The Twenties: Social Change – Jim Williams
The ‘20s were a time of rapid change in the United States. Modernist
values changed views of women and minorities. The economy grew
rapidly after World War I with radio, movies, and automobiles leading
the way. Rapid change also spawned a backlash among those who
objected to new ideas or felt threatened by them.
Presenter: Jim Williams has taught many ILR courses on American and
local history. He recently published Oro Valley: The First Fifty Years.
3 Wednesdays: October 16, 23 and 30 at 9:00 a.m. in the Activity
Center’s Hopi Room.
To see a short introductory video click HERE.
Irving Berlin: Stories and Songs – Jim Williams
Songwriter Irving Berlin lived the American Dream. He came from
Russia as a poor immigrant and was forced to live on the streets of New
York for five years. Berlin became a successful composer at age 18 and
wrote over 50 classic American popular songs (standards) over the next
five years. Participants will listen to and sing along to some of his hits
including Alexander’s Ragtime Band, God Bless America and Count Your
Blessings.
Presenter: Jim Williams, a long-time popular ILR presenter who
recently published Oro Valley: The First Fifty Years.
Two Wednesday mornings: November 6 th and 13 th at 9:00 a.m. in the
Activity Center’s Hopi Room.
To see a brief introductory video click HERE.
Reader’s Theater – Randolph Myerson
The Golden Age of Radio was an era of radio in the United States where
it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium. Before
the advent of television, radio scripts were performed by Burns and
Allen, and included many series such as of The Long Ranger, Fibber
McGee and Molly, and The Whistler. In this class we will take turns
reading the various parts of cast members, using the original radio
scripts. There’s no audience and no performance pressure…just fun!
Class is limited to 12 participants.
Presenter: Randy Myerson is a regular ILR presenter and is being
advised by a friend who has been successfully leading this program for
several years in a Lifelong Learning series.
5 Mondays: October 14, 21, 28 and November 4 and 11 at 9:00 a.m. in
the Activity Center’s Hopi Room.
To watch an introductory video click HERE.
1960s Folk Music Revival – Alan Kruse
In 1958 with a release of “Tom Dooley”, the Kingston Trio re-awakened
America to its own rich folk music heritage. The first session will start
with the roots of this movement: Woody Guthrie and the Weavers.
Other artists covered will include Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins,
Carolyn Hester, Ian & Sylvia, Phil Ochs, Joe & Eddie, the Chad Mitchell
Trio, Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton and of course Peter, Paul and Mary. The
second session moves to folk-rock. You may remember the Byrds’ “Mr.
Tambourine Man” and then Bob Dylan finally going electric at the 1965
Newport Folk Festival. We will also hear the Mamas and Papas, Lovin’
Spoonful and Simon and Garfunkel. Lots of music!
Presenter: Alan Kruse, popular Southwest tour leader and previous ILR
presenter (Rock ‘n Roll).
Two Monday mornings: November 18 th and 25 th at 9:00 a.m. in the
Activity Center’s Hopi Room.
To watch an introductory video click HERE.
Women of World War 2 – Chuck Stump
This two session course reviews the variety of roles women assumed
during World War II and the women who stepped in to assume those
roles – from keeping the home front functioning to serving in combat
environments. Special emphasis will be given to two unique groups:
The Code Breakers and The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS).
Presenter: Chuck Stump, an active recreational pilot from 1985 to 2015
and employee of the Cessna Aircraft company; he was a volunteer at
the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson from 2016 to 2020. He is a
regular presenter with Saddlebrook’s ILR.
Two Tuesday mornings: November 12 th and 19 th at 9:00 a.m. in the
Activity Center’s Hopi Room.
To watch an introductory video click HERE
As the World Turns – Don Shepperd
This is a follow-up course from the winter’s introduction of four
international ‘hot spots’ around the globe including our own United
States. Don Shepperd has agreed to come back with an update on:
“The Ukraine and Russia: Who is Winning Now?”; “Israel/Hamas and
Gaza: Is There a Solution?” and the reaction in the United States;
“Taiwan, China and the United States”: the latest look at Chinese
intentions and United States capabilities and finally, “the United States
and Arizona Elections”- polls, predictions opinions and how other
countries view our election.
Presenter: Major General Donald W. Shepperd, USAF (Ret) with 39 and
a half years in uniform, a combat veteran who flew 247 combat
missions in Vietnam and was a military analyst for CNN for 6 years
following his retirement. A distinguished graduate of the United States
Air Force Academy (1962) and has six books available on Amazon.
Four Wednesday afternoons: October 9 th , 16 th , 23 rd and 30 th at 2:00 p.m;
3 sessions are in Catalina Vista; the class on the 16 th meets in the Hopi
and Hohokam Rooms in the Activity Center.
To watch an introductory video click HERE.
Music Listening Skills – Robert Ressue
This two session course will provide an overview of what to know and
listen for in a variety of music forms and styles with samples from vocal
and instrumental music ensembles and soloists: Early Music, Gregorian
Chant, Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque, Classical, Modern Neo-
Classical, folk music and American pop.
Presenter: Robert Ressue, public school music teacher, symphony
orchestra, concert band and jazz band player, church choir singer and
organist, New Horizons Concert Band Director. Graduate of Crane
School of Music.
Two Thursday afternoons: October 24 th and October 31 st at 2:00 p.m. in
the Activity Center’s Hopi Room.
To see an introductory video click HERE.
Discovering Dementia – Nicole Smith
Over a century after the first recorded case of Alzheimer’s disease,
there is still no known cause or cure. Dementia is a progressive disease.
