Center for Creative Retirement

Courses

• A Tour of The Paine Mansion in Troy
• A Walking Tour of The Schenectady Stockade
• American Mah Jongg
• Art of the Grave
• Auctioneering 101
• Benedict Arnold & Daniel Sickles
• Building America: Irish Contributions
• Capitol Hauntings
• Crusader or Criminal?
• Deerfield Trip
• Flip Side of History
• Flowers of the Fall: Design, Color and Texture
• French Settlements in New York's Champlain Valley
• Gemstones Demystified
• Houses of Worship in Rensselaer County
• Introduction to French Canadian Family History
• Irish History Through Song
• Isaac Foote & Papscanee Island
• Knickerbocker Family Mansion: Ghosts, Tour and Lunch
• Murder at Historic Cherry Hill: Re-enactment
• Norman Rockwell Presentation
• Proctors: A Man, His Theater, Our Heritage
• Progressive Ladies of the Gilded Age
• Rensselaerwyck & Tapper's Tax
• Seach of Family & Opportunity at Cherry Hill
• Strolling Through Round Lake
• The Saugerties Lighthouse
• To Life! Part VII & VIII
• World War II

A Tour of The Paine Mansion in Troy

The Paine Mansion, located at 49 Second Street in Troy, was built in 1896 as a family home by John Wells Paine, who gained immense wealth from his success as a financier and attorney. Now known as “The Castle,” the magnificent facade was built of Indiana limestone with a roof of Spanish-style pan tiles. Considered the best example of Gilded Age architecture in Troy, it cost the equivalent of 25 million dollars in today’s currency to complete. After being used by RPI’s Pi Kappa Phi fraternity for the past 70 years, the mansion has recently been reopened as an event space available to the public. Take a tour and see the mansion’s three distinct styles of architecture--Italianate, Moorish and French Chateau--which were all executed by European craftsmen using intricate carvings in mahogany and cherry with finishes of ornate gilding. The mansion is also features a sumptuous use of marble and stained glass, with the most spectacular being the “angel window” of opalescent glass created by the Ford studio in Boston. After the tour, participants will be served refreshments of punch and petit fours, which were popular during this period. Course fee includes a $15 materials fee.

Course will meet at 49 Second Street, Troy, NY

Marilyn Sassi, Instructor

 

A Tour of The Paine Mansion in Troy

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Thursday, 10/12 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm	ZCCR-710 500	0 seats left	$27	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

A Walking Tour of The Schenectady Stockade

Schenectady’s rich history began in 1661, when its founder, Arent Van Curler, proclaimed its setting “the most beautiful land my eyes have ever beheld.” Unfortunately, after only 30 years, the small settlement was burned to the ground and half the population was killed by the French. Rebuilding started within three years, when the survivors sheltering in Albany returned with help and encouragement from their Mohawk neighbors.

The Stockade is one of only two locations in New York State that feature a group of buildings from this early time in history. It was also the first acknowledged historic site in New York.

This tour will explain the full history of the Stockade and the houses built there, from the earliest to the latest examples from the nineteenth century. Situated along the banks of the Mohawk River, the tour will cover both blocks within the Stockade, with Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, French Second Empire, Italianate, Gothic Revival and Queen Ann architectural styles, as well as the lovely vistas seen from the river path. At the conclusion of the tour, participants will be invited into one of the early-eighteenth-century Dutch homes that is completely furnished in period antiques.

Course will meet at the First Reformed Church parking lot on the corner of North Church Street and Front Street.

Marilyn Sassi, Instructor

Directions: Take Collar City Bridge to I-787 S toward Albany. At exit 1E-W, head right to I-87/I-90 toward Boston/Buffalo/New York. Keep right toward Buffalo. At exit 5, keep right on the ramp toward Broadway, merge and turn left onto Broadway, keep right to get onto Broadway/County Highway 161. Turn right onto 2^nd St.

A Walking Tour of The Schenectady Stockade

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Thursday, 10/5 10:00 am - 12:00 pm	ZCCR-711 500	2 seats left	$19	Add to Cart

American Mah Jongg

Whether you are a beginner or looking for a refresher, join us in learning American Mahjong. This class includes basic instruction and the opportunity to play with people of varying skill levels. Let’s play, learn to conquer the card, and delve into strategies. If you have a Mahjong set, please bring it with you. Course includes a $15 materials fee.

