In his 40-plus years as an educator, Harbor Point resident Bill Valentine has taught at every level from kindergarten to graduate school, but this fall he’s embarking on a new challenge, facilitating a poetry writing course right next door on Columbia Point as part of the UMass Boston Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).
“Last year my wife and I started taking courses in the OLLI program and we loved it, but I noticed there were not many poetry writing courses around,” he says. “So I decided that facilitating would be a great way to share my interest with like-minded seniors.”
Valentine will be joined in bringing new courses to this later-in-life education program by other Dot residents as well as by members of the newly affiliated Stonewall Communities Lifelong Learning Institute, a Boston-based non-profit serving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered seniors.
Part of a national network of 120 similar organizations in every state, the UMass OLLI program enriches the intellectual, social and culture lives of those 50 or older without the pressures of the typical university environment.
No academic or other credentials are required. There are no tests, no papers, and no degrees. Daytime classes meet once a week for up to 2 hours and last anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks. OLLI also sponsors theater outings, day trips to New England museums, even exotic overseas adventures.
This semester’s offerings range from self-improvement courses like introductions to computers and digital cameras to more specialized classes like “The Songs and Musicals of Vincent Youmans” and “Introduction to African Cinema.”
Dorchester, which ranks second only to Quincy as the neighborhood with the most OLLI attendees, has its fair share of “course facilitators,” among them Helena Zurbin who continues her Monday morning “Working with Watercolor” series.
Two popular language courses are taught by Dot residents: Judy Planchon’s Monday morning “Intermediate French Conversation through Cinema” and Irene L. Roman’s Wednesday afternoon “Introduction to Italian and Italy.”
James Buckley, also on the OLLI Board of Directors, will present a Thursday afternoon course on “The Eloquence of Silent Films: A Lost Art.”
Finally, this reporter offers on alternate Wednesday afternoon “Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ ” and “The History of Mystery” (discussion of detective/crime books, TV series, and movies.)
In addition, each semester there are about 40 one-shot lunchtime lectures known as Brown Bag presentations covering travel, health, music, and gardening.
Among the upcoming Brown Bags is “Dot Four: Songs of Experience,” led by local poets Meg Campbell, Sandra Kohler, Jean Knox, and Connie Veenendaal.
To enroll in courses which start in mid-September or early October, visit OLLI.umb.edu, or call 617-287-7312 to request a catalog. Full or partial scholarships are available on request.
