Events

We are all familiar with The Wizard of Oz from the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland.  But there is much more to the original book, as well as stage and other screen productions (have you heard of the character, Imogene the Cow?)  And, many believe what appears to have been a modern fairy tale for […]

Some family struggles after the death of my father, dealing with his dog, and an old New England house full of family things. An Encore! program from the Spring 2025 seminar Writing to Remember - Purple and presented by Suzette Jones.

As Smith College celebrates its sesquicentennial in 2025, learn about Sophia Smith of Hatfield, MA and the unusual circumstances that led to the founding of Smith College in 1870 and its opening in 1875.  This presentation includes a reading of the picture book Tea with an Old Dragon by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Monica Vachula. […]

Irvin Yalom is a psychiatrist and author who once said, "the physicality of death destroys us, but the idea of death saves us".  The wisdom of this statement is reflected in the paradox of the fragility of the human body and resiliency and life-affirming energy of the human spirit, a paradox.  I witnessed often over […]

Jane's musical journey starts in 1943 with "Pistol Packin' Mama" and a brown footstool "piano", and winds through a series of odd musical instruments.  A college romance (that led to marriage) began with the discovery that they had identical Hohner 64 Chromonica harmonicas.  A love of folk music, camp songs, and opera have run through […]

Interesting facts and stories about the 18th and 19th century industrial powerhouse, Springfield, MA, and the fascinating story of "The Monkey Wrench Building" and the Springfield Armory. An Encore! program from the Spring 2025 seminar History in the Pioneer Valley and presented by David Rothenberg.

An Encore! program from the Spring 2025 seminar The Wyeths presented by Terry Rosenfeld.

Virginia Hall, "The Lady with the Limp", was an American spy and one of the very successful spies of World War II.  She operated in France and Spain, helping the resistance, organizing sabotage cells.  Though Virginia Hall lost her leg in her early 20's and used a wooden leg, she was never caught.  She continued […]

The presentation talks about the fort built in Cairo at the beginning o the Civil War at the junction of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.  General Grant launched attacks from his base in Cairo down the Mississippi River; a "Contraband Camp" in Cairo was set up for formerly enslaved who fled the South.  There was […]

In the years 1900 to mid-1930's or 1940's, many Americans considered Winslow Homer to be the greatest American painter.  He painted scenes of nature and rural life in both oils and watercolors.  It was inevitable that many people would see similarities when Andrew Wyeth began to paint.  My presentation looks at a lot of paintings […]