Course will be held in Day Care Center, Room B06

Criss Macaione, Instructor

American Mah Jongg

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Tuesdays, 9/19 - 12/5 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm	ZSPI-276 500	0 seats left	$99	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Art of the Grave

Have you ever wondered why memorials in cemeteries look the way they do? Memorials honor the deceased and pay tribute to their lives. This presentation will focus on the style of various mausoleums and monuments located in cemeteries in New York and Vermont with emphasis on how those styles have a connection with art history from the ancients to modernity. If you enjoy visiting museums, you will likely enjoy exploring old cemeteries. They are full of art! Join cemetery historian, Kelly Grimaldi in The Living Room Art Gallery located in the Visitor Center at Historic St. Agnes Cemetery to learn a little about the art of the grave.

Course will meet The Living Room Art Gallery, Historic St. Agnes Cemetery, 48 Cemetery Ave, Menands, NY

Kelly Grimaldi, Instructor

Art of the Grave

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Thursday, 9/28 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm	ZCCR-746 500	0 seats left	$12	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Auctioneering 101

Dolores Meissner, New Lebanon’s veteran auctioneer, talks about her personal journey, how she learned the auction business, and the rise of her fabled auction house. Along the way, she explains how it all works and how to get a bargain at an auction. You will be invited to preview items up for the upcoming auction that weekend.

Course will meet at Meissner’s Auction Service, 438 Route 20, New Lebanon, NY

Jean Chenette, Coordinator

Auctioneering 101

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Friday, 10/20 10:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-388 500	10 seats left	$12	Add to Cart

Benedict Arnold & Daniel Sickles

The names and actions of Benedict Arnold and Daniel Sickles stirred passionate reactions in their own eras, and those reactions remain the same for many professional and amateur historians to the present. This talk will explore what made these men and their decisions so complex.

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Jim Cochran, Instructor

Benedict Arnold & Daniel Sickles

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Tuesday, 10/3 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-728 500	9 seats left	$12	Add to Cart

Building America: Irish Contributions

During the 1800s, America developed from a predominantly rural economy with a population of five million into a powerful industrial nation of 75 million. New Irish immigrants were quickly absorbed into the expanding workforce. The Irish played a major role in industrialization, providing much of the labor involved in creating the infrastructure of the new America. They played a prominent role in building towns and cities, digging canals, laying railroad tracks and keeping factories running. Women worked as domestics or factory workers. However, upward mobility was fast, and from the 1860s onwards, generations of better-educated Irish and Irish-Americans made notable contributions in public service as policemen, firemen, postal workers, teachers, nurses, clerks, and administrators. The contribution of the Irish to organized labor had been disproportionate to their numbers. In the decade 1901-1910, more than 50 of the 110 unions affiliated to the American Federation of Labor had Irish or Irish-American presidents. Their concern for the rights of fellow workers may reflect the Irish thirst for justice and fair play engendered over centuries of repression. The Irish in America also played an important part in the evolution of the popular culture in this country, as well as helping to shape popular democracy across the states. We will explore these contributions in this class.

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Elizabeth Stack, PhD, Instructor

Building America: Irish Contributions

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Friday, 10/6 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-734 500	11 seats left	$22	Add to Cart

Capitol Hauntings

Explore the haunted history of one of New York State’s architectural treasures, the Capitol building in Albany. Find out about the night watchman who still makes his rounds, despite his death in the 1911 fire. Search for the missing murals above the Assembly Chamber – and the eccentric artist who painted them. Examine the strange gothic creatures carved in stone on the famous Million Dollar Staircase. These and other strange incidents will be the subject as we walk the halls with Stuart W. Lehman, education coordinator for the New York State Capitol. Our Capitol Hauntings tour begins at the State Street lobby desk, where security procedures are in place. 

Course will meet at State St. And Washington Ave, Albany, NY

Paula Johannesen, Coordinator

Capitol Hauntings

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Tuesday, 10/24 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm	ZCCR-175 500	4 seats left	$12	Add to Cart

Crusader or Criminal?

