Another Palette! This course makes students better artists by improving inherent skills and abilities while building confidence.  We focus on composition, paint mixing and technique.  A general lecture is combined with individual instruction and guidance.  Students choose their own subject matter.

Please bring paints, brushes, canvas or canvas board and a color wheel.  The facilitator will provide a list of additional materials or equipment.

At the Darien Senior Center

This course is canceled for the Spring Session.

New!  Flowers exist for the purpose of pollination, but what happens after the plants are fertilized?  There is another problem to solve.  How do you get the offspring out of the house so they don’t compete with the parents?  The solution is fruit and we learn about the many varieties and forms they take.  Meanwhile, we continue to look at and dissect flowers from different families and look a bit closer to see if we can figure out what kind of fruits they will produce.  Join us for wonderful new exciting discoveries, especially for those who have been with the facilitator before.

Old Favorite! Craft your own masterpiece in the ancient art of stone carving by participating in a workshop using common household tools.  Students begin with soap carving and then, if they choose, with a trial piece of ice carving.  The remaining six weeks involve practicing the art form, learning how to select stone and properly handle the material, including polishing.

At the Darien Senior Center

New! Over 40 years ago an extraordinary family moved into the White House and changed the nature of the Office of the President. The Kennedy family Jack, Jackie, Bobby and Teddy created Camelot with their glamorous Hollywood good looks, ushering in a youth culture that affected every aspect of American life. With the help of recently discovered documentaries we learn about the Kennedy family childhood and father Joe Kennedy while exploring the drive and ambition that sent the entire Kennedy family on its political path. We delve into the JFK Presidency and examine the political crises, social unrest and personal intricacies that marked his administration.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

Snap Again! This course explains the many features of digital point-and-shoot cameras along with advice on how to take better pictures. We discuss the basics of photography, how to access the various menus, commands and options for saving pictures. Since each camera manufacturer and camera has different features, menus, controls and terminology this course will not be camera-specific. It is vital that participants review their camera manuals before classes begin and bring their cameras and manuals to each session.

New! What is the relationship between drama and society? We concentrate on Sophocles’ Antigone (5th century B.C. Greece), Moliere’s Tartuffe (17th century France), Ibsen’s A Doll’s House (19th century Norway) and Miller’s Death of a Salesman (20th century United States). By examining these `core works, we discuss how these playwrights responded to their societies. As corollaries, we touch on elements of drama (action, plot, character, exposition, conflict, subtext, dialogue) as well as the path from page to stage. To augment discussion, scenes from the plays are shown in class.

Participants should read each play before class and are urged to see the  production of Death of a Salesman at Curtain Call in Stamford (March 2-18). Tartuffe is part of the Westport Country Playhouse season (July 17-Aug. 4).

New! Join us and learn to take the mystery out of how to draw. Many have an “arrested development” for drawing at about the age of nine and are left with a question mark—how do I draw what I see? This proven step by step method develops and elevates your drawing skills quickly and effectively, and changes them dramatically. We discussdrawing from life, how to use photographs for reference and what makes a “great” drawing great. Please bring HB pencils, a 16×20 sketchpad and a pencil sharpener.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

New! America was created at a pivotal moment in history which was groundbreaking in the human experience. The early presidents had much to do with how our country evolved, how the laws were established and interpreted, how much (or little) power was given to the president and how much was assumed by them. We study George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, James Polk and Abraham Lincoln and examine their links to other founders of America—the application of their skills, influence over others in their circle, in Congress and in America. Only by involving all of these men, their intelligence, their politics and prejudices can we understand how America developed as a nation regardless of the profound differences of views many of them held.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

Going Deeper! Moving beyond the topics introduced in the previous genealogy course we discuss the major areas of interest in genealogy research.  Participants are encouraged to be active researchers with an interest in sharing their work along with the problems and solutions they encounter in that research.  Classes include the computer and the Internet, planning and organization, local sources, census, immigration and other relevant topics.  The order will be announced at the first session so that students may plan their research and take an active role in the course.

Revisit! Greece is where it all comes together: mythology and history, along with the archeology which establishes where it all happened.  Travel through Greece, visiting places associated with the gods, heroes and historical figures who live on in Greek legend and history.  We tour the palace where Theseus met the Minotaur, visit Agamemnon at home in Mycenae, examine the Athens of Athena and see sites associated with Philip of Macedon, the Apostle Paul and Lord Byron.  The facilitator illustrates the lectures with images of people and places and also provides handouts and reading lists.

