APRIL - MaY, 2025

HYBRID

In-person and Virtual classes
Contemporary Challenges for Canada's Political Future - Michael MacMillan
Contemporary Challenges for Canada's Political Future - Michael MacMillan
Thursdays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 10 to May 22
No class - May 15
In-Person: Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
Virtual: Zoom webinar

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Canada's political and economic future may be severely challenged in the coming months in ways that have yet to be clarified. The looming possibility of tariff wars initiated by the Trump administration risks the end of the free trade agreement as we've known it, with attendant economic policies issues that will substantially change Canadian political and economic life. These issues will unfold in the context of a national election that may reshape the regional distribution of power in Canada and the capacity of a Canadian govertnment to respond to the American challenge. The course will examine the issues that will be central to political discussion in the coming months, situating them in their historical and socio-economic context.

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Michael MacMillan is Professor Emeritus in Political Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University.
He received a PhD in Political Science from the University of Minnesota. He has taught courses for four decades in democratic theory and practice, Canadian politics and public policy.
Windows on the Middle Ages - Elizabeth Edwards
Windows on the Middle Ages - Elizabeth Edwards
Thursdays 1:30 PM-3:30 PM (6 wks) Apr 10 to May 22
No class - May 15
In-Person: Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
Virtual: Zoom webinar

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will open several windows on the thousand year period in Europe known as the Middle Ages. Rather than a comprehensive survey, the course will offer perspectives on thinkers, poets, and historical events, beginning with St. Augustine’s Confessions (c. 410) and ending with Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte Darthur (1469), after circuiting through the reign of Charlemagne, the love affair of Abelard and Heloise, a brief history of the crusades, St. Francis preaching to the birds, the Hundred Years War, and Dante’s Inferno, via torture, plague, chivalry, and war. Topics will necessarily reflect the lecturer’s interests and specialties, which means an emphasis on England and France, and special emphasis on literature. Students will be asked to read a few short texts (to be posted on-line) and all of the English poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, for the final lecture.
​
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Elizabeth Edwards is an Inglis Professor at the University of King’s College (retired), where she taught for 30 years in the Foundation Year Program and in Contemporary Studies. She continues as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of English at Dalhousie University, where she completed two degrees. She holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge. She is the author of The Genesis of Narrative in Malory’s Morte Darthur and has recently compiled an anthology of medieval Arthurian literature, with Dr. Kathy Cawsey, for Broadview Press. Her career included terms as Director of Contemporary Studies, Vice-President of King’s College, and President of the Canadian Society of Medievalists. A medievalist by training, she also has strong interests in Victorian novelists, critical theory, psychoanalysis, art, and dance.

ONLINE

Virtual class
The Role of Money and its Effect on the Climate Crisis - Richard Zurawski
The Role of Money and its Effect on the Climate Crisis - Richard Zurawski
Tuesdays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 08 to May 13
Virtual: Zoom webinar

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This lecture series will look at the climate crisis through the lens of money and finances, its effect on how we understand and react to mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis. It covers the financing of misinformation, climate crisis denial, and the discrediting of legitimate science and scientists, through a vast network of pseudo-thinktanks financed by the fossil fuel industry. It looks at how this misinformation infiltrates our politics, our cities, personal lives, and living spaces. It covers how money affects our willingness to adopt to new climate crisis adaptation and mitigation methods including technologies such as batteries, hydrogen, green electricity, urban planning, transportation, education, food security, green spaces, immigration, and the environment.

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Until recently I had a weekly science question and answer show on Q104 (radio) in Halifax (Q-Files). I have been an on-air meteorologist, science reporter, and talk show host for the CBC, CTV, GlobalTV, and Rogers Media.
I was an elected HRM (Halifax Regional Municipality) Councillor for District 12 and served for four years (2016-2020). I was also the Green Renewal Critic the Green Party of Canada shadow cabinet.
My PhD research specialized in Climate Change and the media. I also have a B.Sc in physics and an M.A. (Research) in education. I was a lecturer at Saint Mary’s University and Mount Saint Vincent University from 2011-2017.
As a documentary film maker I have produced, written and hosted numerous science and history documentaries, broadcast domestically and abroad. I have syndicated three children’s television series, Wonder Why?, The Adventures of the AfterMath Crew and WiseWeatherWhys.
I have published four books, my first about Maritime weather, the second about climate change, the third about the media in science, and my fourth, The Science Files - Questions and Answers From A to Z is based on the questions and answers of my on-air listeners.
My work to promote science and learning on all levels was rewarded in November of 2013 with the Discovery Centre’s Science Champion Award.
Modern Korean History - Brendan Wright
Modern Korean History - Brendan Wright
Fridays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 11 to May 23
No class - April 18
Virtual: Zoom webinar​