Time has a way of romanticizing violent events and turning notorious individuals into folk heroes. During the Anti-Rent War in the mid-1800s, numerous incidents of violence occurred, resulting in several deaths. Was this struggle for land reform a crusade for a cause? Was violence justified when the legislature could do little address the perpetual leases? Or was it a bunch of domestic terrorists trying to acquire farms they rented in perpetuity from large landowners such as the Van Rensselaers or Livingstons? Key players in the struggle, Big Thunder (aka Smith Boughton) of Alps, Rensselaer County, and the Finkle Brothers from Columbia and Rensselaer counties, will be discussed. 

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Jill Knapp, Instructor

Crusader or Criminal?

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Monday, 11/6 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-743 500	13 seats left	$19	Add to Cart

Deerfield Trip

On this trip, we’ll be heading east toward Springfield, Massachusetts and then north to Deerfield, to a very beautiful area called the Pioneer Valley. Arrival is at 9:30 a.m., so please leave yourself a good hour and a half to get there. We’ll be spending the whole day in the village and will enjoy a cooking demonstration and a guided tour, as well as time to wander on your own. Our tour should coincide with the peak of the foliage season, in time to see a spectacular display. Deerfield has 11 buildings that include historic houses, a tavern, a visitor center and a modern museum of early New England life. All the houses are from the mid-1700s. There is also an inn within the village with a lovely restaurant if you want to stop for lunch. Course fee includes $14 materials fee.

Course will meet at Historic Deerfield, 80 Old Main Street, Deerfield, MA

Linda Jones, Coordinator

Deerfield Trip

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Wednesday, 10/11 9:30 am - 2:30 pm	ZCCR-381 500	0 seats left	$26	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Flip Side of History

Are you the type of person who is fascinated by ordinary people doing extraordinary things? Are you intrigued by compelling, quirky stories that never became front page news? If so, then this class is for you. For more than 30 years, author Steve Silverman, host of the popular “Useless Information” podcast, has been researching and telling some of the most unusual, odd, and bizarre true stories that time has forgotten. Come join Steve as he shares a selection of his all-time favorite stories. It is sure to entertain.

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Steve Silverman, Instructor

Flip Side of History

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Thursday, 10/26 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-745 500	0 seats left	$12	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Flowers of the Fall: Design, Color and Texture

When do you ever have the opportunity to spend a morning with a versatile floral artist, who can design a classical look but make it follow a modern trend? Take advantage of instructor Michele's 30 years of experience and let her show you how you can put creativity and energy into floral designs for everyday and special events. If you have been with us before, you know she brings a passion for what she does, and always brings new ideas and demonstrates what is "hot" in the flower world. You may be one of the lucky students who carries one of her creations home! Course fee includes a $18 materials fee.

Course will be held in  Williams Hall, Room 113

Michele Peters, Instructor

Flowers of the Fall: Design, Color and Texture

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Wednesday, 10/25 9:30 am - 12:00 pm	ZCCR-338 500	0 seats left	$30	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

French Settlements in New York's Champlain Valley

2 PRESENTATIONS IN 1!

Fort St. Frederic, New France, and Colonial French Settlements in New York’s Champlain Valley

Beginning with Samuel de Champlain’s exploration of Lake Champlain in 1609, France laid claim to New York’s Champlain Valley as part of New France (Canada). Though French settlement grew slowly, a number of farms and homes dotted the valley by the mid-eighteenth  century. For the 25 years between 1734 and 1759, a large French fort, Fort St. Frederic, provided protection for these settlers in the southern Champlain Valley. This presentation examines French interests in the Champlain Valley during the colonial era with a special focus on the reasons for establishing Fort St. Frederic at the southern end of the valley. The lecture will also look at life inside and out of Fort St. Frederic and the various reasons why the French settlements in the Champlain Valley were ultimately lost to the British during the French and Indian War.

 The Battle for Lake Champlain During the American Revolution, 1775-1777

This lecture provides an overview of the various campaigns for control of Lake Champlain during the American Revolution. In the early years of the American Revolution, New York’s Champlain Valley was a major theater of the war. The captures of Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Crown Point occurred within weeks of Lexington and Concord and provided the fledgling revolution with much-needed artillery. In the years that followed, Lake Champlain was an avenue of both attack and defense for both the British and the American revolutionaries. This presentation examines these various military campaigns and places them in the broader context of the American Revolution overall.

