Scarsdale Adult Center Offers Fall Programs

SCARSDALE, N.Y. -- For avid readers, music lovers and theater and movie goers, the Scarsdale Adult School is offering several courses this fall, as well as ones on helping you with technology.

The Scarsdale Adult School has many offerings this fall.

by The Daily Voice

09/21/2013 4:00 a.m.

These are the courses:

Marilyn DeRight will resume "The Joy of Reading," with the focus this term on fiction from the woman's vantage point.
Ruth Handel is also back and, by popular demand, so is her "Enjoying Poetry" series. This fall's theme is poetry of art and science. Newcomers and repeat participants are all welcome. Class begins in mid-October.
Harriet Langsam Sobol has a selection of new novels for her latest "Book Talk" course. Space still is available for the new Wednesday section of her daytime book club that already is in progress (call the school if you would like to register).
Now also is the time to secure your spot for the school's 75th anniversary special event evening course, "Circa 1938: 'The Late George Apley.' " Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and set in the 1920s, this John Phillips Marquand novel tells the story of the patriarch of a wealthy and powerful Boston family. This class meets from 7:30-9 p.m., Oct. 24, at the Scarsdale Public Library.
Contemporary memoirs that share a gastronomic theme will be featured in Lori Rotskoff's "Food for Thought: Memoirs of Family, Culture, and Cuisine," starting the first week of October. The reading selection includes Miriam's Kitchen and selected essays from "The Cassoulet Saved Our Marriage," among other materials.
Later in the semester, Jane Amler Lewis, writer and adjunct English professor at Iona College will offer a class commemorating the publication of "Pride and Prejudice" 200 years ago. In "Jane Austen: A Literary Journey into the Heart of Human Nature," Amler Lewis will explore early 19th century England as seen through Austen’s writings.
Movie buffs can sign up for "Movie Matinees," now in its 18th consecutive year. This semester's course, subtitled "Movies Zero in on Relationships," meets Tuesdays starting Oct. 1. Take either the four-week session or enjoy a discount if you register for the entire series.
Marilyn DeRight will lead an anniversary special event course Oct. 10, "Circa 1938: Hitchcock's 'The Lady Vanishes.'" This 1938 movie was the penultimate British film directed by Hitchcock before he left for Hollywood. Filled with amusing characters of the period, the story line follows a beautiful and rich English tourist played by Margaret Lockwood and a young musicologist played by Michael Redgrave who cross class lines in the face of looming war to solve the possible disappearance of an elderly former governess.
Almost One hundred years after the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Paul Gettler will study World War I through film. Movie scenes will be used to analyze the roles of the people who shaped and were shaped by the war. Class begins Oct. 3.
Victoria Free Presser, Scarsdale School District's public information officer, returns to teach us all about online networking in "You’re on LinkedIn . . . Now What?" Find out how to better market yourself, conduct research, and make professional connections. The class starts Oct. 3.
Lilli Weisz is back to lead a tutorial for those seeking to collect and organize their electronic e-mails, files, and calendar items. "Simplify Your Life Digitally: An Introduction to Evernote" will be for mobile device users Oct. 4 and laptop users Oct. 11.
Emily Dombroff, video production teacher at Mamaroneck High School, will lead students through myriad online options for uploading and sharing digital pictures. "Introduction to Photo Books" and "Online Photo Storage" meets for one evening session only Oct. 8.
For the beginner seeking to understand basic word processing and Internet browsing, veteran instructor Paul Spindel will teach "Computers Made Friendly" late Wednesday afternoons. For the slightly more experienced user or those seeking further instruction after his introductory course ends, Spindel will offer "Workplace Computer Skills" on Wednesday evenings starting Oct. 16. The class is designed to sharpen knowledge of the suite of Microsoft office software that includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Susan Kim will introduce "Microsoft Word and File Management" for those want to create, edit, and enhance standard documents and flyers, learn to use mail merge and attach files to e-mails, and create folders for electronic storage. Kim returns later in the semester for classes on Excel and PowerPoint, starting Nov. 7.
Edmund Niemann's course this fall is "Music of the North: Symphonic Works of Tchaikovsky and Sibelius." Each Friday lecture promises insights and selected recordings of the symphonies written by these two romantic composers. Best of all, Niemann, faculty member at Hoff-Barthelson and Princeton University, will enhance the discussion with many live piano performances.
Early October marks the return of John T. King, director of Music for Hitchcock Presbyterian Church and conductor of the New Choral Society. This semester, King has chosen Giuseppe Verdi as the subject for his multimedia course because this year is the 200th anniversary of Verdi's birth. Viva Verdi! will explore Verdi's life, career, and music using video and recorded pieces for illustration.
Cristiana Pegoraro, celebrated Italian pianist and composer, will offer a course that combines live piano performances and a look at each composer's life and impact, Pegoraro will concentrate on Chopin, Schubert and Schumann.
On the lighter side, Cory Merchant introduces "Stabbed, Poisoned, Drowned and Shot Down: An Examination of Murder Ballads" in mid-October. Delve into the real life cases that inspired the songs and compare the different renditions that have gained popularity.
A musical 75th anniversary special, "Circa 1938: The Boys from Syracuse," will be led by Michael Malina, 47-year Scarsdale resident. He will discuss this 1938 Tony Award winner for best musical. Adapted from Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, the show spawned the Rodgers and Hart standards “Falling in Love with Love, “This Can’t Be Love,” and “Sing for Your Supper,” among others.
Martin Merchant will be teaching "Digital Photography for Beginners: Point and Shoot Cameras" on Tuesdays and "Photoshop for Beginners on Wednesdays." Both courses meet from 7-9 p.m. at Scarsdale High School. Later in the semester, Merchant will teach "Applied Digital Photography," in which students will receive in-class critique on their camera skills and design as shown in their photography homework assignments.

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