Profiles that may be restored for new courses

Lynne Arden

Born on the north coast of NSW, I have worked and studied in Australia, PNG and the U.K. My qual­i­fic­a­tions: BA Hons in Geography (UNE 1964) and BA Hons in Graphic Design (Liverpool U.K. 1976).
My Publications:  A Pause in the Conversation in New Poets 15 (Friendly St Poets and Wakefield Press 2010) and Travelling Through the Unexpected (Ginninderra Press 2018). My work has been widely published in journals in Australia and overseas.
I am webmaster and a past Vice President of the Australian Haiku Society. I also coordinate City Writers group, which meets at City Library. 
A few of my other interests have included volun­teering at Adelaide Zoo, compiling a book on histor­ical buildings in Norwood for the local histor­ical society and main­taining websites for several community groups. I also painted large murals for Burnside Library, St Peters Library and Adelaide Zoo. Images of these and details of my books are available on my website: www.lynettearden.com

 I also have an Honours 11A degree in Graphic Design from Liverpool UK and have material displayed on line by the Liverpool Museum, where I am one of their 800 lives.I belong to the Society of Women Writers and coordinate the SA Haiku Group. 

I am a long term Volunteer at the Adelaide Zoo. As far as the Philosophy Discussion group goes, my only qual­i­fic­a­tion is first year Philosophy. as part of my UNE degree, and being of an enquiring disposition. 

Writers Workshop

Marissa Baldassi

Italian Elementary Continuing (2) Italian Intermediate (3)

Kathleen Bambridge

I have had an interest in Film from my childhood. I would like to share not only the film but to discuss the film after it is screened. I have recently retired. I have worked as an archivist for the past 18 years. I have also worked as a Public Servant for 25 years.2019
Feminist Talk, Film Biographies, World War II on Film — Japan, “Another Year” — 2010 Movie, “Character” — Dutch Movie, “Nowhere in Africa” — 2010 German Movie, “The Sea is Watching” — 2002, Japanese Movie, Our Oral History, Movie Nostalgia (with Helen Kellaway & Raelene Wilsdon), World War II on Film, ndigenous Films

Evaristo Barrera

Evaristo has taught Yoga for 31 years — it is his passion. His exper­i­ence covers 14 years teaching in Adelaide, 2 years in Tuvala in the Pacific Islands, 7 years in NSW (4 years in Gunning & 3 years in Gundaroo), and 4 years in Canberra. He has attended many workshops and Yoga retreats in NSW, SA and Bali.
His objective is to provide an envir­on­ment where enthu­si­asts can discover the yoga path to a better life. 

In a previous life, Evaristo was a Telecommunications Engineer, now retired. Currently he teaches Yoga from home to small groups and three community groups. Evaristo has taught at U3A Adelaide since 2015.
Maintenance (Hatha) Yoga

Shanti Bhardwa

I live in UK and  retired in 2019 after a career lasting 40 years in IT Support, Designing IT  Infrastructures and providing IT Consultancy with Barclays Bank  and University of Birmingham in UK. My last role with Barclays was as an Architect for Cloud based Computing in Financial Services.

I have also worked as a Development & Test Engineer for a small company making instru­ments for science teaching. I have  degrees  in Applied Physics (Honours)  from Institute of Physics and Computer Science (Masters)  from Birmingham University.

I devote my time in retire­ment  devel­oping open source software and deliv­ering E‑Learning Centers  and Solar Powered Computer labs for schools in Malawi, Zimbabwe  and Kenya. This is based on the concept of Internet In A Box and uses  recycled compon­ents like laptops, monitors, mice and keyboards and  Raspberry PIs.

I am a volunteer supporting charities like Turing Trust ( www.turingtrust.co.uk) in UK who are providing computers to schools in  Africa. Also work with the Raspberry PI Foundation in UK to apply their tech­no­logy for the purpose of promoting the teaching of computer science in schools and setting up Coding Clubs worldwide for teaching children how to code using  languages like Scratch and  Python. 

Internet in a Box

Kay Bennetts

Kay Bennetts is a retired teacher with a life-long love of reading, live theatre and film. Although not able to study visual art at school, her self-education was valuably supple­mented over her years as a volunteer guide at the Art Gallery of South Australia. 

Kay believes that social inter­ac­tion is essential for human health.  During the COVID crisis she is keen to explore how contem­porary tech­no­lo­gies can enable social inter­ac­tions while main­taining essential social distancing.

