SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Springfield Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is pleased to announce its spring 2025 programs. The first program, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, will be presented by Howard Coffin, a favorite presenter of the group, who will discuss Vermont’s stone mysteries, the ancient chambers found in New England.
Sponsored by the University of Vermont, OLLI is run by local volunteer members, and is geared mainly towards seniors who are 50 years of age and older who enjoy learning for the fun of it. Anyone who would be interested in this type of program, regardless of age, is welcome. The topics are a variety, from local and Vermont history, to science, nature, gardening, art, and literature.
The programs are held Tuesday afternoons, at 2 p.m., and last about an hour and a half. The meeting location is the Nolin Murray Center, on Pleasant Street, next to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Springfield, Vt.
Following is the listing of programs for the Spring 2025 semester:
On Feb. 25, the program is “Vermont’s Stone Mysteries,” with author and historian Howard Coffin. In the 1970s, Harvard professor Barry Fell made the claim that Vermont was settled more than 2,000 years ago by Europeans. People thought stone chambers might have been root cellars of settlers in colonial times, but Fell’s research showed they are testament to people much earlier than that.
On March 11, the program is “The Uncommon Life of the Common Loon,” with photographer and nature enthisiast Ian Clark, cosponsored by the Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society. Clark has been following the loons on three ponds since 2012. Join us for a slide show exploring the natural history of loons and the conservation effort on their behalf.
On March 25, learn about “Vermont’s Merino Miracle: Lessons from a Landscape of Lambs,” with Jan Albers, historian and author of “Hands on the Land.” Come hear about the change in Vermont’s farming and landscape after 1811, when diplomat William Jarvis, of Weathersfield, Vt., brought a flock of Merino sheep in from Spain. In the decades that followed, there were more sheep in Vermont than people. Vermonters thought the Merino miracle would never end, yet 10 years later it was finished. How could such a boom go bust so quickly, and what landscape lessons did it leave behind?
On April 8, the program is “The Importance of Planting Native Plants in Our Landscape,” with Alexis Doshas, nursery manager at Native Plant Trust at Nasami Farm, cosponsored by the Springfield Garden Club. Gardening with plants native to our region is a rewarding and practical endeavor. Native plants are adapted to our region’s geology, hydrology, and climate. We’ll discuss the importance of including and supporting native plants in the stewarding of our gardens and landscapes, and look at a variety of options.
Then, on April 22, Alan Rumrill, senior historian at the Historical Society of Cheshire County, N.H., presents “Mountain as Muse: The Artists Who Painted Mt. Monadnock. ” For almost 200 years, Mount Monadnock in southwest New Hampshire has been a source of inspiration for artists. We’ll explore the art of many of these painters, their time in the region, and what their art tells us about the mountain, the region, and the artists themselves. We’ll look at the impact of these artists on tourism, land conservation, and the way the Monadnock Region is viewed today.
Finally, on May 6, hear “Unlaunch’d Voices, an Evening with Walt Whitman,” with actor and educator Stephen Collins. We will spend the evening with Walt Whitman on his 70th birthday, as he reminisces and questions his success as a man and a poet. As Whitman transforms into his young vibrant self, we begin to trace back along with him the experiences that led to the creation of “Leaves of Grass,” his lifetime work.
Thanks go out to our local benefactor, Barbara Sanderson.
There is a membership fee. Nonmembers are welcome and encouraged to attend individual programs for an individual program fee.
Registration is now open, and you can register online at www.learn.uvm.edu/olli/springfield. There is an early bird special discount if you register by Feb. 11. You may also register over the phone by calling the UVM Non-Credit Registration Office at 802-656-8407 during regular business hours, or emailing noncredit@uvm.edu. We can no longer take any payments onsite at the door.
If you prefer to register by mail, send your contact information (name, address, phone number, and email address) indicating full series membership or which specific program(s) you wish the attend. Mail this information and your check made out to University of Vermont – OLLI to UVM Non-Credit Registration Office, 85 South Prospect Street, Box 34, Burlington, VT 05405. If mailing in registration, please allow 10-14 days from date of mailing check to receipt and processing.
The latest brochures have been printed, and have been mailed to those on the local OLLI mailing list and throughout the area to public locations such as local libraries, town halls, and community and senior centers. Requests for a brochure can be made by calling 802-885-3094. The complete program listing can be viewed at www.learn.uvm.edu/olli/springfield.