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This lecture course will cover the often tragic, and always fascinating, history of modern Korea (1876-present).  Primarily covering the 20th century, this course will examine diverse phenomenon such as colonialism, national division, civil war, authoritarianism, gender dynamics, democratization, the evolution of Korean capitalism, and the nature of North Korea. A constant theme running throughout the course will be the ways in which Korea’s tumultuous past continues to shape its present.  
​
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
 Brendan Wright obtained his PhD in history at the University of British Columbia in 2016. He has taught at various universities, including the University of Toronto, Carleton, Dalhousie, Saint Mary’s University, the University of Prince Edward Island, and the University of British Columbia. His work has appeared in a number of leading academic journals in the fields of Asian studies, memory studies, and genocide studies. Dr. Wright’s research focuses on mass killings, state-building, and processes of Truth and Reconciliation on the Korea peninsula.

HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY

In-person classes
A Beginner’s Guide to the Italian Renaissance - Greg Galbraith
A Beginner’s Guide to the Italian Renaissance - Greg Galbraith
Tuesdays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 08 to May 13
Cameron Hall, Parkland Clayton Park, 114 Fairfax Drive, Halifax​

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is a visual romp through 15th and 16th century Italy.  It is designed for anyone curious about an age that saw a more analytical and intellectual approach to life take hold, as the focus of attention shifted from the Church to humans and the world around them.  While the majority of time will be devoted to the art and artists of the era, time will be given to the significant events, notable personalities, and the underlying spirit that spurred an expansion of thought, creativity that rivaled, if not surpassed, the Classical World.  The course will focus largely on the city of Florence, the epicenter of the Early Renaissance, but also note the contributions of other influential Italian city-states to this transitional era.
​
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Greg Galbraith is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick who thoroughly enjoyed 34 years teaching secondary school English, history and physical education in Vancouver and Halifax. Early in his career he was asked to develop a new Western Civilization 12 course that radically changed his approach to learning and teaching. Being a visual learner who loves stories, he began taking art history courses and soon realized that images, particularly of art and architecture, greatly enhanced his students’ interest and ability to recall significant events/eras. Frequent trips to Italy, with and without students, fostered his passion for the Italian Renaissance, a topic he has lectured on frequently since retiring from teaching in 2014. 
“It’s All in Your Head”- Everyday Neurology 2025 - Allan Purdy
“It’s All in Your Head”- Everyday Neurology 2025 - Allan Purdy
Tuesdays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 08 to May 13
Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Have doctors ever said this to you? “It’s All in Your Head!” After 50 years of neurology, I have heard that comment from patients thousands of times. I would say, “Of course it is in your head! That is where the brain is located and the brain can do anything it wants! Well it Is true, that what the Greeks called the “Thing in the Head!” is the most remarkably complex biological ‘thing’ in the universe, that we know about. At about 3 pounds, it has 85 billion neurons or nerve cell units and several trillion connections! This course is meant to be fun! By building the structures of the human nervous system from simple to sometimes complex, and describing the functions of parts the of the human nervous system in normal health and disease states, it is possible that we can learn a lot!
​
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
R. Allan Purdy MD, FRCPC, is Professor of Medicine (Neurology) at Dalhousie University. He was Professor and Head of the Department of Medicine, and Chief of the Medicine Service of the Department of Medicine at Dalhousie and Capital Health from 2005 to June of 2011. He previously was the Professor and Head of Neurology at Dalhousie from 1994 to 2006. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada, and was elected a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He is a Fellow and Past President of the American and Canadian Headache Societies. He has numerous teaching awards, publications and decades of experience as a clinical neurologist. He also has a sense of humor to keep everything into perspective – which is necessary if you are dealing with the BRAIN!
Sherlock Holmes: Icon for the Ages - Mark Alberstat
Sherlock Holmes: Icon for the Ages - Mark Alberstat
Tuesdays 1:30 PM-3:30 PM (6 wks) Apr 08 to May 13
Parkland at the Lakes - Phase 2, Kinross Hall Theatre, 122 Baker Drive, Dartmouth

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Created in the late Victorian era, Sherlock Holmes, the world’s first consulting detective as he described himself, has become a global phenomenon. From Sesame Street to blockbuster movies, Holmes casts a long shadow over literature, entertainment, and popular culture. This lecture series will explore the creation of Holmes including an examination of the original stories, such as The Hound of the Baskervilles, one of English literature’s best-loved detective stories; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the detective, as well as a mountain of other fiction and non-fiction; and Holmes’s place in the world today. The game’s afoot!

