Please join Charles W. Sydnor, Ph.D. for this fascinating lecture series. Dr. Sydnor, is a highly respected historian of the Holocaust and World War II. Dr. Sydnor earned his BA in History from Emory & Henry College, and his MA and PhD from Vanderbilt in 1971. He spent an additional year of study at the University of Freiburg in Germany. He has also produced television documentaries devoted to the Holocaust and for 8 years served as President of Emory & Henry College and is the past executive director of the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond.

Join Cathy Lowe, the Mayor of Abingdon, and other Town officials and employees for a look at how our town government works and functions. Class will not meet on Tuesday, April 4, 2017.

In this course we will take a look at people, places, events, and stories significant in the history of Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee. The fascinating geography of our region, as well as cultural and historical topics will be considered. There will be lectures, lots of handouts, videos, music and maybe even a field trip or two! Instructor: Randy Smith.

Please join chiropractors Dr.’s Chris Brown and Brian Douts of Chiropractic First, Abingdon, for a lifestyle class designed for the aging adult. Some of the topics to be discussed will depend on input from class members.

Frank Capra was considered the #1 director in Hollywood in the 1930's. During his career, which included the classic "It's a Wonderful Life", he directed (wrote sometimes) 52 movies. We will view 6 including "It Happened One Night", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town." And for one lucky and attentive person there will be a prize at the end. Popcorn will be provided. Instructor is Erin Oneisom.

The class will meet in the lobby of the Higher Ed Center. We will begin with hikes of about 2 to 3 miles, then increase to 4 plus miles. Our first hike will be on the Overmountain Trail at the Higher Ed Center followed by hikes in Sugar Hollow Park, Virginia Creeper Trail in Abingdon, and a hike on the Appalachian Trail. Bring water, snacks and wear sturdy shoes.

A taste of the exotic has found its way to Abingdon. Local folks share memories of their travels. September 13, Eileen Garner, South American Adventure, Part I; September 20 , Eileen Garner, South American Adventure, Part II; September 27, Paul Conco, Bonnie Scotland; October 4, Ted Pile, Around the World on Points and Miles; October 11, Jill Jessee, Highlights of Peru with Machu Picchu; October 18, Ellen Mueller, Discovering Cuba

Born from 1977 to 1995, this distinct group includes many of our children and grandchildren. The #1 generation-defining moment for Millennials is September 11, 2001. Because their work styles, their values, and their culture are so different from ours, we often struggle to understand them. They are rapidly replacing us as workers and leaders. But when we try to influence them in our families, at work, or in our community we are often frustrated. Let’s talk about our experience and share ideas as we learn together to do this better. Instructor: Paul Bufford, pastor of Abingdon Bible Church.

Martin Dotterweich, PhD., Chair, Department of History and Political Science King University. Since ancient times, human communities have used writing to record things: business transactions, laws, stories, big ideas, shopping lists, rituals, events, court cases. This course pays particular attention to what they write these things on. What is the origin of the book? How has it been used through the centuries? What difference does the size, material, and letting in a book make? Book history takes us from the ancient world through the modern day, and along the way we'll spend much of our time talking about The Book: the Bible. More copied and printed than any other text, with more innovation and urgency, the Bible presents the best case study in book history. Dr Dotterweich specializes in English Bibles of the medieval and Reformation period, and will arrange for a special display of rare English Bibles during the course.

This class will explore the themes, issues and questions raised by the Arts Array Series. There is no instructor – every member is a teacher and all ideas are shared and valued. The COA Arts Array Pass will be available at the Higher Ed Center August 28th.

DIVINE MATRIX has been REPLACED with a DVD Class of "The Mayo Clinic Guide to Pain Relief". Professor Barbara K. Bruce, Ph.D., L.P. of the Mayo Clinic College of Science and Medicine, Mayo Clinic. One out of every three U.S. adults lives with chronic pain. That’s why the experts at the Mayo Clinic are working with The Great Courses to craft this research-based guide to coping with chronic pain.

Join well-known judge and local story teller, Isaac Freeman for a rollicking good time as he spins his tales and re-creates tales from his many years in the courtroom. Learn tips and techniques about how to tell your own stories and preserve them orally for your friends and family. This class will meet 4 times: September 13, 27 and October 4 and 18. There will be no classes on September 20 or October 11.

Join Ramsey White (who knows very little French!) for a conjugation free, declension free, stress free, simple travelers look at the French language and culture. We will look only at words and phrases that are essential to getting by in France. Join us if you 1) want to learn a little French (learning a second language is very good for the brain), 2) if you are ever plan on going to France, or 3) if you just want to have that certain je ne sais quoi. We will look at basic introductory phrases, asking directions, finding restrooms/the metro/the Louvre, reading menus, ordering food, reading signs and very importantly how to force the French to speak English to you. Learn how to say “Je ne comprends pas” with ease and confidence!

