Senior Learners, Inc., Online Course Catalog for 2026-Summer Term

*"Both" courses are simultaneously online and in Room 107 of Building 20, when more than 5 students register in each.

History and Geography
Title	Instructor	First	Weeks	Starts	Ends	Fee
Palaces & Playgrounds: Glamour Through the Ages - *Both	Rossi	Tue, 6/9/26	1	10:00 AM	12:00 PM	$5.00
Step into a world where opulence was more than a lifestyle, it was a stage for history itself. Palaces & Playgrounds: Glamour Through the Ages invites you on a dazzling journey through the gilded halls, seaside resorts, and legendary retreats where royalty, aristocrats, and celebrities shaped culture and defined luxury. From Versailles’ glittering salons to the Riviera’s sun-soaked promenades, discover how these iconic spaces became theaters of power, romance, and spectacle. With stories of intrigue, extravagance, and timeless style, this program reveals not just where the rich and famous played, but how their playgrounds left enduring marks on art, fashion, and society.
Wars and Medicine - Military Medicine - *Both	Gaudier	Wed, 6/10/26	1	10:30 AM	12:00 PM	$3.75
Throughout history, warfare and medicine have been closely intertwined. Conflict has long been a catalyst for medical innovation, as the demands of the battlefield push the boundaries of care, surgery, and rehabilitation. Drawing upon extensive research and notable works—including Healing a Divided Nation by Carole Adrienne, Fighting for Life by Albert Cowdrey, Battlefield Medics by Martin King, Grunt by Mary Roach, and especially Richard Gabriel’s Between Flesh and Steel—this presentation explores how war, weaponry, and human resilience have collectively driven major advances in medical science.
Sunshine and Struggle: A Wild Ride Through Florida’s Past - *Both	Rossi	Tue, 6/23/26	1	10:00 AM	12:00 PM	$5.00
Buckle up for a whirlwind journey through the history of the Sunshine State — where beauty and danger have always gone hand in hand. From shipwrecked explorers and Seminole warriors to boomtown dreamers and hurricanes that reshaped the land, Florida’s past is anything but ordinary. This lecture dives into the wild, weird, and wonderful events that built the state we know today — a place of swamps and skyscrapers, pirates and pioneers, sunshine and struggle. Get ready for surprises, scandals, and stories that prove Florida’s history is as unpredictable as its weather.
Literature and Language
Title	Instructor	First	Weeks	Starts	Ends	Fee
Novella 2 - Long Day's Journey Into Night - Eugene O'Neill - *Both	Hull	Wed, 6/17/26	1	10:30 AM	12:00 PM	$3.75
Join retired English teacher Brad Hull, who uses probing questions and discussion to lead the class to a much deeper understanding of this work.
Novella 3 - The Life of Chuck-Stephen King - *Both	Hull	Wed, 7/15/26	1	10:30 AM	12:00 PM	$3.75
A continuation of last terms class, for each course we will read and discuss one selected novella. These short novels will be read in this order: Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf; Long Days Journey Into Night by Eugene ONeill; The Life of Chuck by Stephen King; A River Runs Through It by Norman McClean; The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. Although all are easy, quick reads, each illuminates and crystallizes those shadowy thoughts and feelings we struggle to put words to-this is what literature does.
Novella 5 - The Red Badge of Courage-Stephen Crane - *Both	Hull	Wed, 8/19/26	1	10:30 AM	12:00 PM	$3.75
A continuation of last terms class, for each course we will read and discuss one selected novella. These short novels will be read in this order: Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf; Long Days Journey Into Night by Eugene ONeill; The Life of Chuck by Stephen King; A River Runs Through It by Norman McClean; The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. Although all are easy, quick reads, each illuminates and crystallizes those shadowy thoughts and feelings we struggle to put words to-this is what literature does.
Science and Technology
Title	Instructor	First	Weeks	Starts	Ends	Fee
Novella 4 - A River Runs Through It-Norman McClean - *Both	Hull	Wed, 7/29/26	1	10:30 AM	12:00 PM	$3.75
A continuation of last terms class, for each course we will read and discuss one selected novella. These short novels will be read in this order: Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf; Long Days Journey Into Night by Eugene ONeill; The Life of Chuck by Stephen King; A River Runs Through It by Norman McClean; The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. Although all are easy, quick reads, each illuminates and crystallizes those shadowy thoughts and feelings we struggle to put words to-this is what literature does.
Special Event
Title	Instructor	First	Weeks	Starts	Ends	Fee
CANCELLED Ice Cream Social with Chef Thom Thomas - *Both	Thomas	Tue, 8/18/26	1	1:30 PM	3:00 PM	$3.75
Chef Thom is not doing well. So this course is cancelled. Thom Thomas will tell us about designing specialty ice cream flavors for a small commercial company. It was his first job after graduating from culinary school. He will make some of his most popular favors in his and loaned ice cream makers. You can make your own sundaes, banana splints, milk shake and root beer floats using chocolate syrup made during the last Lots of Chocolate Fun courses. Brownies will be available for those who want a Brownie Ala Mode.
FREE 2026 Fall Term Kickoff Party and Senior Learners, Inc., Annual Meeting - *Both	Howard	Fri, 8/21/26	1	1:30 PM	3:00 PM	$0.00
After the brief Annual Meeting, Fall Term instructors will introduce themselves and their courses. Of course there will be plenty of goodies and refreshments. The 2025-26 Fiscal Year for Senior Learners, Inc., ends on August 31, 2026. Under our Bylaws we must hold an annual meeting once a year to elect the Board for the next Fiscal Year. Our Annual Meeting this year will be held in Room 107 and online using Zoom.
Prep for 2026 Fall Term Kickoff Party - In Room 107	Nevard	Fri, 8/21/26	1	10:30 AM	12:00 PM	$0.00
Later

*Senior Learners, Inc., sponsors events offered by non-profit organizations, such as the CF Foundation and its Appleton Museum, which the Board considers will be of interest to our students.

info@seniorlearners.org (352) 239-8780

Senior Learners, Inc. 3001 S.W. College Road PMB No. 210 OCALA FL 34474-4415

IMPORTANT Please do not contact CF personnel about any Senior Learners, Inc. courses. Senior Learners, Inc. is independent of CF. We have the use of a classroom and support the CF Foundation with donations. If you have any questions about our courses or operations, please contact us: info@SeniorLearners.org, (352) 239–8780.

Printed 9/6/26.