Community Enrichment Programs

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• instructor – Mrs. Karen Good, board member and chair of Ancestor Hunters, Delaware County Historical Society 
  Tracing your roots is a way to document history and family information that you can pass along to future generations. With many resources available online, genealogy is becoming popular and easier to accomplish. 

Sessions

Four Tuesdays
June 4-June 25, 10-11:30 a.m.

June 4 - Genealogy 101

We will focus on general standards (i.e., how genealogist write dates among other things) and discuss how to get started with your family tree.

June 11 - Forms and Documents

In this session, we will discuss census records, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, land records, and etc., and the type of information that can be obtained from these forms.

June 18 – Organization

We will look at several different ways to organize all the information that we find as we work on our family tree.

June 25 – Software and Free Websites

We will have a quick look at three different software programs on the market as well as some of the free websites that are very helpful.  

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• facilitator – Mrs. Jill Gauker, registered nurse

This DVD, produced by the History channel, will discuss one of the oldest documents in Western Civilization.  The Egyptian Book of the Dead is a collection of spells which enable the soul of the deceased to navigate the afterlife. It originated from concepts depicted in tomb paintings and inscriptions from as early as the Third Dynasty of Egypt (c. 2670 - 2613 BCE). By the 12th Dynasty (1991 - 1802 BCE) these spells, with accompanying illustrations, were written on papyrus and placed in tombs and graves with the dead.

Relevant books on exhibit at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center:
The Book of the Dead: The Papyrus of Ani, E. A. Wallis Budge, 1913

Session

Tuesday, April 9
10-11:45 a.m.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenters – Ms. Laura Williamson, executive director, Muncie Civic Theater; and, Mrs. Leigh Edwards, past board president, Muncie Civic Theatre

The Boyce Block is in the heart of downtown Muncie, just two blocks from the Courthouse. Built in 1880, this two-story structure has served many purposes. Currently it is home to the Muncie Civic Theatre, one of the oldest civic theatres in the state. Now in its 88th season, Civic continues to provide East Central Indiana with a variety of quality entertainment and performed by members from the community.  

Session

Thursday, May 2
2-3 p.m.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – Mr. Thomas Schwartz, retired high school German teacher

Mr. Schwartz will take guests on a behind-the-scenes look at popular fairy tales, many of which have been altered to fit the psychology of various countries, their traditions, morals, and etc. He will also discuss the effect that Disney has had on these tales.

Session

Tuesday, March 5
10-11:15 a.m.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – Mrs. Karen Vincent, director of collections, Minnetrista

Daughter of Frank C. and Elizabeth Brady Ball, Margaret was a business owner, artist, pilot, community leader, wife, and mother. In addition to her numerous philanthropic memberships, she also served as president of Ball Stores and a director at Ball Corporation.  Karen will share information about her remarkable life.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – Father Corey French, St. Edward the Confessor Church, Indianapolis

Faust is one of the most lasting legends in Western folklore and literature, one that has been reinterpreted throughout the ages and has been the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic and musical works.

Relevant book on exhibit at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center:
Faust: A Dramatic Poem, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1833, 1st

Session

Tuesday, April 2
10-11:15 a.m.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – Mr. Chris Flook, lecturer, Department of Telecommunications, Ball State University and president, Delaware County Historical Society

Nearly 100 distinct settlements existed in what we now call Delaware County. Since the end of the American Revolution, Native Americans, pioneer farmers, industrialists and factory workers settled across the county in hamlets, villages and towns of all sizes. Some of these communities survived the ebb and flow of history to prosper, while others disappeared, becoming lost in the collective memory. Today, many residents would only recognize the city Muncie and the towns of Albany, Daleville, Eaton, Gaston, Selma and Yorktown. A few might know of villages such as Desoto, New Burlington, Smithfield and Wheeling. Most have probably never heard of Dogtown, Gate’s Corner, Granville and Soccum.

Drawing upon years of research, Flook uncovers the stories of these lost towns in his new book, Lost Towns of Delaware County, Indiana. Books will be available for signing.

Session

Friday, April 26
10-11:15 a.m.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenters –  Dr. Sarah Skwire, senior fellow, Liberty Fund, Inc.

Mary Wollstonecraft wrote one of the earliest works of feminist philosophy, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects (1792). It was written in response to theorists of the 18th century who did not believe women should have an education. Prior to that, Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Men  (1790), that argued that people would be more virtuous and lead more comfortable lives under a system of fluctuating wealth, rather than that of heredity.  

