FALL 2026   

Beneath the famous names and familiar dates are extraordinary stories: Join us as we rescue bizarre blunders, forgotten heroes, unexplained deaths, scoundrels, scandals, and jaw-dropping miscalculations that changed everything--yet somehow slipped through the cracks of American history.

In this course we will read and discuss Les Misérables tome 2: Cosette, the second volume of Hachette's abridged French-language version of the Victor Hugo classic. Students will complete most of the assigned reading at home, then engage in discussions on the reading in class. Fluency in French and prior knowledge of Les Misérables are not required, but a willingness to take risks with the language and have fun will be strongly encouraged!

Newtonian physics made easy. We will use hands-on investigations and discrepant events to learn Newton's laws of motion, gravity, and optics that have stood the tests of time. We will make connections to modern physics and, as in previous semesters, a surprise visit by Sir Isaac might be on the agenda!

This course introduces the history, current state and future of opera.  Designed for the beginner – or as a review for established opera fans, this course will offer great music, beautiful videos, and a little bit of opera humor.

This art history course follows the history of southern arts from Native Americans to Contemporary artists.  The course is divided into sections: Pre-1600 Indigenous foundations and Native American tribes; 1600-1800s Colonial times and immigrant influences;  1800-1900s Antebellum Era and Post Reconstruction; 1900-1960s Appalachian Crafts and African American traditions; 1900-1960 Folk Art thru Civil Rights; 1970-2000s National recognition, famous Alabama and Huntsville artists. 

This art history course follows the history of southern arts from Native Americans to Contemporary artists.  The course is divided into sections: Pre-1600 Indigenous foundations and Native American tribes; 1600-1800s Colonial times and immigrant influences;  1800-1900s Antebellum Era and Post Reconstruction; 1900-1960s Appalachian Crafts and African American traditions; 1900-1960 Folk Art thru Civil Rights; 1970-2000s National recognition, famous Alabama and Huntsville artists. 

This course will focus on key issues influencing the 2026 midterm elections. An historical background for selected issues will be provided to facilitate meaningful discussion. Topics could include the economy, immigration, gun control, tax policies, campaign financing and regime change. Because of the rapidly changing political environment, time will be provided to introduce additional topics.

Join photographers, Jeannee Sacken and Michael Briselli, on journeys to the ends of the earth. Learn about the ages-old Great Elephant Migration across southern Africa in search of water. Meet Africa's formidable and endangered big cats and wild dogs. Discover the magic of Madagascar's lemurs and chameleons - many found nowhere else on earth. Explore the different breeds of giraffe. Delight in amazing birds, large and small, soaring overhead or stomping the ground.

This course will examine the so-called “Texas Mystique,” by reviewing the state’s gritty history and questionable legends, spiced with tales of bigger-than-life, legendary figures such as Sam Houston, Quanah Parker and LBJ. Additionally, we’ll consider why Texas retains such a global reputation to this day, as immortalized in part by movie and TV classics such as Giant, Dallas, Lonesome Dove, No Country for Old Men and Friday Night Lights.

A team of local naturalists will guide this multi-disciplinary course, exploring topics such as botany, ichthyology, ornithology, geology, and ecology. Each instructor will share their unique expertise and personal observations, offering insights into the remarkable natural diversity of our region. This course provides a deep dive into the natural world through the eyes of those who have spent years studying and appreciating the environment around us.

This is a continuation of the Beginning Bridge class conducted in the 2026 spring session. Because the course will include a review of the material covered during the spring, the course is also considered applicable for students with some limited bridge experience. Have fun while you stimulate your mind in a relaxed congenial social environment.  

The text, Bidding in the 21st Century, will be provided free of charge for anyone that did not receive a copy in the spring.  

Join us in another adventure in the world of beer.  This time we will meet at Das Stahl Bierhaus and will be visited by a parade of local brewers.  We will not only have an opportunity to taste some good beer, we will also be able to discuss, in depth, each beer with its maker.  

Following his successful Atlanta campaign in September 1864, William Sherman and Ulysses Grant believed that the Civil War would come to an end only if and when the Confederacy’s strategic capacity for warfare could be decisively broken. So in a strategy now known as “Total War," Sherman abandoned his supply lines and wreaked havoc across Georgia and the Carolinas to break Southern morale, destroy Southern infrastructure, and end the war. This was the infamous “March to the Sea.”

