"Where Learning Never Retires"

Bulletin & Class Schedule

Spring, 2007

Monday classes

Tuesday classes

Wednesday classes

Thursday classes

Friday classes

Weekly schedule

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• Membership fees ($40.00 non-refundable, tax-deductible donation) should be made payable to LSU Foundation.

• All checks and registrations should be mailed to Lagniappe Studies Unlimited, 1128 Pleasant Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.

• Most courses cost $18.00 except when stated otherwise in the course description.

• All applications received prior to February 5, 2007, shall be considered to have been received simultaneously on that date. If a class is not filled on February 5, the remaining vacancies will be assigned to subsequent applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. If, on February 5, a class is too large for its classroom size, and efforts to find adequate space have failed, applicants will be enrolled by random drawing. If, on February5, a class exceeds enrollment limitations imposed by the instructor or by the nature of the course, applicants will be enrolled by random drawing. Those applicants whose names are not drawn will be placed on a waiting list based on the order received. All applicants will be notified of their enrollment status immediately following the drawing. Applications for over-subscribed classes received after February 5 will be placed on the waiting list on a first-come, first-served basis.

• A registration count for each class will be made February 19, 2007, and all classes with less than the required minimum enrollment will be cancelled. Coordinators will notify applicants and instructors of cancellations as soon as possible. Note: If you are interested in a class, it is very important that you apply as early as possible, as a class without minimum enrollment is subject to cancellation the week before the classes begin.

• Course fees will be refunded only in case of a course cancellation or an over-booked class. Membership fees can NEVER be refunded. If you are signing up for only one class and it is cancelled, you may choose other classes, but the membership fee will not be refunded.

Schedule of Classes Spring, 007

(February 26 -- March 30, 2006)
Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea, Adult Education Building

Advanced French
Nietzsche, the Philosopher
Jewelry Class
Introduction to Linguistics
Great Decisions
Spanish for Travelers
Shakespeare's Tragic Heroes
Landscape of America
Chinese Culture

Advanced French

In this class students who know French language basics will be challenged to expand their vocabularies and build upon grammar and usage skills. The instructor is knowledgeable in French language and culture, and students will gain fluency and the confidence to feel at home in la belle France. Classes will be conducted almost entirely in French. In lieu of a textbook, printed handouts will be provided. This will be another frolicsome and stimulating learning adventure for Madame Campbell’s many ardent followers.

Instructor: Madeleine Campbell, native of Algiers, educated in France, University of Algiers and the U.S.; experienced teacher of French in private schools and the Peace Corps Training Center.
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26, and April 2, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Supplies: Duplicating fee of $4.00 will be collected at first class meeting
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA..
Coordinator: Barbara Cherry, 272-3677

Nietzsche is perhaps the most important philosopher of the last century, especially in Europe. He signaled the approach of the malaise we know as nihilism. We will read the early Birth of Tragedy written during a mutual infatuation with Wagner and the great prose poem Thus Spake Zarathustra.

Instructor: Charles Bigger, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Philosophy, LSU. Former chairman of Philosophy and founder and director of the program at LSU; has taught in Taiwan, Edinburgh, and Rhodes.
Text: Any translation of Birth of Tragedy and Thus Spake Zarathustra. Kaufmann is perhaps the best translation.
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26, and April 2, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Helen Roberts, 767-2123

Jewelry Class

Suitable for beginners, this class will consist of three projects: a beaded bracelet, a beaded pin and a button necklace. Two weeks will be allowed for making each project. The square bead bracelet may be made of one color, two colors or multicolored. The pin will be a French beaded pin made on wire. The button necklace can be made from your own buttons, or buttons can be supplied by the instructor. Please let her know your color choice of bracelet as soon as possible (791-2488). She will have a kit available which will cost approximately $25.00 in addition to the regular course fee.

Instructor:: Lindagayle Daniels, jewelry designer and business owner.
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Feb. 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26 and April 2, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Additional Cost: $25.00 for kit payable to the instructor on first day of class.
Class Limit: 12
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Marcia Correll, 355-0891

If you ever tried to learn a language or wondered about the language you speak, this course will answer your questions about what language is, how it is learned, how it is used, and how it is stored in the brain. Whether you want to be exposed to “exotic” languages or learn more about your own, come join us. The course will focus on the interests of the class while discussing a wide range of language universals, language myths, and language changes. Included will be a look at language in Louisiana.