New! Through the thread of history this course provides a deeper understanding of the culture of Haiti, the second republic in the Americas. Beginning in 1492 we follow Haiti from Pre-Columbian timesto the 1804 War of Independence which made Haiti the first black republic in the Americas. We examine the US occupation, discuss the Duvalier Regime and the, finally, the effects of the 2010 earthquake and new opportunities for positive change and reshaping the future. We come to understand Haiti through its people, language, art, religion and the natural and man-made internal and external forces that have shaped its tumultuous existence.

New! Especially in an election year, our cranial circuits are overloaded with socioeconomic and political controversy on a national and global basis.  How do we make sense of it all? This course thrives on participation and at times spirited controversy. While every person is entitled to his/her opinion, we strive to identify “the facts.” Class members and the facilitator are expected to suggest topics at each session and then collectively decide the sequence in which to discuss them.

Always New! Join six LLI members as they lead lively discussions of contemporary titles and old classics.

March 19—Michael Mugnolo—Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen. This book belongs to the canon of both economics and sociology.  What was received as a witty and satirical view of American mores was in fact a serious indictment of both its business leaders and its citizenry.  Although written over a century ago, it is as contemporary as the Occupy Wall Street Movement.

March 26—Miwako Ogasawara—A Gesture Life by Chang-Rae Lee. “People know me here.” Thus begins a story of Doc. Hata, a model citizen of an affluent New York suburb, Bedley Run.  Splicing haunting wartime remembrance, this quiet narrative brings about a memorably disquieting portrait of a man dislocated from himself and from life.

April 2—Richard Auwater—Hedge Fund Wives by Tutiana Boncompagni.  Marcy and John Anderson, both with successful financial careers in Chicago, enter New York hedge fund society in the early stages of the housing sub-prime mortgage meltdown.  With the start of the second worst global recession in history, John’s hedge fund fails while Marcy creates a protected niche and struggles successfully through the crisis.

April 9—Maryjane Pacifico—Alice I Have Been: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin. This spellbinding historical novel leads readers on an unforgettable journey down the rabbit hole.   Alice Liddell Hargreaves is the girl who followed the White Rabbit into a wonderland of Mad Hatters, Queen of Hearts and Cheshire Cats. Nearing her eighty-first birthday, she looks back on a life of intense passion.

April 16—John Sutton—The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1928, the novel tells of five travelers who are killed when a bridge collapses in Peru in 1714.  A Franciscan friar who witnesses the tragedy investigates the lives of the victims, attempting to determine whether they died by accident or as a result of a divine plan.

April 23—Celia Maddox—Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. This 1980 debut novel is considered a modern classic.  After their mother’s suicide, two young sisters live haphazardly until their drifting Aunt Sylvie comes to care forthem.  When Sylvie’s child rearing is questioned, she goes back on the road, taking one of the girls with her. We read about three generations of women making and leaving homes.

New! This beginner Spanish course combines Latin culture with fundamentals of the Spanish language.  The goal is to be able to read, write and speak basic Spanish well enough to communicate with most native speakers.  Join us to learn a new language or refine skills already possessed.  We learn basic grammar, but focus more on interactive communication styles enhancing personal comfort with the language.  Practical application through role play and scenario development help students whether visiting a Spanish-speaking country or just wanting to day hello to someone.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

Reclick! Another look at the many resources available on the Internet.

March 21 & March 28—Exploring Google*—Learn about one of the most amazing technology companies of the 21st century. We look at the founding, the mistaken naming (!), the early offerings and the most current products of this technology giant. We show you how to get and use over 30 products, including an Office in the Cloud.

Pete Stair was for many years an international corporate lecturer on the Internet and the World Wide Web. He has just retired as an Adjunct Professor at the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems at Pace University in New York.

April 4—Internet Freebies—The internet is not only a great resource for information, it is loaded with free and inexpensive stuff waiting to be claimed. Free movies, TV episodes, maps, fonts, clip art, coupons, maps, books and more is available if you know where to look.

