April 2: Anne B. Gass, Maine Author and Independent Historian

“We Demand”: The Story of an Epic Cross-Country Road Trip for Women’s Voting Rights

Maine author Anne B. Gass, will talk about her historical novel, We Demand: the Suffrage Road Trip. We Demand is based on the true story of three gutsy women who, in 1915, drove from San Francisco to Washington DC, on a desperate and dangerous mission to demand an amendment to the US Constitution enfranchising women. The talk is accompanied by slides from the original trip. Anne’s first book, Voting Down the Rose: Florence Brooks Whitehouse and Maine’s Fight for Woman Suffrage, is a nonfiction account of her great-grandmother’s work to win suffrage. Join us to learn about this fascinating journey that was just one piece of women’s 72-year-long fight for voting rights.

April 9: Christine R. Maher, Professor of Biology, University of Southern Maine

Nick Lund, Advocacy and Outreach Manager, Maine Audubon

How Science Can Influence Policy: The Case of Bird/Building Collisions in Portland, Maine

Scientists and conservationists are just beginning to understand a major threat to bird populations: glass windows. At different times appearing invisible or reflecting the sky or habitat, hundreds of millions of birds die after colliding with windows in the United States each year. Thankfully, it is a problem with clear solutions. BirdSafe Maine is a partnership between Maine Audubon, the University of Southern Maine, and the Portland Society for Architecture that works to study the problem of bird/glass collisions in Maine and educate homeowners and policymakers on potential solutions. Join Dr. Chris Maher of USM and Nick Lund from Maine Audubon to learn about their findings in Portland and beyond and hear about their efforts to reduce the problem in Maine.

April 16: Nina G. Andersen, Founder and Director of the Southern Maine New Horizons Band.

Learning to Play, Playing to Learn—It’s Never Too Late to Learn

Nina Andersen (Oatley) has developed a real passion for supporting adults in making music at whatever their age or musical level. In 2017, she founded and is the director of the New Horizons Band, an affiliate of the New Horizons International Association. Previously, Nina served as the Music Director of the Italian Heritage Center Concert Band (now the Maine POPs Concert Band) from 1997 to 2017. She has been the Program and Music Director of the New England Adult Music Camp, based in Sidney, Maine, since 2017. A graduate of the USM School of Music, she teaches clarinet and performs regularly with a variety of groups in Maine. Nina’s presentation will tell of her experiences and include a live performance by a quartet from the Southern Maine New Horizons Band.

April 23: John Gale, Senior Research Associate, Maine Rural Health Research Center, USM

An Informed Conversation About the United States Healthcare System and Policy

John’s presentation will provide an overview of the challenges facing the United States health care system; will compare our system with those of other countries; and will dispel some of the myths surrounding health care reform. John has extensive experience in rural health research as well as senior management experience in primary care, mental health, and substance abuse. He has a BS degree in Business Administration and a MS degree in Health Policy, both from the University of Southern Maine. John has done extensive research and studies on healthcare systems and has been published in numerous articles, reports and books. He also sits on various state and national Advisory Boards on community health care needs and practices.

April 30: Mark “Swannie” Swann, Executive Director of Preble Street

Helping Those in Need: The Wonderful Work Being Done by Preble Street

Mark became the Executive Director of Preble Street in 1991, where he has grown the non-profit from a staff of two, into one of the most highly respected human services organizations in New England and recognized nationally. Today, the organization employs more than 250 people and has hundreds of volunteers. Mark’s presentation will focus on the founding of Preble Street, its growth, its challenges, and its mission of providing barrier-free services for those experiencing problems with housing, homelessness, hunger, addiction, and poverty. Mark graduated from Bowdoin College and earned his master degree in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts. He has been honored and recognized for his dedication and service to the community and his advocacy for those in need.



OLLI Members can still subscribe to the rest of the Fall Series for $50, through the OLLI website in the same manner as an OLLI class.

Single SAGE lectures cost $10 each and are open to the general public on a walk-in basis or by registering for online viewing. You do not need to be an OLLI member to attend a single lecture; however, when purchasing a single lecture for online viewing, you need to contact the OLLI office at 207-780-4406 no later than the Thursday prior to the lecture.  

All lectures are recorded and a copy will be sent to all subscribers or Zoom registrants. You can register by using this link: https://usm.maine.edu/osher-lifelong-learning-institute/registration/

Reflections 2024 Deadline Extended

The deadline for submitting written and visual contributions to the 2024 edition of Reflections has been extended to April 15^th.

Rules for submissions to Reflections are in the OLLI website here: https://usm.maine.edu/osher-lifelong-learning-institute/news-publications/.