Instructor:Robert Connor, Ph.D. candidate, LSU Linguistics Program, Board of Regents Fellow, and certified language instructor who has studied language communities in Louisiana and Burkina Faso, Africa and presented his research in conferences across the nation.
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26 and April 2, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Gerald Lively, 766-2136

Great Decisions – first published in 1954 – is the centerpiece of the longest-running informal foreign affairs decision program in the United States. Each year, thousands of Americans take part in Great Decisions discussion groups to increase their awareness and understanding of, and to express their opinions on, eight of the most timely, thought-provoking U.S. foreign policy concerns.

Each topic in the 112-page Great Decisions 2007 briefing book places the thematic/geographic issue in historical context and provides background, current policies and alternative policy options. Photographs, maps, charts and editorial cartoons illustrate the text. Discussion questions, annotated reading suggestions and additional resources, including websites, are provided. Sign up for this class to participate in the following topics of discussion:
Middle East: Although the US will remain closely engaged in Iraq during the next year, other factors have emerged to challenge stability in the region. Iran’s nuclear program, the outcome of the conflict in Lebanon and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations will all play a key role. How will these issues shape the Middle East?
Climate Change: How much are humans contributing to substantial and irreversible changes to the environment? What effect are changes to the climate having in different areas of the planet? What response can the international community adopt to lessen the impact of dramatic climate change?
Mexico: The results of Mexico’s presidential election were nearly too close to call, how will this result affect the new Mexican administration’s policies? Can Felipe Calderón successfully reform Mexico’s policies on energy, trade and border security and strengthen relations with the United States?
Migration: The movement of people across international borders can be initiated by conflict, economic reasons or the chance to achieve political freedoms. Migration issues have taken center-stage in the United States and European Union as citizens increasingly worry about job security and terrorism. What are the advantages and disadvantages for countries that are affected by migration?
South Africa: South Africa is the most developed country in Africa and has been an active leader on the continent, yet it is still struggling with post-Apartheid era. What are the political challenges facing South Africa? What impact is the AIDS epidemic having on South Africa’s economy and society?
War Crimes: The creation of the International Criminal Court has established a new venue for investigating and prosecuting war crimes, despite a lack of US participation. Will the non-participation of the US weaken the power of the ICC? What challenges are faced by the ICC in punishing war criminals?
Central Asia: Rich in energy supplies and strategically located, the five countries of Central Asia attract attention from the Middle East, China, Russia and the United States. How will international competition for energy supplies affect each country? What are the US interests in the region?
Children: Ensuring the safety and proper development of children is the stated goal of the global community, yet in some countries, children are exposed to unsafe labor practices, human trafficking, and participation in combat. What role do private donors, governments and international organizations play in ensuring health care, education and safety for the world’s children?

Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 19, 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26, April 2, and April 9, 2007. Please note this class begins one week early and lasts an extra week, for a total of eight weeks.
Class Limit: 30 with a minimum of 20 enrollees. This number will be divided into separate groups for the study sessions with a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 in each group.
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Class fee: $25 (includes textbook)
Coordinator: Tom Moore, 923-0225

Bienvenidos! Welcome! This course will begin with a brief review of material covered last fall, and proceed to new material. Some grammar and vocabulary geared to tourists will be presented, highlighted with videos and recorded music. If time permits, we will write a short story. In the fourth or fifth class we will enjoy a Mexican fiesta with students bringing their favorite dishes. After the six weeks, students and instructor will have lunch at a Mexican restaurant, ordering from the menu in Spanish. Students will know how to say a toast before the meal. Much cultural information will be included as well as various objects, pictures, etc. Students will learn some proverbs and a song. In the Fall 2006 semester, a number of students requested some intermediate studies; therefore, we will add intermediate instruction along with beginning Spanish. Since there are only six lessons (once a week), if a student misses more than ONE class it would be a great disadvantage.

Instructor:Trudi Meyers, experienced tutor of Spanish, who has taught many years for Lagniappe Studies Unlimited.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26 and April 2, 2007.
Required Text: Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Pat Ketelsen, 766-3688

After examining the genre of comedy and its characteristics, we will explore how love and marriage, as well as other themes, are presented in three of Shakespeare’s most marvelous comedies:

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
• The Merchant of Venice, and
• The Tempest.

