This session will examine the sometimes smooth and often rocky relationship between science and government in the debate over public policy goals and their implementation. The use of nuclear weapons in war, the landing of humans on the moon, and the vanquishing of disease all exemplify the interplay of scientists and politicians in the pursuit of public policies. Debates over vaccination, biotechnologies, and climate change all illustrate the turbulent search for truth and appropriate policy action in a time of sharply polarized politics.

This course will examine how we can live better together. In an interactive environment we will be the teachers and learners together as we learn principles of dignity and respect toward others who have different political, cultural and religious viewpoints. To guide our discussions, we will be using the book Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict by Donna Hicks. Course participants are encouraged to read the book prior to the class. 

Two programs of piano music by great composers will feature a survey of significant pieces from the 16th to the 20th centuries. The first program will include well known pieces from the following composers: Bach, Purcell, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Messiaen, Brahms, and Chopin. As we listen, St. Colombe said, “We may realize that music exists to say something that words cannot say. “The second program will include transcriptions from opera and sacred music in addition to descriptive pieces of nature and religious significance. You will hear music that evokes memories of birdsong, poetry, Bible stories, and the musical expression of the joys and sorrows we have all experienced during our lives.

The c. 1886 Mount Tabor AME Zion Church and Cemetery is listed in the National Register of Historic places. Located in Mount Holly Springs Borough, Cumberland County, PA, the church was established by formerly enslaved and free individuals who migrated to the town after the Civil War. The church was the heart of the local African American community. The building is a locally significant example of vernacular log design. In Part I of the course Carmen James - a former member of the church - will share the history of the church and the work of Mt. Tabor Preservation Project (MTPP) and show artifacts. The Project started in 2016 by a group of descendants, former congregants, residents, and historians. This group of volunteers is dedicated to discovering, preserving, and presenting the history of the church and the cemetery. Part II is a field trip to visit the church and cemetery. It will include a tour of the Amelia S. Givin Free Library, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The tour will involve standing and some walking for about an hour and half. There are no restrooms on the church site. Restrooms are available in the library. The library is ADA compliant. *Additional fee includes transportation only. Donations to MTTP are welcome at the time of the tour.

Using a poetry anthology called Sweeping Beauty: Contemporary Women Poets Do Housework, edited by Pamela Gemin, the instructor will provide an experience in which participants will see/touch household things that may remind them of mothers, aunts, etc. and domestic life. Several poems will be emphasized with performance art using pots, serving dishes, sheets, etc. as she reads the poems. Time will be allocated for participants to share with classmates a brief recollection of a domestic experience. A variety of special resources will be available for participants to explore.