Charlotte Cooper is an active member of Lifetime Learners and a former teacher. She has taught computer courses for LLI and the Norwalk Senior Center.

April 11—Searching beyond Google—A look at some specialized web search engines and examine search engines in such areas as travel and health. A discussion about evaluating the results of searches is included.

Ann Bello is chair of the Membership Committee of LLI and a former faculty member at NCC. She has taught computer classes at the Norwalk Senior Center

April 18 & April 24—Meet the iPad—The iPad has become the most popular device on the planet since 2010. We find out what it can do for us, how it differs from a PC and why it is such a hot product. In the first session we become familiar with the iPad concepts, features and capabilities. In the second session we “kick the tires” on some of the 46,000 applications including Mail, Notes, Safari, Photos, Video, eReaders and more.

Jonathan Brown was an IT consultant for IBM, Verizon and other corporations and is an avid user of the iPad. He has taught computer classes at the Norwalk Senior Center.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

Revised! What is Jewish humor?  What isn’t Jewish humor?  How did it become a defense mechanism for the Jews of Europe?  We trace the transplantation process to the new world and its evolution from exclusively Jewish sites like the Yiddish theater to more popular locales such as vaudeville, night clubs and radio.  All of these played a part in popularizing Jewish humor and exposing American Jewish comics to wider audiences.  We touch upon what has evolved into today’s type of Jewish humor, talk about its brightest representatives and why their humor is more in touch with audiences today.  This course attempts to give everyone a fuller understanding of how an imported phenomenon has been transformed into a uniquely American brand of humor.

New! Dr. Joe returns to survey the life and music of Johnny Mercer (1909-1976), who wrote lyrics for over 1500 songs.  Mercer is best known as a lyricist, but he also wrote music.  His songs range from popular tunes to Broadway material and movie themes.  He won Academy Awards for his lyrics to Moon River and The Days of Wine and Roses, both of which were set to the music of Henry Mancini.  Other famous lyrics include Laura, Autumn Leaves, Satin Doll and That Old Black Magic.  Come listen to Dr. Joe play the music of Johnny Mercer….an American original!

Continued! In Part II we study the text analysis of King David as seen through the Biblical lens of the narrative of the two Books of Samuel and the early chapters of Kings I.  In many ways these readings are familiar to those of us who read the newspapers and follow current political developments: the story of David reflects and echoes the corruptions that come with power even in persons who espouse religious ideals.  Ambitions, jealousies, petty rivalries that threaten and overwhelm statecraft today are not new phenomena.  We examine the texts through the pages of Scripture and its narratives that, as old as they are, instruct, inform and even inspire those of us who seek the truth.  The Bible is read as historiography, literature powerful as prose and beautiful as poetry.  Please bring to class an Old Testament with the Second Book of Samuel and the First Book of Kings.

All Time Favorite! This course, now in its 17th year, continues to feature musical, dramatic and comic scenes from movies with rarely a repeated sequence such is the film library of the facilitator. This series emphasizes the Golden Age of Hollywood (1931-1960), yet includes many scenes from movies up to the present day. All clips are introduced with a history of the genre, the stars, the directors, the choreographers, the moguls, the behind-the-scenes artisans, and the gossip that is pertinent to what is shown. Hear explanations of how the magic was created, along with those all-too-many goofs Hollywood wants us to forget.

The facilitator opens each session with a monologue about the film industry and presents two popular name games and the birthday game. These classes make one nostalgic for the good old days when movies were sheer entertainment, when stars were stars and dancing and singing in the streets were a joy to behold. Handouts await attendees each week.

Holistic! We review meditation practices taught in previous classes and include new meditation and yoga techniques. Come and experience why practices that began thousands of years ago are still relevant today, perhaps even more relevant. Class format includes lecture, class discussion and experiential exercises. Appropriate for beginners and more advanced students.

Repeat Course! For years you’ve been telling stories of your life to the kids at the dinner table or during long car rides. Now your audience is telling you to write down these wonderful recollections before they are lost to the next generation. Your life stories are definitely worth the effort!  This course is designed to help the students take the most meaningful experiences of their lives and develop them into well-crafted, readable memoirs. Attention is paid to the writer, purpose and audience. In each session, we examine and discuss a memoir by a professional or non-published writer. This is followed by a writing assignment which the student will be encouraged to share with the rest of the group. We use a self-evaluation sheet to help the participants focus on their goals.