There will also be film versions of these works.
Instructor: Christine Cowan, M.A., University of Dallas. Instructor in LSU’s English Department, focusing on Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance literature and culture and a great lover of Shakespeare. Since 1989, she has won six awards for excellence in teaching.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26, and April 2, 2007.
Text: Any versions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Merchant of Venice, and The Tempest.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Clay Waggenspack, 924-1146

The land affects us in many ways: history is altered, art and literature are inspired, science is discovered, sites are selected for special purposes, products are designed and produced, and lives are changed. Yet often we don’t think much about the environment nor the land itself. This class should make you more appreciative of the landscape and its impact on people. Each of the six weeks will feature photographic slides related to the outline below:
• Physiographic overview of North America
• Attitudes about the land and the need for the use of land to fit the land
• Protection of the natural landscape
• People and the land
• Values of wilderness
• Atchafalaya, a world-class landscape

Instructor:Charles Fryling, Jr., Associate Professor, LSU School of Landscape Architecture.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26 and April 2, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Jo Ann Fryling, 766-3120

A Sample of Chinese Culture

As modern China is attracting more of the world’s attention, here is an opportunity to see some of its graceful arts. John Hu has put together a group of talented instructors to introduce us to the following topics:

• Chinese Scholar Rocks
• Chinese Tea Ceremony
• Chinese Painting
• Chinese Calligraphy
• Acupuncture
• Origami

Instructors: Margaret Koai, Frances Hu, Shou-hua Xia, John Hu
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26 and April 2, 2007.
Class fee:$18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Joyce Siegel, 928-3700

Reflective Surfaces in Glass
Beginning Digital Photography
Contemporary Multimedia Surface Design
Lawn Chair Gardening
Increasing Income and Principal with Securities
The Future of Baton Rouge
The Acadian Experience
Flannery O'Connor's The Violent Bear it Away
Russian History and Culture

Surfaces in Glass
– An Intermediate Watercolor Class –

Lagniappe has done it again – we have scheduled a professional artist who has agreed to share her knowledge and techniques with us this session by offering us another still-life class. In this class Carol will share with us the trade secrets of painting glass and its reflections. She will take us through a step-by-step process using watercolor techniques to depict reflected light on a subject and make glass sparkle. This will be an intermediate level class and participants should have experience handling the watercolor medium.

Instructor: Carol Creel is an artist, photographer, teacher and traveler. She is frequently on demand for instruction and workshops for the area art guilds. Carol’s work has been exhibited across the U.S. and Europe and has been featured in a national artists’ magazine. You can see her work at http://www.carolcreel.com and in fine art galleries.
Time and Dates: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Feb. 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 2007.
Supplies: List will be provided each week.
Class fee: $33.00 Please notice this is a three-hour class.
Class Limit: 12.
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church. 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Marilyn Dartez, 658-8152

This seminar will be an introduction to digital still photography with step-by-step instructions for:
• Taking photographs
• Transferring them to a computer
• Enhancing them using software
• Sharing images by printing, e-mail, and online albums.
A digital camera is not required for this course.

Instructor:Jim Bolner, Sr., Ph.D., retired professor, LSU Political Science whose specialty is American Constitutional history and law.
Time and Dates:: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27, and April 3, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church. 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Mitch Hollier, 272-0930

Participants will explore traditional and contemporary uses of threads, fibers, papers and found objects to produce small embroidered studies suitable for framing. Participants will create surfaces to embroider using crayon transfer, shaving cream monoprints and fabric painting.

Instructor:Katy Prescott, Contemporary Fiber Artist whose works have been juried into the International Quilt Show and exhibited in galleries. She is a retired East Baton Rouge Parish School principal.
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 2007.
Supplies: List will be provided each week.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church. 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Jane Olson-Phillips, 752-0806

Lawn Chair Gardening

Ed O’Rourke and Leon Standifer, long-time gardeners and retired LSU professors, will give us a folk style, no-nonsense approach to common sense gardening for the homeowner. They will tailor the class around questions and interests of the class. The class is interactive, and you will be able to address your questions about gardening. There will be interesting anecdotes and lively discussion.

Instructors: Edmund O’Rourke, Ph.D., Cornell University, has thirty-seven years of experience in research and teaching horticulture. Leon Standifer, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, has thirty-five years of research and teaching experience.
Time and Dates:: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Pat Ketelsen, 766-3688

Increasing Income and Principal with Securities

This class will show you how to build a portfolio to meet your needs, reducing risk and increasing income. At the same time you may learn about trading on the exchanges, over the counter and bond market and picking a brokerage house and advisor.

