10-12-2001
		Being cool: Seniors go back to school CALL members take advantage of class break to socialize and eat cookies.

Coffee break for CALL members means fellowshipping with seniors and guarding the cookies from hungry students.

``I'm 72 and I can't quit school,'' Martha Baas says, as she waits to go into her 3:15 class. She's a retired nurse but wants to keep up on contemporary thought by taking ``Medical aspects of the year 2001.'' So here she is at Calvin, fifty-one years after she walked away from Calvin's campus as a twenty-one year old graduate.

Amazing, as it seems, Baas is one of almost 500 senior citizens who participate in the Calvin Academy for Lifelong Learning (CALL), a program sponsored by the alumni office that provides learning opportunities for retired persons over 50.

Each semester, CALL offers between 20 and 25 classes on a variety of subjects, taught by present or former faculty volunteers.

Although CALL's focus is primarily on offering these classes to seniors, the association also sponsors two other major programs, making it a tri-fold program.

In addition to these courses, which are considered the heart of our association, CALL supports a series of five travelogues called Passport to Adventure.

``CALL also offers the Noontime Series -- one hour lectures every other Thursday afternoon,'' says Wally BRatt, member and retired Calvin Professor.

However, it's not all work and no play for CALL members, who also take some time out to go on group excursions like visiting art museums, theatre productions, or prominent new buildings.

``There are so many benefits of being a part of the campus; it's not only the variety of classes that are offered but the sociability of trips and events. It's a wonderful place to meet friends,'' said CALL member Mary Rienstra.

CALL offers many Calvin alumni the chance to renew old friendships with other alumni, but also gives them the opportunity to make new acquaintances.

``Every now and then I see old classmates and it's refreshing,'' said Baas. ``There's that renewal of old classmates, but also the intrigue of finding new classmates.''

According to Darlene Meyering, who helped to initiate the development of CALL, Calvin's interest in involving seniors in the college community can bring seniors and students together.

``It is important for our campus to be intergenerational,'' Meyering says. ``It is interesting for Calvin students to see elders around Campus; it reminds them of their own families. Elders also love being around students because it's energizing for them,'' said Meyering.

``I like to see students insights and perspectives on different issues that differ from mine,'' said Baas. ``I'm intrigued with the new generation because their perspective is different. I thought my way was always right to me, but then I discovered there are different ideas out there worth exploring.''

According to Meyering, involvement in classes also encourages senior student's participation in other aspects of the college.

``Seniors become more invested in Calvin and participate in events on campus; they go to games, recitals or they sit in the library and talk to students-it's very interesting for them,'' she said.

Not every interaction between Calvin students and CALL members is entirely friendly, however. It has come to the attention of numerous students that coffee and cookies can be found where the senior students are.

``Students want to eat my cookies!'' exclaims Lillian Kuiper. ``They say `there's that old ogre that won't let me get any cookies.' They think I'm not seeing them and they creep up to the tables.''

CALL is never lacking volunteers to teach the classes because the seniors make an interesting audience and provide a stimulating classroom setting, Bratt explains.

``People that teach are enthusiastic because their senior students show such a genuine interest and are eager to ask questions and eager to discover,'' Bratt says. ``That makes a nice setting and makes it stimulating not only for the student but for the teacher as well.''

The history of CALL dates back to the 1980's when Calvin sponsored a continuing ed program that was cancelled because of budget cuts, leaving many seniors disappointed, according to Meyering.

In response to urging from the senior community, Meyering and other associates initiated CALL, deriving a lot of their inspiration from Hope College's similar program.

``Hope's program focused on people in professions, but we wanted our program to be more open to anyone who was interested in learning,'' said Meyering. ``Anyone could join, whether a housewife or business owner, teacher or never gone to college.''

``I saw the energy and enthusiasm of seniors who wanted to keep their minds sharp and continue to grow and learn. I saw CALL as an opportunity to meet this need and also for our community to be enriched by them,'' said Meyering. ``The first year we expected to have 200 participants and 340 joined,'' said Meyering.

Since then, CALL now has almost 500 members and expected to grow rapidly in the future, from the enthusiasm it has received from current and prospective members.

``I love to learn new things, and I'm afraid to lose what I learned in the beginning,'' said Baas.