10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Courses

  • Lectures on Diverse Topics

    WWLL is fortunate to have access to distinguished people who volunteer their time and expertise to give lectures on an eclectic array of topics.

    Course Organizers: This course was organized by Ann Dolbear, Stephen Engler, Barbara Mason and Bruce Belason. The Zoom host is Bill Cohen.

    Below is a summary of dates, lecture titles, and speakers. For the entire lecture description and speaker bio, click on the “+” symbol to the right of the course title. To hide the information accessed, click again on either the lecture title or the “+” sign to the right of the title.

    • March 10

      Imagine asking a computer to compose a lullaby for your grandchild, simplify your daily tasks, or even assist in managing your health—this isn't science fiction anymore. AI has made it a reality.

      The AI wave is upon us with new advancements coming virtually every week. Today, tools like Midjourney can create art in the style of Picasso, ChatGPT can help craft a new pie recipe, and Suno can produce custom songs with realistic vocals in the genre of your choice. As Bill Gates aptly stated in 2023, "AI is about to completely change how you use computers." This prediction is now our reality.

      But what about AI for the rest of us? Is it just a better Siri or Alexa? Or does this technology have the potential to profoundly improve our lives? From enhancing creativity to supporting health and connectivity, AI offers exciting possibilities. At the same time, concerns around privacy, job displacement, and misinformation demand thoughtful consideration.

      In this lecture I invite you to explore the world of AI with me, to see what it's capable of today, and to explore how it might be applied to the daily lives of older adults and seniors tomorrow.

      Be sure to bring all of your AI questions for the Q&A session at the end.

      Speaker: Robin R. Johnson is a seasoned innovator with expertise in AI and digital storytelling. After contributing to major interactive projects at Dreamworks, EA, Disney and Meta, Robin now leads AI innovation at Mixbook, the #1 photobook storytelling company.

      Robin also teaches AI in private lessons and publicly as a teacher for the Brookline Public School System.

      When he's not working, Robin is a proud and active father of two young kids and resides in Newton, MA.

    • March 17

      We feel disempowered when we think that our genetics rather than our lifestyle choices have the most impact on how we age. “Epigenetics” suggests we can have enormous influence on our health. One of the keys to healthy living and healthy aging is stabilizing blood sugar and knowing how to achieve and balance key hormones. Roller coaster blood sugar affects our physical energy, our mental and emotional focus, and can have profound effects on our body's ability to function optimally. This talk will integrate food and vitamins with simple physiology to explore tools for aging gracefully.

      Speaker: Dr. Barry Taylor, ND, is a licensed naturopathic physician serving clients in Weston, MA since 1981. He has presented many health and wellness courses for Medical Academies, Spas, fitness clubs, high schools and colleges, hospitals and companies around the world. He has been chief consultant in Complementary Medicine for NBC News in New England and has been on TV and radio shows for more than 50 years promoting different topics to inspire people about health and healing.

      He is the author of LOVE YOUR BODY: Your Path to Transformation, Health, & Healing. www.drbarrytaylor.com.

    • March 24

      Mark Hopkins was 72 when he acquired his first digital camera. He's now recognized as an award-winning nature photographer, and in this talk, along with showing dozens of his photographs and a bit of humor, he'll discuss how it happened, where he's headed with it, and how he works to help others appreciate this important art form.

      He'll also add comments about the challenges of viewing abstract images, and about the often- misunderstood relationship between art photography and photojournalism, demonstrating how image manipulation$mdash;a sin in the minds of some – is an important artistic tool that works to the benefit of both photographer and viewer.

      Mark Hopkins has had his work exhibited in galleries and museums around New England and beyond, and is represented in several collections.

      Speakers: Mark Hopkins is retired from a career as an advertising agency executive and freelance business writer. After retirement, he acquired his first digital camera and has since had his award-winning art photography featured in many exhibitions and juried competitions.

      Widely traveled and a frequent speaker in the New England area, he has published several books of his photography, nature cartoons, and poetry.

      Mark is a graduate of Brown University.

    • March 31

      “An Uncommon Education: The Allen School” is a 40-minute documentary film that highlights the educators, students, and legacy of the West Newton English and Classical School, better known as the Allen School (1854-1900).

      Founded by local educators Nathaniel T. Allen and Cyrus Peirce, and part of the educational reform movement started by Horace Mann, the Allen School was a remarkable 50-year experiment in educational innovation.

      From coeducation and racial integration to physical education and learning through play, the school pioneered new ways of teaching and learning in the United States.

      The documentary showcases the school's radical teaching methods and the exceptional achievements of its students, and evaluates its influence on American education .