This course is canceled for the Spring Session.

Perennial! A basic botany course for gardeners, nature and flower lovers or just the naturally curious.  Learn plant vocabulary; understand the diversity of flowering plants and the simple reproductive processes and pollination needs that shape flowers.  We dissect a variety of flowers to get a closer look at what’s inside. In the last class we take a walk in a wildflower woods to experience and enjoy flowers in nature.

This course is canceled for the Spring Session.

Another Canvas! Join us for a fun course that covers the technical basics of painting: color, perspective, composition and shadow.  We stress creativity and developing one’s own individual style to achieve a beautiful finished painting.  Bring in a photo or a picture for inspiration. Participants receive individual help.  Along the way, we discuss different periods of art and the artists who made them famous.  A supply list will be available.

This course is canceled for the Spring Session.

Encore! Got opera? It’s time for a refill! We continue with all new material, same old facilitator. We thrill again to more soaring paeans to romantic love with opera’s greatest stars. You want Pavarotti? We got him. Netrebko? Got her, too. Plus the rising superstar Jonas Kaufman. We see the romantic highlights of operas in short to medium length video excerpts. From Tosca and La Rondine, to Thais and Rosenkavalier and others, this is a treat for the eyes and ears:   But you say you want context, too? Not to worry—we situate these arias and duets in the plot’s time and place and learn about the composers.

New! In the art world, these two names are a most powerful force: a painter and a photographer, each brilliant in his/her own field, who find a way to intertwine their lives. While both were fiercely driven and independent souls, coming from extremely different backgrounds, the two had a most passionate relationship that lasted for years.  Georgia O’Keeffe with her organic and sensual paintings, and Alfred Stieglitz with his masterful and haunting photographs, carved out a deep and intense world together and apart.  Join us to explore their separate works, their styles and approaches to creating, as well as the story of their fascinating lives.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

New Challenges! Continuing on with no more than simple arithmetic and careful reasoning, we examine and solve a variety of stimulating and interesting questions using numbers and logic.  They include the even-numbered Magic Squares from China, whose history dates back over 2000 years, and are very different from and more complex than the odd-numbered Magic Squares we saw last time.   Kakuro, another puzzle import, is a combination of the extremely popular crossword and Sudoku puzzles.  They share a similar history, are easy to learn, but can range from simple to difficult to solve.  Although they have Japanese names the origins of Kakuro are, in fact, American.  Lastly, we examine Numbrix, another new and popular puzzle involving number chains.

This course is canceled for the Spring Session.

Rediscover! Ever wondered why you have the personality you do?  Why you like some people and not others?  The Enneagram is a system which describes nine distinct personality types and can greatly help in answering these questions.  We learn the characteristics of each type and see how knowing these traits can enhance our self-understanding.  We focus on the greatest gifts of each type, such as wisdom, courage and joy, and examine their greatest difficulties.  This exploration often leads to new insights which can deepen our capacity for more satisfying relationships with family and others.  Join us in discovering how the Enneagram will work for you.  Learn why it offers a unique tool in exploring how similar yet different we are!

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

New! In June and July, Shakespeare on the Sound (SOS) celebrates its seventeenth season with a production of one of the Bard’s plays in Rowayton and Greenwich (At the moment which play SOS will present has not been announced).  What play will it be?  This course will serve as an introduction for those planning to attend a performance.  The participants will read and discuss the play, role play and see scenes from the play on video.  A member of the SOS staff, and possibly a cast member or two, attends one of the sessions.  In order to enjoy the experience fully, it is recommended that attendees read the play prior to the first class.

Registrants may learn which play the course will deal with and receive free copies of the text (compliments of SOS) by calling LLI (857-3330) and leaving a message for the facilitator, who will get back to you. Texts will also be available at the first class session.

