Note: We add courses periodically.  If you would like to be on our mailing list (e-mail or postal mail), call the Osher office at 408 - 924 - 2734 or send an e-mail message to:   info@osher.sjsu.edu.   We will send you notice when we post additional course and programs.   To register or for more information, call 408 - 924 - 2734.

Last Updated : Apr 29, 2008

Courses beginning in....

January

Great Women of The Cinema: Tough, Tender and Terrific!

History of the Holy Land: Pre-History to Biblical History

February

Brain Fitness: The Science and Practice

The Korean War

Great Decisions 2008: Part I (Foreign Policy)

The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War

The Chinese Community in the Santa Clara Valley

Kings and Castles: The Architecture of Power

Reading the Renaissance Classics with George Moore

Book Discussion: A Thousand Splendid Suns

March

Color!

History of the Holy Land: The Medieval Period to Pre-World War I

Great Decisions: Part II

Book Discussion: The Distant Land of My Father by Bo Caldwell

Goya and Picasso

The Rise of Digital and the Decline of Print

Goya's Caprichos: Dreams of Reason and Madness: Picasso: Etchings of Love and Desire

Poetry: Reading and Writing and Maybe Even A Little Arithmetic

April

Italian Community in the Santa Clara Valley

History of the Holy Land: Modern Period: World War I to Today

The Play's the Thing: Lysistrata

Spring Wildflower Hikes

Time     10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Fee        $15 each hike or $40 for the series

The 2008 Presidential Election--New Direction or Familiar Path?

Modotti and Kahlo

Book Discussion: Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer

Afternoons with Shakespeare

Remembering the Ladies: Founding Mothers

Location: The Villages-Vineyard Center

Dates:      June 2, 9 and 16

Days:       Mondays

Time:       10:00 - 12 noon

Fee:          $30

Great Women of the Cinema: Tough, Tender and Terrific!

Ready for a closeup view of femmes fatale and ingénues who have graced the American screen? We’ll start with a brief overview of the Silent Film Era, featuring Mary Pickford,  Mae Murray, Gloria Swanson and Lillian Gish. Prior to the first session, view The Lady Eve and Gaslight to prepare for a major discussion on Barbara Stanwyck and Ingrid Bergman.

Subsequent sessions are:

• The reel tough ladies of the Silver Screen: Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. View Mildred Pierce and All About Eve. Just for fun see What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.
• Let's do the Hepburns! See Katharine in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and Audrey in My Fair Lady.
• The sexy women of films; could they really act? Lauren Bacall and Marilyn Monroe. View To Have and to Have Not and Asphalt Jungle. We'll also talk about other beauties. Who are your favorites?
• Present day actors who are the best.  See Meryl Streep in The Devil Wore Prada. We will talk about the women from Australia and England, Cate Blanchette, Judy Dench and Helen Mirren. View The Queen and Notes on a Scandal.

Cy Axelrad was the director of publications at the State University of New York-Farmingdale from 1982 to 1995. She received the SUNY-CUAD Distinguished Service Award in 1991.  Cy earned a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. She regularly teaches film courses for the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee and the Osher Institute and is a lifelong film buff. Cy volunteers her time to teach this course.

Book Discussion: A Thousand Splendid Suns (Free to Members)

This discussion is free and open to all SJSU Osher Institute members. You must, however, pre-register by Jan13. Call 408-924-2734 or send an email message to info@osher.sjsu.edu

Khaled Hosseni’s second book focuses on the women of Afghanistan.  Seen through the eyes of Mariam and Laila peering through the net of burqas, Kabul is the backdrop. The title comes from a 17th century poem, an ode to Kabul. Please read the book before the discussion. It is available in libraries and from most booksellers. In addition to the discussion, you will receive a list of other current books and films about Afghanistan.

History of the Holy Land (Three part course)

Mondays, 1:00  - 3:00 p.m., The Villages (See dates with each part of the course. You can register for all three parts, two parts, or one part.)

David Meir-Levi received his MA from Brandeis University. He has taught at various schools and universities in the U.S. and Israel. Meir-Levi has also given numerous lectures on the Arab-Israel conflict. He teaches courses in SJSU’s History Department for the Jewish Studies Program.

Pre-History to Biblical History

• Session 1: Introduction, geography, general concepts of pre-history and history, general introduction to archaeology, quick survey of pre-history to beginning of Early Bronze Age.
• Session 2: Bronze ages, Canaanites, Amorites, Egyptians, Hyksos, Hittites, Old Babylonians, Habiru in Middle and Late Bronze Ages.
• Session 3: Hebrews/Israelites, Philistines and others; the kingdom of Israel in the Iron Age through the Assyrian and Babylonian destructions and exiles and Persian return.
• Session 4: Holy Land under Greek and Roman rule, Second Temple in Jerusalem, revolts against Seleucids (Hanuka), revolts against Rome and the Jewish diaspora.
• Session 5: Jesus, Dead Sea Scrolls, early Christianity under Roman and Byzantine rule.