In 1797, Wollstonecraft married philosopher William Godwin dying later that year, eleven days after giving birth to her daughter, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, who became Mary Shelley. William Godwin published Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1798) as a tribute to his wife.

Relevant books on exhibit at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center:

• Inquiry Concerning Political Justice, by William Godwin, 1796, 1st edition.
• Memoirs of the Author of a Vindication of the Rights of Woman, William Godwin, 1798
• The Elopement of Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, William Godwin, 1911
• Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, Mary Wollstonecraft, 1976, 1st edition
• Vindication of the Rights of Men, Mary Wollstonecraft, 1790, 1st ed.
• Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, 1869, 3rd American printing
• The Republican, No. 5, Vol. 1 (Declaration of Rights), Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1819, 1st printing

Session

Tuesday, May 7
10-11:15 a.m.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – Dr. Jan Kornilow, EMS medical director, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital

In today's information age, when supposedly accurate medical advice and diagnoses can be found online with the click of a computer mouse, medical myths are all around us. But much of this information isn't true, and using it to make decisions about your own health—whether it's how to treat the symptoms of the common cold or how to care for a child or aging relative—can be harmful. This DVD series, produced by The Great Courses, features Dr. Steven Novella of the Yale School of Medicine, a medical doctor who has built his career educating patients, the public, students, and professionals about the highest standards in medical science and practice. His lectures will provide you with evidence-based guidelines for good health, will enhance your ability to be better informed about common medical myths, and will strengthen your skills at assessing the scientific truth behind medical information and advice. You may attend Part 2 without having attended Part 1.

Sessions

Each class includes two 30-minute lectures.

Vague Symptoms and Fuzzy Diagnoses; and Herbalism and Herbal Medicines 

Homeopathy—One Giant Myth; and Facts about Toxins and Myths about Detox 

Myths about Acupuncture’s Past and Benefits; and Myths about Magnets, Microwaves, Cell Phones

All about Hypnosis; and Myths about Coma and Consciousness

What Placebos Can and Cannot Do; and Myths about Pregnancy

Medical Myths From Around the World; and Roundup—Decluttering Our Mental Closet 

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – Richard Kennison, Lt. Col. (Ret--USAF)

Sessions

Each class includes two 30-minute lectures.

Heroes' Homecomings; and Guests and Hosts

Wednesday, April 10
10-11:15 a.m.

Goddess and a Princess; and Odysseus Among the Phaiakians

Wednesday, April 17
10-11-15 a.m.

Odysseus Tells His Own Story; and From Persephone's Land to the Island of Helios

Wednesday, April 24
10-11:15 a.m.

The Goddess, the Swineherd, and the Beggar; and Reunion and Return

Wednesday, May 1
10-11:15 a.m.

Odysseus and Penelope; and Recognitions and Revenge

Wednesday, May 8
10-11:15 a.m.

Reunion and Resolution; and The Trojan War and the Archaeologists

May 15
10-11:15 a.m.

Relevant book on exhibit at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center:
Odyssey, Homer, 1669, 2nd edition

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter –Mrs. Amy Willis, senior fellow, Liberty Fund, Inc.

This one-hour DVD program, produced by the Liberty Fund, Inc., will discuss Adam Smith’s first work, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759). He is commonly regarded as the first modern economist and he wrote in a wide range of disciplines: moral philosophy, jurisprudence, rhetoric and literature, and the history of science. Smith’s views on modern economic thought still inspires economists today.

Relevant book on exhibit at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center: 
Theory of Moral Sentiments, Adam Smith, 1759,  1st edition

Session

Tuesday, April 23
10-11:15 a.m.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter: Mr. William Robertson, retired senior scientist and Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pennsylvania

A police officer places a GPS device on a suspected drug dealer’s car to trace his whereabouts and build a case against him. A popular retail store uses predictive analytics to send pregnancy-related advertising to a teenager who has yet to tell her parents about her condition. A Kentucky man shoots down a neighbor’s drone that is flying over his private property. The news is full of stories like these, in which new technologies lead to dilemmas that could not have been imagined just a few decades ago. The 21st century has seen remarkable technological advances, with many wonderful benefits. But with these advances come new questions about privacy, security, civil liberties, and more.

Sessions

Six Tuesdays, July 2 - August 6, 10-11:15 a.m.

Each class includes two 30-minute lectures.

