This class will pick up the story of the travails of the US, primarily from the political angle, beginning in the 1970s and bring it up to the present. The twilight of New Deal liberalism, the breakup of the Roosevelt coalition, the fracturing of American culture, the rise of the "New Right," the search for identities of all kinds, the Age of Terror and a Global War against it that at first promised conservative dominance and eventually wrecked the party that promoted it, a worldwide Great Recession and then a pandemic that provoked an explosion of populist grievances we're still reckoning with, and more, will be discussed. Readings will be about 20+ pages a week, and will be distributed. $5 copy fee due at first class.

The Psalms have an interesting history: regarded as sacred scripture by Jews, Christians, and Muslims -- sung in ancient times and still sung today. In this class we will study the psalms themselves and their history, including their importance in the development of music and musical notation. We will learn how the singing of psalms changed from ancient times through the middle ages and into modern times. We will also learn how to sing psalms in English -- both the simplified chant of plainsong and the psalms transformed into hymns in modern hymnals. (You won't have to sing if you don't want to.)

The History Museum's 100 Years in the Making is designed to bring to life the Museum's rich history of collecting and preserving the past. Individuals enrolled in the course will learn about a variety of themes related to the Industrial Revolution, the expanding western frontier, European immigration, the Great Migration, and Victorian-era architecture. Students will meet at the Museum's campus for each session. There will be some walking during several sessions.

Michigan’s 5th Congressional District, formerly represented by Gerald Ford, covers parts of Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and Berrien Counties. It stretches along the state lines of Indiana and Ohio, from Lake Michigan to Lake Erie. The district’s boundaries are often noted for their irregular shape, which has led to discussions about the potential for more compact or logical district designs. Critics suggest that the current configuration may impact local community representation, while others contend that the district’s shape reflects broader political or demographic considerations.

This course concerns the legacy of facism and conflict upon the German people, specifically the families and survivors of the Nazis, beginning with the Denazification Program initiated by the United States and its allies. Course consideration and discussion will include the Nuremberg Trials, military tribunals, executions and imprisonments, as well as the fate of German prisoners-of-war. Focus topics will be the refugee population and the Holocaust resettlement, the widows and “rubble” women living in devastated German cities, as well as the education of the German youth in post-war publications and media.

This will be a single session class March 12, about the South Bend Watch Company. We will discuss the need for high quality watches, a little about how they work, the company's origins, many of the people involved, products, location, ultimate demise and aftermath. For anyone who has an old pocket watch and would like to bring it to the class, I will remain afterward to provide any information I can about the watch. This session will meet Thursday, March 12.

The so-called Conflict Thesis, made popular by Andrew Dickson White and John WIlliam Draper in the 19th century, claims that science and religion are, at best, in conflict, and, at worst, at warfare with each other. This talk will look at the historical roots of this purported tension, beginning with the Galileo affair and ending with Intelligent Design. We will examine Stephen Jay Gould's Non Overlapping Magisteria (NOMA), Richard Dawkins' belief that many Christians are essentially idiots, and wrestle with the idea of beauty and the seemingly numinous qualities of nature. This session will meet Wednesday, April,m22.

The City of Mishawaka was founded in 1833, decades before her larger neighbor South Bend. Join us for a historic walking tour of Mishawaka’s parks, led by town historian, president of the Mishawaka Historical Museum, and author Pete Dekever. Starting at Mishawka’s Beutter Riverfront Park, we’ll visit historic sights and gain a knowledge of Mishawaka’s history, from humble origins to industry powerhouse to modern day growth. Participants must be able to walk about 1.5 miles and stand for approximately 75 minutes. This opportunity is $10, and all proceeds will support both the Mishawaka Historical Museum and Forever Learning. Max of 50