Instructor: Robert Blumberg BS, LSU in Business Administration, 51 years with major security firms, retired Vice-President of UBS/Merrill Lynch
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27, and April 3, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Ron Read, 261-4497

Baton Rouge is now the largest city in the state. We are presented with a unique opportunity and an exciting challenge to plan the future for ourselves and our children. Our city has an opportunity to grow in significant and exciting ways. Community leaders will discuss our future from a state and local government perspective. Topics of interest to all Baton Rouge citizens will be covered through the six sessions.

Instructors: Various community leaders.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Gayle Joseph, 767-2597

In 1604 a group of Frenchmen left their mother country to establish a colony in North America in present-day Nova Scotia. Over a period of some 180 years, a large portion of their descendants found their way to Louisiana. This is the story of their lives through the discovery of their Acadie, to them a virtual paradise on earth; their devastating expulsion from their lands at the hands of a few Englishmen; of the terrible toll those years took on them and their descendant families, of their suffering as a result of their diaspora, and their final home in Louisiana. We will examine the effects of their nearly two centuries of wandering on their lives, their customs, occupations, language, music, architecture, food and much more. This course will conclude with a look at where Cajunism is today, and what it bodes for the future of their culture. An occasional Boudreaux/Thibodeaux joke will be accepted.

Instructor:Ted Jambon, a native of Golden Meadow, BA Education, LSU; MA History, Univ. of Maryland; Retired Military served as a Major and a pilot.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Mitch Hollier, 272-0930

Flannery O’Connor’s
The Violent Bear It Away

The course will be devoted to a close reading of O’Connor’s second and more challenging novel and to a careful analysis of the biblical allusions, symbols, and metaphors that run through the story – with a view toward understanding the overall meaning and impact of the work and the meaning of the perplexing title in relation to the well-known quotation from St. Matthew’s Gospel. Participants should read chapter one of the novel prior to the first class.

Instructor:John R. May, Alumni Professor of English and Religious Studies
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Required Text: The Violent Bear it Away, Flannery O’Connor
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Clay Waggenspack, 924-1146

This class will explore the culture and politics of the Soviet Union from the 1950's to the early years of the 21st century through the experiences of our instructor. Events in the lives of the Soviet citizens from Stalin’s death to the collapse of the Communist empire will give the student a first hand perspective of the country and its people. We will meet “Olga the Fixer”, who could make your police
problems disappear and “Yevgena the Finder” scouring the city for toys and clothes for her child, and others who tell the story of survival in harsh times under a harsh government. Nina will show us how ordinary citizens survived through humor, forbidden literature and knowing how to “get around” in the country.
Instructor:Nina Semko received her MA from Kiev State University, has taught and lectured in the Ukraine, and has written books and articles for tour guides. More recently she has worked on international projects related to Russian and Ukrainian history for the United States State Department.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Joyce Siegel, 928-3700

WEDNESDAY

Backstage at the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra
Special topics for Gardeners
Beginning French I
History of natural Disasters in the U. S.
Israel's Struggle to Survive
Beginning French II
Renaissance Art
Genealogy Research Methods and Standards
Development of the American Political System

Backstage at the Baton Rouge Symphony

As with most live performances, the concert experience represents the culmination of many hours of intensive planning and facilitating, very little of which is ever revealed to the attending public. What does it really take to put an orchestra on stage at the River Center Theater? We will attempt to answer this question as we take an in-depth “glance” at what goes on backstage at the Symphony. During our six-session course, key personnel of the Baton Rouge symphony will discuss some of the challenges they face in the areas of development and financing, marketing and public relations, personnel and logistical operations, audience building, program design, education and community outreach. As part of this backstage visit, students will have the opportunity to attend a working rehearsal of the Baton Rouge Symphony, and to sit among musicians on stage for a very different view as Maestro Timothy Muffitt puts the BRSO musicians through their paces in preparation for a Masterworks concert.

Instructor:Ron Bermingham, Ph.D., McGill University is Director of Artistic Operations, Education and Community Engagement, BRSO. He studied voice with Pierre Fleta at the Conservatoire Royal de Musique in Liege, Belgium and with Canadian Bass Baritone Gason Germain at the Universite de Montreal and has a career spanning over 30 years as a musical performer and director in Europe and North America.
Time and Dates:9:00 – 11:00 a.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 2007. Please notice this class begins at 9:00 a.m.
Class fee:: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Ned Borie, 293-0910

Three sessions will be on Camellias and will be taught by Art Landry, President Emeritus, American Camellia Society and Director of the International Camellia Society. You will learn how to make your camellias thrive and bloom, the various species available, their characteristics, and how to select plants for your garden. Camellia culture will be covered including planting, fertilizing, watering, mulching, pruning, disbudding, and propagation of plants through cuttings, grafting and seeds. Some class sessions will make use of the Stone Memorial Camellia Garden adjacent to the Burden Conference Center.

Tropical Gingers and Louisiana Irises
Claire Fontenot, Master Gardener who coordinates volunteers at the Baton Rouge Botanic Garden at Independence Park, will teach the seminar on tropical gingers and Louisiana irises. This will include the history, culture, and identification of some of the most popular irises and gingers in our area. The course will cover selecting, planting, dividing, mulching, watering requirements, diseases and pests.

Perennials
Peggy Cox, curator at Windrush Gardens will talk about perennials. Peggy has taught in the Master Gardener program as well as worked in horticultural research at Burden Research Center. She is a member of the Herb society and Landscape Association. The discussion will center on perennial selection, planting, mulching, general care, pests and diseases. Also, students will learn how to use perennials in a landscape, and get information on butterfly gardens. There will be a guided tour of the Windrush Gardens at the Rural Life Museum.

Roses
Frances Falcon, a Consulting Rosarian of the American Rose Society and editor of the Baton Rouge Rose Society’s newsletter “The Roseline”, will teach our class the many aspects of roses. There are more kinds of roses than you can imagine. Frances has grown roses for 26 years and has 110 plants in her garden. A guided tour of the Burden Rose Garden will be a part of this class. Frances Falcon will teach the group how to select roses, use them in the landscape, and the correct procedures for planting, mulching, fertilizing, pruning, and spraying for their proper care.
Time and Dates: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Burden Conference Center, 4560 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Claire Fontenot, 753-1100

This class will give the learner the essential vocabulary needed to communicate in everyday life. The course is designed so that the student will learn to express him or herself in practical situations. Students can expect to continue in the fall session with the second half of the book. Be sure to have the book on the first day of class.

Instructor:Denise Magnat, a Lagniappe Studies Unlimited member has taught French as a foreign language to all age groups for 36 years, including in Besancon, France; Columbia University, N. Y.; Kinshasa, Zaire, Africa; and Wellington New Zealand.
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 2007.
Text: Schaum’s Foreign Language Series Novice/Elementary Level, by Conrad J. Schmitt. A tape is also available and is useful for the class. Both can be purchased at Cottonwood Books.
Class fee: $18.00
Class Limit: 20
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: call 578-6763

This course will examine the history of natural disasters in the United States, including their causes and the responses to them. Among the catastrophes to be covered are the Chicago fire of 1871, the Johnstown flood of 1889, the Galveston hurricane of 1900, the San Francisco earthquake and fires of 1906, and the Mississippi River flood of 1927. Each of these disasters stressed the social fabric, political system, and economic capacity of the communities most directly affected and left an indelible impression on the national culture, as well.

Instructor: Paul Paskoff, Associate Professor of History, LSU, with a specialization in 19th century United States Economic History.
Time and Dates:: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea, Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Jim Bolner, 766-5987

Israel’s Struggle to Survive

The subtitle to this course is “The Deeper meanings and Consequences of its Thirty-four Day War with Hezbollah.” The class will be about the latest war Israel has faced and its consequences for Israel and the Middle East. Learn about the impacts of this war on Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran in the continuing crisis America faces far from home. We will include the historical background of Israel and her neighbors leading up to the current crisis.

Instructor:Rabbi Barry Weinstein
Time and Dates:: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Carol Kinchen, 766-8557

Beginning French II

This class is a continuation of the Beginning French I class and will give the learner essential vocabulary needed to communicate in everyday life and exposure to the French language. The student will be able to express him or herself in practical situations. We will begin with Chapter 9 in the book listed below. Be sure to have the book on the first day of class.