Course will be held in  Williams Hall, Room 113

Sam Huntington, Instructor

French Settlements in New York's Champlain Valley

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Tuesday, 10/17 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-698 500	0 seats left	$19	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Gemstones Demystified

Join bench jeweler and designer Heather (Van Oort) Naventi as she busts myths about jewelry and gemstones, demonstrates how to distinguish fake from real, and shows you how to detect flaws in diamonds. This interactive session of jeweler’s techniques will teach you how to make simple repairs to your own pieces. At her studio, Heather does wholesale repair work for other jewelry stores in addition to retail sales and repairs. She also designs and creates custom jewelry. We ask that you bring your own folding chair. 

Course will meet at The Masterpiece Jewelry Studio 2557 County Route 5, New Lebanon NY

Marie D’Entrone, Coordinator

Gemstones Demystified

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Thursday, 10/26 11:00 am - 12:00 pm	ZCCR-733 500	0 seats left	$12	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Houses of Worship in Rensselaer County

From the Quakers in Troy to the Jewish settlements in Nassau, Rensselaer County has been the home of many different religious groups since before 1791. Join Rensselaer County and Troy City Historian Kathryn Sheehan for an illustrated lecture focusing on the many diverse religious groups who settled in the 14 towns and two cities of Rensselaer County. We will examine the role and challenges that these different religious groups faced and learn about their contributions to their local towns and cities. Kathryn will highlight the many architectural gems that were built as houses of worship, many of which are still in use today or have been adaptively reused for another purpose.

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Kathy Sheehan, Instructor

Houses of Worship in Rensselaer County

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Friday, 11/3 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-735 500	0 seats left	$22	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Introduction to French Canadian Family History

Family historians whose ancestors can be traced back to the province of Quebec are presented with some unique research challenges. Name changes and variations, cultural differences and the language barrier are just a few. In a program designed by longtime researcher Michelle LeClair, professional genealogist Lisa Dougherty will offer strategies to overcome these obstacles and develop a clearer picture of your family from north of the border.

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Lisa Dougherty, Instructor

Introduction to French Canadian Family History

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Tuesday, 11/7 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-722 500	13 seats left	$15	Add to Cart

Irish History Through Song

Ireland is an island, smaller than the state of New York, with a rich and troubled history that dates back to 10,500 B.C. Because of its strategic location and its climate, it has been the envy of many nations. Join the Capital Region’s Irish Balladeer Irish Don Kelly as he takes you on a musical journey through Ireland’s history. Songs and stories of Ireland’s fight for freedom, its heroes, and its beauty will abound. Please join us for this very interesting and educational event. 

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Don Kelly, Instructor

Irish History Through Song

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Friday, 9/29 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-731 500	7 seats left	$15	Add to Cart

Isaac Foote & Papscanee Island

Major Isaac Foote

Maj. Isaac Foote, born in Branford, Connecticut, served with the Northern Army under General Johnson, resisting the French forces during the French and Indian War. He was a leader of the Connecticut troops and was noted for his bravery and devotion to his native colony as well as for his religion and his devotion to his God. He was with the Second Regiment under Col. Elizur Goodrich of Wethersfield in the expedition against Crown Point and one of the few to survive the retreat of the battle along the Monongahela River in Pennsylvania. A man of great faith, he was on his way home, having been allowed to leave by the military to recover from disease, when he died at Col. Schuyler’s home in Albany. He is now interred in the Greenbush Cemetery. We will discuss and explore his life and death in this class.

The History of Papscanee Island and the Mohican- Munsee People

Papscanee Island is located on the Hudson River in Rensselaer County. The Mohican-Munsee history on Papscanee Island reaches from 2,500 B.C. through the contact period of the 1600s. Led by Chief Papsickene during the Dutch fur trading era and calling themselves the Muh-he-con-ne-ok (the People of the Water that is Never Still), their culture and history remains vital to Papscanee Island and surrounding areas today.

Course will be held in  Williams Hall, Room 113

Bobbie Reno, Instructor

Isaac Foote & Papscanee Island

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Wednesday, 11/1 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-738 500	0 seats left	$12	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Knickerbocker Family Mansion: Ghosts, Tour and Lunch

The Knickerbocker Historical Society will be our hosts as they tell us about the history and ghosts of the Knickerbocker Mansion, which dates from about 1770. They will arrange for historical ‘ghosts’ to give moving firsthand accounts of their lives and experiences, and they will explain the renovations – the not-for-profit Society rescued the mansion from certain demolition and has continued to restore it. Our visit concludes with a chance to tour the mansion and to a colonial lunch cooked with authentic recipes, a delicious side to the history of the mansion. Course fee includes $30 materials fee.

Michele Doodian, Coordinator

Directions: Take Route 40 north to Schaghticoke. At the red light as you approach the village, turn left on Route 67, travel west toward Mechanicville. Drive 3 miles west, turn right onto Knickerbocker Road. The Mansion is the first building on the right.

Knickerbocker Family Mansion: Ghosts, Tour and Lunch

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Wednesday, 10/4 10:30 am - 1:30 pm	ZCCR-137 500	7 seats left	$40	Add to Cart

Murder at Historic Cherry Hill: Re-enactment

A rifle shot, a scream, and the Cherry Hill household erupts into chaos! The dramatic tour relives the experiences of those who were at Cherry Hill on the evening of May 7, 1827, when a farm hand murdered a member of the Van Rensselaer household. We will investigate the scene of the crime and the differing perspectives of those who witnessed the events of that fateful night. An actor will appear as murderer Jesse Strang, bringing to life his violent act, and divulging his motives, including a romantic attachment to his victim’s wife. The notorious murder resulted in two sensational trials and Albany’s last public hanging. Historic Cherry Hill is a historic house museum in Albany, NY, and was the five-generation home of the Van Rensselaer family from 1787 to 1963. Historic Cherry Hill is located in Albany’s South End, on South Pearl Street between First and McCarty Avenues. Please dress for the weather (rain or shine) and wear comfortable shoes. Inside, the tour will take us up and down two flights of stairs; outside, we will walk over some uneven ground. Course fee includes $15 materials fee.

Course will meet at Historic Cherry Hill, 523 ½ South Pearl Street, Albany, NY

Michele Doodian, Coordinator 

Murder at Historic Cherry Hill: Re-enactment

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Saturday, 10/28 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm	ZCCR-736 500	0 seats left	$27	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Norman Rockwell Presentation

Learn about Norman Rockwell’s fascinating life and art. During this presentation we will explore the life of Norman Rockwell, the Norman Rockwell Museum, the background and history of the artist, his family, his schooling, his teachers, his mentors and illustrators, his painting approaches, his most iconic works, his personal life, and the way his work ties into American culture. If you enjoyed the Saturday Evening Post, you will love seeing all those wonderful covers and hearing the stories behind them. 

Course will be held in  Williams Hall, Room 113

Dan Carubia, Instructor

Norman Rockwell Presentation

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Wednesday, 10/4 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-684 500	19 seats left	$12	Add to Cart

Proctors: A Man, His Theater, Our Heritage

Frederick Freeman Proctor was near the end of his life when he decided to build his greatest theater, the jewel in the crown of his 54 theaters spread from coast to coast, in Schenectady. When the doors of Proctors Theater were opened on December 27, 1926, every seat was filled to watch the featured silent film “Stranded in Paris” and five vaudeville acts. Using slides copied from period photographs, this class will explore the entire history of the theater and the man it is named for, revealing an amazing life and career full of surprises along the way. Slides will also document and compare how the theater has changed over its 90 years of life, from its glittering success through the 1930s to hard times that became so bad that by the 1970s, there was a real threat that it would be torn down. Learn about how the theater was saved, rehabilitated, restored and expanded, and about its recent major restoration. 

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Marilyn Sassi, Instructor

Proctors: A Man, His Theater, Our Heritage

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Thursday, 9/28 10:00 am - 12:00 pm	ZCCR-723 500	3 seats left	$19	Add to Cart

Progressive Ladies of the Gilded Age

They were rich enough not to have a care in the world, but care they did. Far from being solely concerned with fashion and parties, many Gilded Age socialites of the late 19th and early 20th centuries became artists and writers, businesswomen, leaders in civic causes, philanthropists, and, of course, suffragists. Who was the lady (antecedents unknown and not to be shared) who managed a huge publishing conglomerate on her own? The wealthy woman who secured a divorce and took up suffrage? The woman who secured a divorce and took up writing? Who was the lady who took up philanthropy after her cranky, abusive husband died just before writing her and their children out of his will? The socialite who became a nun?! Believing that “spreading the wealth” was a good thing, these ladies made life better for so many.