The Medieval Period to Pre-World War I

• Session 1: Arab invasion, conquest and Islamification of the Holy Land, Jews and Christians as dhimmi.
• Session 2: Umayyads and Abbasids, Jerusalem as el-aqsa and the mosques on the Temple Mount as part of the struggle for control of the Caliphate.
• Session 3: Egyptian persecution of Christians, Crusaders and the Crusader kingdoms, Saladin and the Ayyubids, end of Crusader rule.
• Session 4: Fatimids, Mamelukes and Ottomans, rise of the Ottoman empire, Ottoman interest in Jerusalem, the new Turkish Caliphate.
• Session 5: Turkey, Europe, and the rise of European interest in the Holy Land as bridge to Mesopotamia and the newly discovered oil fields, Ottoman empire and the Jews, persecution of Jews in Safed and Jaffa in 19th century.

Modern Period: World War I to Today

• Session 1: End of the Ottomans, Syches/Picot, creation of the New Middle East and British Mandatory Palestine.

• Session 2: 1922-1947: Jews, Arabs and British in the Holy Land, Zionist achievements, the emergence of Arab oil power, rise of Arab nationalism, the beginnings of Arab terrorism.
• Session 3: Creation of Israel, Arab and Jewish refugees, emergence of the new State, Muslim and Christian Israelis, fedayeen and Sinai campaign, the Eisenhower-Bulganin axis.
• Session 4: Arafat, PLO and rise of Arab terrorism, six-day war and Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Arafat's collusion with USSR, October war/Ramadan war/ Yom Kippur war, rise of Hamas, Lebanon war #1, rise of Hezbollah under Iran.
• Session 5: Intifada #1, Madrid talks, Arafat out of exile, Oslo Accords, Camp David Talks, Intifada #2, exit from Gaza, Lebanon #2, current miasma.

 To register or for more information, call 408-924-2734.

Brain Fitness; The Science and Practice

Neuroscientists have shown how the human brain retains neuroplasticity (the ability to rewire itself) and neurogenesis (creation of new neurons) during its full lifetime, leading to a new understanding of what aging means. In this class, we will review the science behind some of key concepts in this field and explore their implications on our lifestyles in a fun and engaging way: neuroplasticity and neurogenesis, the Cognitive Reserve theory for healthy aging, computer-based cognitive training programs, emotional self-regulation and the four pillars for lifelong brain health. We have all heard Use it or lose it. Latest research suggests, Use it and improve it!

Alvaro Fernandez, CEO and Co-Founder of SharpBrains.com., has been featured as a Brain Fitness expert by Forbes, MSNBC, MarketWatch, La Opinion and other publications. Alvaro started his career at McKinsey & Company and worked on the launch and turnaround of several publishing and education companies within Bertelsmann, Docent, Inc and Houghton Mifflin. He has an MBA and M.A. in Education from Stanford University and enjoys teaching The Science of Brain Health and Brain Fitness at UC-Berkeley’s OLLI and Exercising Our Brains at SFSU’s OLLI.

 Korean War

Often referred to as the Forgotten War, the Korean War (1950-53), the first major hot conflict of the Cold War era, cost more than 36,000 American lives and ended in a stalemate that resulted in the continued division of the Korean Peninsula. This course will examine the background, course and aftermath of this conflict. Recommended reading: David Halberstam, The Coldest Winter: America and the Korea War (Hyperion, 2007). Note: This book is available from the library, major booksellers and you will find used copies online at major booksellers.

Dr. E. Bruce Reynolds, Professor of History at San José State University and author of Thailand and Japan's Southern Advance 1940-1945 and Thailand's Secret War: OSS, SOE and the Free Thai Underground During World War II; editor of Japan in the Fascist Era. Dr. Reynolds regularly teaches courses in military history. His doctorate is from the University of Hawaii.

Great Decisions 2008

What is America’s role in the world and how do we as citizens inform ourselves and make Great Decisions?

There are two parts of Great Decisions 2008. Each part deals with four separate issues. To cover all eight issues of the Great Decisions 2008 program, register for both parts. You may take only one part if you choose.  If you are unable to attend a session at your “home site,” you may attend it at the other site. Just let us know you will be coming to the session. You use the same issues book for all eight issues.

Great Decisions, a program of the Foreign Policy Association, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004. The heart of the program is Americans talking about the world issues that concern and affect us. In today’s world, gaining a greater understanding of and appreciation for the world’s trouble spots and critical issues is essential.

Prior to each week’s discussion, you read a section in the briefing book. (You can order the book when you register. Why not take Great Decisions with a friend and share the book?)

We will discuss topics in the order below. At the discussion, you will see a short DVD prepared by the Foreign Policy Association. This usually is a panel of experts or, in some cases, a single expert. The presentation broadens what you read in the briefing book. Then, we break into small groups for discussion.