Instructor: Denise Magnat, a Lagniappe Studies Unlimited member who has taught French as a foreign language to all age groups for 36 years, including Besancon, France; Columbia University, N.Y.; Kinshasa, Zaire, Africa; and Wellington, New Zealand.
Time and Dates: 12:30 – 2:30 p.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 2007. Please notice the special time for these classes.
Required Text: Schaum’s Foreign Language Series Novice/Elementary Level, by Conrad J. Schmitt
Class fee: $18.00
Class Limit:: 20
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Claire Fontenot, 753-1100

Renaissance Art

Ever wonder what the big deal is about the Renaissance? The artists of fifteenth-century Italy established art standards that were admired, emulated, and closely followed for the next 500 years. They are the original “Old Masters,” and we’ll look at some of the masterpieces in painting and sculpture from that fertile century.

Instructor: Susan Zucker, Assistant Professor, freshman-level art classes, LSU.
Time and Dates:: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 2007.
Optional Text: Janson’s History of Art; Gardner Art Through the Ages; Stockstad Art a Brief History.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Mary Johnson, 344-3375

Genealogy Research Methods and Standards

This course is appropriate for all levels of genealogical experience and skill. Classes will focus progressively on key sources and critical methods in conducting family research. The topics will include:
• Begin at home with interviews and family tradition.
• Locate reliable sources of information, properly record them, and analyze their significance.
• Record types, both public and private – their proper uses and limitations.
• Understand problem analysis, credibility, and the Genealogical Proof Standard.
• Develop strategies to deal with “brick wall” problems.
• Make the most of computers and the Internet.
• Go beyond research with writing and publishing.
The course will include a working field research trip to the Genealogy Collection, Bluebonnet Branch, East Baton Rouge Parish Public Library.

Instructors: Judith Lanoux Smith has been a working genealogist for 30 years and a genealogical instructor for 15 years. She is a computer science specialist. She is a Trustee of the LA Genealogical & Historical Society and is the Examining Genealogist for the Society’s First Families of Louisiana program. Michael K. Smith is a retired librarian and archivist with 30 years’ experience in the Dallas Public Library, specializing in local history and records. He has been editor for six years of the quarterly Louisiana Genealogical Register.
Time and Dates:1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Paul Roy, 752-3118

Development of the American Political System

Voters, Parties and Candidates -- we will examine the development of the American electoral system, from the individual voters to the candidates and their campaigns, the parties and their conventions, and the electoral media. And even, yes, fraud and graft. There will be stuff!

Instructor: Dr. James Hardy, Professor of European History, LSU Honors College.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Joyce Siegel, 928-3700

Beginning French III
Introduction to Watercolor: Painting from Photos
United Nations Millennium Project
Introduction to Astronomy
LSU Vet School/BR Zoo
A La Prima Oil Painting
A Thirteenth Opera Season
Mozart and Haydn
Great Books, Part I

Beginning French III

This is a continuation of the Beginning French II class from Fall, 2006. Students will begin where that class ended and will complete the book. Be sure to have the book on the first day of class.

Instructor: Denise Magnat, a Lagniappe Studies Unlimited member who has taught French as a foreign language to all age groups for 36 years, including Besancon, France; Columbia University, N.Y.; Kinshasa, Zaire, Africa; and Wellington, New Zealand.
Time and Dates: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.., March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29,and April 5, 2007. Please notice the special time for these classes.
Required Text: Schaum’s Foreign Language Series Novice/Elementary Level, by: Conrad J. Schmitt
Class fee: $18.00
Class Limit: 20
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Marcia Correll, 355-0891

Introduction to Watercolor: Painting from Photos

In this class, students will be introduced to the challenges and rewards of watercolor. Serving as a foundation for future success in the watercolor process, this course will focus on the basic tools, materials and techniques used in this exciting painting medium. During the six-week course, we will focus on value, color, composition and painting techniques. Students will bring their own supplies, which will cost between $50 - $100. Paper will be available for purchase at the first class.

Instructor: Roberta VanZandt Loflin is a native of New Jersey with a BA in Art History and Theory, George Washington University. She studied at Northern Virginia Community College and taught art classes to teachers, parents and grade-school children. Her work is currently on display at the LSU Dental Clinic, Semolina’s Restaurants and the LAAG gallery.
Time and Dates: 9:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m., March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5, 2007. Please notice this is a three-hour class.
Class Limit:12
Class fee: $33 .00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Don Schifferl, 766-3654

United Nations Millennium Project

In September of 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Millennium Declaration. The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and the world’s leading development institutions. These goals which range from cutting extreme poverty in half to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education all by the target date of 2015 have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest. We will consider the success of the project to date, ways the US and other industrial countries help and hinder the effort, how poor countries affect and are impacted by global warming, the Doha Round of international trade negotiations, and other matters. (More information can be found at www.un.org/millenniumgoals/.)