Film Club 4th Tuesday Reading at Halifax, online… National Theatre Dinner Club, Beating the Drum, Free to Air Film Club, Netflix Film Club, Reading for Enjoyment

Lynley Bergin

Pleasures of Reading

Gregory Bishop

New Computing Perspectives

Christine Brumbt

Since retiring from a nursing career spanning more than 50 years, I joined U3A to keep my mind and body active. I love walking and enjoy the many and diverse oppor­tun­ities  around Adelaide. I now coordinate the Bush Walk program and am pleased to share the many walks I have discovered. Come join me.

Bushwalks

Lesley Clarke

Poetry Reading

Coralie Creevey

After obtaining a Master Arts (History) from UNSW in the 1980s, I worked in various profes­sions until, since retire­ment, I’ve had more time for art, music and good liter­ature. These restore one’s faith in human goodness and creativity which The News can undermine. 

I’d like to share with inter­ested people  my knowledge of some of the most beautiful and enduring art of Western civil­isa­tion over the last 500 years.
Masterpieces of Western Art, European Art since C15

Tom Culshaw

Convener and Chair of Interactive Philosophy Group. BSc (Maths) in 1961 and accepted Research Fellowship with ARRB in oper­a­tions research. Further studies in own time yielded MBM, BE, BEc, BA and BA Hons (all University of Adelaide). Professional recog­ni­tion in MACS, MIE Aust, AASA. Employment included elec­tronics at DSTO, materials science and manage­ment at UNISA, commer­cial and engin­eering ITC then emissions engineer at Chrysler Australia. Chief Systems Officer at Public Service Board from 1976, manage­ment consulting and strategic planning at Premier’s Department and Ernst & Young. Lecturer and Convener in Economics and Management at Flinders and Adelaide Universities. Active member of WEA, U3A Adelaide for many years. Member of SAHGS DNA and Genealogy Computer Groups. Have attended ASO concerts since 1958, and am a Friend of National Gallery of SA, Museum, Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills Historical Society.

Philosophy, an Interactive Course

Vicenzo Curro

Italian Discussion (4)

Dace Darzins, OAM

I was born in Riga, Latvia, to parents who were both profes­sionals. We survived the turmoils of WW2 and managed to escape to Germany just as the Communist army was again invading Latvia. Eventually emig­rating to Australia in 1951, we ended up living in Cockatoo Valley, near Sandy Creek, and I went to Gawler High School. I overcame my initial language diffi­culties to succeed at high school and to go on to univer­sity, studying an Honours BA and Diploma of Secondary Teaching. My academic career at a number of Adelaide high schools included teaching German, French, Latin, English and even Mathematics and General Science. 

Whilst teaching, I was also involved, on a voluntary basis, in teaching at the after-hours Latvian Primary School, even­tu­ally being appointed as the inaugural Principal of the Latvian High School. For my work within the Latvian community, and for the promotion of language teaching and learning in Australian high schools, I was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (2004). In addition, the Republic of Latvia awarded me the Cross of Recognition (2006).

Once I retired, I wanted to do more voluntary work and, in 2003,  I began my asso­ci­ation with U3A Adelaide as a tutor of German conver­sa­tion.  I have now been doing this for 15 years and continue to enjoy it immensely.

 Associate Professor David Davey

I have had a 50 Year career in scientific research and teaching  of  chemistry at the University of South Australia in Whyalla and Adelaide. Research interests have ranged from safety of explos­ives, metals of interest in nuclear reactor construc­tion, water quality and wine research at the University of Adelaide Wine Research Centre.

Other interests are the Art Gallery of South Australia of which I am a member, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestral concerts attended regularly.  I enjoy flying kites with the grand­chil­dren and keeping up with them on my electric bike. 

Cool It! Climate Change and How to Live With It  was taught at U3A Tea Tree Gully in Term 4, 2019 and is currently underway at Tea Tree Gully in Term 1, 2020.

Trevor Dean

I was born, bred and educated in S.A. but from 1949 I trained as a Christian Brother for 3 years and then studied at Sydney University for 4 years, majoring in French and Italian.The next 18 months were spent teaching in school and then I was sent to study theology in Rome where some of the lectures were in French. Another year at the Institute of Lumen Vitae in Brussels followed and there everything was in French.

Back in Australia, I spent most of the next 25 years in educa­tional insti­tu­tions — Teacher Training Colleges, Catholic Education Offices in Melbourne and Adelaide inter­spersed with stints in schools. I was Principal of St. Joseph’s Pascoe Vale in Melbourne and Community Leader at CBC in Launceston.Beginning in 1987, I was in West Africa (Liberia and Sierra Leone) for 7 years teaching scripture in a seminary for 70 students from those countries. Both countries were plagued by civil war and I became heavily involved in visiting camps for refugees and displaced persons.

Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire are both French speaking countries and together they surround Liberia and Sierra Leone. As the French speaker on the seminary staff, I went first into Côte d’Ivoire and later into Guinea on different missions which enabled the seminary to continue operating for some time. Eventually, just before the rebels took over Makeni in S.L. where we had all relocated, the seminary was closed down and all expat­ri­ates left the country. I returned to Australia and was living in Adelaide for a time in Regent St. South,  of all places! I became aware, a few years ago, that a crisis had arisen at U3A Adelaide, because a French tutor was unable to continue teaching —  I could hardly justify not volun­teering to fill the gap.
French Elementary Conversation ( 2)

Simon Degeling

Son of Dutch migrants, I grew up on the NSW north coast and received degrees in French and History from Newcastle University.  During my graduate days, I had a few holiday jobs working as a steel­works labourer for BHP.  That paid for trips to Europe, which resulted in a lengthy stay in France, where I taught English and gained fluency in French.

After a working life spent teaching in ACT govern­ment schools, I managed to spend 15 months in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, teaching business English. One of life’s better decisions was retiring to Adelaide.

Quite by accident, I stumbled upon U3A several years ago.  I was walking past the Box Factory, when I noticed it housed an outfit called University of the Third Age.  I went inside, got a prospectus and the rest, as they say .….….

French Elementary Conversation (2)

Howard Duchene

French Let’s Talk (4) (with Pat Greet)

John Eastaff

Mah Jong

Giulio Eliseo

Italian Consolidating (3)

Etienette Fennell

I was born in Paris, where I went to primary school, coming to Australia at the age of 11.  The remainder of my education was in Adelaide and I have an Honours degree in French and degrees in Italian, Fine Arts and Music. I was trained at the Elder Conservatorium as a classical singer and I play cello with amateur orches­tras.  My other interests include writing books and  trav­el­ling. I am currently learning Russian and have joined a small group of Russian singers.
Throughout my lifetime, I have taught French, Italian and Music at all school levels and ended up, for twenty years, as a tutor in French at Flinders University.  Additionally, I have taught at Adult Education and also conducted classes at the Elder Conservatorium in the topic of “French for Singers”.

I initially connected with U3A Adelaide a few years ago when I took a French class with Tony Comin, who was then standing in for Andrew Beare.  It was at the instig­a­tion of my friend, Tony Kelly, that I decided to teach a class for U3A.
French Breakthrough (3)

Peter Franklin

Having earned a living (in what I risibly call my career) as a public servant and univer­sity admin­is­trator, I have been fortunate to spend the following nearly 20 years pursuing the studies that should have been my focus all along.  As I phased out of paid employ­ment I made two partic­u­larly sound decisions, one to join U3A and the other to take up Chinese.   U3A is indeed a univer­sity in the ideal sense, since its students seek only to increase their under­standing.  The study of languages is to the ageing mind what gym work is to the body.  I should add that my role as a tutor is limited to helping my friend Dr Han Zhengde (Michael) continue the Chinese course he has offered every year since 1994. 

Chinese Mandarin (3) (with Zheng De Han)

Sue Garforth

Latin Continuers, Royal Marriage Disasters, Spanish Beginners (1), Spanish Elementary(2)

Jenny Gregson

Drawing Without Fear

John Griffiths

I was born in England and came to Australia in 1969. (best thing I ever did!) I had worked with aeroplane engines but moved to the auto­motive world and became a service manager of a large deal­er­ship in Perth. I learned a great deal about the way cars are traded and service became my passion. I also had a love of aircraft and wanted to get my private pilot’s licence. This I did achieve in 1997 When I was 50 years old. I have tutored a course  called Easy car main­ten­ance and another called Come fly with me. I am a co ‑tutor with Leonie Pike, in Art for pleasure. Also with Beatrice Howarth where we play Bridge.
U3A has been like a family to both me and my wife Suzette, It has been very precious in our retirement.

