Learning Series

Fall 2026 Learning Series

Exploring Our National Parks

Three Sessions: 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Tuesdays: October 6, 13 and 20

Adventurer Steve Farrar will be back after last year’s well-received learning series programs on the U.S. National Parks.  Steve Farrar has explored all of our 63 National Parks and will be sharing new stories and pictures which will take us on virtual trips to three magnificent new destinations: parks located in the Pacific Northwest, the Southeastern states, and Northern California. Steve will impart his insights into the history, geology, climate and wildlife in the parks.

Steve Farrar experienced his first National Parks as an impressionable 14-year-old on his way to the 1969 National Boy Scout Jamboree in Idaho. This sparked his lifelong passion for the beauty and adventure of the National Parks. He went scuba diving in the Virgin Islands, camped among the wolves on Isle Royal, scaled rock faces in Yosemite and climbed the summits of Mount Rainier and Denali.

Celebrating the Great American Songbook

Three Sessions: 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Mondays October 19, 26 and November 2

Step into the golden age of American music with John Whelan and Peter Gaines in a captivating three-part program honoring the timeless artistry of the Great American Songbook. This series spotlights the genius of Harold Arlen, Jimmy Van Heusen, Jule Styne, Harry Warren, and Jerry Herman—composers whose melodies have defined Broadway, Hollywood, and jazz stages for generations. From Arlen’s soulful ballads to Van Heusen’s swinging charm, Styne’s Broadway brilliance, Warren’s cinematic sparkle, and Herman’s exuberant show tunes, each performance brings these treasured works to life. Audiences will enjoy rich storytelling, historical insights, and unforgettable renditions of songs with John’s music clips and storytelling and Peter at the keyboard joined by Denise Page on vocals.

Henri de Toulouse Lautrec: Artistic Pioneer

One Session: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  Thursday October 22

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, painter and printmaker, is among the best- known artists of the Post-Impressionist period. His immersion in the colorful and theatrical life of Paris in the late 19th century enabled him to produce a collection of enticing, elegant and provocative images of the modern yet decadent life of that era. His influence on future art movements is undeniable.  Join Beth Stein as she explores the tragic life and iconic works of this incredibly fascinating artist.

Beth Stein has been educating adult audiences on the lives and works of famous artists for the past fifteen years on Cape Cod and in New Jersey. She received her BS in education from Indiana University, MA in history from Seton Hall University and MA in administration from Montclair State University.

Stories of Political Scandal In America

One session: 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday October 27 

From jealous generals trying to oust Washington as Commander in 1778 to Aaron Burr trying to create his own country in 1800, to corrupt cabinet officials in Lincoln’s cabinet and the Senate, to infamous financial scandals such as the Credit Mobilier in 1873, the Whiskey Ring in 1875, Teapot Dome in 1923, and the Keating Five Savings Bank in 1985, to political corruption such as Watergate and Iran Contra, our Federal government has not always been squeaky clean. Bob Ainsworth will address these factual scandals listed above and a fictional account depicted in his newest novel, “The Last Unindicted Mayor” describing small-town corruption in Massachusetts.

Bob Ainsworth, a retired financial corporate executive and CPA, earned a BS in Accounting from Boston College and an MBA in Finance from Northeastern University. He worked as a CFO and Controller, and taught accounting. Bob uncovered two fraud cases during his career. He is the author of the Harry Bartlett fraud mystery series which includes CONNED, a wine fraud on Nantucket Island, and SCAMMED, an embezzlement case leading to intricate financial crimes and murder.

The Ages of Classical Music

Four Sessions: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Wednesdays October 28, November 4, 11 18

This course takes place at the Chatham Congregational Church - Fellowship Hall

Step into the timeless world of classical music with Joe Marchio in this captivating four-part program that traces its evolution through the centuries. Begin with the ornate brilliance of the Baroque era, shaped by masters like Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi, where grandeur and intricate detail flourished. Move into the poised elegance of the Classical period, defined by the genius of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven, whose works balanced form and beauty. The Romantic age follows, bursting with passion and drama through the music of Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Brahms. Finally, explore the daring creativity of the 20th century, where innovators like Stravinsky, Debussy, and Shostakovich reimagined the boundaries of sound. Along the way, you’ll hear iconic works, uncover cultural influences, and witness how each era’s leading voices left an enduring mark on the music we treasure today.

Joe Marchio currently serves as music director of the Chatham Chorale, Assistant Director of the Cape Cod Symphony and pastor and music director of First Congregational Church in Chatham. He has two bachelor’s degrees from the College of Wooster in organ performance and religious studies and in choral conducting at the Boston Conservatory.