Instructor: Nancy Sidener, Ph.D., UC, Davis and A.B, UC, Berkeley. Before retiring, she taught economics at the University of Colorado and part time at LSU, while directing the LA Council for Economic Education.
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Optional Text: The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time, by Jeffrey Sachs
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Brenda LeBoeuf, 769-8969

Introduction to Astronomy

The course will consist of the following six parts:
• Astronomy without a telescope
• The calendar, the sun and the moon
• The planets, asteroids, comets, and meteorites Galaxies
• Strange objects in the sky (pulsars, quasars, and black holes)
• Cosmology (The Big Bang, inflation, cosmic expansion)
There will be handouts on the important historical figures, such as Tycho Brahe, Johann Kepler, and Edwin Hubble.

Instructor: Greg Hussey, Ph.D. retired professor of Physics at LSU.
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Donald Schifferl, 766-3654

LSU Vet School/BR Zoo

The LSU Vet School will present five classes on the following topics:

• Race Horse Laminitis
• Equine Diseases That Impact Humans
• A visit from the Wildlife Hospital
• When to seek help from a veterinarian.
• Epidemiology

The sixth class will be presented by Phil Frost, Director of Greater Baton Rouge Zoo, who will tell us “what’s new at the zoo”.

Instructors: Faculty members from LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and Phil Frost, BR Zoo.
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Pat Ketelsen, 766-3688

A La Prima Oil Painting

This class is for oil painters with some experience with oil painting. We will emphasize painting rapidly, drawing with a brush and completing one small (8”x10” to 11”x14”) painting at each session. Students will use a limited palette of colors with a limited value range (five values). Participants should learn to simplify and unify their work for maximum impact. Painting will be from actual class set ups and photos. We will investigate the drama of light and shadow and how these elements affect our paintings. The aim will be to learn new skills and to see the “BIG” picture rapidly.

Instructor: Elizabeth Denton, studio artist and instructor; BA Art History, LSU; New Orleans Academy of Fine Art; certified teacher of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.
Time and Dates:1:00 – 4:00 p.m., March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5, 2007. Please notice this is a three-hour class.
Class fee: $33.00
Supplies:List will be mailed with class confirmation.
Class Limit: 12
Reference Book: Oil Painting: Develop Your Natural Ability by Charles Sovek.
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Carin Carlson, 225 635-6894

A Thirteenth Opera Season

In four classes, we will focus on a different opera each week using DVD’s and lectures. The operas are Massenet’s Manon, Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’Amore, and Wagner’s Gotterdammerung. In a fifth class, John Keene, who is Music Director of LSU Opera, will present an informance for Floyd’s Willie Stark, which is the LSU Opera’s major spring production. Student singers will offer selections from the production. Details for a sixth class are being worked out.

Instructor: Thomas Beard, Ph.D., Alumni Professor Emeritus of Economics, LSU. Opera enthusiast and collector of opera recordings.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., March 1, 15, 22, 29, April 5 and 12, 2007. Please note the class will skip March 8th.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Ken Nelson 769-7842

These two composers were writing at the height of the Classic era, when the aesthetic was form, grace and elegance, rather than emotion and individual expression. Because of this, their music sounds superficially similar, but the two composers were temperamentally quite different. We will hear symphonies, chamber music, concertos, and other music by this pair, and discuss how their music relates directly to their lives and careers.

Instructor: Alison McFarland Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Musicology, LSU.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5, 2007.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Pat Ketelsen, 766-3688

Great Books, Part I

If you have intended to read some classic literature, here’s your chance. We will discuss six fairly short selections beginning with the fascinating Epic of Gilgamesh using a method called “shared inquiry” which was developed by the Great Books Foundation over 50 years ago. All six selections (Epic of Gilgamesh, Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus, “Of Friendship,” and “Of Solitude” by Michel de Montaigne, An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, “The Stages of Life” by Carl Jung, and “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro) are contained in the book Great Conversations I, which can be purchased for $24.95 from the Great Books Foundation (1-800-222-5870, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. central time). To insure delivery before the first class, the book should be ordered at least two weeks prior to the first class. Most or all of these selections are also available through the East Baton Rouge Parish Library. Plans are to use six more selections from the book Great Conversations I in a future Great Books class.

