OLLI Fall 2026_pageturn - Flipbook - Page 17
What is Goodness and Why Should We Be Good?
A Reading of The Mencius
Tuesdays, September 1 - October 20
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Peoria Public Library, Main Branch, 107 NE
Monroe Street, Peoria
(Parking is free in the Library lot.)
The classical Chinese text The Mencius, named
after the fourth-century BCE thinker Mencius,
is one of the most influential philosophical and
literary works in Chinese history. Expanding on
the foundational ideas found in The Analects,
a collection of sayings from the founder of the
tradition known as Confucianism, The Mencius
gives depth and substance to early Confucian
thought. The text advances a vision of moral
reasoning commonly described as virtue ethics,
which is closely associated with Aristotle, a
historical contemporary of Mencius. We will be
reading the following version of the text: Mengzi:
With Selections from Traditional Commentaries
(Hackett Classics, 2009), translated by Bryan W.
Van Norden 2009; ISBN 978-1624665844 (Kindle
edition acceptable).
$45 – Facilitated by Daniel Getz, an emeritus
professor, retired from Bradley University's
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.
Seats available: 20
Mah Jongg for Novices
Tuesdays, September 1 – October 20
3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
American Mah Jongg is a fascinating game of skill
and chance, with a little luck rolled in. We will
start with the basics of the game – identifying
the tiles, understanding the rules, reading the
card – and move on to actual game play with
plenty of oversight and support. This course is
for the beginner starting from scratch, but we’ll
have you tossing tiles with the best of them by
the end of the group. Join Dan Stanley, a 22-year
Mah Jongg enthusiast who has taught many
opera singers to play while waiting for a call to
the stage (but you don’t have to be able to sing
to learn to play), and Gail Gordon, retired teacher
and Peoria Mah Jongg maven, in mastering the
basics of this challenging game.
$45 – Facilitated by Dan Stanley, Continuing
Education staff member, and Gail Gordon, retired
teacher and Peoria Mah Jongg maven.
Seats available: 13
The Insect World: Hidden Lives in Central Illinois
Thursdays, September 3 – October 1
9:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center (Sept 3 only)
Various locations (Sept 10 - Oct 1)
Curious about the diverse and vibrant world of
insects? Join us as we explore, including prairie
and forest habitats rich with insect life at Forest
Park Nature Center and Tawny Oaks/Singing
Woods. Along the way, we’ll examine a variety of
microhabitats and ecosystems just off the beaten
path. Supplemental materials from InsectsMatter.
net will be available before and after each field
trip, and optional readings from How Insects
Work will help us better understand why insects
have thrived for hundreds of millions of years.
Our first session will be held at Peoria Next, and
the following sessions will be held at various
field locations listed above. Transportation is not
provided, members will meet the group there.
$45 – Facilitated by Mark DuBois, retired professor
and dedicated entomologist recently recognized
as a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society.
Seats available: 20
How Britain Changed the World
Tuesdays, September 8 – October 6
1:00 – 3:15 p.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
Has any nation shaped the modern world more
profoundly than Britain? Often described as the
world’s first modern society, Britain transformed
global ideas about law, government, religion,
industry, and technology while consistently
“punching above its weight.” This study group
explores five defining moments in British history:
the Norman Conquest, Magna Carta, the English
Reformation, the Industrial Revolution, and
the vital role that the people at Bletchley Park
played in the infiltration of Axis intelligence and
the seminal role their work played in the birth
of modern computing. Along the way, we will
examine the special relationship between Britain
and the United States and explore what Britain’s
history teaches about innovation, leadership,
personal sacrifice, national identity, and the
resilience of democratic institutions.
$45 – Facilitated by Tim Burns, a longtime
Anglophile with a deep interest in British history,
culture, and political leadership.
Seats available: 22
STUDY GROUPS
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