Security, Liberty, or Neither?; and The Charlie Hebdo Tragedy

East Germany’s Stasi State; and Surveillance in America

Failing to Connect the Dots on 9/11; and The U.S. Spy Network in Action

Big Data’s Shadow; and Some Problems with Privacy

Under Observation: The Panopticon Effect; and Drones, Drones Everywhere

Biometrics: Eyes, Fingers, Everything; and Hacking, Espionage, and Surveillance

• cost – $95
• instructor – Mario Tellez-Garcia, a native Spanish speaker and experienced translator, interpreter, and language instructor for both corporate clients and not-for-profit organizations

This eight-week class is for doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and anyone else who might provide health or emergency-related services to Latino patients or families with little or no command of English. It focuses on important words and phrases pertaining to medical circumstances that might be life-saving information if not communicated properly.

Session

Eight Wednesdays
March 13 - May 1
7-9 p.m.

• cost – $85
• instructor – Laura Shadoin, retired teacher, Muncie Community Schools

Instruction in finger spelling and basic conversation based on American Sign Language and signed English.

Session

Six Wednesdays
March 13 - April 17
7-9 p.m.

• cost – free
• reservations – not required
• presenter – Mrs. Karen Good, board member and chair of Ancestors Hunters, Delaware County Historical Society

Lucile Sanders, along with her husband Lawrence, started the Wayside Mission September 14, 1946, at 2428 South Walnut Street. The mission provided a shelter for homeless women and children and temporarily assisted the unfortunate, destitute, and handicapped. Karen started researching Mrs. Sanders as part of a project to identify Delaware County’s  100+ most influential women. 

Session

Thursday, February 21
2-3 p.m.
Legacy Commons Event Hall, Westminster Village

• cost – free
• reservations – not required
• presenters – Ms. Laura Williamson, executive director, Muncie Civic Theater; and, Mrs. Leigh Edwards, past board president, Muncie Civic Theatre

The Boyce Block is in the heart of downtown Muncie, just two blocks from the Courthouse. Built in 1880, this two-story structure has been home to many things over the years. Currently it serves as the home to the Muncie Civic Theatre, one of the oldest civic theatres in the state. Now in its 88th season, Civic continues to provide East Central Indiana with a variety of quality entertainment and events performed by members from the community.  

Session

Wednesday, May 1
2-3 p.m.
Legacy Commons Event Hall, Westminster Village

• cost – free
• reservations – not required
• presenter – Richard Kennison, Lt. Col. (Ret. - USAF)

Almost from the beginning of aviation, women have been superstars — earning the respect and admiration of all people who were fascinated with this new form of transportation. There was little to no discrimination— a good pilot was a good pilot, period. 

Mr. Kennison will talk about some of the most famous female fliers of those first exhilarating days of flight: Harriet Quimby, Kate Stinson, and Louyise Thaden to name a few.

Session

Thursday, March 14
2-3 p.m.
Legacy Commons Event Hall, Westminster Village 

• cost – free
• reservations – not required
• presenters – Mr. Dane Starbuck, author, musician, and attorney attorney-at-law

The Shafers, both Muncie natives, were well-known for their philanthropic efforts during their lifetime and thereafter. You can still see the effects of their generosity today at Ball State University, The Youth Opportunity Center, Shafer Leadership Academy, and many other places.

Hamer was the former president and director of Muncie Power Products and also served as a board member at Westminster Village. 

Phyllis served as the corporate secretary and vice president-administration at Muncie Power Products. She was the first woman to be appointed to the Ball State University Foundation board, where she served as both the board’s president and chairman of the board for 15 years.

Session

Wednesday, April 3
2-3 p.m.
Legacy Commons Event Hall, Westminster Village

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• facilitator – tba

program to be announced

Session

Date and time to be announced.
2-3:15 p.m.

Register

Call 260-729-5525, ext. 221.

• cost – $85
• reservations –required
• instructor –  tba

This six-week course is an introduction to Spanish fundamentals, including basic grammar, common expressions and phrases, and social introductions.

Specialized vocabulary could be added based on the needs of the class.

Session

Date and time to be announced.

Register

Call 260-729-5525, ext. 221.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – TBA

Topic to be announced.

Session

Date and time to be announced. 

Register

Call 260-729-5525, ext. 221.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – TBA

Topic to be announced.

Session

Date and time to be announced.

Register

Call 260-729-5525, ext. 221.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – 

Topic to be announced.

Session

Date and time to be announced.

Register

Call 260-729-5525, ext. 221.

• cost – free
• reservations – required
• presenter – TBA

Topic to be announced.

Session

Date and time to be announced.

Register

Call 260-729-5525, ext. 221.