Following his successful Atlanta campaign in September 1864, William Sherman and Ulysses Grant believed that the Civil War would come to an end only if and when the Confederacy’s strategic capacity for warfare could be decisively broken. So in a strategy now known as “Total War," Sherman abandoned his supply lines and wreaked havoc across Georgia and the Carolinas to break Southern morale, destroy Southern infrastructure, and end the war. This was the infamous “March to the Sea.”

Every photograph tells two stories—the one in the frame and the one behind the lens. In this engaging course, we’ll explore compelling images by famous and lesser-known photographers, uncovering the lives, motivations, adventures, and sometimes surprising circumstances that shaped their work. Through story, discussion, and visual discovery, you’ll see how photography becomes more than art—it becomes a collage of human experience, history, and perspective.
 

Every photograph tells two stories—the one in the frame and the one behind the lens. In this engaging course, we’ll explore compelling images by famous and lesser-known photographers, uncovering the lives, motivations, adventures, and sometimes surprising circumstances that shaped their work. Through story, discussion, and visual discovery, you’ll see how photography becomes more than art—it becomes a collage of human experience, history, and perspective.
 

Beginning with President Lincoln's various models of Reconstruction during the Civil War, we will travel through the "about face" of President Andrew Johnson, the rise and sunset of the Freedman's Bureau, the legislation of the Radical Republicans, and the collapse of Reconstruction and the "deal" for the presidency in 1876. Learn how historians have radically changed their interpretations of this period of American history since we were taught about it in school, and how these events continue to affect our politics to this day. 

Beginning with President Lincoln's various models of Reconstruction during the Civil War, we will travel through the "about face" of President Andrew Johnson, the rise and sunset of the Freedman's Bureau, the legislation of the Radical Republicans, and the collapse of Reconstruction and the "deal" for the presidency in 1876. Learn how historians have radically changed their interpretations of this period of American history since we were taught about it in school, and how these events continue to affect our politics to this day. 

Have fun while learning one of the most used languages in the world!  Emphasis will be on vocabulary and phrases that are used in everyday life while traveling to a Spanish-speaking country, or at home enriching the knowledge of speaking Spanish. Grammar is covered to facilitate understanding and use of vocabulary. 

Learn to be a more thoughtful consumer of every type of media with this introduction to popular culture studies. What does it mean to treat everything humans make as "text" for analysis and investigation? Course sessions will feature wide-ranging, interdisciplinary discussions about television, music, film, advertising, fashion, and other artifacts of the culture we constantly create and revise, with a particular focus on modern American life.

The First World War ended the fighting, but it did not secure the peace. This three-term series examines the challenges Europe faced in the years following the Great War as nations sought to rebuild, resolve political disputes, and prevent another devastating conflict. Part 1 focuses on the settlement created by the Treaty of Versailles and the efforts to establish a stable international order. Topics include the Paris Peace Conference, the redrawing of national boundaries, reparations, the creation of the League of Nations, and other diplomatic initiatives intended to foster cooperation and preserve peace.

Discover the origins and evolution of American folk and roots music, with special attention to African-American folk traditions and their commercial separation from Anglo-American folk music. This course also explores the folk music of Alabama, the structure and composition of traditional folk, roots, and blues music, and the lasting cultural impact of influential musicians.

In Introduction to Islam, you will explore the full sweep of the religion of Islam and answer your critiques and most essential questions about the second-largest and fastest-growing religion in the world. Ideal for beginners, this course answers questions of particular concern to Americans who care about the West’s relation with Islam. Listening to and discussing the topics will broaden your capacity for inter-religious dialogue and understanding of Abrahamic religions.

It is commonly believed that the stock market is inherently unpredictable, as it is a nonlinear, complex system driven by random actions of millions of participants. Yet weather phenomena—an even more complex system involving countless molecules moving randomly in three dimensions—can be forecast with reliability. This course explains the reason behind the difference and demonstrates that, by applying methodologies from the natural sciences, the future direction of the stock market can become predictable.

In Richard III, Shakespeare presents us with one of literature’s most memorial villains.  We will review the historical background of the play to give us insight as we read and discuss the play together.  Additionally, video clips of various performances of the play will be presented.  A copy of the script will be helpful, and for those who are uncomfortable with Elizabethan English, the No Fear Shakespeare edition can prove helpful.  