Instructor: Gerald Lively, a long-time on-air volunteer at WRKF Public Radio, and an avid reader. He recently started a book club called “Reading the Classics” at the Bluebonnet Library.
Time and Dates: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5, 2007.
Class Limit: 15
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Gerald Lively, 766-2136

Friday

 Painting with Triads
Life Writing
Issues in Mass Communications

Painting with Triads and Critique Class

Working with two triads separately and together, we will be able to have a perfect balance between warm and cool. Two reds: one warm and one cool; two blues: one warm and one cool; two yellows: one warm and one cool. The critique class will help the artist to evaluate their own work as well as look at art in a more artistic and professional way.

Instructor: Roberta Loflin
Time and Dates: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Feb. 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2007 Please note this is a three-hour class and begins one week early.
Class fee: $33.00
Class Limit: 12
Supplies: List will be supplied upon confirmation of class.
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Jo Ellen Crankshaw, 926-3635

Life Writing

Those who have thoughts of relating some of their lifetime experiences for their children and grandchildren will find this workshop exactly what is needed to get started. The course will provide incentives and encouragement for each student to write about his or her lifetime experiences. The instructor will help each student start to write and to make his/her experiences interesting to the reader. Interaction between the skilled instructor and enthusiastic students should ensure an enjoyable learning experience.

Instructor: Dorothy Bankston
Time and Dates: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2007. Please notice this class begins one week early.
Required Text:
Supplies: composition book, pen and pencils.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.

Issues in Mass Communications

The LSU Manship School of Mass Communication will provide another semester of outstanding presentations to introduce you to the media world from the inside out. Each week, a different member of the faculty will lead a class on a different phase of communications. These will include:

How Sausage is Made: Case Studies in media dilemmas. Instructor is Jay Shelledy, Director of Student Media, LSU, former editor of Salt Lake Tribune

First Amendment Issues and Ethics: The relationship between First Amendment rights and responsibilities. Instructor is Ralph Izard, Sig Mickelson Professor, LSU Manship School of Mass Communications, a former director of the School of Journalism at Ohio University, former associate dean in the Manship School of Mass Communications.

Public Relations or Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: The PR vs. Spin Debate. Instructor is Richard Nelson, Professor, LSU Manship School of Mass Communications who teaches public relations courses in the Manship School of Mass Communications and is an expert on propaganda.

Sex, Lies and Video Tape: Separating myths from mystique in the news media. A candid, inside explanation of how the press is manipulated, how it occasionally manipulates, and how it isn’t as biased as people think. Instructor is Jay Shelledy, Director of Student Media, LSU, former editor of Salt Lake Tribune.

How to Interpret Media Coverage of Crime and How it Relates it to Personal Risk: Instructor is Melissa Moore, adviser to the Reveille and former crime reporter for the Advocate.

LSU’s Fascinating History: Instructor is Ronald Garay, Walker Lockett Professor, LSU Manship School of Mass Communications. Dr. Garay has taught at LSU for over 30 years and served as Associate Dean of the Manship School. He is currently working on a history of the LSU Manship School of Mass Communications.

Time and Dates:9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Feb. 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2007. Please notice this class begins one week early.
Class fee: $18.00
Location: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 10230 Mollylea Dr., Baton Rouge, LA.
Coordinator: Bill Gallmann, 753-9729

• PLEASE HELP OUT!

Please look for the space on the reverse side of the registration form for those who will volunteer to make coffee and clean up on one or more class days. Students are urged to sign up for this small but vital chore. Coffee breaks are a big part of each semester. The Coffee Committee will assign a time and notify each volunteer. Your cheerful assistance will help our volunteer-owned-and-operated-organization to continue being the best and brightest. Thanks for helping.

Lagniappe Studies Unlimited cannot function without the aid of the many members who volunteer to serve on committees, doing various tasks such as rearranging chairs and tables, making suggestions for classes and field trips or doing whatever you see that needs to be done. We thank you for being an involved member and helping us to assure a wide variety of interesting courses and activities. This is your organization. Please continue to participate in any capacity you see fit.

• SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE!

If you know someone 50 years of age or older who may wish to join Lagniappe Studies Unlimited but who may need financial assistance, please call the office at 578-6763. That person may be eligible for a year’s free membership and up to four free classes.

• BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS Lagniappe Studies Unlimited follows the policy of the East Baton Rouge Parish Schools with regard to school closings in times of inclement weather. If the public schools are closed because of weather conditions or other emergency, our classes will also be cancelled. You will be able to get closing announcements from TV or radio news.