Penelopy Hackett-Jones

Penelope Hackett-Jones was encour­aged to use a debased form of English while growing up in an Adelaide suburb:  “googy” for egg, “geegee” for horse, “bunny” for rabbit, etc. As a teenage act of rebellion against this frightful early exper­i­ence, at the age of 14 she developed a passion for correct English, which still inflames her today, and which she soon carried over into other languages. She was able to learn Latin and French at school, and while pretending to do Maths homework taught herself Italian and Russian, using the Hugo’s “Teach Yourself a Language in 3 Months” textbooks.

Her first paid employ­ment was as a Greek-English trans­lator for a subversive press-cutting agency in Athens, at the time of the military junta. Returning to Australia she qualified as a teacher, something slightly less dangerous, and taught French, Latin and Modern Greek for many years.

After retiring to raise a family, she joined U3A where she teaches Beginners’ French, and is at present studying Arabic in private. Penelope believes in mandatory impris­on­ment for the incorrect use of English in public, partic­u­larly for the inac­curate placing of the apostrophe, and for the preten­tious use of Italian in restaurant menus.

French Beginners (1), French Elementary (2)

Zheng De Han (Michael)

I am a retired pediatric surgeon from Beijing. I migrated to Adelaide in 1984. I became a member of U3A in 1994 and have offered this course every year since then, causing U3A to make me a Life Member in 2009, which I value deeply. The purpose has remained the same; to enhance mutual under­standing and help you learn a little basic Mandarin. Since 2013, Peter Franklin has helped me run the course. We co-operate well. 

I am very happy that the course continues to attract U3A friends, who learn from each other how to share life after retire­ment. We are not yet old, but there is an old Chinese saying: “活到老，学到老”,  (the sound is “huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo”), which means “we must keep learning for as long as we live”.

Chinese Mandarin (with Peter Franklin)

Joelie Hancock

I have been co-ordinating the Play Reading group since 2004. It’s a role that I fell into when my father, who was attending U3A with me, volun­teered us both to run the class — because he had access to a few charity second-hand book shops.  Fourteen years later of regular checks at the Oxfam Book Shop, 120 sets of plays (and still collecting), I am still co-ordinating the group.

I retired in 1999 from being a Literacy Education lecturer at Flinders University. I also had a major role in producing fourteen books docu­menting good literacy teaching practice. My area was not drama or theatre but I love to read and share reactions with others who also enjoy liter­ature. Experiencing and learning about drama has never been as enjoyable as in our Play Reading Group.  I have learnt an enormous amount about play writes, their plays, and the social history of their times.

Play Reading

Rod Harvey

Bridge Beginners Group

Alexandra Hayes

Philosophy, Life and Big Ideas (with Ken Johns)

Dorothy Heinrich

In my profes­sional life I was for many years a univer­sity lecturer in Human Physiology and Pathophysiology. Since retiring I have continued my interests in writing, history and travel.  With my husband I have visited diverse places, ranging from South East Asia, China and Russia, to countries of Europe, including Iceland. My U3A  roles have included organ­ising the Holiday Shorts programs and Out and About visits to places of interest.  
I have given U3A present­a­tions on the settle­ment of early South Australia, Iceland and its Viking origins, and how the humble potato has influ­enced the course of European history.Since early 2020 I have taken on the role of tutor of Writers Workshop, previ­ously capably run by Lyn Arden.I have published two books:  ‘Ada’s Story’, a family history,  and ‘The Man Who Hunted Whales: A tale of Kangaroo Island and a doomed ship’.

Writers Workshop

Gwenda Helsham

Shakespeare on Stage and Screen

At the Movies — Gwenda

Keith Hempton

Keith was firstly a Modern Language Teacher (French and German at Sydney Grammar School) and then, for over 20 years, a profes­sional singer.  He sang principal roles with the major opera companies in Australia, including Opera Australia and the State Opera Companies of South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia. He sand with such conductors as Mark Elder, Carlo Felice Cillario, Myer Fredman and Barry Tuckwell. He was the bass with the Song Company (Australia’s only profes­sional classical vocal ensemble) from 1986 — 91. 