Scroll down to “Please see our submissions guidelines below.”

At the same Web address, you can read about the origins of Reflections and a description of the overall process for contributors in the February or March OLLI Newsletter.

—Tim Baehr, Submissions Manager

SIG Corner

March 2024

Carpe Diem

"Is happiness a warm puppy?" --Charles Schultz

Or can it be that…happiness is an OLLI member?  

What a perk we have! As an OLLI member, you can join as many Special Interest Groups (SIGs) as you wish. Have you looked at the list that appears in our course catalog? There are seasonal SIGs, along with all yearlong SIGs and some that operate after class hours during the spring and fall.

Take a look at some of our SIGs. For example, let’s look at the Downhill Ski Club. You know they have had challenges this snow season; however, they had eight ski days, with 42 skiers, and are waiting patiently to see what April may bring. There are other outdoor SIGs, the Trail Steppers and the Bicycle & Nosh groups. Please note there are other SIGs not mentioned here, so investigate—you have so many options!

Since September 2023, we have added a knitting group, a women’s lunch gathering, a meaningful Electric Dialogue Junction, a conversation group tackling a myriad of subjects, and soon to come is a Civil War Roundtable. Finally, last but not least, is a reminder to perhaps join our wonderful online Pictionary and Trivia groups, known for their hilarious fun and laughter!

Just imagine that one or more of our wonderful SIGs may be just right for you.

—Paula Johnson, OLLI Advisory Board SIG Coordinator

1. Before there were letter or postal boxes, what could you send by mail for short distances that is now prohibited?

Answer: Children! When parcel post was introduced in 1913, it was an immediate success, and Americans had more access to all kinds of goods and services. One unintended result was that parents, with cooperation from rural postal workers, could use parcel post to send their children to nearby relatives. At the time, the only animals that could be mailed were bees and bugs; chicks were not allowed until 1918. Parcel post was less expensive than a train ticket! We wondered if special delivery could be used for midwives! Check out the Smithsonian article: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/brief-history-children-sent-through-mail-180959372/

2. Who developed the first Polaroid in 1947?

Answer: Edwin Land (1909-91). According to Britannica, Land became interested in polarized light when he was a student at Harvard, and he left college to study and experiment. In 1932, he succeeded in inventing a polarizer by embedding crystals into a sheet of plastic. He named the product the Polaroid J sheet. Sunglasses and optical devices incorporated it by 1936. Land founded the Polaroid Corporation in Cambridge, MA in 1937. During World War II he applied polarizing to military equipment. He then turned his attention to a camera that could develop photos, inventing the Polaroid Land Camera in 1947. It produced photographs within one minute. Maybe you are old enough to remember how magical it was to watch the pictures develop – no dark room or chemicals required!

3. What is America’s longest highway?

Answer: Interstate 90. I-90 was established in 1957, completed in 1993, and extended by the Big Dig extension in Boston that was completed in 2003. It spans the northern continental states of the U.S. from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts, a total of 3021 miles. The highway crosses 13 states, with the Most Mileage Award going to Montana (522.5 miles). Fun fact: despite being the longest highway in the U.S., I-90’s mileage is less than the coastal mileage of Maine, which is 3427 miles!

For a detailed, virtual, cross country trip, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_90

Can you list the thirteen states of I-90? It was harder than I thought! See the end of this column for the list.

4. As of 2022, how many people have walked on the moon?

Answer: Twelve. All were American astronauts in the Apollo program (Apollo 11, 12,14, 15, 16, and 17), and they walked on the moon between July 1969 and December 1972. They were, in chronological order, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Pete Conrad, Alan Bean, Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, David Scott, James Irwin, John Young, Charles Duke, Gene Cernan, and Harrison Schmitt. Alan Shepard (1923-98), Apollo 14, was the oldest and only astronaut born prior to 1930. At age 48, when he walked on the moon, he was almost old enough to be an OLLI member!

5. What is the Easter Egg found in every episode of Seinfeld?

Answer: Superman or a reference to Superman. It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s Superman!

6. In 1933, when Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) was First Lady, what kind of vehicle did she use for a night-time joyride from Washington, DC, to Baltimore?

Answer: An airplane. On the evening of April 20, 1933 Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) were both at a White House dinner party in formal dress. Eleanor had recently gotten her student pilot license. The two women (plus two male pilots) flew from Washington, DC, to Baltimore, with Eleanor taking over for a part of the trip. They returned to the White House for dessert. Who knew?! And, if you’re intrigued, there is a picture book, Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride (rated 4.8/5 stars), about their adventure!

***Answer to extra credit question in #3: The thirteen states that are home to I-90 are, from west to east: Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts.