PSU Magazine Spring 1992

Alice Scannell is director of the Senior Adult Learning Center at PSU. "Retired people have the luxury of time that they didn't have before," says Poulsen. His political geography class is popular with senior citizens who find it, as he says, "a revelation that helps them make sense out of their previous experiences and put [those experiences] in context. Political geography gives some of the permanent factors around which world affairs relate." Poulsen enj oys having older stu– dents in his classes. "I've always enjoyed the age mix at PSU. And I apprec iate it when they (seniors) volun– teer from their past experiences." The result, he thinks, is a richer class ex– perience for everyone, himself included. Many colleges and universities hold separate classes and seminars for retired students, but, as Scannell points out , PSU's age range is so broad that seniors don't stand out here the way they would on more traditional campuses. There's a strong indication from the seniors Scannell works with that they love being in classes with students of all ages. Goldman and Scherrer agree. "Even the younger people accepted me," says Scherrer. "I still study with the same young people I studied with during my first year. It's been a wonder– ful experience." 8PSU "People in my generation look down on the younger ones," says Goldman, noting that many reti rees think college students smoke dope every day, party every night and are lead ing the country into decline. He disputes th at forceful – ly. "I've gotten to know these kids. I'm impressed with their people qua lity. They're rea lly consc ientious." And, he adds, "It makes me feel good and feel young again to be around them." Goldman thrives on both the inter– action with younger students and the classes. Long before his retirement, he had planned to return to co llege and study everything he didn't have time for the first time around . He also wanted to get a better perspective on the world at large. "I figured there had to be more to li ving than social work." He was right , although he admits to being a bit sca red when he took his first classes. That oon wore off, and over the past dozen yea rs he's stud ied a mul– titude of subj ects that a college student in the late 1930s wouldn't have dreamed of, including Afro-American literature, the history of Africa, and East Asian history, which held special significance for him. "I realized we had fought three wars during my lifet ime in an area of the world that I knew noth– ing about beyond, 'Confucius says... ' fo l– lowed by some wisecrack. To really learn what Confucius stood for, and Tao ism, and the history of China... a whole new world opened up for me. My thinking has changed and been broadened." Goldman used to write class papers and take exams, but now contents him– se lf with keeping up with in-class dis– cussions and assigned readings. "It makes me feel guilty when I'm behind on the read ing," he admits. Scherrer, however, is still going full force on her Spanish classes. She credits her language instructors with going out of their way to help her learn. Bringing more students like Scherrer and Goldman to campus is an on-going challenge for Scannell. She uses notices in senior calendars and direct mail to publicize the center. The SALC al o sponsors an annual Festival of Lifelong Learning. This year's Fes– tival, scheduled for May 12-14, will bring senior citizens in touch with departments and faculty who offer cour– ses of special interest. Scannell's not sure what the future holds for the program, although she doesn't anticipate any radical changes. There is a chance that the state may allow universities and colleges to charge modest registration fees for sen iors. Although nothing is currently underway toward that end, Scannell thinks it might not be a bad idea. "You do provide lots of guidance," she says, referring to assisting with registration, contacting professors and giving advice about course offerings. A modest fee probably wouldn't stop Archie Goldman. "I'm hav ing a ball," he says of his studies. "I have such a feeling of indebtedness to the University. Just imagi ne their permit– ting me to do this!" Then he excuses himself. He has to watch a King Lear video, he exp lains, for his Shakespeare class. "Life is so full," he marve ls. "I can't understand how anyone could be bored." D (Meg DesCamp, a Portland free-lance writer, has contributed to PSU Magazine in the past.)