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Mark Alberstat is a recently retired IT professional. The last 15 years of his career he spent in the provincial government creating and maintaining public-facing websites. Mark has been a Sherlock Holmes fan since his early teens and now edits and writes on Holmes and Conan Doyle regularly, as well as presenting topics at conferences and meetings around the world.
Healthy, Happy and Thriving: Practical Tools for Senior Wellness - Laura Lundquist
Healthy, Happy and Thriving: Practical Tools for Senior Wellness - Laura Lundquist
Wednesdays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 09 to May 14
Parlour Room - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Healthy, Happy & Thriving: Practical Tools for Senior Wellness will provide seniors with essential knowledge and hands-on strategies to maintain strength, balance, mobility, and heart health. Through a mix of engaging discussions and practical assessments, participants will explore key habits for aging well, injury prevention, and staying safe at home. We'll introduce simple strength and balance exercises, along with tools to help manage both acute and chronic conditions. By combining theory with real-world application, this session will empower seniors to take charge of their well-being and continue living active, fulfilling, independent lives.

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Laura Lundquist is a passionate physiotherapist dedicated to helping seniors stay active, independent, and pain-free. With expertise in balance, mobility, and injury prevention, she provides practical strategies to support healthy aging. Laura believes in a hands-on, holistic approach—combining movement, strength training, and simple lifestyle changes to improve overall well-being. As an experienced speaker, she enjoys sharing easy-to-follow tips to help seniors stay strong, steady, and confident in their daily lives.
In 2018, Laura opened Zoomers Physiotherapy and Health Solutions in Halifax, NS to bring her treatment approach to a wider community.  They expanded their reach in 2021 with the launch of the online Club Z Fitness Program for adults aged 55+.
Popular Music in the Rock and Roll Era - Steven Baur
Popular Music in the Rock and Roll Era - Steven Baur
Wednesdays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 09 to May 14
Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax

COURSE DESCRIPTION
A chronological survey of popular music from the rise of rock and roll in the 1950s to the turn of the 21st century. No previous background in music is required; students will be introduced to the basic musical concepts and terminology necessary to succeed in this class. Students will learn to listen critically to recordings from a variety of styles and genres of popular music since the mid-1950s. The course will investigate the historical circumstances, social conditions, technological developments, and cultural contexts that have influenced the production and reception of popular music since the 1950s. Students will become familiar with a variety of popular song traditions, their stylistic traits, their historical contexts, and representative examples of each. Students will gain a greater understanding of North American history as it has influenced and has been influenced by popular music since the 1950s.
​
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Steven Baur is an Associate Professor of Music in the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University. He has published widely on topics in nineteenth-and twentieth-century music from both “classical” and “popular” traditions, from Ravel to Ringo and from Mendelssohn to the mambo. His work appears in leading international musicology journals,and he has co-edited two books. He is currently working on a book investigating drum kit performance practice since the dawn of recording, explicating the social meanings created by drummers on record over the last 150 years. Baur is also an accomplished drummer with dozens of recordings and hundreds of live performances in Canada, the United States, and Great Britain to his credit.
How Books Can Change Your Life - Liz Crocker
How Books Can Change Your Life - Liz Crocker
Wednesdays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 09 to May 14
Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, Room 15, 6199 Chebucto Rd, Halifax​