Great Decisions 2008: Part I

Section 2

Iraq end-game A recurring question found in most public opinion polls and on the 2008 presidential campaign trail: What will be the end-game for the U.S. in Iraq? How will U.S. decisions about continued engagement affect Iraq itself and the Middle East?

Talking to our enemies How the U.S. deals with international challenges often depends on how it engages with allies, as well as enemies. How should the U.S. deal with countries like Cuba, North Korea and Iran? What approach should the U.S. take with groups like Hamas and Hezbollah?

U.S. defense and security policy The U.S. military is adopting new policies and methods for defending the U.S. and its interests abroad. What should U.S. priorities be? How should its forces be structured and deployed to meet new security challenges?

Private philanthropy Billionaire Warren Buffet's June 2007 pledge to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation prompted headlines about the size of the gift and the impact it could have on global education and health initiatives. Can private donors be more effective than governments in tackling world problems?

Great Decisions 2008: Part II

European Union at 50 Having reached the 50th anniversary of the great experiment in European integration, it is time to take stock of the united Europe. Has the integration of new members been successful? What does the debate on Turkey's membership say about the future of EU integration and its changing demographics?

Russia During his two terms as president, Vladimir Putin has attempted to remake Russia into a major, independent world power. Some of his recent policies have provoked concern in the U.S. and Europe. With a 2008 Russian presidential election expected, what course will Russia take? U.S. defense and security policy: The U.S. military is adopting new policies and methods for defending the U.S. and its interests abroad. What should U.S. priorities be? How should its forces be structured and deployed to meet new security challenges?

Latin America: shift to the left? What factors have prevented the U.S. and Latin American countries from forging a strong relationship? What challenges confront U.S. policy in Latin America? Can the U.S. offer an alternative to the influence of left-leaning leaders like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez?

U.S.-China trade policy Recent product safety scares have thrown the spotlight on the enormous role China plays in supplying products to the U.S. Could the large and growing trade imbalance with China have an adverse effect on the U.S. economy? What role does the undervalued Chinese currency play?

 The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War

“Colorful characters, duels, hard-rock miners and backstabbing politics”…all play roles in the story of California’s Gold Rush and the lead up to the Civil War.

• How did the South view California?
• Could the transcontinental railroad have taken a southern route?
• Might the young California have split in two?

This course will be held in seminar form. We will read The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War by Leonard L. Richards (available in libraries, at bookstores and online—new and used—at Amazon.com). Each week, we will come together to discuss our reading and discuss what happened what might have happened had events gone differently. This is not a lecture style class; it is for the person who enjoys history and discussion. In addition, there are two other opportunities connected with this class.

• Saturday, Mar 1, 1:30 p.m.: We will have a special tour of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library’s California Room collection of materials on the Gold Rush and the era’s politics.
• Date to be arranged with the class members: We will have a teleconference with the book’s author, Leonard L. Richards, Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts.

Susan McGough will lead this seminar. She has an M.A. in American Studies and has taught both American history and literature at the college level.  She directed an alumni continuing education program that sponsored Civil War conferences and tours. Susan is an OLLI@ SJSU member and volunteers her time to teach this class.

Chinese in San José and the Santa Clara Valley

Note: The day starts at the San José Christian Alliance Church

Spend a day learning about one of our oldest and most dynamic communities.

Join authors and founders of the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project (CHCP), Lillian Gong-Guy and Gerrye Wong, for a comprehensive look at the past, the present and the future.

The fertile Santa Clara Valley—once called the Valley of Heart's Delight and later Silicon Valley—has long been home to a substantial Chinese population. Like other immigrants, they arrived seeking opportunity and armed with survival instincts and the ability to persevere, but the struggles they faced were unique. From 1866 to 1931, five distinct Chinatowns existed in San José,  each one devastated by mysterious fires or stifled by unjust laws. Early Chinese in the region labored relentlessly, building railroads and levees and toiling as laundrymen, grocers, cooks, servants, field hands and factory workers. In the 20th century, new industries replaced agriculture and an influx of Chinese invigorated the valley with innovative ideas, helping it emerge as a leader in technology. Learn the history and achievements of Chinese Americans throughout the Valley.

Like our earlier one-day programs on Santa Clara Valley communities, this program is a moveable feast.  You will visit three different places during the course of the day. We will provide maps and directions as you move through the day. Why not invite some friends and make a day of it?

