PI Capital Region Spring 2026 Catalog - Flipbook - Page 21
Description: 120 years ago, astronomers
believed the Milky Way galaxy was the entire
universe. Then, an incredible astronomical
invention changed everything we knew about
the universe. You will learn how the work of
dedicated, hardworking women astronomers in
the early 1900s gave us today’s knowledge and
understanding of space. While their important
contributions got little or no recognition, Edwin
Hubble was able to build on the painstaking
work of these groundbreaking women
astronomers and give us the present
understanding of our universe.
Instructor: Lou Thieblemont was born and raised
in New York City. After graduating from New York
Institute of Technology, he worked for 37 years
as a commercial airline pilot. Lou has presented
courses at Pathways Institute for more than 18
years and produced programs for WITF’s “Mind
Matters.” He is the recipient of the 2012 SAGE
award from Harrisburg Magazine. Lou offers
lectures on topics as diverse as astronomy,
aviation, Antarctic exploration, optical illusions,
and computer graphics.
Fee: $13 member/$26 non-member
A M ERI C A N T ROUBAD OUR: T H E
LIFE AND MUSIC OF STEPHEN
FOSTER
____________________________________
Tuesday, May 5
10:00 – 11:15 am
Course Topic: History
Description: We are all familiar with the songs
of Stephen Foster, from “Camptown Races” to
“Beautiful Dreamer,” and “My Old Kentucky
Home.” But Foster’s short and tragic career is
little known. This tune-filled program explores
the life and music of America’s most popular
composer of the 1800s. Breaking from European
tradition, he stitched together the music of
slaves and settlers to create a lively, fresh, and
distinctively American sound—a legacy that still
inspires present day performers.
Instructor: John Maietta is a retired Army
officer, lifelong history enthusiast, and long-time
member of the Pathways Institute “faculty.” In
2014 he received a master’s degree in applied
history from Shippensburg University. He later
taught introductory courses in world history at
Shippensburg and York College of Pennsylvania.
Out in the community, he is a popular presenter
of cultural and historical programs at libraries,
retirement centers, and other adult learning
venues across the region.
Fee: $13 member/$26 non-member
E X C U R S I O N : PA S TAT E A R C H I V E S
TOUR
____________________________________
Thursday, May 7
9:20 am – 12:30 pm
Course Topic: Travel
Description: Explore what the PA Archives has to
offer, along with a behind the scenes look at how
valuable public records of the Commonwealth
are collected and preserved. You will
see the storage rooms that house more than
250 million documents, the processing rooms
that sort them, and the reformatting areas
that make these public records available. Along
the tour you will be able to ask our archivists
questions about the archival process and
the ideas that went behind designing the
new building.
Notes: Expect about two hours of walking and
standing. The building is ADA-accessible.
Pick-up Location: A Messiah Village bus
will depart from Village Commons at 9:20 am
and from Village Square at 9:30 am.
Enrollment Limit: 30
Fee: $28 member/$44 non-member
