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- Are Americans a Warlike People? (2nd three weeks)
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Tom Morgan and Phil Anderson of the local chapter of Veterans for Peace believe that the growing militarization of American foreign policy suggests that – at the very least – Americans lack imagination. We Americans are gaining a reputation as a people preferring to deal with problems at the point of a gun rather than through negotiation and compromise. This has disturbing implications for our republic and for a peaceful world order. The class will explore these ideas through lectures, videos, and group discussions.
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- Constitution Café (2nd four weeks)
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Curious about elections and the U.S. Constitution? We will discuss Citizens United, gerrymandering, the right to vote, and why the Supreme Court has the final word on what is constitutional. (It's not mandated in the Constitution!) A small portion of each class will involve viewing pertinent videos. Class discussion will hopefully be a large part of class, as we each learn from each other.
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- Crafting the U.S. Constitution (7 weeks)
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The U.S. Constitution is the world’s oldest surviving written charter of national government. This class will take a journey back 239 years to the crafting of the Constitution during the summer of 1787. During this journey we will discover who the framers were, as well as what the influences were on the framers, and their agreements, disagreements, and compromises. We will learn about the founding principles of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other aspects of crafting this important document. Finally, we will discuss what changes, if any, should be made to our Constitution, as well as what should never change. Questions and comments from all class members are highly encouraged.
No class 11/11/26 due to Fall luncheon.
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- Great Speeches in American History
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Dates: 9/23/2026 - 11/11/2026
Times: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Days: W
Sessions: 8
Building: Online via Zoom
Instructor: Lawrance Bernabo
Survey great American speeches, from Jonathan Edwards’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” to the present times. Each online class will include film and video clips from famous speeches as well as ones you have never heard of, including some recreations of speeches by both well-known actors and the class leader. There will be recommendations for speeches to read or watch at www.AmericanRhetoric.com to help prepare for each class for those who are interested.
NO CLASS 11/11/26 due to Fall Luncheon. Make-up session will be scheduled the following week.
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- History of Public Entertainment (7 weeks starting 9/28)
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What kinds of people have attracted mass public interest and attendance in the entertainment world? This class will explore the history of public and mass entertainment.
NOTE: This class begins on September 28 (Week 2) and goes for 7 weeks. Please also note the early start time.
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- Misrepresentation of Native American People in Movies and Other Media
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Dates: 9/24/2026 - 11/12/2026
Times: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Days: Th
Sessions: 8
Building: Online via Zoom
Instructor: Elizabeth Blue
Native Americans have been, until relatively recently, portrayed with distorted images in mainstream media – images that encouraged stereotypes and racism. For the past thirty years, a renaissance of Indian filmmakers (actors, producers, and directors) has put forth a counterpoint of strong indigenous voices and portrayals. This class offers an overview of Native American representation in films and other media over the past one hundred-plus years. We will focus primarily on movies and documentaries with some attention to television. There will be lectures, videos, and group discussion.
Book (recommended, not required):
Celluloid Indians: Native Americans and Film by Jacquelyn Kilpatrick, ISBN 0803277903
Note: Book is available in print with many new and used options, as well as a PDF from www.perlego.com.
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- PRB: The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood - Revolutionary Artists in Victorian England
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Against the backdrop of nineteenth-century European political revolutions, we will explore how seven young men with the average age of 20.5 years overthrew the rules of the Royal Academy of Art in London. They were attacked by none other than Charles Dickens. They were successfully defended by the foremost intellectual leader in England and inspired artists around the world. This class will use a combination of lecture and video resources throughout the term, with the majority being videos for the last few classes.
NO CLASS 11/11/26 due to Fall Luncheon. A make-up session will be held the following week.
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- Rebuilding Democracy
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Dates: 9/24/2026 - 11/12/2026
Times: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Days: Th
Sessions: 8
Building: Online via Zoom
Instructor: Charles Gessert
This online class will address the underlying principles of democracy and examine current departures from and threats to American democracy. Participants will take part in class discussions on contemporary issues and be asked to contribute their insights regarding the best steps for strengthening democracy in light of current challenges. The eight weeks of the class will span the November mid-term elections, which will be discussed both before and after we go to the polls on November 3rd. LIMIT 40
Books (recommended, not required):
- On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder, ISBN 9780804190114
- Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism by Anne Applebaum, ISBN 9780385545808
- How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, ISBN 9781524762940
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- The Jackson Project: A New Deal in Hermantown (1st four weeks)
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Discover the fascinating story of the Jackson Project, a New Deal homestead community that shaped Hermantown during the Great Depression. Through illustrated presentations, historic photographs, artifacts, and discussion, participants will gain a deeper understanding of this unique chapter in local and national history. The class concludes with a field trip to the Hermantown History Center, where a Jackson Project home and personal stories from local residents bring history to life.
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