From 1991 he was Lecturer in Charge of Wollongong Conservatorium and from 1995 until 2008 was Head of vocal Studies and Co-ordinator of the Honours Performance Programme at the Elder Conservatorium within the University of Adelaide. Keith has taken early retire­ment with the intention of returning to performing both as a singer and a presenter.  He also hopes to have the oppor­tunity to adju­dicate, lecture and examine.  Over the years he has acquired a vast exper­i­ence and knowledge of classical music (he is also a trained radio presenter) and would like to find the oppor­tunity to make chal­len­ging use of his partic­ular skills. 

French Vive la France (3), An Exotic and Irrational Entertainment (online)

Beatrice Howarth

Beatrice Howarth became an enthu­si­astic supporter of U3A Adelaide when she was invited to join in 2009 to teach Modern Greek. Since then she has taught a course every year sharing with parti­cipants her knowledge and love for the Middle Eastern and Greek cultures and history. She enjoys the challenge of research into areas she has studied at University many years ago but would like to learn more now and is encour­aged by the enthu­siasm, support, friend­li­ness and schol­ar­ship of U3A students and staff.

Beatrice has studied and worked at the University of Alexandria (Egypt), the Australian National University (Canberra), the University of New England (Armidale, NSW) and the London School of Economics and Political Science of London University. She holds degrees in Classics as well as English and French Literature and a Master in Librarianship. She has studied Arabic and is fascin­ated by Asian and Arabic cultures. Since she retired, she rekindled her love for Greek culture and did a course on Ancient Greek Philosophers at Adelaide University. 

She is a fluent speaker of Greek, French, Italian and English. She has lived and worked in England, Austria, France, Italy, Greece as well as Egypt and Australia.

Bridge (with John Griffiths)

Geoff Howe

Australia in the 50s
Soul Men
Sumerian Civilisation
The Peculiar Institution

I was a teacher,  initially with High Schools, then as a lecturer in Adult Matriculation in Tafe and finally at Eynesbury Senior College. Over a long period I taught Year 12 Modern History, Australian History, American History and Classical Studies, as well as English and Legal Studies. I retired at the end of 2006 and have been a tutor at Adelaide U3A since then.

Philosophy, Life and Big Ideas (with Alexandra Hayes)

Ken Johns

Ken’s profes­sional career was in business manage­ment in South Australia, mainly in the elec­trical industry.   For many years he also conducted (part time) various manage­ment classes and Professional Development courses for various Management Consultants in Adelaide, on topics including nego­ti­ation skills, time manage­ment and marketing manage­ment. Ken is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute. 

Since his retire­ment, he has pursued a number of other interests in both Philosophy and Psychology.  Ken is currently a Tutor in both of these topics. He is also a member of the Depth Psychology Alliance and the International Association for the Study of Dreams.

Philosophy, Life and Big Ideas (with Alexandra Hayes)

Magrit Johnson

French Continuing (3)

Helen Kellaway

Movie Nostalgia (with Kathleen Bambridge & Raelene Wilsdon)

Ana Luthe

Spanish Intermediate (3), Spanish Let’s Speak (4)

Maria Macdonald

Italian Conversation Thursday (4)
Italian Conversation Tuesday (4)

Erica Martens

I arrived in Adelaide in 1970, planned to stay for three years. I did under- and post­graduate study in the human­ities followed by a varied career in teaching in schools and univer­sities. Lived overseas and inter­state for long periods of time. I am currently focused on writing, gardening, helping raise twin boys and keeping in touch with my native language.

I am a native speaker and have taught German in High Schools and University in the 1970s and 80s. Have recently relocated to Adelaide from Melbourne. I have parti­cip­ated in Melbourne’s City U3A for years.

German Conversation

Peter Martin

Peter’s training was in the ecolo­gical sciences. This led to a career with CSIRO and Cooperative Research Centres in Adelaide and Canberra as a science journ­alist and commu­nic­a­tions manager.  He remains active in various conser­va­tion and scientific groups and is currently President of the SA-NT Branch of SPA.  He will give several of the six lectures.

A Sustainable SA  
(with James Ward, Jane O’Sullivan, Philip Lawn & Andrew Kitto)

Pauline McCreery

Since retiring at the beginning of 2009 I have been busier than ever before.  I can devote more time to image based computing, to travel, to playing croquet, to learning French, to.…you name it!  I love theatre, travel, reading, good food and wine and being a grand­mother.  I am a past President and past webmaster for U3A Adelaide and continue to serve on both the Programme Committee and the Board.  I have recently relin­quished my commit­ment as U3A-Adelaide delegate to U3A SA, the peak body for U3A in South Australia. Until the end of 2019, I continue as their webmaster.  It is wonderful to be able to continue with my love of both learning and teaching.