San José Christian Alliance Church
2360 McLaughlin Avenue

Your day starts here with introductions, the background of the Chinese Historical Cultural Project (CHCP) and a CHCP-produced video history overview. Representatives from the Chinese American community will speak about their backgrounds, their arrival in the Valley, and what their lives, occupations and experience have been like as they raised their families here. Among the panelists are:

• David Lam, CEO and founder of Lam Research Co. and Chairman of the David Lam Group
• L.A. Chung, San José Mercury News reporter/columnist who was born and raised in the Valley
• Mabel Lai, former owner of Los Gatos restaurant, Mabel's Lantern House and Chinese cooking teacher
• Gerrye Wong and Lillian Gong-Guy, co-authors of Chinese in San José and the Santa Clara Valley and narrators of a DVD on Chinese American history

There will be opportunity for questions followed by a tour of the church, the first solely built, managed and owned Chinese American church in the Valley.

Flourishing Garden Restaurant
1650 Monterey Road

Enjoy a special lunch served family style. You will get to sample a number of dishes, some old favorites and new tastes. Celebrate Chinese New Year and get to know other Osher members.

Ng Shing Gung Museum
History San José, Kelley Park
Senter and Phelan

The CHCP built the replica Ng Shing Gung temple as a Chinese American museum, which was gifted to the City of San José in 1991. Its striking façade stands out in History Park and the interior displays, including the altarpiece, tell the story of the Chinese community. CHCP docents will be available to answer your questions. You will also see a special movie on Heinlenville, one of six San José Chinatowns.

To register, or for more information, call SJSU's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at 408-924-2734 or send an e-mail message to info@osher.sjsu.edu.
Cost for the program is $50 and includes instruction, a copy of Chinese in San José and the Santa Clara Valley, and lunch.
Osher members may bring guests, but guests also need to register.

Kings and Castles: The Architecture of Power

Note: We will add a second section of this course later in the spring and not on a Wednesday.

Monarchs well understood the power of art to portray their wealth, status and grandeur. In this short course we will travel to four countries and examine the political and creative lives of several rulers and the monuments they have left to posterity. We will meet…

• Louis XIV of France and see his reflected glory at Versailles.
• Peter the Great and Catherine the Great of Russia and visit their city of palaces.
• The rulers of Spain from Charles V to Philip IV's long and productive relationship with his court painter, Velazquez.
• The Medicis of Florence and the brilliance of Bernini's Papal Rome.

Frances Rushing holds a master’s degree in the history of art. She has taught at San José State University, Evergreen Valley and De Anza Colleges and the San José Museum of Art. She is also an accomplished photographer and a world traveler.

Reading the Renaissance Classics with George Moore

The 15th and 16th centuries, often referred to as the Renaissance and Reformation, were a period of explosive development in European history. Science challenged long held conceptions of the universe, explorers traveled all over the globe and capitalism emerged as the dominant economic system. The church disintegrated and rising monarchies challenged the authority of the Pope and of each other. War was endemic. The development of printing itself was revolutionary. We will examine representative works of this period.

The texts below are easily available in libraries, book stores and online.

• Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince and Other Writings, trans. Wayne Rebhorn, Barnes and Noble Classics
• Francois Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel, trans. Burton Raffel, W.W. Norton & Co.
• Michel Montaigne, Selected Essays, trans. Stanley Appelbaum, Dover Publications.
• Miguel Cervantes, Don Quixote, trans. Walter Starkie, New American Library/Penguin.
• William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington Square Press.

The advantage of using these texts is ease of reference. Students may read all of the texts, or none, or part. I have tried to limit the reading to about 100 pages a week, more or less. Discussion will center on those parts of each work listed in the works below. It follows that there are no requirements in this course of study, so it goes without saying that you will get out of it what you out into it.

Feb 13: Introduction and some disclaimers

1. The Renaissance: what it was and how it came about. A word about Erasmus.
2. The great schism in the Church.
3. The political situation in Europe.
4. A word about translations.
5. The Prince.

Feb 20: Niccolo Machiavelli The Prince.

1. A close reading of The Prince.
2. Machiavelli’s motives.
3. His moral and ethical values.
4. His relevance to our world today.
5. Gargantua and Pantagruel.

Feb 27: Francois Rabelais Gargantua and Pantagruel.

1. A close reading of Gargantua and Pantagruel.
   • The First Book: The Prologue and Chapters One through Fifteen;
   • The Second Book: The prologue and Chapters One through Nine;
   • The Third Book: Chapters One through Eight.

1. What are the purposes of Rabelais’ gross exaggeration and language?
2. How do you account for an ordained priest writing such stories?
3. Does Rabelais tell us anything which we should heed?
4. The Essays.

Mar 5: Michel Montaigne Selected Essays.

1. A close reading of The Essays.
2. To whom are the essays directed and to what purpose?
3. Do his essays make sense to us today?
4. Is the essay form useful?
5. Don Quixote.

Mar 12: Miguel Cervantes Don Quixote.

1. A close reading of Don Quixote.
   • Part I: I through VIII;
   • Part II: LXXIII through LXXIV.
2. To what is Don Quixote’s illness described?
3. What is the relationship between knight and squire?
4. In what ways Don Quixote speak to us today?
5. The Tempest.

