From Maine’s role in the Civil War to power and politics in Renaissance Florence, the breadth of Coastal Senior College’s 14 fall course offerings is impressive. This fall several new instructors join veteran CSC teachers to share their excitement and knowledge, generally once a week for 2 hours for six to eight weeks. Classes are held during the day in Knox and Lincoln counties. Read the brief overviews below to see which one - or more - you’ll take. For complete class descriptions, instructor bios, and how to register, visit the CSC website at coastalseniorcollege.org. Each course costs $35, and a yearlong CSC membership, which includes some members-only events and groups, is $25. As one of our enthusiastic students says, “It’s the best deal in town!”

At the beginning of the week on Mondays and Tuesdays, four classes are offered. First, for six Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Newcastle, Andrew Fenniman teaches “Strengthening Relationships By Becoming Your Most Effective Self.” Andrew states, “We can build our own capabilities so that we are able to interact in a way that we can create the possibility of achieving what we want in our interactions.” Next, three classes meet on Tuesdays. Rolf Winkes returns to teach “Pompeii: A Buried Town Come Alive” at Skidompha Library in Damariscotta for five weeks from 10 a.m. to noon. Students will look at the town’s art, architecture, politics, and daily life. Renny Stackpole offers “Stories of the Sea” from 10 a.m. to noon for six weeks at Bartlett Woods Library in Rockland. Renny will guide discussions and readings about prose, poetry, and songs of the sea. Twice a week, for three Tuesdays and Fridays from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at UMA Rockland Center, Larry Hatch welcomes those who wish to learn or improve their cribbage skills to sign up for “Cribbage: How to Play and Have Fun.” Play games against your classmates, and end the course with a cribbage tournament.

Four classes meet on Wednesdays. New instructor Cynthia Dias encourages students who want to learn the basics of watercolor to sign up for her hands-on course “Watercolor: First Steps.” Class meets at the Lincoln Home in Newcastle for six weeks from 1 to 3 p.m. Alice Dashiell’s “Little Shop of Memoirs” course meets for eight weeks at The Federated Church in Thomaston from 1 to 3 p.m. Come to share your writing at this “Swap Shop” and also discuss published memoirs that you have been reading. If you live closer to Newcastle and wish to join a writing class, consider “Memoir Writing: Creating Your Own Story from a Kaleidoscope of Memories.” Caroline Davis Janover offers a relaxed, entertaining, and supportive environment for memoir writing, and preference will be given to those who have not previously taken this course. Class meets six times from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Lincoln Home in Newcastle. For those interested in the theme of evolving human consciousness and the ideas of Teilhard de Chardin, 20th century paleontologist and Jesuit, instructor Marie Sabin offers “Evolving Humanity and Biblical Wisdom” for eight classes at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Newcastle from 1 to 3 p.m.

On Thursdays, one can travel with Tom Jones, cruise the Aegean, look at America’s culture through pictures, or explore the the artistic glory and violent events of Renaissance Florence.

John Ward offers “Traveling Home with Tom Jones” for six weeks at Chase Point in Damariscotta from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Students will read and discuss the novel and then watch Albert Finney’s version of young Tom. Also meeting from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. for six sessions, but at Schooner Cove in Damariscotta, is Maryanne Ward’s class “The Ultimate Fall Vacation: Cruise the Aegean and Mediterranean with Odysseus.” Read and discuss the Fitzgerald translation of the Odyssey, and discover why Veterans’ groups use this tale of homecoming to discuss post war psychological challenges. For eight classes from 10 a.m. to noon at Skidompha Library in Damariscotta Jib Fowles explores the social history of photography and the role various visual forms have played in sustaining Americans’ culture. “Wow! Look at Those Pictures! Visual Culture in America ( 1888-2017 )” offers opportunities for studying and thoughtful discussion of captured images. Also meeting at Skidompha from 1 to 4 p.m. for eight classes is “Power, Patronage, Politics, and Piety - Florence in the Renaissance.” Charmarie Blaisdell engages students in discussion about the geniuses, murderers, artists, politicians, and churchmen of Florence during the glories and horrors of the cradle of the Renaissance in the west.

On Friday mornings, Dick Mayer offers “What’s That Monument in the Town Square? Maine’s Role in the Civil War.” The participation and achievements of Mainers in all aspects of the Conflict will be highlighted in this course which meets for four classes at Skidompha Library in Damariscotta from 10 a.m. to noon. Dick has visited and studied virtually every major Civil War battlefield in both the eastern and western theaters of the war. On Friday afternoon for seven sessions from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Bremen Library, Ann Nesslage leads discussions of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. “The Testing of Sir Gawain “ explores the themes of a medieval romance, the magic and patterns of the Celtic world, and the the language, wit, and imagery of the poem.

Complete course descriptions, starting dates, and registration information are found in CSC’s catalog, available in print at local libraries and businesses or online at coastalseniorcollege.com. Also, check for our class listings in the adult ed catalog in your mailbox. We hope to see you in class.