The American Civil War challenged the character of the United States and destroyed the Southern economy. Students of this course will be exposed to a multitude of topics including international intrigue in Texas, supporting an Army of troops in the field, understand the gunboats of the brown water navy, how soldiers lived in the field and were treated when captured. Finally, students can attend a day trip to a Tennessee battleground that preceded the Battle of Franklin. This trip will be a separate charge.

Alaska has been characterized as America's Last Frontier, The Great Land Way Up Yonder, and Land of the Midnight Sun. Gain first-hand knowledge and experience of our 49th state from those who have lived there and/or visited several times. Expereince the geology, geography, climate, and human history, from crossing the Bering Land Bridge to the gold rush, its purchase from Russia, statehood, and the big oil boom. Join us for virtual visits to several regions of Alaska! 

Alaska has been characterized as America's Last Frontier, The Great Land Way Up Yonder, and Land of the Midnight Sun. Gain first-hand knowledge and experience of our 49th state from those who have lived there and/or visited several times. Expereince the geology, geography, climate, and human history, from crossing the Bering Land Bridge to the gold rush, its purchase from Russia, statehood, and the big oil boom. Join us for virtual visits to several regions of Alaska! 

Let's kick it up a notch! Get in line to learn intermediate-level Line Dances to a wide variety of music. Each Line Dance has its own repeating sequence of steps danced in unison. No partner needed. 

Improve your German language skills by reading authentic German stories. We will start by finishing our detective story Des Spielers Tod. Then we start the next adventurous detective story called Mord am Morgen which involves a grumpy Kommissar and his very sassy colleague solving a murder in an abandoned house at the outskirts of a small German town.

To counter, limit, neutralize, or inactivate the toxins in our society which are being purveyed through social or asocial media, legacy or independent journalism, and politicians or their toadies, we need vigilance and appropriate critiques and antidotes. The objective of this course is to challenge the rewritten realities, invented history, and imaginary geography that manipulate us.  Engaging in discussion and conversation might help us get closer to the truth and might help us resist and combat the falsehoods and distortions in our post-truth age. 

Join us to review the latest trends in native gardening.  Learn how to find plants and decorate your own spectacular gardens with new ideas and creative designs that work. Don't underestimate the physical, mental, and emotional benefits that come with actually getting your hands dirty.  

Explore creativity, confidence, and connection through the art of performance. This course combines improvisation basics, public speaking exercises, and oral recitation in a welcoming and supportive environment. Participants will experiment with theatre games, storytelling, poetry, historical speeches, and monologues while building communication skills, stage presence, and self-expression. No previous theatre experience is required; just a willingness to learn, play, and share your voice. 

Whether featuring one, many, some, or all original bands members, bands and performers from the 1960s onwards still appear before live audiences.  Fans may quibble about the quality of the performances or the talents remaining; regardless, many of these legends or near legends still sell out venues. Let's take a trip to their early days and share a video about their modern day acts.  

Are you familiar with Tai Chi Yang-24 movements? Maybe you’ve taken a class in the past.  Here’s a chance for you to improve your practice. Class participants don’t need to be proficient, but should have some experience with Yang-24. We’ll work on honing our movements, fine-tuning our form, and deepening our discipline. We’ll concentrate on the health and wellness benefits of Tai Chi as we go beyond the basics.

Are you familiar with Tai Chi Yang-24 movements? Maybe you’ve taken a class in the past.  Here’s a chance for you to improve your practice. Class participants don’t need to be proficient, but should have some experience with Yang-24. We’ll work on honing our movements, fine-tuning our form, and deepening our discipline. We’ll concentrate on the health and wellness benefits of Tai Chi as we go beyond the basics.

Everyone has a book inside them—but few ever write it. Why? The process feels overwhelming. In this course, you’ll learn how to move from idea to finished manuscript and navigate self-publishing with confidence. This course will guide you step-by-step—so your story, expertise, or legacy doesn’t stay unwritten. 

Everyone has a book inside them—but few ever write it. Why? The process feels overwhelming. In this course, you’ll learn how to move from idea to finished manuscript and navigate self-publishing with confidence. This course will guide you step-by-step—so your story, expertise, or legacy doesn’t stay unwritten. 

This course will help you recognize common scams, avoid financial exploitation, and make informed financial decisions with confidence. You will learn how fraudsters target seniors, identify warning signs of scams, protect personal and financial information, and respond to suspicious activity. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, the course promotes financial safety, digital awareness, and smart money habits. This course empowers participants to stay informed, secure, and financially confident.