Mar 19: William Shakespeare : The Tempest.

1. A close reading of The Tempest.
2. Does the title stand for more than a storm at sea?
3. Is there a point to this play? How so, or how not?
4. A word on Shakespeare’s sonnets.
5. Concluding remarks.

To register or for more information, call 408-924-2734.

George Moore is emeritus professor of the humanities and history. He chaired SJSU's humanities department and continues to teach history.

Book Discussion: A Thousand Splendid Suns (Free to Members)

This discussion is free and open to all SJSU Osher Institute members. You must, however, pre-register by Feb 14. Call 408-924-2734 or send an email message to info@osher.sjsu.edu

Khaled Hosseni’s second book focuses on the women of Afghanistan. Seen through the eyes of Mariam and Laila peering through the net of burqas, Kabul is the backdrop. The title comes from a 17th century poem, an ode to Kabul. Please read the book before the discussion. It is available in libraries and from most booksellers. In addition to the discussion, you will receive a list of other current books and films about Afghanistan.

Color!

This workshop will explore aspects of color by using colored paper and acrylic paint. Hue, Value, Saturation and Complementary colors are four basic elements we will investigate. There will be a slide presentation of paintings from art history to illustrate the concepts, followed by hands on projects. A glossary will be provided. (Enrollment limited)

Materials needed:

• Acrylic paints basic set including Red, Blue, Yellow, black and white
• Set of short handled synthetic watercolor brushes. Usually these are white or golden colored hair brushes. Please don’t buy camel hair – has no body
• Bristol paper, small sized pad, or large 16 x 20” single sheet that can be cut down
• Found colored papers from magazines, brochures, etc. Try to find various colors – some intense and some subtle.

Lynn Powers has been teaching courses in art for more than 15 years, nine of them at SJSU. She has an MFA in painting and is an exhibiting artist. Her area of special interest is in content, symbol and metaphor. Her Web site is  lynnpowers.com

To register or for more information, call 408-924-2734.

Goya and Picasso

*There will be a one-hour break for lunch. Bring a sack lunch or go out to lunch at one of the nearby restaurants.

Francisco Goya: Regarded as the last of the Old Masters and as the first Modernist, Goya (1746-1828) produced a prolific and widely varied body of work. Born in Spain, Goya witnessed firsthand the country’s transition across four ruling monarchies and many civil wars. Propelled by the Spanish Enlightenment, Goya provided direct commentary on important political and social issues that were only thinly veiled in their illustrative depiction. Emotionally evocative to this day, Goya’s work portrays—often satirically—the human condition on both national and personal scales. One half of this lecture focuses on his brilliant collection of eighty etchings entitled Los Caprichos that is on exhibit at the San José Museum of Art from January 26, 2008 through April 20, 2008.

Pablo Picasso : Arguably the most influential artist of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) challenged the art world across his seven-decade career. His incredible oeuvre showcases his mastery over the major art movements of the time—many of which he himself instigated. In addition to a comprehensive survey of Picasso’s Blue Period, Rose Period, Cubism, Classicism, Surrealism and his later works, this lecture aims to illustrate the artist’s truly unique personality and influences. Did you know that Picasso was once investigated by French police for a plot to steal the famed Mona Lisa from the Louvre Museum? Picasso: Etchings of Love & Desire on display at the San José Museum of Art from January 26, 2008 through April 20, 2008 perfectly complements this lecture.

Karen Osborn presented a well-received lecture on Joan Miro last term. Her academic interests focus on the intersection of the arts and economics. Working research papers include A Recommendation for the Privatization of the National Endowment for the Arts and Cultural Wars: Valuing and Pricing Art in the 21st Century. She currently serves as a docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art leading tailored tours of the permanent collection of painting and sculpture, as well as special exhibitions. Karen earned a B.A. in Art History from Northwestern University and an M.B.A. in Nonprofit Management from Yale University.

The Rise of Digital and the Decline of Print

Free parking is available in the City’s garage at Fourth and San Fernando.

Join journalist Leigh Weimers. He will discuss the development of Silicon Valley that he was fortunate enough to cover during his nearly 50 years with the Mercury News, and the Internet's resulting effect on print journalism, particularly the big daily newspapers.

Leigh Weimers retired in 2005, as dean of Bay Area newspaper columnists, concluding a 47-year career with the San Jose Mercury News. He presently writes a monthly column in San Jose magazine and contributes weekly commentaries to KLIV-AM.

A native Californian, Leigh was born in the Napa Valley in 1935. He graduated from Napa High School, Napa College, and San Jose State College (now University), from the latter with a B.A. in Journalism in 1958. He has worked for California newspapers, including the Napa Register and Napa Journal, and contributed articles to Stars & Stripes, Europe, while serving with the United States Army in Germany. After joining the staff of the Mercury News in 1958, he served in such varied capacities as general assignment reporter, assistant city editor, founding editor of the newspaper's lifestyle section and, beginning in 1965, columnist. He also has contributed articles to regional and national magazines, is the author of Leigh Weimers' Guide to Silicon Valley, published in 1986 and 1993, and co-author of Silicon Valley: A 100-Year Renaissance, published in 2007.

