GREENFIELD — Residents can learn about a wide range of topics, from the history of Christmas to Cold War-era infrastructure in Massachusetts, as part of Greenfield Community College’s Senior Symposia.
The college will hold a series of programs designed to educate and entertain older adults. Most events will be held at the John W. Olver Transit Center in the Allen Meeting Room.
Historian, educator and emergency management professional Joshua Shanley will lead a program on Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 2 to 4 p.m. titled “Cold War Massachusetts: Hidden Infrastructure and the Legacy of Preparedness.”
Shanley said his presentation will showcase photos and information about bunkers, radars, missile sites and other Cold War-era infrastructure in Massachusetts, and the talk will complement his third book, “Cold War Massachusetts,” which was published in April.
“The talk is literally a Google Earth tour. I have more than 100 sites listed on a map, and we’ll get to see 15 to 20 stops,” Shanley explained. “We’ll go from the Cape to the Berkshires and everywhere in between.”
Shanley said he has visited many of these sites himself and can provide historical details, as well as photos of the sites, which many people don’t realize still stand today.
“The theme of the talk is that these sites are hidden in plain sight,” Shanley noted. “This is infrastructure we drive by all the time and can’t see and don’t know is there.”
Greenfield historian Tim Blagg will present “The War Against Christmas in 17th and 18th Century Massachusetts” on Tuesday, Dec. 9 program from 2 to 4 p.m.
“There was a time in this country when Christmas was illegal and celebrations came with a 10-shilling fine,” Blagg said. “The fact is the time I’m talking about is the early days of the colony, when the Puritans were running the Massachusetts Bay Colony. At that time, Christmas was not the Christmas we know today.”
Blagg said that when Christians first sought to create a celebration of Jesus’ birth, they turned to pagan celebrations and took particular inspiration from the Roman harvest Saturnalia, which he described as being similar to “Philadelphia when the Eagles win the Super Bowl.”
“There was no Santa, no reindeers, no candy canes. There was none of that; it hadn’t been invented at that time,” he said.
The Puritans believed every day was a test from God to prove one’s worthiness of heaven, Blagg said. A celebration consisting of grand feasts and drunken shenanigans was something the Puritans felt was a waste of time and money, so celebrating Christmas was outlawed.
Blagg’s presentation will go over the differences between the Christmas of today and the Christmas of the past, how it evolved and what life was like under Puritan rule.
Other programs scheduled are as follows:
- “Classic Film & Conversation: Adam’s Rib” will provide a screening and discussion of the 1949 film featuring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. “Adam’s Rib” showcases the pair, playing married lawyers, taking opposite sides in the courtroom. The screening and talk, with University of Massachusetts Amherst professor Carolyn Anderson, will be at the Garden Cinemas on Wednesday, Oct. 29, from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
- “Massachusetts Wildlife” will explore the work of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, and how it supports conservation and recreation. MassWildlife District Manager Todd Olanyk will speak on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
- “Paris Undercover” is a presentation on the lives of Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous, two women who lived in Paris during Nazi occupation and rescued dozens of Allied servicemen from a German prison. Author Matthew Goodman will speak on Thursday, Nov. 13.
While designed for older adults, people of all ages are invited to attend the Senior Symposia. Tickets are available on the GCC website on a sliding scale up to $10. For more information or to register, visit engage.gcc.mass.edu/senior-symposia.