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Why do some books touch us and others do not?  What do we mean by “taste” in reading?  What, if anything, motivates us to read beyond our favourite authors and genres?  What book(s) touched you as a child, and has (had) long term effects?  Are there some books that are dangerous … are there books that should be banned?  And if you had to live the rest of your life on a desert island, would you take something to help you escape or to ponder?  Participants will be invited to share books that have strongly resonated for them.
​​
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Liz Crocker is a business woman, writer, health consultant, and teacher. She is the owner of “Woozles”, Canada’s oldest children’s bookstore, which she so-founded in 1978.  Liz also co-founded and co-owned (until 2014) P’lovers, the Environmental Store, and Frog Hollow Books (1984-1987).  Liz has written two children’s books and hundreds of articles found in books, magazines, and newspapers. She is the co-author of “Privileged Presence: Personal Stories of Connections in Health Care”, and “Transforming Memories: Sharing Spontaneous Writing Using Loaded Words”. She been a board member for various environmental organizations, the Discovery Centre in Halifax, Chester Playhouse, Halifax Dance, Neptune Theatre, Shakespeare by the Sea, and she has established the Child Life Program at the IWK Children’s Hospital. She is currently a board member of the Health Quality Council for Saskatchewan and the Institute of Patient and Family-Centred Care.
Blacksmithing, Full of Mystery, History, and Still Evolving: From Forge to Art Gallery - John Little
Blacksmithing, Full of Mystery, History, and Still Evolving: From Forge to Art Gallery  - John Little
Wednesdays 1:30 PM-3:30 PM (6 wks) Apr 09 to May 14
Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Beginning with a brief history of the puzzling and mysterious extra-terrestrial origins of the blacksmiths’ raw material, forgeable iron. John will discus the evolution of the trade from its practical/functional beginnings, through craft and including excursions into the world of artistic creative expression. This series of lectures will lean heavily on John’s personal journey here in East Dover, Nova Scotia which started as a maker of anchors and other marine hardware for the fishing industry and progressed through fine craft, purely sculptural work to the invention/creation of sonic contraptions used in symphony, dance, jazz and site-specific theatre adventures​.
​
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
John Little is a self-taught blacksmith/sculptor. He was born in 1943.  John has exhibited locally, nationally and internationally, with works in many private and public collections.  For over 50 years John has been forging iron and steel into decorative and sculptural forms in East Dover, Nova Scotia. His commitment to exploration of form, technique, and innovation has consistently led him in new exciting directions.  Currently he continues his investigation of the acoustic possibilities related to forged sculptural objects.  His sound sculptures have been used in a variety of film, and new music genres from orchestral to dance to jazz to site-specific theatre.
Creative Writing with a Focus on Life Story - Gwen Davies
Creative Writing with a Focus on Life Story - Gwen Davies
Fridays 1:30 PM-3:30 PM (6 wks) Apr 11 to May 23
No class - April 18
Hoyt Room - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is an active course in writing, designed to be a safe place for beginners and a useful class for those with writing experience. We will write, learn to listen, and learn how to give and take useful feedback. We will of course work with the basics – how setting shapes a story, how to decide what to include, how to make what you write sound like a story. We’ll look at creating with interesting characters, even when the character is you, and how to write dialogue that works. It’s a class where we work together toward whatever goals we set out for ourselves individually, and for the group.
​
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Gwen Davies has been teaching creative writing for about 30 years. She started and ran (with much support) the Community of Writers at the Tatamagouche Centre, a four-stream writing event, that ran until the Centre refocussed its activities fifteen years later. She has had several stories published in literary magazines and has won a few prizes. Her book Facing the Other Way came out in 2016. She supported her writing habit with teaching, by working in literacy and other types of community endeavours, and recently retired from 35 years of consulting in clear language and design. She holds degrees from Wilfrid Laurier and King’s. She spent some years of her childhood travelling around Europe with her Air Force family in a VW camper, and took up parkour at age 62.

MAHONE BAY

In-person classes
​Modern Korean History - ​​Brendan Wright
Modern Korean History - Brendan Wright
Tuesdays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 08 to May 13
Mahone Bay Centre, 45 School Street, Mahone Bay

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This lecture course will cover the often tragic, and always fascinating, history of modern Korea (1876-present).  Primarily covering the 20th century, this course will examine diverse phenomenon such as colonialism, national division, civil war, authoritarianism, gender dynamics, democratization, the evolution of Korean capitalism, and the nature of North Korea. A constant theme running throughout the course will be the ways in which Korea’s tumultuous past continues to shape its present.  

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
​Dr. Brendan Wright obtained his PhD in history at the University of British Columbia in 2016.  He has taught at various universities, including the University of Toronto, Carleton, Dalhousie, Saint Mary’s University, the University of Prince Edward Island, and the University of British Columbia.  His work has appeared in a number of leading academic journals in the fields of Asian studies, memory studies, and genocide studies. Dr. Wright’s research focuses on mass killings, state-building, and processes of Truth and Reconciliation on the Korea peninsula.
Genetics: The Study of Heredity and the Fascinating Molecules that Influence the Traits of Every Living Thing - Gerry Johnston​
Genetics: The Study of Heredity and the Fascinating Molecules that Influence the Traits of Every Living Thing - Gerry Johnston
Wednesdays 1:30 PM-3:30  PM (6 wks) Apr 09t o May 14
Mahone Bay Centre, 45 School Street, Mahone Bay