GIMP It!, Start Your Photobook

Kat Milner

Tutor Kat Milner is the Owner of Create Your Change, a small business that support other small busi­nesses through Social Media and VA (virtual assistant) support services. As a way of giving back to the community, Kat certified as a Digital Mentor through Be Connected, a govern­ment initi­ative dedicated to helping mature Australians become more comfort­able and confident online. As someone who taught herself over 90% of her computer skills, Kat under­stands how confusing and daunting it can be to use “smart” devices and the internet. As one of her students has said, “Kat excels at making you feel comfort­able learning, and she makes the complex seem simple and easy.”

Sharon Mosler

Dr Sharon Mosler first taught Australian history at matric­u­la­tion level in the 1970s.  After another career, she began a PhD degree in 2000 at the University of Adelaide and tutored in Australian history as well as other history subjects from 2007 – 2013. 

Australian History

Walpurga Page

Hand and Foot Canasta

Susila Palaniappan

Art Exploration

Leonie Pike

Art for Pleasure (with John Griffiths)

Lyn Porter

In semi-retirement, Lyn is enjoying living her two passions:  Circle Dancing and Professional Counselling both of which carry a healing component and focus on group process and relationship. 

Lyn graduated with a Science Degree and began her profes­sional career as one of the first female geolo­gists in Australia to work for private enter­prise.  Marrying a geologist and raising a family through many inter­state and overseas moves gave her an oppor­tunity for many life­styles and career exper­i­ences as a High School Maths teacher and Mineral Exploration Information specialist.  Return to Adelaide and career change for her husband prompted Lyn to trans­ition into Professional Counselling via Lifeline training and Masters degree in Social Science.  She gained rich exper­i­ences as a Lifeline Telephone Counsellor and Supervisor, Personal Support Program Caseworker working with the long-term unem­ployed, on women’s issues as a Counsellor at Women’s Community Centre, and through her private Counselling practice continues to offer support to family Carers as a brokered Counsellor to Carers SA and to employed people through sponsored EAP Counselling.  Lyn has been enjoying Circle Dancing since 2002 and stepped up to leading and teaching upon the sudden death of previous teacher in 2011.  She has Cert IV TAA as well as Circle Dance training from UK master teachers Mandy de Winter, Judy King and Andy Bettis as well as Australian teachers Krista Sands, Judith Keller & others.
Circle Dancing

Alex Pouw-Bray (M.A. PhD Dip. Ed.)

I was born in country Western Australia, in 1945, and completed my secondary education at boarding school in Perth. I have a Masters degree from the University of Washington in Seattle and a PhD from Flinders University both in the History of Education field. I have taught in a wide variety of educa­tional settings in Western Australia, Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, and in South Australia. I was Head of History at Scotch College Adelaide from 1990 until 2009, and have published articles in history of education peri­od­icals, and presented papers on a range of topics at various
confer­ences in Australia. 

I have a lifelong love of playing cards that began with learning cardplay from my grand­mother. I have played Bridge for 44 years, am a member of the South Australian Bridge Association and hold the status of Local Master. I enjoy sharing my knowledge of playing bridge with others and exper­i­enced success in this with the Adelaide U3A Beginners Bridge group in 2019.

Bob Rabbitt

My interest in music began in the early 1950s, I was about 11 years old, when my father used to work in the garden on Saturday after­noons and he would bring our big radio outside so that he could listen to the football while he worked.  Following the football, which I believe was probably on radio station 5KA, there was a music programme which would play the hit songs of that time. Some of the artists I remember hearing were Frankie Laine, Guy Mitchell, Doris Day, Johnny Ray, Rosemary Clooney, Jo Stafford, Marty Robbins and so on.  Also, when I went to visit my aunty and uncle, who had a big phonogram and record player, they would play their LP records of the musicals of the 1950s. As I grew into my teenage years, music gained more signi­fic­ance. At home we had a small mantle radio and in the evenings, as we washed and dried the dishes, I was able to listen to the music of the Platters, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, etc., etc.

