Adventures in Learning Celebrates Tenth Anniversary With Community Events, Special Courses
NEW LONDON, N.H., July 19, 2007 – Adventures in Learning, the lifelong learning program established a decade ago at Colby-Sawyer College, will mark its Tenth Anniversary with a year-long community celebration that includes two free public presentations, a series of special courses and a community-wide reception.
The opening event, a debate focused on the merits of the “Under God” language in the Pledge of Allegiance, will take place this summer on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 10 a.m. to noon at Colby-Sawyer College. The event is sponsored by Adventures in Learning in conjunction with the New Hampshire Humanities Council as a major part of the Council's two-year, state-wide program, “Shifting Ground: Religion and Civic Life in America.”
The debate will feature Michael Newdow, the physician and attorney whose legal challenge reached the U.S. Supreme Court, and Charles G. Douglas III, former New Hampshire Supreme Court Senior Justice and Congressman from the Second District, who will argue for continued inclusion. The debate will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
Art Rosen, chairman of the Tenth Anniversary Committee, explains that the committee was searching for a “controversial issue of great public interest where both sides could be presented in a town hall format.” He and his committee also are most enthusiastic about working with the New Hampshire Humanities Council. “This is the first time we have collaborated,” he observes, “and we are hoping this will lead to a long-term relationship.”
The second event, titled “Inside the Primary Process,” provides a close look at the New Hampshire primary, its importance to the state and its impact on the nation. This multi-speaker presentation will take place on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to noon at Colby-Sawyer College.
Although both events are offered without charge as a public service to the entire community, reservations should be made in advance by contacting Janet St. Laurent at (603) 526-3690 or at jstlaure@colby-sawyer.edu. Special invitations will be sent to media, church, school and town representatives.
Three Tenth Anniversary courses will be offered by Adventures in Learning throughout the 2007-2008 academic year. In each case, a course offered 10 years ago will be updated and presented by its original study leader. In the fall, Judy Bohn will offer “Goodbye Dolly: A Biotechnology Update.” During the winter term, Dick Little will present an update of “A Mental Fitness Center Workout.” In the spring, Hilary Cleveland, professor emerita at Colby-Sawyer, will reassess her course, “Breakup of the Soviet Union,” first taught a decade ago.
The final event in the Tenth Anniversary series will be a community-wide reception and meeting at Wheeler Hall on May 15, 2008. A number of surprises are planned to highlight the occasion, including the announcement of Adventures in Learning's Tenth Anniversary gift to the college and Maureen Rosen's PowerPoint retrospective on the past decade, “The Way We Were.”
The idea for the Tenth Anniversary celebration was conceived by Adventures in Learning Program Coordinator Sharon Ames and developed by representatives of Adventures in Learning. In addition to Chairman Rosen, the committee includes community members John Callahan, Morris Edwards, Ann Lang, Julien LeBourgeois, De Segerson and George Tracy.
Rosen speaks for the committee when he says, “Adventures in Learning is pleased to offer these activities. They honor our association with Colby-Sawyer College and commemorate our founding 10 years ago. More than that, they do it in a way that is characteristic of Adventures in Learning—a way that embraces and enriches the entire community.”
Adventures in Learning
Adventures in Learning is a community-based program of educational enrichment for adults living in the Kearsarge-Lake Sunapee Region. Sponsored by Colby-Sawyer College, Adventures in Learning provides a peer learning experience for those with a vigorous interest in the world of ideas and for those who wish to continue their intellectual growth in an informal setting. For more information, visit www.colby-sawyer.edu/adventures.
Colby-Sawyer, founded in 1837, is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in the scenic Lake Sunapee Region of central New Hampshire. Our students learn in small classes through a select array of programs that integrate the liberal arts and sciences with pre-professional experience.
Colby-Sawyer College, 541 Main Street, New London, N.H. 03257 (603) 526-3000