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Phyllis Chapman, Instructor

Progressive Ladies of the Gilded Age

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Wednesday, 10/18 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-724 500	0 seats left	$25	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Rensselaerwyck & Tapper's Tax

2 PRESENTATIONS IN 1!

Rensselaerwyck: Patroonship to Manor

The year is 1664 and English monarch Charles II (1630-1685) has claimed the lands of New Netherland, colonized by the Dutch over 43 years, on behalf of his brother, James, the Duke of York. Based on correspondence of the Van Rensselaer family, land records, and other primary source documents, students will learn about the Van Rensselaer family, the patroonship system, and how the family utilized their influence and connections to navigate the transition from Dutch to English governance and maintain ownership of their vast land holdings. 

 The Tapper’s Tax

When Director General Peter Stuyvesant put new restrictions on alcohol sales in New Netherland in the 1650s, the brewers of the colony found that their livelihoods were at stake. Under the strict watch of Stuyvesant and his agents, many tavernkeepers found themselves struggling to stay in operation, and sometimes wound up on the wrong side of the law. Court documents from the period tell the story of several tavernkeepers at Rensselaerwyck who resisted the colony’s heavy policing and taxing of drinking establishments, their methods of resistance, and how they found agency and opportunity in an uncertain colonial world. 

Course will be held in  Williams Hall, Room 113

Audrey Humphrey & Loretta Tucker from Crailo State Historic Site, Instructors

Rensselaerwyck & Tapper's Tax

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Monday, 10/30 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-737 500	0 seats left	$17	Section Full Call to be added to wait list

Seach of Family & Opportunity at Cherry Hill

Mary Burle came to Cherry Hill in Albany in 1874 from an asylum in Washington D.C. The institution, founded in 1863, the year she was born, gave refuge to scores of Black women and children fleeing the south after the Emancipation Proclamation. Mary, with an endlessly sunny disposition, lived at Cherry Hill until the age of 19, when a mysterious set of circumstances set her at odds with Harriet Maria Elmendorf “Hattie” Gould, whom Mary described as “like a mother.” Shortly thereafter, in 1884, six-year-old Clara Patterson came to Cherry Hill after her mother died of tuberculosis. Also raised as a live-in servant, Clara self-advocated for rights and opportunities opening up elsewhere in Albany; she wanted an education and to earn money for herself. These talks will explore how two young Black women navigated the challenges of growing up during and after Reconstruction, and the paths they ultimately chose in search of family and opportunity.

Course will be held in  Williams Hall, Room 113

Shawna Reilly, Instructor

Seach of Family & Opportunity at Cherry Hill

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Thursday, 11/9 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-739 500	24 seats left	$17	Add to Cart

Strolling Through Round Lake

Travel along with lifetime Round Lake resident Scott Rigney, a deputy historian, and Lydia Hoffman, Round Lake Village resident and organ expert, as they describe the founding of Round Lake and the history of the Ferris Tracker organ, and then take us on a walk through this magical little village.  

Find out where the famous 1847 Ferris Tracker organ came from, why the streets are arranged in a hub and spoke pattern, what the term camp houses means, what Victorian architecture looks like, and why someone built an octagonal house here. We will also be entertained with a short organ program with organist Jon Fuller on the famous antique pipe organ before our stroll.

You will be walking on even and uneven surfaces for up to a mile. Wear appropriate footwear and be prepared to stand for up to 1.5 hours. Some folks may want to bring a small folding chair. Dress appropriately for the weather, as we may be walking in the rain. Course fee includes $15 materials fee.

This class will begin at the Auditorium, 2 Wesley Avenue in Round Lake. Parking will only be at the Round Lake Methodist Church, 34 George Avenue, and the Zim Smith Bike Trail off Lake Ave next to Leah’s Bakery (perfect for a bakery item and coffee). Participants, please give yourself time to walk the 10 minutes to the Auditorium so that you are seated by the starting time of your class.

Course will meet at 2 Wesley Ave, Round Lake, NY

Lea Darling, Coordinator

Directions: From North – Take Route 87 South to Exit 11. Turn left at the light at the end of the off ramp. Continue down the hill to the S curve, RLUMC is on the right OR Take Route 9 south through Malta. As you are leaving Malta you will start to head down a hill. At the bottom of the hill there is a stop light. Turn right at the stop light, the church is 1/2 mile on the left.