I think sometime during 1959, my father bought a small record player, which was hugely exciting for me. Then, when I left school, I could buy my favourite 45rpm singles as they came on the hit parade .….. and so I started my record collec­tion. My girl­friend used to work at John Martins and, every week, she would bring me the 5AD Top 40 charts.  She was so good at doing this that, even­tu­ally, I asked her to marry me.

Now, over 50 years later, she doesn’t bring me the Top 40 charts but she does have a habit of saying to me, “Would you please turn that music down!”

For the Record (with Adriaan van der Wyst)

Pamela Rajkowski

Australia’s Cameleers, Fascinating Poland

Ann Rees

I have been teaching music for more than 50 years, always with the desire to enable people of all ages and abilities to enjoy and gently extend their knowledge, under­standing and pleasure. Recreational music-making is uplifting in many ways and group music is satis­fying socially, emotion­ally, spir­itu­ally and intel­lec­tu­ally. Sometimes it is just plain fun! I played in my first recorder ensemble when I was 13 years old, have been hooked ever since, and have no intention of stopping now.
Recorder Group

Evelyn Robertson

Current Film Club 1

Tom Rohling

Why Australia Prospered?

Meredith Ross

Gallery Insights 1, 2 and 3

Waltraud Schmidt

Before moving from Germany to Adelaide in 1992, I taught German, English and Geography at the German-French High School in Freiburg. While living in the USA for a few years in the early eighties, I had the oppor­tunity to learn how to make pottery. 

In 1995 I joined the WEA and taught German from ‘Beginners’ to ‘Advanced Conversation’ until 2010.  In 2013 I started to teach ‘German for Beginners’ at U3A. 

I also was a tour guide at the South Australian Museum for 24 years.
German Elementary (2), German Language and Culture (4)
 

Renate Shanahan

I was born in Germany and lived there during my school years, came to Australia in 1957 and got married to an Australian in 1958.
After spending some years building a house and having a family, I entered the Sturt Teachers College, later incor­por­ated into Flinders University, as a mature age student and trained to become a teacher of German and  Religious Education, while working part time as an emergency teacher.

Having achieved my B.Ed., I taught in several high schools at all levels for a total of 22 years. After my retire­ment I spent my time catching up on my hobbies, quilting, singing in a choir, prac­ti­cing Yoga, walking in a group and also with my dog. One day, one of my walking friends, who was attending courses in the U3A asked, whether I was willing to tutor  Advanced German there, since the present tutor was ill. I said yes — that was in 2005, and I am still here.

My aim in teaching German here is to make this subject inter­esting and fun at the same time.
German Intermediate (3)

John Slaytor

After gradu­ating from Adelaide University (B.A.,  Dip. Ed.), John taught in high schools for a few years before returning to do a Master’s degree in Climatology. For the next 15 years or so he taught student teachers and, during this time, also did a B.Sc.  John spent several extended periods overseas in insti­tu­tions in Holland (Earth Sciences) and England (Land Management).   For the last 10 years before retiring he was Senior Lecturer in park manage­ment at the University of S.A.  He is a Life Member of both the Aust.  Meteorological Association and the Royal Geographical Society of S.A.

So how is it that he’s running a course in Spanish?  Well, since student days he has had an interest in foreign languages, but the oppor­tunity to study only Latin formally at University.   Yet this, coupled with a certain fascin­a­tion with grammar (English and Latin) arising from its import­ance in his education in the mid-twentieth century, was of great help as a renewed interest in languages arose when he retired.  Intrigued by the Graeco-Latin origins of the Romance languages, and spurred on by partner Mary, together they did SACE Spanish via the School of Languages.  This is his only formal qual­i­fic­a­tion in Spanish.   So, rather than being a tutor, he regards himself as a coordin­ator of a group of like-minded auto­di­dacts, still of modest Spanish conver­sa­tional skills, but very enthu­si­astic, who are mostly refugees from the legendary Silvia Lang’s Spanish class and who, after her retire­ment, wanted to continue in the same way the study of the beautiful Spanish language, its liter­ature, and culture.
Spanish Literature and Grammar (3)

David Smith

Wine Exploring

Dianne Schwarz

Let’s Keep Talking (Convenor)

Julanne Sweeney

Born Julanne Drynan on dairy farm near Beaudesert. All Hallows School Brisbane. B.A. Dip. Ed. 1957. 1st class English Hons 1986 UQ. 1958–2002 High School teaching in FNQ [Yeronga 1983–86] and cattle farming at Mena Creek with former husband Fabian; estab­lishing native tree plant­a­tions from 1980s. Political campaigns (1972!) and envir­on­mental protests for Barrier Reef and World Heritage Wet Tropics.