Read an awesome mix of literature, history, psychology, and philosophy...masterworks to reclaim conversation and foster spirited intellectual exchange.  Instead of raising and lowering our eyes to check our phones let's engage in dialogue.  Conversation is the most human and humanizing thing we do. So, here is a chance for good face-to-face engagement and connection.

The course is a continuation of the Beginning German course. It will include:  Practicing reading and pronunciation; building vocabulary;  introducing  grammar - definite articles, gender of nouns, plural forms, common verbs, use for indefinite article,  some verb conjugation, special expressions, adjectives and adverbs.   

What's the difference between your snapshots and the stunning photos you see online, in photobooks, and proudly displayed on the wall?  Sometimes simply post-processing to bring out the best of all the information encoded in your digital photos.  Learn the fundamentals of digital photo editing and walk through examples using Lightroom Classic (not required to purchase).  Upload your own photos to the digital classroom so we can edit them as a class.  

What's the difference between your snapshots and the stunning photos you see online, in photobooks, and proudly displayed on the wall?  Sometimes simply post-processing to bring out the best of all the information encoded in your digital photos.  Learn the fundamentals of digital photo editing and walk through examples using Lightroom Classic (not required to purchase).  Upload your own photos to the digital classroom so we can edit them as a class.  

Despite popular music, casual internet listening, and dwindling financial resources, Western classical music proves all the more important for today's culture. This course will explore a wide range of music, from the Baroque to contemporary styles, in its historical context, compositional techniques, and cultural significance for today. If possible, we will also make a "field trip" to one of the large organs in town, to witness how an organist rehearses for a recital program.  

In this course, we will dive into the scandalous, controversial, and sometimes shocking aspects of psychology. Did you know that the term "hysteria" translates to "floating uterus?" Or that a college basement became a prison for a psychological experiment? We will examine some controversial experiments, popular theories that have been difficult to replicate (I'm looking at you, Macbeth Effect), and early interpretations of mental health sympotms and psychological phenomena. 

In this course, we will dive into the scandalous, controversial, and sometimes shocking aspects of psychology. Did you know that the term "hysteria" translates to "floating uterus?" Or that a college basement became a prison for a psychological experiment? We will examine some controversial experiments, popular theories that have been difficult to replicate (I'm looking at you, Macbeth Effect), and early interpretations of mental health sympotms and psychological phenomena. 

Learning new techniques in quilting is always fun. This is a skill builder that will show you the different aspects of paper piecing. We will look at Foundation paper piecing (FPP) and English paper piecing. (EPP). Join us for fun and fellowship.

Explore how neuroscience is unraveling the mystery of how our brains make us human with Dr. Ginger Campbell, host of the long-running podcast Brain Science. No science background needed. Topics will include: how memory really works, the role of emotion in decision making, consciousness, and healthy aging.  Contrary to the current myth, our brains are NOT computers. We explore why this is true and why it matters. Our overall focus will be on how neuroscience provides insight into human behavior.

Explore how neuroscience is unraveling the mystery of how our brains make us human with Dr. Ginger Campbell, host of the long-running podcast Brain Science. No science background needed. Topics will include: how memory really works, the role of emotion in decision making, consciousness, and healthy aging.  Contrary to the current myth, our brains are NOT computers. We explore why this is true and why it matters. Our overall focus will be on how neuroscience provides insight into human behavior.

This course is a follow on to the Beginning French class offered in the Spring 2026 session. We will continue to explore basic French grammar and conversation with a focus on tools for travel in the Francophone countries. 

This course covers astronomy on the vastest scales and includes the Milky Way, galaxies, quasars, the Big Bang, the expanding universe, and the beginning and future of the universe.

It's never too late to learn to dance! The Rumba is a smooth dance for slow songs. Feel comfortable dancing at your holiday parties by learning several Rumba steps to popular music, regardless of your level of dance experience. It is helpful to sign-up with a partner, but it's not required. 

This course will explore the grim reality that the Revolutionary War was not just a war for independence, but a brutal conflict where restraint often vanished and violence ran wild.  We will reveal how patriots, loyalists, American Indians and civilians waged a war that was far more personal and merciless than most accounts acknowledge.  We will illustrate how the call to arms "Liberty or Death" was more than just rhetoric.

