PRINCETON: Evergreen Forum to mark 10th anniversary

Submitted by Peggy Kelly

    A feeling that citizens of Princeton and surrounding communities needed a daytime advanced studies program inspired a small band of residents to establish The Evergreen Forum, which celebrates its 10th anniversary at the Princeton Senior Resource Center on Friday, Nov. 5, from 4 to 6 p.m.
    Members of the founding group who are still with The forum include Judith and Harry Pinch, Carolyn Wilson, David Southgate, Barbara Herzberg, and Rogie Rome.
    After enlisting the sponsorship through Jan Marmor of PSRC (now led by Susan Hoskins), and rounding up a few teachers, TEF classes began in the spring of 2001 with four courses and 40 participants. That small group has grown over the past 10 years to 16 to 18 courses per semester with more than 300 participants.
    One of the early teachers, Dr. Francis P. Salvatore, who began his TEF volunteer career teaching James Joyce, now presides with two other physicians, a scientist, a pharmaceutical executive and two engineers over the always over-subscribed course, “Science Tuesday on Friday.”
    Dr. Salvatore says, “We learn as much as the class because of the professionalism of the students, who are often doctors (including psychiatrists), engineers, scientists, and college professors. One is a zoo curator.”
    Barbara Herzberg, a diminutive woman with a strong voice that projects, has expanded her signature course, “Shakespeare Off The Page,” to most of the major playwrights of the past. She has not missed a semester since 2001.
    Ms. Herzberg says she enjoys the problems of placating people who fight over roles and costumes, and can’t be pushed off the stage once they discover their “inner ham.”
    A 2002 student, Judy Bronston, wrote of her Shakespeare class, “Barbara makes the plays come alive. Ours was an earthy Shakespeare, full of abandon … “ Many, like Ms. Herzberg have a faithful following. Maureen Darrow praises the poet Liz Socolow “for the wealth of information about the poets’ lives and motivations.”
    “The Evergreen Forum first grabbed me many years ago,” says Edith Jeffrey, chairman of the forum’s steering committee. “I’ve been amazed at the wonderful courses we are able to offer each term and I’ve taken many of them — all taught by volunteers who testify that they have found the experience gratifying.”
    The forum has been as exciting for its leaders as for its students, many of whom have gone on to teach courses themselves. “I taught a couple of courses myself on doing local history,” Ms. Jeffrey continues, “and, somehow, found myself on the steering committee — and eventually its chair.”
    Over the years the small core of teachers has been augmented by many retired science and liberal arts college professors. They enjoy teaching mostly because of high motivation of the students and partly, says Ms. Herzberg, because they don’t have to grade papers. Others teach from knowledge of and love of the subject. One teacher, Peggy Kelly, put it this way: “I study and teach my favorite writers and books and have a wonderful time discussing them with my classes.”
    Student Brooks Levy expressed community appreciation best with these words: “The Evergreen Forum has made a huge difference to me and Ken. It’s like a non-traveling Elderhostel with expert leaders and lively company.”