      Speaker: Joe Hunter is owner and producer at Remember Productions, an award-winning video production company.

      He is also president of the Newton News Foundation, publisher of The Newton Beacon, a nonprofit digital news site. A veteran of more than 20 years in the field of educational communications, Hunter's prior posts include senior communication management positions at Boston University, Boston College and Curry College, and, most recently Olin College.

      He began his career as a public radio reporter and currently is active as a producer of documentaries and public affairs programming.

    • April 7

      On the night of November 28, 1942, a fire at the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub in Boston killed 492 people, still the deadliest restaurant fire in the history of the United States. The tragedy shocked the nation and brought about major changes in building codes, fire regulations, and emergency medicine. It also led to a precedent-setting conviction of the nightclub owner for the common law crime of manslaughter, a decision that has influenced development of the law of manslaughter throughout the country.

      The Cocoanut Grove fire remains a landmark historical event with enduring consequences for society as a whole and important lessons for each of us individually.

      Speaker: Attorney Thomas J. Carey, Jr. holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Boston College, a Juris Doctor degree from Boston College Law School, and a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar and the Supreme Court Bar. Tom's legal career includes government service, private practice, law teaching, and public speaking on various legal subjects.

      He is the co-author of a book on Massachusetts Appellate Practice and has had a long association with BC Law as an award-winning student, faculty member, and coach of several moot court teams.

      Tom has been a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA) for over 50 years, working toward meaningful legal reforms within the legislature and the judiciary. In recent years, as Chair of the MBA's Amicus Curiae Committee, he has served as lead or co-author on several MBA amicus briefs in support of judicial independence and access to justice.

      He is a Brandeis Life Fellow of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. In 2021, the Massachusetts Bar Association presented Tom with its prestigious President's Award “for his selfless dedication, leadership, and service to the MBA and the Massachusetts legal community”.

      In 2024, he was inducted into the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame.

      Tom is a long-time resident of Hingham, where he has been active in civic affairs, including service as a trustee of the Hingham Public Library.

    • April 14

      World-famous illustrator NC Wyeth was born and raised in Needham before leaving for his new home in Chadds Ford, PA.

      Although most of his artistic career is associated with the Brandywine Valley, he remained nostalgic for Needham all his life.

      Images and scenes from Needham were a constant inspiration that frequently appeared in his work.

      Speaker: Gloria Polizzotti Greis has been executive director of the Needham History Center & Museum since June 2002. Prior to Needham, she was Peabody Research Fellow at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (Harvard) (2001-2002), and Collections Manager for the Peabody's Archaeology and Human Osteology Collections (1989-2001).

      She holds a Ph.D. in anthropology, specializing in the archaeology of prehistoric Europe.

      Gloria is the author of several books and films on archaeology and local history, and of numerous articles and a blog on history, archaeology and various other topics.

      She is an elected Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Chair of the Needham Historical Commission, and Co-President of the Great Hall Performance Foundation.

    • April 28

      The presidency of the United States is a demanding job that requires intellectual, emotional and physical strength. As time has passed the size and the power of the Executive Branch have increased with more and more responsibility residing on that one person. All presidents have support staff that they rely on to help make decisions

      When the president is ill whose interests take precedence? The president who may have other issues or may be in denial? His staff who may be sacrificing their power? The citizens and the rest of the world who depend on a stable executive running the United States government?

      We shall explore three presidents: Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower to look at the specifics, the uncertainties and the deceptions that not only occurred during their presidencies but also preceded their candidacies.

      Speaker: Dale Magee, MD is a retired Obstetrician-Gynecologist with an interest in medical history. His interest started with a used book that his wife bought for him during his residency. He began collecting antique medical books and instruments, reading on the topic, organizing medical history trips, a book club and giving an occasional talk.

      He is curator of the Worcester District Medical Society and recently started the New England History of Medicine Society to offer programs of interest to clinicians and the general public

      In addition to practicing for over 35 years, he has functioned as president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, the Worcester District Medical Society, Medical Director of an independent physicians' group and Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Worcester. He also worked on an infant mortality task for Worcester for over 15 years, reviewing all infant deaths and stillbirths and providing reports and perspective.

      He was elected to 4 terms on the Shrewsbury School Committee retiring from that in 2022.

    • May 5

      A sober look at the current state of American media and journalism. The decline and fall of just about every component of so-called mainstream or legacy media—metropolitan newspapers, network and local television and local community-based news sources, and the corresponding growth of right-wing news platforms that helped elect a president.

      Ironically, it's a state of affairs that itself has been tragically underreported.