Weimers has served as founding chairman of the San Jose Police Foundation, as well as a member of the boards of directors of the San Jose State University Alumni Association, Rotary Club of San Jose, Silicon Valley Capital Club, San Jose Trolley Corporation, O'Connor Hospital Foundation and Villa Montalvo Center for the Arts. He is the recipient of numerous awards for journalism and civic involvement, including the Spirit of the Arts Award from Arts Council Silicon Valley, the international Significant Sig award from Sigma Chi Fraternity, and the Tower Award, San Jose State University's highest service award. He is married, the father of two grown daughters and grandfather of three, and lives in Redwood Estates.

Poetry: Reading and Writing and Maybe even a Little Arithmetic

This is a class in which we'll read some poems, maybe, just for fun, even some of the kind that makes people say they hate poetry. We'll also try our hands at writing, watching how good words can make good sentences that can turn into the lines of good poems. We'll start with word games. Who knows where we'll end up. The course should be interesting to beginners as well as those who have written much.

Nils Peterson taught in the English and Humanities Departments at San José State University from 1963 to 1999. He was Coordinator of the Creative Writing Emphasis for more than 20 years and served as Coordinator of the Creative Arts and Chair of the Humanities Department. He has published poems in many journals, has written science fiction, as well as articles on subjects as varying as golf and Shakespeare. A chapbook of poems entitled Here Is No Ordinary Rejoicing was published by No Deadlines Press, a collection of poems entitled The Comedy of Desire with an introduction by Robert Bly was published by the Blue Sofa Press and a collection of poems entitled Driving a Herd of Moose to Durango will appear early in 2005. Nils was poetry consultant for San Jose State Studies and was an editor for Discover America, a collection of poems celebrating the bicentennial anniversary of the USA and contributing editor to The Blue Sofa Review and Americas Review. He was nominated for a 2005 Pushcart Prize.

Italian Community in the Santa Clara Valley

Saturday, April 12, 2008, 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Location:  International and Extended Studies Classroom Building, 384 South Second St.  (Free parking in the City’s Second and San Carlos Garage)

 Note:  See other location in the course description below.

 Fee:  $33 includes lunch

Attracted by the mild climate and abundance of fertile land, Italians came to the Santa Clara Valley from all regions of Italy, including Sicily, Calabria, Basilicata, Tuscany and Piedmont. Beginning in the 1880s, the Eden of the World beckoned Italian immigrants as farmers, ranchers, orchardists, vegetable growers, and winemakers. Italian men, women and children filled the numerous canneries and packinghouses supplying the rest of the nation with fresh produce. Once the largest ethnic group in the valley, Italians’ impact on the region has been profound, yet is often overlooked. Glimpse the lives of a people whose irrepressible optimism, kindness and can-do spirit overcame the challenges and obstacles put before them.

 Frederick W. Marrazzo interviewed more than 50 people about growing up as part of the Santa Clara Valley’s Italian community. Inspired by a series of interviews Marrazzo did for his public access television program, Cronaca, which means story in Italian, he gathered the memorable tales of a forgotten generation, whose values and principles are more relevant than ever.

Introduction: Italians in the Santa Clara Valley

10:00-10:45 a.m.

Frederick W. Marrazzo will share some background information with a discussion of his book Italians in the Santa Clara Valley. 

Panel Discussion

10:45 a.m. - 12:00 noon

 Next, representatives from the Italian American community will share their experiences and talk about their memories of food, music and community. Panelists include:

Franklin Maggi will talk about the days of Goosetown and the Washington Survey that he worked on for the Planning Department of the City of San Jose's historic preservation survey. 

Ken Borelli is vice president of Events for the Italian American Heritage Foundation and is author of Flavors From a Calabrese Kitchen. He is also an immigration and child welfare consultant.  Ken will provide his insights into Italian food traditions and the St. Joseph's Day Table tradition held annually on March 19.

Anthony Quartuccio is music director of the South Valley Symphony and assistant conductor of the San Jose Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Quartuccio's extensive history with  Opera San Jose includes conducting performances of  Roméo et Juliette and Madama Butterfly (2006 - 2007), The Crucible (2005 - 2006) and OSJ's productions of La Bohème, Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, Tosca, Carmen, The Flying Dutchman, Don Pasquale, La Cenerentola, Il trovatore, Falstaff and the world premiere of The Tale of the Nutcracker.