Folk Music and Politics of the 60’s

Two sessions: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon Thursdays November 5 and 12

Clark Daggett will share an engaging program that explores the intersection of politics and folk music during the 1960s, a decade marked by social upheaval, political protests, and powerful musical voices. Clark, who came of age in this era, will provide a personal reflection on the significant events of the time and how the folk and protest music resonated with the youth of that generation. The presentation invites open discussion and audience participation, encouraging attendees to share their own perspectives and memories. Through both music and conversation, the program fosters a deeper understanding of the role of music in shaping social and political movements during a transformative period in history.  

Clark Daggett, a 32-year-old resident of Cape Cod, spent 17 of those years working at Cape Cod Academy.  He served as Associate Headmaster and then Head of School while also teaching Philosophy to seniors and coaching varsity boys’ basketball.  Clark moved to Cotuit from northern New Jersey where he worked in various teaching, coaching, and administrative roles in an independent school.  In retirement Clark focused a bit on playing guitar and singing favorite songs from the 1960's era.  He has done similar historical/musical presentations to several school groups in recent years. 

Cape Cod Modern: The Mid-Century Houses of the Outer Cape

Two sessions: 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesdays November 10 and 17

Cape Cod is home to one of the most important—and least known—collections of modern houses in America. Hidden among the pine woods and sand dunes of the Outer Cape are remarkable homes designed by architects, artists, and writers who sought a new way of living close to nature after World War II. In this course, Betsy Bray explores the fascinating story of Cape Cod Modern houses and the people who created them. Drawing on her work as a tour guide and coordinator with the Cape Cod Modern House Trust, Betsy shares photographs, stories, and insider perspectives on these small but influential houses designed for simplicity, creativity, and connection to the landscape.

Participants will discover how Bauhaus ideas found an unexpected home on Cape Cod, explore the work of architects such as Marcel Breuer, and learn how these hidden houses became part of an extraordinary artistic and intellectual community in Wellfleet. On Sunday, November 22 there will be an option for a guided tour of several houses of the Cape Cod Modern House Trust in Wellfleet.    The group will meet at 1:00 p.m. at a place in Wellfleet to be announced

Betsy Bray is an architecture enthusiast and retired public library director. For the past ten years, she has volunteered with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, based in Chicago, supporting the preservation of Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural legacy. She also serves as a tour guide and coordinator for the Cape Cod Modern House Trust, where she shares her passion for modern architecture and design with visitors from around the world. Betsy is well known for her passion for the children’s author, Beatrix Potter, and has lectured about her extensively around the world

Ernest Hemingway: Short Stories   

Three Sessions 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Tuesdays  December 1, 8, 15

Hemingway's best stories reveal a profound level of insight, understanding, and compassion for men and women alike. These qualities that were often at odds with his public image found a remarkable expression in his fiction. Hemingway's spare, understated stories, written in a prose of diamond-cut precision, are filled with a depth of human feeling that make them among the finest in American literature. Text: The Hemingway Stories, selected and introduced by Tobias Wolff        (Scribner, 2021, ISBN-10: 1982179465)

Joseph Auciello has a BA in English from Boston University and an MA in English from Boston College. He is a retired English and social studies teacher and department chair in public, private and parochial schools, including international schools. Joe is a former member of the Monomoy Regional School Committee and the board of directors for the Cape Cod Collaborative. He has written widely on literature, education, and national and international politics.

Claude Monet: Impressionist Color and Light

One Session: 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday December 7

 Claude Monet was a key figure in the Impressionist movement that transformed French painting in the second half of the nineteenth century. Throughout his long career, Monet depicted the landscape and leisure activities of Paris and its environs. He led the way to twentieth-century modernism by developing a unique style that strove to capture on canvas the very act of perceiving nature - by observing the variations of color and light caused by daily or seasonal changes.   Color, texture, and the moods they could produce assumed as great an importance in his work as the paintings' subject - a cathedral, haystack, or his beloved water lilies.  His unparalleled public appeal has sustained his reputation as one of the most significant and popular figures in the modern Western painting tradition.  Join us as BETH STEIN explores the life and iconic works of this prolific and extraordinary artist. 

Beth Stein has been educating adult audiences on the lives and works of famous artists for the past fifteen years on Cape Cod and in New Jersey. She received her BS in education from Indiana University, MA in history from Seton Hall University and MA in administration from Montclair State University.