      On a more positive note, a look at several exciting examples of the emergence of creative non-traditional local news outlets.

      Speaker: Paul La Camera is a lifelong Bostonian, raised in East Boston and Winthrop, and a graduate of Boston College High School and the College of the Holy Cross. He also holds graduate degrees from Boston College and Boston University

      Paul was active in Boston media for 60 years … from age 16 to 76. Through his school years, he worked for the Hearst Corporation's Boston newspaper group from copy boy to reporter.

      He then spent 35 years at Boston's ABC television station, WCVB-TV5, with progressive responsibilities from local program producer to program director, to station manager and ultimately to the president and general manager.

      Paul concluded his career as general manager of WBUR FM, Boston's all news NPR station and one of the preeminent public broadcasting stations in the nation.

    • May 12

      The presentation will discuss the medicines and some of the instruments of that era and discuss the efficacy of the treatments.

      Speaker: John Fisher. After winning several state teaching awards, John retired in 2002 after 34 years of teaching various natural science classes at Lewiston High School, Lewiston Idaho. His focus was hands-on learning, which led next to his collection of thousands of natural science specimens and period artifacts to fill dozens of Lewis & Clark Discovery Trunks. He is best known for 26 medical chests, each featuring about 80 real medications and period instruments. These trunks and chests have been distributed across the country to museums, schools, medical professionals and historical interpreters during the past 22 years.

      He is the recipient of The Historic Preservation Medal in 2024 from the Daughters of the American Revolution.

      Fisher has critiqued the manuscripts of about a dozen Lewis & Clark and Fur Trade scholars, and has written several book reviews. During the bicentennial he self-published a text on the Medicine of the L & C Expedition, and has since written about pirogues for the Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly, rawhide rope-making for “Journal of the Early Americas”, and whale blubber in the quarterly journal of the Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation and has several more articles pending for the latter.

      His medical library numbers more than 100 volumes – most dating between 1530 and 1840. He has produced more than a dozen formal powerpoint presentations, and presented them to thousands of people across the country. His latest publication, “Medicines of the Fur Trade and Lewis & Clark Era”, will soon go into a third printing.

    • May 19

      June, 2025 marks the 350th anniversary of King Philip's War, when Pokanoket warriors raided English homes in present-day Swansea, Massachusetts, launching a brutal, two-year struggle between New England's Native Americans and their English neighbors. The war stretched from Swansea and Rhode Island to the Connecticut River Valley to Pemaquid, Maine, ending 50 years of peace and changing New England forever.

      We'll briefly review the War's events, causes and legacy. We'll also talk about “the marketing of King Phillip” over the last three centuries. Then, we'll discuss how we “access” history and how this access has changed our view of the War.

      Speaker: Eric B. Schultz is a retired entrepreneur who served as chair and CEO of Sensitech Inc. until its acquisition by United Technologies.

      Eric is a former chair and now director emeritus of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and the Gettysburg Foundation and is now a Director of the Old Colony Historical Society.

      He is the author of four books, including “King Philip's War: The History of Legacy of America's Forgotten Conflict” (with Michael Tougias, Countryman Press, 1999), “Weathermakers to the World” (a history of the Carrier Corporation), and “Food Foolish: The Hidden Connection Between Food Waste, Hunger and Climate Change.” His most recent book is “Innovation on Tap,” the history of American innovation.

      He holds a B.A. in history from Brown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

  • Poetry for the People XXIII: State Poets Laureate

    Sessions 4 – 10. March 31 – May 19. The responsibilities of the State Poets Laureate are essentially the same as the U.S Poets Laureate: “…to make public appearances at poetry readings or literary events and to promote awareness of poetry.” Forty-six states and the District of Columbia have a State Poet Laureate, most appointed for a one or two-year term. Those participating in Poetry For The People XXlll will read selections from these State Poets Laureate and, most importantly, are encouraged to bring to the discussions their own insights, observations and perceptions. Class members' contributions are a vital part of the class experience.

    Teacher: Charles Kamar has a bachelor's from Boston State and a master's from Boston University. He has taught all secondary grade levels and spent 20 years at Newton North High School. 1n 1998, he won the Paul E. Elicker Award for Excellence in Teaching.

  • Wollen Sie Deutsch Sprechen?

    An hour of conversation for students of German and for German speakers. Basic knowledge of the German language is necessary. We read stories, newspaper/magazine articles and poems. Participants write short essays, which we correct in class and use as a basis to review or teach grammar points. Talents represented in the group make for a lively class.

    Teacher: Renate Olsen, B.A., M.A. New York State University at Albany, has taught English and German in high school. She had a Fulbright scholarship in Germany.