Amy Moro Morgan was born in Torino, Milan, Italy. She came to San Francisco at age 17. She will discuss her memories of WWII and life as an immigrant in San Francisco, where many Italians settled before moving down into the Santa Clara Valley.  She has been an active member of the Sons of Italy, the largest and oldest organization of Italian Americana heritage, since 1961. 

John Linda, also an active member with the Sons of Italy, started playing the accordion when he was 5 years old and continues to play for audiences.  He will discuss his memories of growing up in Santa Clara Valley and the role that music played in his life. 

Italian Lunch
12:00-1:15

Lunch will be catered by Lou Chiaramonte of Chiaramonte's Italian Market. Part of an interview that Frederick Marrazzo did with Lawrence DiStasi, author of a book about the internment and designation of Italians as enemy aliens during WWII, will be shown during lunch. 

1:15-1:30

Travel to Chiaramonte's Italian Market at 613 North 13th Street.

Chiaramonte's Italian Market

1:30-2:30

After lunch, will head over to Chiaramonte's Italian Market, which celebrates 100 years in San Jose this year. Lou Chiaramonte and his son Lou, Jr. will discuss the history and genealogy of the Chiaramonte family in Sicily and their establishment in San Jose.

Bocce Ball Court at Backesto Park across from Holy Cross Church

2:30-3:30 

Ralph DiTullio will open up the bocce ball court and explain the history of bocce ball in the Italian community and give a demonstration of how to play the game.

Note:  A follow-up tour of Holy Cross Church will be made available on another date.  Weddings and other events presented a conflict on this date.  Holy Cross is the oldest Italian American church in the area and has played a key role in the community.

The Play's the Thing: Lysistrata

San Jose's City Lights will present Lysistrata this spring. Join George Moore to learn about the play prior to a performance of your choosing. The group will come back together to enjoy a post-performance discussion.

George Moore is emeritus professor of the humanities and history. He chaired SJSU's humanities department and continues to teach history.

To register or for more information, call 408-924-2734.

Spring Wildflower Hike

Give yourself a treat. Savor all the beauty that is spring. These natural history hikes will take place along beautiful Skyline Boulevard in preserves that are famous for spring blossoms. Each lasts from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. including lunch break. The pace will be very easy with many stops to talk about plants, animal signs, geology and area history. These hikes are limited to 15 participants. We will provide you with information that includes directions to meeting places, facilities and other relevant information. Remember to bring your lunch.

To register or for more information, call SJSU's Osher office at 408-924-2734.

Fee for each hike is $15 or you can register for all three hikes as a series for a fee of $40.

• Russian Ridge: April 21. This beautiful circle route is 3.6 miles in length with two separate climbs totaling 500 feet. It includes grasslands, deep evergreen forests and an array of splendid ridge-top views. We'll lunch atop Borel Hill (where on a clear day one can see mountaintops in 10 counties) before a relaxing downhill stroll back to our cars.
• Montebello: May 5. This three-mile hike meanders downhill for two miles through grasslands, along the San Andreas Fault and through fragrant evergreen forests to join up with Stevens Creek riparian corridor. We'll follow the creek upstream (where at one point we'll have to make a ford atop rocks) before stopping for lunch beside a lovely pond. After lunch we'll ascend along the corridor (a steady 300-foot climb) back to our starting point.
• Grizzly Flat: June 2. Peters Creek is wonderfully verdant in late spring with hug moss-covered boulders, lush ferns and newt-filled pools. We'll folow it to its source at a tranquil Zen pond and then climb through the forest to emerge onto the grassland spine of Long Ridge to be greeted by spectacular views of coastal ridges and the Pacific Ocean. We'll lunch high atop the ridge at Stegner's Bench. This diverse 4.5-mile circle route includes two moderate climbs totaling 400 feet of elevation change.

Keith Johnsgard. After leaving SJSU's classrooms behind, Johnsgard moved to the mountains to re-embrace his boyhood passions. He has gradually reinvented himself as a naturalist, building a new library and walking daily along the ridges. And now, for nearly a decade, he has been leading moving outdoor classroms as a mountain hike docent. His primary interests and specialties include ethnobotany (how the Native Americans utilized native plans to satisfy medicinal and other needs), Ohlone culture and history, earthquake geology, mammal tracking, and mountain lion behavior.

The 2008 Presidential Election--New Direction or Familiar Path?

It is still months until the Democratic and Republican conventions. SJSU political scientist Dr. Larry Gerston will analyze the situation and give you information on what to watch for in the days leading up to November 4. You will also have ample opportunity to ask him questions. Come early and enjoy conversation and a continental breakfast with other Osher Members.

Larry Gerston focuses on the public policy process at the national and state levels. His most recent book, American Federalism: A Concise Introduction (2007), examines the unique relationship between governments in their historical and modern contexts as well as in their policymaking capabilities. Professor Gerston focuses on a user-friendly approach. His Public Policy Making in a Democratic Society: A Guide to Civic Engagement (2002) has been heralded as a breakthrough in forging "hands on" citizen/ service learning partnerships. California Politics and Government: A Practical Approach (with Terry Christensen) is now in its ninth edition (2007). Gerston and Christensen also teamed up to write Recall! California’s Political Earthquake (2004), winner of the prestigious CHOICE award.

