| Learning in Retirement |
By M. Kleinau.
“Nobody ever saw a fat man in the Missouri Ozarks. They are too shiftless, too trifling, too worthless to even get fat.” That’s a statement written by the editor of the Carbondale Herald in 1897. I won’t bother to repeat what the editor of the Missouri paper said in response (it was equally colorful), but you could have found out if you had signed up for “Fussin’, Fightin’, and Feudin’, Tales of Early Southern Illinois and Missouri,” one of the Learning in Retirement classes presented several years ago.
On the other hand, if you have the itch to dabble in water color painting, to learn how to write your own memoirs or conjure up some short stories, the time is ripe to look into the many course offerings available in the Learning in Retirement program.
Southern Illinois Learning in Retirement
is a collaborative effort between the SIUC Department of Continuing Education and
a group of interested retirees who want to continue to enjoy the life long
process of learning. Most courses take place in Carbondale at the Dunn-Richmond
Center but there are also day trips to other places or events of
interest.
Don’t get the wrong idea. This isn’t like starting high school or college all over again. You don’t start at 8:00 in the morning and finish at 4:00 in the afternoon. A majority of the offerings are two-hour courses taught once a week for five weeks. And you don’t have to worry that the teacher will stand you in the corner if you talk too much. These classes are as much a social opportunity with plenty of give and take, as they are learning activities.
One thing for sure, the classes offered are intended to be responsive to specific needs and interests that most senior adults have in common. For example, other Fall classes this year include a class in reviewing your personal financial plan (which might even include what numbers to play in the lottery), and for those of you just getting started working with the computer there will be a class especially for beginners.
One class that particularly interests me is on how to become a Master Gardener. Some may want to involve husbands or wives in order for them to learn the difference between a weed and a flower. And while we’re on the subject of gaining insight, one of the classes – Understanding Medicare – may be of enormous value to you regardless of how long you have been in Senior Citizen status.
For those who would like to celebrate the arts, the Live Theater Group had a great beginning this past spring, and will be attending productions both in and out of town in the fall. If you are nervous about driving to see a production at the St. Louis Repertory Theater, for example, this is a good way to see a play and leave the driving to someone else.
What better way to spend your free time? The cost is minimal and the rewards great. And let me invite you not only to take courses, but to become a member of the parent organization – Learning in Retirement – and assist in the planning of future activities. Who knows? Perhaps you have a course to teach or a role to play on the steering committee. After all, this is a co-operative learning endeavor and only your participation can guarantee its success.
Just ask around; talk to people who have taken advantage of the program. This is a very inexpensive and enjoyable way to enhance your social life and stimulate your mind at the same time.
###
Note: Other educational opportunities include the Elderhostel Programs available throughout the country and abroad, and courses offered through local Community Colleges. For information on Elderhostel call toll-free 1.877.426.8056. For information on Continuing Education opportunities through Community Colleges, call the Community College in the district where you live.
Return to Miscellaneous Issues