Lancaster Region

This course will explore the state of the news media and their audiences today, attempting to examine whether or not truth can be found there, and if so, how people of faith and people in general might be more successful in extracting it.

The American westerns represent the quintessential contribution of American film history. In this course we will follow the rise of this genre from the B-Film days of the silent era and the 1930s, the emergence in the 1940s with darker, serious films, the golden era of the 1950s and the revisionist shift in the late 1960s and beyond. We will examine the iconic characters of these remarkable films: the rugged men and the strong women. We will also look at the core issues of the mythical American West and pioneering spirit that infused this real and imagined world.

The course will be conducted in five sessions. Each one-hour session will include a display of a few of the “inventions” created by the presenter since moving to Landis homes (participants guess their function), discussion of at least one aspect of creativity, a tale of how that aspect applied in the presenter’s life, and a hands-on creative challenge.  Questions and other interactions are encouraged. The person who has the most correct identifications of the displayed “inventions” (over all five sessions) will receive free consulting (and possible construction assistance) on solving a problem of personal interest.

In 1942, the United States government made serious plans to seize a large portion of Western Lancaster County to install a TNT ammunition plant following Pearl Harbor and the start of World War II. Residents of the farms and houses in the area began to realize that they might have to move and find another place to live and work. However, an unexpected turn of events thwarted the proposed project. Strange as it may seem, 10 years later in 1952, the government again made serious plans to seize the same area to build Air Force maintenance and supply depot. This proposed project was also thwarted -- but for a different reason.

The course will present the stories and the backgrounds of 6 persons who assassinated U.S. presidents and two other political figures (Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy).

Lancaster City's architecture has been shaped by the talent, expertise and vision of architects from Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, Chicago and of Lancaster. This course will introduce the audience to their works, their personalities and their impact from 1738 to 1968. The two hundred year span has graced the city with over thirty six styles of architecture from Georgian to Art Deco. The course will progress through the architectural history chronologically describing each architect and their body of work. Historic photographs and newspaper accounts obtained from Lancaster History and LNP bring each story to life in a way that is entertaining and educational.

The evening news overwhelms us with the bad things that happen - the part of the glass that is half empty. This presentation is focused on good news - the part of the glass that is half full. We will draw from contemporary news but also observations from the instructor’s 90-year sojourn on this planet earth, including some commentary on the crisis we are now experiencing. You are guaranteed to leave this course feeling a little lighter, a little better for having attended. It might even save you a visit to your counselor. A little humor serves as a lubricant.

The course will be conducted in five sessions. Each one-hour session will include a display of a few of the “inventions” created by the presenter since moving to Landis homes (participants guess their function), discussion of at least one aspect of creativity, a tale of how that aspect applied in the presenter’s life, and a hands-on creative challenge.  Questions and other interactions are encouraged. The person who has the most correct identifications of the displayed “inventions” (over all five sessions) will receive free consulting (and possible construction assistance) on solving a problem of personal interest.

Of all the explorations that have occurred throughout the early history of the United States of America, those of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon and Meriwhether Lewis and William Clark are among the most remarkable in terms of purpose, execution and duration. This class will focus on the historic and geographic factors of the questions of Who, What, When, Where, and Why and the technological (or lack thereof) considerations of the How question. 

From sweepstakes and lottery scams to identity theft and investment fraud, the con artists and imposters always manage to stay just a step ahead of us. We can no longer trust what we hear in a phone call from someone trying to get their hands into our wallet or bank account. Consumers must be proactive in protecting our hard-earned money by being aware and informed about current frauds and scams. Join me for this educational presentation filled with tips and practical information.