How did a simple language of unsophisticated people with fewer than 40,000 words become the dominant language today with the largest vocabulary? We will explore the evolution of English and the history of word formation (etymology), then delve into the growth of the American English dialect. Additionally, we will consider an array of fun facts about English (such as why I said "fewer" above instead of "less") without losing sight of our three main goals.

How did a simple language of unsophisticated people with fewer than 40,000 words become the dominant language today with the largest vocabulary? We will explore the evolution of English and the history of word formation (etymology), then delve into the growth of the American English dialect. Additionally, we will consider an array of fun facts about English (such as why I said "fewer" above instead of "less") without losing sight of our three main goals.

The Iron Curtan was a political, military, and ideological barrier separating Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe from democratic Western Europe from 1946-1989. Explore its origin, development, and end.

Take a ride through history to answer the question of how New Orleans, a relatively small American city, became a global brand for music. Trace the city’s development from its French/Spanish/West African roots to its role as a destination for emigrés from across the globe. Discover how this unique history set the stage for its vast range of music – from West African drumming to French opera to ragtime, from jazz to R&B to bounce, from Gottschalk to Satchmo to Fats.

 

Take a ride through history to answer the question of how New Orleans, a relatively small American city, became a global brand for music. Trace the city’s development from its French/Spanish/West African roots to its role as a destination for emigrés from across the globe. Discover how this unique history set the stage for its vast range of music – from West African drumming to French opera to ragtime, from jazz to R&B to bounce, from Gottschalk to Satchmo to Fats.

 

Ever wondered about the weird and wacky ways that animals seem to attract their mates? Well, look no farther, because during this presentation we will deep dive into the crazy world of animal courtship and talk about the strangest ways that animals find their better half. Learn all about unique animal mating rituals from around the globe and even in our own backyards, discover more about the enchanting courtship displays of the Joe Wheeler State Park Bald Eagles, and explore how some even find love in the dark! 

Ever wondered about the weird and wacky ways that animals seem to attract their mates? Well, look no farther, because during this presentation we will deep dive into the crazy world of animal courtship and talk about the strangest ways that animals find their better half. Learn all about unique animal mating rituals from around the globe and even in our own backyards, discover more about the enchanting courtship displays of the Joe Wheeler State Park Bald Eagles, and explore how some even find love in the dark! 

This course will take you through how to identify and deal with Alzheimer's and other dementias. We will take a look at what it looks like, how to deal with some of the issues, and the legal and financial steps needed when the diagnosis has been established in your family.

Here is your chance to discuss hot topics in a forum setting. In each class, members talk about a question they have chosen that does not have a yes or no answer. What’s on your mind — today’s news or a timeless topic of general interest? Challenge yourself to think about it, talk about it, and listen to others from all walks of life, nationalities, religions, political opinions, and genders. Everyone and all points of view are welcome.

This course continues on our journey to explore amazing women and their contributions to the world.  We will explore different women who were agitators, educators and others that have made a major contribution to society.  

You've been summoned to another round of jury service with all new cases for you to decide. Participants will be provided the facts and law on several real-life disputes, discuss the issues involved, and take a class vote as to how the cases should be decided. Then the actual court decision will be revealed. Case topics may include search and seizure, death penalty, freedom of religion, and immigration. Give free rein to your inner Judge Judy!

Over the course of history, first-place achievers get the glory.  What about those whose accomplishments that just missed the mark?  Come along and learn about some of those famous, infamous, and perhaps unjustly forgotten second-place finishers.  Subjects included come from sports, entertainment, history, and science.  

Over the course of history, first-place achievers get the glory.  What about those whose accomplishments that just missed the mark?  Come along and learn about some of those famous, infamous, and perhaps unjustly forgotten second-place finishers.  Subjects included come from sports, entertainment, history, and science.  

An introduction to the works of William Blake including the Songs of Innoncence, Songs of Experience, and the Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Though Blake's poetry and art were largely neglected or dismissed during his lifetime, he is now considered one of the leading figures in English poetry. Join us for an exploration of the work of this fascinating visionary eccentric.

This Basic Genealogy course is targeted for those who are just starting to research their family tree, both through their paternal and maternal lineages. Classes are hands-on and require students to use their laptops or other device to access on-line genealogical sites, such as: Family Search (free subscription) or Ancestry.com (paid subscription),