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1995-1996 index


Distributed August 16, 1995
Contact: Linda Mahdesian

Vietnam, spoiled brats, and the real Pocahontas

Brown Learning Community offers 170 courses for the fall session

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Ever wanted to learn for yourself what really happened in Vietnam or how to avoid raising a genuine brat or what historians know about the star of Disney's latest film, Pocahontas? These are a few of the topics on the agenda of the Brown Learning Community (BLC) this fall. The BLC's fall session, from September through November, offers 170 courses designed - and scheduled - for adult learners.

Here's a look at three of the courses .

The U.S. in Vietnam, 1961-68

Exactly how did the U.S. get involved in the Vietnam War? Why did we underestimate the situation in Vietnam? And why did we fight so long and hard in such a distant place, until 58,000 Americans died? "The U.S. in Vietnam, 1961-68" will focus on this crucial phase of the war, exploring the evolution of American diplomacy, the formulation of military strategy, and the emergence of a Vietnamese revolutionary movement. The course will be taught by Charles Neu, history professor at Brown, who visited Vietnam this year for the second time and is completing a book on America in Vietnam. The class will be held over three Thursday sessions, Oct. 12, 19, and 26. Tuition is $50.

The Culture of Indulgence in America's Homes and Schools

In all the places where children are raised - the home, the school, the community - one conspicuous change has occurred during the last three decades. All of the commonly accepted standards for young people's skills and behavior have fallen sharply. Less is expected of the young; less is received. Correcting what is now a deeply interconnected web of problems within our culture must begin with an understanding of the nature of children and their development. Teaching the course will be William Damon, professor of education at Brown, who also directs Brown's Center for the Study of Human Development. He is the author of the recently published book, Greater Expectations: Overcoming the Culture of Indulgence in America's Homes and Schools, and of The Moral Child. The class will be offered on one evening session, Monday, Oct. 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuition is $15.

Will the Real Pocahontas Please Stand Up!

This course, titled "Will the Real Pocahontas Please Stand Up! Marketing of Native American History," will be held on two Saturdays, Oct. 14 and 21, from 10 a.m. until noon at the Haffenreffer Museum in Bristol, RI. Tuition is $35, which includes a $7 registration fee and a packet of reading materials. (Class size is limited to 50 students.) This class, taught by the Haffenreffer Museum program staff, will discuss the image of Pocahontas in the Disney film and the real Pocahontas, to give an accurate depiction of her life. The class will examine how history was rewritten by Disney and why. The image of the seductive Indian princess and the stereotyping of Native Americans in general in American culture will be highlighted. Native American life in Virginia at the time of Pocahontas and the Powhatan Confederacy will be explored as well as the persistence of Native American stereotypes in everything from images on Calumet Baking Powder and Land O' Lakes Butter to the Cleveland Indians' logo and the commercialization of King Philip in Rhode Island.

Tuition begins at about $35 per course; corporate discounts are available. For a free catalog or to enroll by phone, call 401/863-3452. Visa/MasterCard accepted.

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