Read More! A short story, according to Stephen Vincent Benét, is a work that can be read in an hour and remembered for a lifetime.  It typically centers upon a character who undergoes a life changing event.  As readers we witness moments of truth that help us gain insight to evaluate our own actions.  We read some of the representative work of many of our finest writers: Willa Cather, Ernest Hemingway, Dorothy Parker, Mark Twain, Katherine Mansfield and Bernard Malamud.  Through their works, we explore our ability to make good choices in situations that are often exacerbated by extreme tension.  Group discussion is based on the readings assigned for each class.  The short stories are handed out in the class prior to each week’s discussion.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

Another Helping! Here are more fun and interesting topics that have no connection to one another except for their roots in the American experience.  Each class begins with a visual presentation followed by class discussion, handouts and suggestions for further study.

• Connecticut First and Foremost: Inventions and Innovations From the Nutmeg State

• Nostalgia Through the Mail: The Story of the Picture Post Card

• The Badge of Military Merit: Purple Heart of the American Revolution

• The Invention and Development of Photography: 1839 – 1939

• Recognition At Last: The Confederate Medal of Honor

• America’s Black Heritage: A Postage Stamp Gallery of Famous Americans

• The Old Flag: A Connecticut Newspaper in a Confederate Prison Camp

• Connecticut’s First Century: Strange and Interesting Facts About the Constitution State

New! Igor Stravinsky is a composer whose works span six decades and exemplify nearly every significant musical tendency of the first half of the twentieth century.  We discuss three of Stravinsky’s style periods and their placement among and comparison to other works of the time.  Stravinsky’s early period in France brought us his ballets.  We listen to samples of The Firebird, Petrushka and Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) and examine their impact on the musical world. In later classes we hear and discuss Stravinsky’s neo-classical period, during which he wrote L’Histoire du soldat, Pulcinella and Octet for wind instruments.  In discussing Stravinsky’s later works, we listen to his Mass setting and the Symphony of Psalms.

New! Enjoy a journey through this masterly collection of chivalric romances, moral allegories, and low farce.  Chaucer creates a story-telling competition within a group of pilgrims from all walks of life in medieval England.  In the General Prologue, we meet the colorful Wife of Bath, the brutish Miller, as well as others: clerics, the merchant, the prioress and even a knight.  Our text is the Penguin Classic paperback edition of  The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and translated into modern English by Nevill Coghill.

Return Engagement! This course brings to life the greatest land war in history:  the titanic clash between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.  Decision on the Eastern Front decided the outcome of the land war in World War II.  This was a conflict of German against Russian, Nazi against Communist, Hitler against Stalin. Indeed, it was the head-to-head battle of the dictators which largely determined the bestiality with which the struggle was waged a savage, no-holds barred conflict that claimed upwards of 30 million lives.

New! Join us to explore the impact of the book and movie, The Help.  The novel becomes a tool for understanding the past, the present and the future of American interracial relations.  We look at the reactions to and examine the criticism of the novel and the reasons for the criticism.  We discuss the legal development of second-class citizenship for minorities after the American Civil War, review personal accounts of domestic workers and their reflections of working in white homes and end with discussions of how America can move forward as a truly egalitarian society in light of the existing disparities.

New! As we read The Nude by Kenneth Clark we examine the use of the nude in both painting and sculpture throughout history and view art by Botticelli, DaVinci, Michelangelo, Cranach, Goya, Velasquez, Manet, Cezanne, Pearlstein, Lucien Freud, DeKooning.  We look at Greek, Roman and Renaissance sculpture including Venus of Willendorf and Cycladic figures placing them within a continuum of attitudes and approaches to the nude, ranging from energy and perfection to pathos and despair.  Clark’s concepts, once internalized, allow us to understand and analyze any depiction of the nude in greater depth.  Students should acquire and read the text, The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form by Kenneth Clark, available in paperback and at local libraries.

Controversy! Our constitutional rights and freedoms are constantly being defined and redefined by the Supreme Court. How have these decisions shaped our society and our daily lives?  This course focuses on the issue of privacy: the Internet, Facebook, consumer privacy, educational and health privacy matters and new technologies such as GPS TSA procedures, electronic eavesdropping and aerial surveillance. We explore the relationship between privacy and school, abortion, technology, sexual orientation, police procedures and other relevant topics that arise in class. Class members are encouraged to participate and to express their views on many of the provocative constitutional issues that we explore in the course.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