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The area of genetics is much more than a description of pedigrees and how traits are passed down through generations. The field of genetics has seen unprecedented and spectacular advances over the past few decades. We now understand in detail the nature of the genetic material (termed DNA) that controls every aspect of biology, including humans. Amazing new technologies have revealed the universality of life. Only two decades ago, a major international research effort (termed the Human Genome Project) was able to catalog every gene (or ‘unit of information’ within DNA) involved in human development, function, and health. Although we still do not know the actual role of every gene (a bit like having a dictionary of all the words in a foreign language but with only some of the meanings), we are rapidly learning about gene function and what can go wrong to cause disease or abnormal development.
 Those participating in the course will learn how DNA works, the impact of changes to DNA, and implications for prevention, detection, and treatment of diseases (such as cancer). Throughout the course, you will hear the stories of individuals involved in advancing our understanding of genetics, the technical advances yielding new insights, and how seemingly unrelated discoveries (often studying non-human organisms) have created these new insights. I hope that this course will allow a more general understanding of how science works, the world of biology, and the amazing revelations of modern genetics.

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
​Dr. Gerry Johnston is a Professor in the Dalhousie Medical School. Gerry’s research program has spanned 40 years using genetics to explore regulation of cell division. After receiving his PhD in 1973 at York University (Toronto), Gerry obtained his early training in genetics with Dr. Leland H. Hartwell in the Department of Genetics at the University of Washington (Seattle) before taking up his position at Dalhousie University. Gerry has played roles within several cancer-related organizations, notably the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), The National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) in which he served as National President, and the Terry Fox Research Institute. In 1992, Gerry was appointed as a Terry Fox Cancer Research Scientist of the NCIC. He was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and has been inducted as a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Over his years with Dalhousie University, he has served as the Head of Microbiology & Immunology, Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Medicine and most recently he has completed a term as Scientific Director of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute.

LIVERPOOL

In-person classes
The Art of Seeing: It’s Not Just about Art - Virginia Stephen​
The Art of Seeing: It’s Not Just about Art - Virginia Stephen
Wednesdays 1:00 PM-3:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 09 to May 14
Trinity Church Hall, 196 Church Street, Liverpool

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Our world and how we navigate it are becoming increasingly visual while our ability to have the focus, creativity, and reflective capacities to explore and learn from visual information and use it in our personal and work lives is decreasing. Through exploring the work of artists, this course will enrich participants’ ability to engage with art and deepen their ‘conversation with art’. The course will also apply this capacity to other situations – work, relationships, and your own environment. Topics such as creativity, right brain thinking, aesthetic development and the work of such prominent business and intelligence writers as Howard Gardner, Daniel Pink and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi will be explored. This course is a highly participatory course and will involve discussion, groupwork, and arts activities. This is not an art production course and no art making experience is required – just a curious mind and sense of adventure!

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Virginia Stephen, BA (Art history); BEd (arts education); MA (Visual and Performing Arts Education)
Previously Executive Director, Liberal Studies, Faculty of Extension at University of Alberta, Virginia Stephen brings to her practice over 40 years of experience as an arts educator, museum educator, senior arts administrator. She was Acting Director of the Arts and Cultural Management Program at MacEwan University where she taught Museum/Gallery Management, Human Resources and advocacy for several years. For 15 years, she was Deputy Director (Head of Programs and curator of Education) of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, and then Executive Director of the Edmonton Art Gallery. As an educator, artist, writer and curator her focus has been to facilitate individual and group interaction with art to enrich ways of knowing, ways of interacting with the world and other people, and ways to achieve innovation with students, adults, and corporate groups. She has worked and presented across Canada and been guest speaker at education, museum, healthcare, and leadership conferences and symposia in the United States and Europe. She has written exhibition catalogues and books for museum audiences of all ages and contributed to arts education and museum periodicals, anthologies and peer reviewed journals in Canada and the United States.
 
Ms. Stephen holds an MA in Visual and Performing Arts Education and undergraduate degrees in both art history and arts education. In 2003 she was the only Canadian participant in the prestigious Getty Leadership Institute’s ‘Museum Leadership Institute’. As a consultant, her client list includes the Government of Alberta (Alberta Education, Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Arts Branch of Community Development), MacEwan College and individual clients. She has been a creativity facilitator for the Leadership Development and Aboriginal Leadership Development departments at The Banff Centre. Current areas of interest and exploration are the arts in healthcare, and curatorial and art museum education theory and practice as personal growth and competency building modalities for leadership development.
 