At Cairns High 1958–9 encour­aged debating for Pat O’Shane, first Aboriginal magis­trate; in Townsville taught with Eddie Mabo at contro­ver­sial Black Community School 1972–3; awarded Qld Multicultural Medal 1995(?) for voluntary community cultural activism in Innisfail area. Shakespeare specialist Grin and Tonic Theatre Troupe (director Dr Bryan Nason) is still based in a hut (seen in new Oz film CELESTE) near my Tropic Valley waterfall on the Cassowary Coast.

At the birth of my wonderful Down syndrome grand­daughter Isadora in 2002, I moved to Adelaide where 3 of my 5 children work in profes­sional arts world. The other two are prac­tising educators in visual and performing arts inter­state. A great privilege [to top off a teaching career] has been to work with inspiring refugees, migrants and their teachers at the Adelaide Secondary School of English.

The exhil­ar­ating challenge of tutoring the Shakespeare Reading group at U3A came in 2014 when the youngest of 6 Adelaide grand­daugh­ters left Kindy ( pick-ups still almost daily!). My cognitive world changed: new wealth in profound texts is shared fort­nightly. Neglected books (for Poetry and other U3A reading groups) jump off my shelves.

Shakespeare Play Reading

John Travers

My career was largely in education, and most of it was as principal of Area and Primary schools. My final role in the Education Department was as Manager of the Technology School of the Future which was the culmin­a­tion of an interest in gadgets, from reel to reel tape recorder to today’s plethora of devices. In retire­ment I have been taking classes at Mitcham Library and U3A in the iPad and other liber­ating applic­a­tions of tech­no­logy, espe­cially for elderly people. I manage the U3A website.

Gail Umehara

Japanese Conversation (2–4)

Aura Valli

Italian Continuing (3)

Adriaan van der Wyst

Takes the “For the Record” class with his co-presenter, Bob Rabbitt.  He also presents occa­sional lectures on topics in the science field.

Adriaan taught maths and science in SA secondary schools for eight years before working in the Education Department in Research and Planning and in Personnel for thirty years.  His main interests are music, philo­sophy, history, religion and bush­walking and golf. 
For the Record (with Bob Rabbitt), The Boy from Oz

Laure Vincent-Allard

As a free-lance consultant and lecturer, Laure has combined her wide-ranging knowledge of European Art History (24 years as a conference-guide in French Historic sites and for private companies and 15 years as an Art History teacher) with her 18-year domestic and inter­na­tional exper­i­ence as a trainers’ super­visor and team leader.

She has a Bachelor degree in Art history and Archaeology with honours, and various diplomas and certi­fic­ates in guiding/lecturing and in manage­ment. She has provided lectures, confer­ences, led workshops and training in both European Art and Team Leadership (from stress manage­ment to training improve­ment, just to name a few). She special­ises in expanding creativity, chal­len­ging intel­lec­tual and emotional perspective and building self-confidence with humour and kindness.

Laura’s website:- www.thewittyscope.weebly.com
French Perspective Française, Watercolour Affairs

Steve Walsh

At the Movies — Steve, Adventures in Film Music

Ann Warner

French Advanced (4)

Raelene Wilsdon

Raelene began her working life at the Electricity Trust, then moved to an Accountant’s office for the next  9 years until her first child arrived.  After 11 years at home with her family, doing volunteer work in the school library, she returned to the workforce as a site secretary on several large building sites around Adelaide and the last 20 working years as Office Manager and Human Resource Officer in a large civil engin­eering company.   Raelene enjoys trav­el­ling with her husband, reading, painting, theatre, cooking and the many history discus­sions held at the U3A.  Raelene is on the Board of U3A Adelaide.

Movie Nostalgia (with Kathleen Bambridge and Helen Kellaway)

Athena Zaknic

My passion is music and live theatre.I also love the movies and have done so since my teenage years.Ar U3A I am very lucky to have a very enthu­si­astic group that I take to the movies monthly. This is followed by lunch and a vigorous discus­sion about the movie.Quite a number of my selec­tions tend to be foreign films if I decide the quality warrants this choice. I welcome new members to join us.

Monday Movie Club