From South - Take Route 87 north to Exit 11. Turn right at the light at the end of the off ramp. Continue down the hill to the S curve, RLUMC is on the right. OR Take Route 9 north from the Clifton Park area. As you start to enter the Round Lake/Malta area you will pass under a green railway bridge and you will see the Lake on your right. Take a left at the stop light just past the lake. The church is 1/4 mile on the left.

Strolling Through Round Lake

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Thursday, 9/28 10:00 am - 12:00 pm	ZCCR-298 500	1 seats left	$27	Add to Cart

The Saugerties Lighthouse

Join us at the Saugerties Lighthouse, an 1869 landmark on the Hudson River that now stands proudly as a living museum and a renowned bed and breakfast. The Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy maintains the lighthouse and adjacent lands for the enjoyment of the public. The restored red-brick lighthouse offers overnight bed and breakfast accommodations, public tours and special events. Furnished as it may have looked in the early 20th century, the lighthouse contains a small museum, gift shop, parlor, kitchen, keepers’ quarters, and two guest bedrooms. The operational light tower offers a panoramic view of the Hudson River Valley and Catskill Mountains. Because of its location on the river, tours must be scheduled with tide schedules in mind. The lighthouse can be reached via a half-mile nature trail of dirt and rock paths with wooden bridges and boardwalks and sandy trails. It is at the end of Lighthouse Drive in the village of Saugerties, New York. Suitable, comfortable shoes are recommended. Course fee includes a $8 materials fee.

Paula Johannesen, Coordinator

Directions: Southbound on NYS Thruway/I-87 to the RT-32 exit-(Exit 20) - toward Saugerties/Woodstock. Turn left onto NY-32, turn left onto NY-212/NY-32, which becomes Ulster Ave. Continue on Ulster Ave. for 1.0 mile, bear right at Market St., go 1 block turn left at Main St., go 1 block stay straight to US-9W/Main St. Go 0.4 miles where 9W curves to the left, turn right onto Mynderse St., go 0.3 miles turn slight left onto Lighthouse Dr. Go 0.4 miles turn right into the lighthouse parking lot after the US Coast Guard station. Follow the lighthouse trail. Go 0.5 miles.  Please wear comfortable shoes.

The Saugerties Lighthouse

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Thursday, 10/19 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm	ZCCR-337 500	1 seats left	$20	Add to Cart

To Life! Part VII & VIII

Part VII of the "To Life" series continues the theme of making every day the best day of your life and enjoying every moment. Following Your Dreams, Living Your Dreams and Believing in Yourself will be seen with Michael Crawford as P.T. Barnum in "Join the Circus".....Liza Minnelli singing "I Am My Own Best Friend"...and John Raitt's "Soliloquy" from CAROUSEL......Feeling good when you're dancing will be illustrated by Tommy Tune  and "The Lambeth Walk"....Jack Cassidy and Dolores Gray sing a Gershwin medley...and a tribute to the late Barbara Cook, who sings “It Was Good Enough for Grandma”

Part VIII of the "To Life" series features the theme of different ways people fall in love with Shirley Jones,  Marin Mazzie, Gene Kelly,  and Jack Lemmon as Og, the leprechaun, in FINIAN'S RAINBOW, singing "When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love, I Love the Girl I'm Near"... We'll see songs that have uplifting positive outlooks such as,"Put on a Happy Face", "High Hopes" and a rare clip of "Over the Rainbow" with the original lyricist E.Y. (Yip) Harburg…ending with Audra MacDonald's "Climb Every Mountain". 

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113
Richard Feldman, Instructor

To Life! Part VII & VIII

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Wednesday, 10/11 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-725 500	20 seats left	$15	Add to Cart

World War II

World War II was humanity’s and history’s greatest and most lethal conflict, spanning the globe and resulting in more than 65 million dead. Beyond the enormity of the conflict, WWII shaped the world we live in today. This class will discuss the origins, strategies, conduct, decisive battles and impact of technology on the war that was truly humanity’s “hinge of fate.”

Course will be held in Williams Hall, Room 113

Thad Gaebelein, Instructor

World War II

Schedule	Section	Seats Left	Cost	Register
Monday, 10/16 9:30 am - 11:30 am	ZCCR-744 500	11 seats left	$19	Add to Cart