Mindfulness is an element of human consciousness that separates us from less enlightened animals, and learning to watch how our thoughts come and go is the key to developing a meditation practice. But these steps can be frustrating, so Buddha gave us some easy ways to strengthen our mindfulness for meditation and for everyday use. Learning these simple techniques can reduce stress, improve relationships, lower blood pressure, enhance mental abilities, culture happiness and make you look and feel younger. Come join us! Instructor: Rob Smith who has had a practice of Buddhism for more than 15 years.

This class had to be shifted from the spring schedule. It will feature musical highlights from 10 musicals including An American in Paris, Oklahoma, Bells Are Ringing and Hello, Dolly. There will be no class on October 12. Presenter: Bill Campbell, host of Vocals Treasurers on WETS-FM, HD3 and WEHC-FM, 90.7.

Please join retired Physics Professor, Jim Warden, Ph.D., as he presents basic physics principles without the mathematics and formulas. Dr. Warden will demonstrate certain laws and theories with working models and down to earth explanations.

How to Profile People. Research, develop and write portraits of interesting, important people, including yourself. Explore meaningful ways to create remembrances and eulogies, recommendations and introductions, or family history profiles. Or if you lean toward fiction, apply these techniques in creating unforgettable characters. Led by Norma Parker Wilson, retired magazine editor, writer and educator.

Thirty years after Marilyn Monroe's death, nearly 35,000 pages of formerly sealed files containing her diary entries, letters, personal papers, medical and psychiatric files reveal a life that was as conflicted and illusory as any role Marilyn portrayed on the screen. "I never wanted to be Marilyn - it just happened", she said. "Marilyn's like a veil I wear over Norma Jeane." Lee Saunders, in a multi-media presentation, shows why this actress continues to beguile and enthrall.

The Teaching Company’s Luke Timothy Johnson, Ph.D, presents a comprehensive look at Christianity and how it rose from a small sect in the backwater of the Roman Empire to come to dominate the cultural life of Europe - a religion with now over 2 billion believers.

It seems like Syria is in the news every day now. This is no surprise since so much devastation has occurred and Syria is strategic to peace in the Middle East. What's happening in Syria? How did we get there? Where are the refugees now? Who is ISIS and what do they want? And where is Syria headed? Instructor: Don Michael Hudson, PhD. Don has authored, co-authored, or edited five books and written over 50 essays and articles. He has given more than 300 research and public scholarship presentations in 47 states. He is a faculty member in the King College of Arts and Sciences where he is also the Chair. He is a frequent traveler to the Middle East.

The Teaching Company. This course takes a look at the “collision, convergence and complex mixture” of the peoples who came to make the “Americas”. Topics will include: the slave trade; Spanish Galleons, pirates, the late arrival of the English and the French; religious conversions, conquest and destruction of the native peoples, and other issues.

The AARP Smart Driver class is a refresher class allowing participants to refresh their knowledge and heighten their awareness of changing driving regulations, vehicles and highways. Cost is $15.00 for AARP members (with their membership number) and $20.00 for non-AARP members. At the end of class participants will receive a certificate for their insurance company for possible discounts on their auto policy. There are no formal tests!

Friday, Sept. 15, 9am – noon. Fall in the Garden with an Eye on Winter. (room 149). Please join Snow Ferreniea, noted wildflower and gardening authority and author, for class on what one can do with the garden in fall and what one needs to do to get the garden prepared for winter.

Meet at 9am in the front hall of the Higher Ed Center to arrange carpooling. The tour starts at 10am. You are encouraged to pack a lunch to enjoy with a glass of wine ($5.00). There is a charge for the tastings of wine ($5.00), but waived if you purchase a bottle) and spirits ($5.00). Directions: I-81 north to exit 54; follow signs; approx. 1.8 miles to Davis Valley Rd. Leader: Joe Wentz.

Ladies join Ann Mellema for a fun and exercise filled class in the ancient art of belly dancing. If there is enough interest a second class will be held.

The Roots of Earthsea: Historical Elements in the Fantasy Fiction A Wizard of Earthsea. (room 226). This two part course will cover tropes of fantasy fiction that appear in the 2017 Big Read, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula de Guin. The class will review myths from various cultures that have influenced the genre, but will focus primarily on British and American fiction from the mid-1800s through the present. The class will be taught by Jill Minor of the Washington County Public Library with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest. Free copies will be available at the library in Abingdon and at the COA.

Join Ramsey White for a primer on the latest information on improving your odds of beating Alzheimer’s disease. New research is showing that in many cases we can delay or prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s with simple steps.