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University of the Third Age—Southern Highlands Inc. |
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BOWRAL UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE NEWSLETTER Vol.1 #1 March 1995 Rosemary Kornfeld (who started it all and therefore lacks a title!) Roger Ware, Treasurer (Phone number supplied.) Since a first well-attended meeting on a rainy night just before Christmas 1994, the Bowral UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE has surpassed all expectations for success. At a second meeting four courses were installed which are currently running through the month of February.* Attendance at these four courses went beyond anticipation and brought additional new members into the group. New members can join at any time, for the annual membership fee of $5.00 by simply attending one of the courses listed below which entitles them to attend any or as many courses as they choose. Membership can also be maintained without class attendance for those who wish to wait until additional courses are installed. Special thanks to Bill Walsh who has the place and the equipment set up to run a session in a basic course in computer word processing. All Bill Walsh needs are the participants! Please call him on (Phone number supplied.). This course is aimed to get those of us who, through fear, haven't experienced the wonders of computer technology! Our success has prompted a request from the Southern Highlands' branch of the Association of Independent Retirees, Inc. for a speaker of the Bowral USA to give a short talk about our group. I'll be attending their meeting on February 28 to do so.
At the group's third meeting. Friday - March 3, 1995 at Stafford Cottage 9:00-10:30am., nominations will be taken and officers and a planning committee will be elected. There are now over forty members and the diverse interests of current members have shown that there is tremendous scope for many more classes to be held. Also suitable venues have been obtained which will facilitate planning and give additional sphere to the group's needs. We are fortunate in having the Bowral Golf & Country Club offer us their premises for the full days of Mondays and Thursdays without charge. The Gilbert & Sullivan course is already being held there and has changed its time to 2.00 — 4.00 pm. Membership funds accumulated, in their entirety, and banking papers will be handed to the yet-to-be-elected Treasurer at the March 3 meeting. Leaders, Roger and I have donated any monies spent on photocopying, phone calls, postage, etc. toward the venture. Also discussed and put to a vote will be the question of a name change as the group’s members comprise residents of the Southern Highlands rather than just Bowral. It's realised that some members may not be able to attend this meeting due to prior commitments. If you are one, please call Rosemary Kornfeld (Phone number supplied.) or Roger Ware (Phone number supplied.)Nominations can be lodged to be brought forward at the meeting for you. Also expressions of interest for class leadership will be appreciated. To give an idea of untapped interests specifically expressed by members: Alternative Medicine Arts - applied (Painting & Sketching), Art History If you are interested in leading a course on any of the above subjects, or alternatively one of your own choices, please offer your leadership at the meeting or call either Roger Ware or Rosemary Kornfeld. * CURRENTLY RUNNING DURING FEBRUARY Current Affairs Friday 9-10:30AM Stafford Cottage, Bowral, led by Joan Ford Museums Friday 3:15-5PM WINS Skillshare, Bowral, led by Desmond Kennard Gilbert & Sullivan Music & Social Commentary Monday 2-4 PM Bowral Golf & Country Club, led by Betty Neumann Conversational French Tuesday 3:15-5PM WINS Skillshare, Bowral, led by David Neumann The following comments by course leaders and I sum up our situation to date: Current Affairs Class - 13 people attended the first Current Affairs class. Interesting and informative discussions took place on our two topics "The Concept of Retirement Villages, a desirable way of living?" and "Euthanasia". The interchange of ideas was lively and sometimes amusing and we look forward to this week's topic "That States No Longer Serve a Useful Purpose". Other topics in the pipeline include "The Republican Issue", "Immigration", "Media Integrity", and “The Family". Joan Ford, Leader French Conversation Group - At my first meeting 7 members were present and from the first moment of arrival we spoke French only. The levels of expression varied from fluent to elementary. After the first meeting, we decided to speak on a particular subject, the next week being on holidays in France, either in the past or hopefully in the future. The meetings are very informal and those present seem to enjoy them. David Neumann Gilbert & Sullivan - Music & Social Commentary - There were 12 people at our first meeting and I showed the first act of The Mikado. As we were very pressed for time, it was a little frustrating not to be able to discuss the background of the opera and composers. The second act was shown at the next meeting. Our third meeting will be at a new venue, the Bowral Country Club, which has generously offered us a room with a good television and video and where time will not be restricted. We are starting at 2PM in the future. My next presentation in a couple of weeks will be The Gondoliers, for which the format will be discussed. Like the members, I am a beginner at this kind of presentation and we are learning together. Betty Neumann (NB: Leonard Bernstein, when asked why he devoted so much of his valuable time to teaching (music to youngsters) replied that "learning and teaching are not opposites - for when I teach I also learn", rk) Museums - The spirited leadership and discussion by Desmond Kennard and members proved that museums are volatile and dynamic. The industry is indeed alive and well! Desmond Kennard presented the wealth of his experience in the field to us while I took an adversarial role, that of looking at the presentation of cultural diversity in exhibits or in some cases 'museum blind spots'! An important aspect of this course has been the stimulating discussion which has taken place around the subject. Rosemary Kornfeld Because this undertaking has proved so successful, it's hoped that course leaders and members will agree to extend the initially set out four-week course periods and that the courses, as well as additional ones, can continue to the week before Easter (Friday April 7) with a second semester begin soon after. This will also be discussed at the meeting. [In the meantime I wish to take this opportunity to thank all for their interest and enthusiasm, rk] Here follows an article provided by Rosemary Kornfeld. A rainy evening just prior to Christmas 1994 saw a dozen or more people attend the inaugural get-together of the Southern Highlands University of the Third Age, at what was then Penders Cafe in Bowral ,NSW, in response to a free advertisement in the Community Events section of the Highland News. Placed by Rosemary Kornfeld it was inspired by the success of other U3As on the NSW South Coast. Louise Rose kept the cafe open for us after normal trading hours. The SHU3A's first formal meeting took place a few weeks later, in January 1995. Roger Ware offered himself as its first President but gave the role over to Joan Ford. It was at the get-together in December that both Betty and David Neumann offered their assistance as the group's first voluntary course leaders; Betty with Gilbert & Sullivan Opera and David in French language instruction. At this first meeting in January 1995, Richard Aspinall volunteered to start and run a Newsletter, a post he continued to maintain for many years. Richard is still active in leading courses with the SHU3A. The setting up of a committee followed with Joan Ford as President, Richard Aspinall as Newsletter Editor, Rosemary Kornfeld as Course Coordinator and others willing and enthusiastic to tackle a Constitution and organisational features such as insurance, venues, membership, etc. Some of the courses first given were Psychology, Current Affairs, Photography, lunchtime and book discussion groups, Opera, French language discussion, Computers, etc. The local community supported the group initially and continues to do so. Perceived to soon become even more popular than imagined, new members joined to attend courses and many of them became active in leading. Joan Ford doubled as President and Course Leader with her course in Current Affairs. It was after one of it's early sessions that Ken Saxby attended Joan's course. Rosemary Kornfeld phoned him shortly after the course that same day to request that he lead a course for us. Ken has taken us though most of Europe and Asia since that day and is still currently doing so. The membership has soared to over 800 members since its first days on a cold and dark rainy night with a handful of enthusiastic people. Many interesting courses have been run and repeated over the years with new ones constantly also becoming popular. The talents of the SHU3A members has led to more than forty five courses available throughout each of the annual four terms. There seems to be no limit to the ingenuity and enthusiasm of the members. The educational and social value of the autonomous SHU3A is, and continues to be remarkable because its members and the local community have made it so. |