Along with his academic responsibilities, Professor Gerston has been the political analyst at NBC11 (the NBC station in the San Francisco Bay area) since 1980 and at radio station KCBS since 2002. He has also appeared on NBC Nightly News, CNN, PBS, and BBC. He writes "Up Front," a monthly column in San Jose Magazine. More than 100 of his op-ed columns have appeared in leading newspapers including the San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, and Los Angeles Time. On a lighter note, Professor Gerston has written The Costco Experience: An Unofficial Survivor’s Guide, published in 2003. As with his more serious writings, this book focuses on individual empowerment.

A sought-after motivational speaker, Professor Gerston gives several talks each year for the "We the People...Project Citizen" programs sponsored by the Center for Civic Education. He has a unique ability to put complex issues into understandable perspective. When not teaching or writing, Professor Gerston consults in media training, crisis management, and strategic thinking.

Modotti and Kahlo

This class will be repeated. You may choose either section. There will be a major Kahlo exhibit at SFMOMA, June 14 to September 28.

Section 2

Section 3

Shadows, Fire, Snow: The Art of Tina Modotti This session will examine the work of Tina Modotti (1896-1942), an Italian-born, partly San Francisco-raised photographer active in Mexico in the 1920s. You will become acquainted with Modotti’s visionary images fusing art and revolutionary politics. You will also gain an understanding of the culturally vibrant and politically turbulent era known as the Mexican Renaissance, and you will meet Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Edward Weston, and other artists of Modotti’s circle.

The Ribbon Around the Bomb: The Art of Frida Kahlo The second session will explore the self-portraits and other paintings of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954). You will see Kahlo’s work through the lens of her personal tragedies and tempestuous relationship with her husband, painter Diego Rivera, but also consider its political meanings and its links to Surrealism and to Mexican art of the past. You will look too at the significance of Kahlo’s trademark Tehuana (indigenous Mexican) style of dressing.

Albers, Patricia a visual arts writer, independent curator, and teacher, recently completed Lady Painter, a biography of painter Joan Mitchell published by Knopf. Her previous book was Shadows, Fire, Snow, a biography of photographer Tina Modotti. She also curated the traveling exhibition Tina Modotti and the Mexican Renaissance.

Afternoons with Shakespeare

If you have always wanted to know more about Shakespeare, but were afraid to ask, here is your opportunity to study several of his plays with an eminent Shakespearean scholar. The course will feature the four plays being performed at the 2008 Oregon Shakespeare Festival (http://www.osfashland.org/).

• Coriolanus
• The Comedy of Errors
• Othello
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Even if you have no plans to attend the Festival, these plays provide an excellent introduction to Shakespeare’s genius—two comedies, a tragedy, and a Roman history play.

The first week will review Shakespeare’s life and career (did he really write the plays?). Subsequent class sessions will focus on individual plays. Plan to read each play before class discussion. Initially, reading may be challenging, but it becomes easier with each play and you will come to revere this writer’s mastery of the English language. Copies of the plays are available at all public libraries and bookstores (“brick” and on-line, new and used). You will even find the full texts on-line. Increase your fun by viewing videos or DVDs of each play.

Arlene Okerlund, retired Professor of English from San José State University, specializes in Shakespeare and in medieval/Renaissance studies. She has taught in SJSU’s Semester-Abroad-in-England program where she loved teaching Shakespeare and English history on site. During retirement she has published a biography of England’s first Yorkist queen, Elizabeth Wydeville: The Slandered Queen, now available in paperback as Elizabeth: England’s Slandered Queen. Her biography of Elizabeth of York, England’s first Tudor Queen, is nearing completion. During retirement, she also began taking banjo lessons and plays tenor banjo with the Peninsula Banjo Band

Remembering the Ladies: Founding Mothers

Mondays, June 2, 9 and 16,  10:00 a.m. - 12 noon

The Villages-Vineyard Center

Fee $30

We know a lot about Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Hamilton and Franklin, but what about their wives? What do we really know about them as individuals?

In this image-rich short course, you will get to know two Marthas, Abigail, Dolley, Elizabeth and Deborah. Discover the significant roles they played in realizing American freedom.

What was their world and their daily lives like? How were they educated? What were their expectations of there lives? Were they influenced by early English feminists? Did they connect with each other? How did they affect change?

Susan McGough holds a master's degree in American Studies from the University of Hawaii. She has taught both American literature and history in a liberal arts college and has led courses on Jefferson as architect, American women's history and other topics for the Osher Institute. She is an Osher member and like other Osher members, volunteers her time to teach this course.