In
a few days, we will publish our "back to school" edition of Home On The Course,
our free newsletter. This
issue will include our picks of the top five towns in the south that combine
major universities with "lifelong learning" programs, and excellent nearby golf
communities. Please sign up for
the newsletter today by using the handy box at the top left of this page.
Some
of our top towns, and others that just missed being on our list, offer
incredible bargains in continuing education curricula that are impressive and surprising. In some cases, you can take as many
The Evolutionary History of Bats may not be for you, but the range of Lifelong Learning courses offers something for everyone, and in areas that feature excellent golf communities.
courses as you would like
for less than the green fees at the local municipal golf course. The University of Tennessee at
Knoxville's partnership with a local senior citizens group, for example, yields
an interesting array of personal development courses at just a $55 annual
membership fee per couple ($40 for a single). The "Magic of Opera" and "The Evolutionary History of Bats"
are just two of the eclectic array of courses being offered in the Knoxville
area this fall.
Nearly
1,800 of the 4,000 members of the Center for Creative Retirement at
UNC-Asheville are younger than 64, so don't expect too many canes leaning
against classroom desks. Do
expect, however, one of the most evolved adult education programs in the
nation. Every May, the Center
offers a Creative Retirement Exploration weekend that provides seminars, stimulating
discussions, guided tours, social events with local retirees and lots of food
for thought about making the transition to retirement and a new hometown,
whether it is Asheville or some other area. Those who wind up in Asheville can sign up for the popular
College for Seniors which offers four terms each year, with courses of wide
diversity, like Chaucer, computers, foreign affairs, and yoga. Classes are taught by some faculty and
some seniors with expertise in particular fields. All classes are free after payment of an annual $50 fee.
At Furman University, the Osher
Institute of Lifelong Learning offers 15 classes of your choice annually for
just $325. Individual classes are
priced as low as $40. The dozens
of courses this fall run the gamut from the "Great Trials in History" to "Sock
Knitting" to "Beginners Golf," which is taught by the assistant pro at
Furman's own golf course.
The
William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill provides a "citizen's classroom," a variety of
short courses that meet weekly for two hours and cost just $50 each. For October, classes titled "Write Your
Life" and "Authentic Happiness" are full, but "The Coming of the U.S. Civil
War" and "Inside ACC Basketball: The 2009-2010 Season" are still
available. Understand that if you
live in Chapel Hill, prepare to be surrounded by UNC fans, some of them
transplants from up north. Don't
be surprised if one of them is teaching the course.