New! Southern writers tend to represent the South as a mysterious place whose strange ways require explanation. Truth? Mystification?  Politic evasion?  In four novels and a film adaptation, all written by Southerners between 1947 and 1966, we see how some major writers confronted, avoided, exploited or finessed issues of race and class at a moment crucial for them as actual Southerners and as writers.  Although The Help is not on our reading list, our discussions refer to the effect of Stockett’s novel and the movie in a ‘post-racial’ era.  Syllabus available.  We read/view, in this order:

• Eudora Welty, The Ponder Heart (1953)

• Film: Intruder in the Dust, (1949) Director: Clarence Brown (shown in class)

• William Faulkner, Intruder in the Dust (1947)

• Zora Neale Hurston, Seraph on the Suwanee (1948)

• Walker Percy, The Last Gentleman (1966)

Expanded! This course provides an overview of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory and its modalities focusing on such practices as acupuncture, herbal medicine, bodywork and Eastern nutrition.  We review the basic five-element relationship and their association with organs, tissues and emotions and discuss the concepts of health, illness and the etiology of a disharmony or disease.  After reweaving the fundamentals, we examine ways TCM views and treats arthritis, gastrointestinal and emotional issues and offer tips on self help and addressing pain.  Other topics include basic diagnostic principles and treatment using acupressure, lifestyle changes and dietary modifications.

Back Again ! Happiness is a learned skill.  Participants learn how to deal with the major obstacles to happiness and delve into the attitudes and behaviors necessary and essential to achieving happiness.  Happy people are healthier, live longer and enjoy life more.  People who are wise and those with a sense of humor are also happier.  During this course many insightful and humorous quotes guide us toward these goals.  To quote Benjamin Disraeli, “The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages are perpetuated by quotations.”

Old Favorite! Join this class and become a budding artist who discovers the joys and challenges of watercolor.  This course is a step-by-step process to guide you to use the proper techniques, brush strokes, color mixing and composition that create realistic landscapes, seascapes and still life paintings.  Pre-created scenes are available for assistance.

Do not purchase any art supplies until you receive a list at the first class.  If you already have some supplies, bring them to class.  The facilitator will have supplies available for purchase.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

Another Old Favorite! If you are an intermediate-level water colorist, you may want to improve your technique. This course is a step-by-step process to guide you through painting traditional landscapes, seascapes, flowers and still life.  We cover techniques, textures, perspective, transparent washes, masking, planning and composing.  Bring paints (tubes are preferred), a palette, your favorite brushes, watercolor paper and a water container to class.  Some pre-created scenes on watercolor paper are supplied.

Do not purchase any art supplies until you receive a list at the first class.  If you already have some supplies, bring them to class.  The facilitator will have supplies available for purchase.

New! We explore the immeasurable contribution of women within the context of armed conflict during the twentieth century.  Participants journey along the historical path of women’s fight for equality during this significant time period. Deeply engrained institutional and social prejudices were overcome only gradually and always with resistance.  We examine how politics, social mores and traditions of different cultures defined the vital and often tragic role of women during the First and Second World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War of 1991.

Revised!   What happened in the course of history that caused woman’s image to go from goddess, giver of all life, to witch, Satan’s handmaiden?  Does Western civilization view women as Eve, she who caused the fall of all mankind, or Mary, Mother of God and Queen of Heaven?  We explore the history of women from the Stone Age through the seventeenth century.  At the same time, we reflect on the status of women in today’s culture by asking, has the situation changed or stayed the same?   History often ignores women’s contributions to civilization as if men acted alone. The feminine narrative is missing.  We study the lives of powerful women, who not only achieved great things, but became great while continuing to live within the restrictions of what it means to be a woman as defined by society.  Our goal is to acknowledge we have a history.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.

Return Engagement! World War I is the seminal event of the last 97 years, a cataclysm that unleashed upon mankind such calamities as World War II, Vietnam, Iraq and the tragedy of the Balkans.  The collective collapse of dynasties begot such poisonous totalitarian creeds as Bolshevism, Fascism, Nazism and militarism. The genie of nationalism was released in all its perverted strains, spawning racism and extermination.  The Great War saw aircraft come of age as a weapon of war as did the submarine, the machine gun, the tank and poison gas.  More importantly, World War I introduced the commodity that would not only revolutionize man’s ability to make war, but also come to dominate it—Oil.  Such is our legacy: the tragedy of World War I.

This course is closed for the Spring Session.