Throughout her career, Stephen has been a passionate artist working in fibre, basketry, printmaking, and painting, often combining many media in mixed media works. Her current practice focuses on hand felting and on mixed media work on paper combining painting, gold leaf, photo image, and silk. Her two residencies in the Banff Centre Leighton Studios provided the space needed to bring her visual art and writing practices together to develop a series of work exploring the found beauty of found objects and of ‘liminality’ through the exploration of barnacles using mixed media.
The Long War for East/Southeast Asia - Brendan Wright​​
The Long War for East/Southeast Asia - Brendan Wright
Thursdays 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (6 wks) Apr 10 to May 15
Trinity Church Hall, 196 Church Street, Liverpool

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will look at a series of interrelated wars and revolutions that afflicted East and Southeast Asia from 1912-1979.  Subjects will include the Chinese Civil War, the Sino-Japanese War, the Korean War, the Vietnamese Revolution, and the Indonesian and Cambodian Genocides.  Beyond looking at the political and military history of these conflicts, we will also look at the social history of mass violence in the region by focusing on the legacies, traumas, and memories of these conflicts.  The final lecture will examine issues of truth, reconciliation and the prospects of peace and war in the future of the region. 

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Brendan Wright obtained his PhD in history at the University of British Columbia in 2016.  He has taught at various universities, including the University of Toronto, Carleton, Dalhousie, Saint Mary’s University, the University of Prince Edward Island, and the University of British Columbia.  His work has appeared in a number of leading academic journals in the fields of Asian studies, memory studies, and genocide studies. Dr. Wright’s research focuses on mass killings, state-building, and processes of Truth and Reconciliation on the Korea peninsula.

TRURO

In-person classes
The Story of our Railways in Truro - Andrew BlacKburn, Elinor Maher​
The Story of our Railways in Truro - Andrew Blackburn, Elinor Maher
Tuesdays 1:30 PM-3:30 PM (6 wks) Apr 08 to May 13
Douglas Street Recreation Centre, Room A, 40 Douglas Street, Truro

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Looking at the history of Colchester County, some stories loom large. During the 19th century the coming of the railway drastically altered the development of Truro, the County and eventually the rest of Canada and was central to the development of the Truro area.
 
The railway has had a huge impact on Truro as all freight and passenger traffic passed through this center. Because of this, the trains impacted employment for the town, as well as the economy of the region. The establishment of the railway resulted in the need for various facilities and infrastructure to service both passenger and freight. From the golden age of steam trains to the present-day diesel/electric locomotives, trains have always been a part of Truro.
 
As well as regular freight and passenger trains, many ‘special’ trains, specific to the times, have stopped and passed through.  For example, the history includes trains and both the First and Second World Wars, the War Brides, and the Dutch immigrants. In addition, a century ago many of the things that entertained locals arrived by train.  Hockey teams, circus performers, famous magicians like Houdini, musical groups, politicians and members of the Royal family all arrived by rail. Many of the most interesting stories of the region deal directly with the railway.

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
​Andrew Blackburn: At an early age, through various interactions, Andrew developed a lifelong interest in railways. This led to the acquisition of various railcars and collection of railway related antiques and artifacts from the railroad, specifically Atlantic Canada. He has also been involved with the Nova Scotia Railway Heritage Society.
 
Elinor Maher: Elinor is one of the skilled and highly respected researchers and preservers of local history. She has been a volunteer member with the Colchester Historeum for many years.
Knowing is Part of Being Prepared as a Senior - Various Speakers
Knowing is Part of Being Prepared as a Senior - Various Speakers
Thursdays 1:30 PM-3:30 PM (6 wks) Apr 10 to May 15
Wednesday 1:30 PM-3:30 PM (extra) Apr 23 
Douglas Street Recreation Centre, Room A, 40 Douglas Street, Truro

COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course numerous experts will provide information on supports and issues relevant to  SCANS members as they prepare for, and experience, their senior years. Included will be presentations from the Senior Health Clinic, options for living arrangements and continuing care, massage, reflexology, musculoskeletal health, insomnia and the senior, important legal documents, funeral considerations, as well as hospice/palliative care, MAiD, and end-of-life doula. 

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
​​​The presenters are all recently retired and still practising in their professional areas. The background and expertise of each presenter will be provided in class. 
All images created by OpenAI, ChatGPT (Version 4o), 2025