only female World War I correspondent and continues to inspire authors today.  She was the most popular author from 1900 to the 1950s; a writer of popular movies; a fighter for indigenous peoples’ rights; a source of inspiration for many incredible cultural icons and the innovator of popular fiction genres.

    Sari Bitticks has served as president of the Auburn Historical Society and Museum for the past 12 years. She has researched and presented over 70 talks on various subjects for the Society and for area schools, senior centers, and other organizations.
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  • S2-Session 3. Fascinating History: The Great Molasses Flood

    • 06/17/2024
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • In Person - Kennedy 119 at Assumption University
    • 58
    Register

    This topic of this course meets 1 time. 

    The Great Molasses Flood crippled the city of Boston in 1919.  Imagine a wall of molasses, 25 feet high, coming at you at 35 mph, no escape.  Picture what that would do to any living thing or buildings in its path. Then try to picture the aftermath.

    Sari Bitticks has served as president of the Auburn Historical Society and Museum for the past 12 years. She has researched and presented over 70 talks on various subjects for the Society and for area schools, senior centers, and other organizations.
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  • S12. The Creeping Professionalism of Major College Sports

    • 06/20/2024
    • 07/11/2024
    • 3 sessions
    • Zoom only
    Register

    This course meets 3 times.

    For many years, avid college sports fans have lamented the evolving shape of big-time football and basketball, driven by the insatiable quest for billions of dollars of television revenue. But over the past few years, several major changes threaten to convert big-time college sports into a near professional model and in the process destroy many of its unique traditions. Waves of athletic conference realignment and consolidation (driven by dollars) have eliminated traditional regional rivalries, and virtually eliminated the PAC-12 Conference. The college football playoff is expanding. NIL (name, image, likeness) payments are funneled legally to players through booster networks --some can earn more in college than they will in the pros. Liberal transfer rules now allow players to freely move among colleges and cut favorable NIL deals. The notion of a “student-athlete” remaining at a college for four years has become archaic. Unionization of college sports is on the horizon. And the NCAA has failed as a regulatory body. This course will examine these issues and ask the question: will the overseers of big-time college sports ultimately kill the goose that laid the golden egg? 

    John S. Ross, III (Jack) holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Virginia School of Law, and practiced law for 20 years in Washington, D.C. He served as Adjunct Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University School of Law, and has taught numerous courses on constitutional law and other topics in the WISE program. Jack also facilitates the WISE Supreme Court Special Interest Group.

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  • S2-Session 4. Fascinating History: The Healey Brothers

    • 06/24/2024
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • In Person - Kennedy 119 at Assumption University
    • 59
    Register

    This topic of this course meets 1 time. 

    The Healey Brothers and two sisters. A remarkable family, a bishop, a priest who headed a major university, a Mother Superior who came up with innovations for her convent, and much, much more. All from a single family with an enormous secret, and that is only the tip of the iceberg.


    Sari Bitticks has served as president of the Auburn Historical Society and Museum for the past 12 years. She has researched and presented over 70 talks on various subjects for the Society and for area schools, senior centers, and other organizations.
    Show details

  • S2-Session 5. Fascinating History: The History of Toys

    • 07/01/2024
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • In Person - Kennedy 119 at Assumption University
    • 59
    Register

    This topic of this course meets 1 time. 

    The History of Toys  From Ancient Egypt to modern animatronics, the history of toys is a wonderful insight into how we choose to entertain and instruct not just our children, but ourselves. From the wire helix wave demonstrator to caltrops to the European garotte, toys have a fabulous history. Come hear the awe inspiring story of the burden on the family and the useless nephew.   This comes with over 60 vintage toys and covers three thousand years of creative play.

    Sari Bitticks has served as president of the Auburn Historical Society and Museum for the past 12 years. She has researched and presented over 70 talks on various subjects for the Society and for area schools, senior centers, and other organizations.
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Worcester Institute for Senior Education (WISE)
Assumption University, 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester MA 01609
wise@assumption.edu
508-767-7513

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