SPRING 2016
BONUS PAGES
FREQUENTLY, WE HAVE INTERESTING ARTICLES AND EXCELLENT
PICTURES THAT WE JUST CAN’T FIT INTO THE PRINTED EDITION.
HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO SEE THEM!
Conversational Spanish
By Debra Brown
John Caridad, retired Episcopal priest, who is fluent in
Spanish and eager to assist others, led a five-week class in
Conversational Spanish where members practiced dialogues
for specific social situations. Each dialogue introduced new
vocabulary and an opportunity to practice the words in the
context.
Many of the students agreed that this format was key to
reinforcing the meaning of the words. Learning appropriate
responses to questions asked was much better than just
memorizing a vocabulary list and not understanding how to use
the words in a sentence. The various dialogues included
everyday greetings and phrases used when traveling, renting a
car, purchasing tickets, making hotel reservations or ordering a
meal in a restaurant. Conversations involving telling time and
going shopping were also included.
Several of the class participants were new to the Gulf
Coast area and agreed that taking this class was indeed a great
way to make new friends and learn some Spanish at the same
time.
John Caridad led the Conversational
language course.
American Lit: 1939-1940
By Dallas Gorbett
Why would anyone present a literature class
covering just twenty-four months (actually eighteen
months) of American Literature? To Donna Davis,
Assistant Director of the Library of Hattiesburg, Petal
and Forrest County, the answer is quite obvious. In just
18 months, three Great American Novels were
published. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Native
Son by Richard Wright and For Whom the Bell Tolls by
Ernest Hemingway. Each explored great political
injustices during the period between the World Wars.
These stories were quickly recognized for their
greatness and are still read today.
Donna Davis discusses American Lit with Marty
Steinbeck received a Pulitzer Prize for his highly
Charbonneau,
realistic and emotional book of the migration of an
Marsha Hester and Carol Beersteches
Oklahoma Dustbowl family’s hardship as migrant farm
workers.
Eleanor Roosevelt, who had toured some of the “Okie” camps, said Steinbeck accurately
portrayed the encampments. OLLI members pointed out parallels to the current refugee crisis.
Mississippi born, Richard Wright’s Native Son dealt unapologetically with race relations. He neither
excused, nor idealized, the struggling black characters, and he let the white characters show their
flaws without preaching about their evils. Wright was the first African-American to receive the Book
of the Month award. Today’s headlines could have supplied the storyline for this book.
The three days of struggle and sacrifice told in the story For Whom the Bell Tolls can be
recognized by anyone today who feels the call to fight against political injustice.
Once again, Donna Davis has succeeded in convincing OLLI members they need to read, or
re-read, some of our great American Literature.
The Joy of Wine Tasting
By Pat Yelverton
“Wine is inspiring and adds greatly to the joy of living” – Napoleon Bonaparte. OLLI’s
seminar on Old World Wines at the Purple Parrot Restaurant was a truly inspiring experience
guided by Dustin Frierson, General Manager and sommelier. As we sampled white and red
wines from France, Germany, and Spain paired with appropriate cheeses and bread, our OLLI
tasters came away with a true appreciation of each wine’s characteristics and the desire to try
these recommended wines at home, being assured we could find these wines locally. A
deliciously enjoyable seminar!
Boarding for trip to Deer Island
David Price and Bill Korinek with model
trains for the Railroad History Class.
The OLLI Garden Cat
All aboard the Miss Peetsy B
OLLI members enjoy the view from the White
House Hotel Roof-top terrace.
Springtime on OLLI’s Pond
Everything
By Nick Adams
Everything I wish I knew
Is in the books I didn’t read,
The questions I didn’t ask,
The things I didn’t do,
The places I didn’t go,
The people I didn’t meet.
Everything is there, waiting.
On Aging
By Linda Foshee
Getting older means we must adjust.
I have been thinking a lot lately about aging, something I have always wanted to do
gracefully. I suppose with all of this talk of Hattiesburg becoming the retirement city of choice,
we will soon see our population of older citizens increase tremendously. I will have lots of
company!
Another birthday
You probably have guessed by now that I recently celebrated another birthday. Don’t get
me wrong—I am extremely glad to add another year, but it all seems strange to me. I am
beginning to notice changes in my body, changes in my face, changes in my eyesight, and
changes in my energy level.
Aging, it seems, is a series of adjustments to changes. It would logically follow that
people who age best are those who are better ab le to adapt to changes. Acceptance. Courage.
Wisdom. I pray for all three.
As part of my celebration, I gathered with three friends who get together for dinner to
mark these life passages. Two birthdays were celebrated in June, a sixty-first and a fifty-third. I
am smack right in between. The fourth person, a mere toddler, will celebrate her birthday in
November. We all see ourselves as young—at least in spirit.
Intellectually, I know that I am chronologically older, but I don’t feel any differently. I am
always amazed when someone says “Ma’am” to me out of respect for my age. My first thought
is, “I am not much older than they.”
Only the mirror reminds me that I am aging. I am always startled at the face that stares
back at me. Who is this older person? What happened to the young face I used to see? Instead,
I see my mother’s face staring back at me. I look down to see my mother’s hands. I really don’t
feel any differently. I actually feel better about myself than I did when I was younger. It’s
true—youth is wasted on the young.
Aging well
I have noticed that as I have aged, I feel the need to grow my soul. Perhaps that is part of
the nature of aging. We begin to look inward to prepare ourselves in autumn for the winter
years.
Harry Meserve offers some interesting observations on aging. He says that a pleasant
surprise was the discovery of areas of knowledge, activity and enjoyment that he had never
before had time for or even considered.
Aging. It’s not a job for sissies! To all of you aging folk out there, I leave you with the
words of the Rev. Sara Moores Campbell. It is my special birthday present to you.
“Getting older is one of those things that cannot be changed…Aging is a process of
growth, not of decline. I admire people who age well more than those who remain youthful.
Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference, for both may appear vital and alert. But, one avoids
the realities of the autumn season of life by pretending that it’s still summer while the other
enjoys the brilliant colors.”
God give me the courage to grow old gracefully, to accept the things I cannot change, and
to be wise enough to know the difference. May we all be granted peace in the changing of our
seasons and in the autumns of our lives. And may we always have the tenacity to enjoy the
brilliant colors. Amen.