There are lifestyle choices and treatments that can slow the
progression of cognitive decline if detected in the early stages.
Recognizing the signs of mild cognitive impairment and understanding
the methods of diagnosis and treatment can help people plan for
themselves and their loved ones.
Presenter: Nicole Smith is a daughter and caregiver for three aging
parents. Her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2021. She
wrote a book that outlines how to have conversations and plan
accordingly to avoid chaos in a crisis health situation. Nicole is a
trained Dementia Friends Champion.
Four Tuesday mornings: October 8 th , 15 th , 22 nd and 29 th at 9:00 a.m. in
the Activity Center’s Hopi Room.
To see a brief introductory video click HERE
Tucson’s Chinese History – Sandy Chan (with Robin Blackwood and Howard Eng)
This is a 3 session course with 3 separate topics and 3 separate
presenters: “The Building of the Southern Pacific Railroad Through
Southern Arizona and It’s Chinese Workers”, “Building a Chinese
Community”– the arrival of Chinese people, distinguished individuals,
their legacies and historic events that affected their lives including a
case study of a Chinese Mexican family; and, “The Tucson Chinese-
Owned Grocery Stores 1881-1991” – the rise and fall of these stores,
what it was like growing up working in one and the benefits of these
stores to the overall community.
Presenters are members of the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center’s
History Committee: Sandy Chan is a published author, maintains a
website and has been a participant in many local projects involving the
historic Chinese community; Robin Blackwood has organized and
presented symposia, lectures, history tours and oral histories; she is the
curator of the TCCC’s Hi Wo Collection and recently worked with the U
of A on a project involving the Chinese area destroyed in Tucson’s
Urban Renewal in 1968; Dr. Howard J. Eng is a native Tucsonan who
grew up in two grocery stories and worked for more than 15 years in
his own family’s store. He is writing a book about Tucson’s Chinese
grocery stores.
Three Tuesday afternoons: November 5 th , 12 th , 19 th at 2:00 p.m. in the
Activity Center’s Hopi Room.
To watch an introductory video click HERE.
Zoo 101 – Jed Dodds
Zoos play a far more important role in the preservation and
conservation of wild life than is typically understood. The Reid Park Zoo
in Tucson is an amazing resource of information. Have you ever
wondered how much a lion eats or how an elephant goes to the
doctor? Here is your chance to get an inside look at what it takes to
care for some of the largest and smallest animals on the planet. Learn
the impact that a zoo has on a local community and how they play a
vital role in saving wild animals in wild places.
Presenter: Jed Dodds has worked at the Reid Park Zoo for 19 years with
a bachelor’s degree in Veterinarian Science from the University of
Arizona. He is an animal enthusiastic dedicating his life to teaching
people the delicate balance we share with our natural world having
traveled the world from diving with Great White Sharks to Tanzania’s
Serengeti to the Okavango Delta in Botswana and the jungle of Costa
Rica. He has met and worked with ‘amazing conservationists’ that are
saving animals from extinction.
Two Wednesday afternoon: November 6 th and 13 th at 2:00 p.m. in the
Activity Center’s Hopi Room with an optional follow-up trip to the Zoo.
To see an introductory video click HERE.
Geology of the Catalina and Tucson Mountains – Karen Gray
This class will examine the dominant rocks of the Catalina and Tucson
Mountains, two very different types of events. The Catalinas are
described as metamorphic core complex; you will learn about the kinds
of rocks you find there, how they were formed and the timing of their
formation. The Tucson Mountains are all volcanic, the result of an
enormous eruption in the style of Mt. Saint Helens but much larger.
The initial eruption was explosive and quite rapid. The follow up
optional field trip will be through the Catalina State Park to look at
some of the rocks in place and examine some of the most recent
events.
Presenter: Karen Gray joined the U.S. Geological Survey in 1974 and
completed a master’s degree ending up as a research geologist. She
used a petrographic microscope and a scanning electron microscope to
learn about minerals and to understand the processes in the formation…
leading to the understanding of origin of ore deposits.
Karen is a regular and popular presenter with Saddlebrook’s ILR.
Two Tuesday afternoons: October 22 nd and 29 th at 2:00 p.m. in the
Activity Center’s Hopi Room with an optional field trip to Catalina State
Park.
To see a brief introductory video click HERE.
Barrio Viejo – Mauro Trejo
Tucson’s Barrio Viejo is a “Top Place to Go in North America in 2024” in
Conde Nast Traveler’s list and will receive a National Historic Landmark
designation in 2024. Originally home to Mexicans, Chinese and
territorial settlers, the neighborhood boasts one of the largest
concentrations of stylistically unchanged 1880s adobe buildings in the
United States. This course will cover the history of Tucson, how the
neighborhood developed, its cultural legacy and current importance. It
will also discuss how it was perceived by the English (Anglo) speaking
community and press, its evolution into the 20 th century and how urban
renewal and gentrification has led to what is left today. The optional
walk will cover architecture, specific landmarks and the people who
lived there before urban renewal.
Two Thursday mornings: November 7 th and 14 th at 9:00 a.m. in the
Activity Center’s Hopi Room with an optional follow up street tour.
Presenter: Mauro Trejo a 7 th generation Tucsonan with family dating
back to 1780. He is a board member of the Tucson Presidio Trust, Los
Descendientes de Tucson (the Mexican American History and Heritage
Museum) and the Anza Trail Foundation. He is a popular walking tour
guide through both the Presidio and his own Trejo’s Tucson Walking
Tours.
To watch an introductory video click HERE.
