Page 16 - 586341 Sun City_Sept 2016
P. 16
Senior University has its roots in Sun City Texas
In September 1997, Adam Blatner, By Adam Blatner Square by Dr. Robert Hazelwood
Linda Watkins and Jack Kelly were
standing around with then-manager Stephenson, Bill Rives, Ulie Alt, David The first session began February 16, 1998,
of the Sun City Community Association, Battershell and Claude Proctor. Students and ran for six weeks with 242 “students.”
Danny McCoy, talking about ideas for a attended a six-week class of their Over 200 people were present to witness
continuing education program for seniors. choosing, as well as a weekly lecture short presentations by Dr. Claude Proctor,
series on diverse topics. Lectures in that who had experience with the Russian
Less than a month later, these individuals first term included: language program while in the military;
found themselves meeting with a group of – Sonnets of Shakespeare by Dr. Walter he subsequently gave six lectures on
35 Georgetown area residents, exploring Cossacks, Icons and Caviar. A seminar on
how their lifelong learning goals could be Herbert the Great Books, presented by Bill Glass,
achieved. In the next weeks, a steering – Crime in Texas by Williamson County quickly reached full enrollment, while
committee began to form for what would Jack Kelly’s seminar on Great Decisions
soon become known as Senior University D.A. Ken Anderson in Foreign Policy had to be split into three
Georgetown. Dr. Linda Watkins became – Your Elected Officials by Dr. Christine classes, with Dr. Hugh Winn and Bill
the curriculum chairperson. Some Meehan as additional leaders. Adam
participants from the first gatherings Smart Blatner’s psychology class grew to over
offered to teach classes; Linda asked – Artists Who Painted Texas by Marjorie 100 students.
others to give one-hour lectures. Following
an orientation at the start of the new Von Rosenberg We were off and running! Another
year, the first series of Senior University – Art and Architecture of Italy by Betty semester started only a few weeks
classes and lectures were set to begin in later in April and a summer session at
February 1998. Lemley Southwestern University followed in July
– From Hong Kong to Tiananmen 1998. The fall term offered additional
Early organizational Board members locations at First Baptist Church in the
included: Jack Kelly, Linda Watkins, daytime and First United Methodist
Winnie Bowen, Adam Blatner, Jean Church in the evening. From there on,
Beall, Kay Cordi, Christine Smart, it just mushroomed and put down deeper
Bill Meehan, Hugh Winn, Bill Sawyer, roots.
Howard Parsonage, Jim Brown, Whitey
Special thanks to our 20th Anniversary Sponsors Del Webb, Suddenlink Communications and
Goodwater Wealth Management Group of Raymond James for thier support of the community and our anniversary celebrations.
14 | SUNRAYS SEPTEMBER 2016 ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG
