News Scrapbooks 1977-1979

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UNIVERSITY OF THIRD AGE

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g_ .Zc>- Seniors offered 'spark al life'

USD Venture Aims

By JOSEPH THESKEN TRIBUNE Education Wrl'er

living," explained Malachi Rafferty, Conference Center director who is coordinating the program. "It's not confined to the academic. As Dr. (Author) Hughes, our presi- dent, has stated, this is a holisllc approach to education. "We're interested in the whole person This includes the physical, mental and spiritual capacities of a person. In this regard, the project differs from other senior citizen type programs." Rafferty said the classes will begin at USD on July 19 and run through Aug. 25. Those interested may contact him at the university and he will send them an applica- tion. There ls room for only 50 persons, so USD will have to do a selective screening process to determine who will attend, he added. The major cost of the project ls being underwritten by a $10,000 pri- vate grant. Those who register will pay a minimum fee, $45, Rafferty said. Hughes, in announcing the pro- gram, commented: "As an inde-

pendent, Catholic umversjty, we feel an obllgation to serve the growing population of the elderly in San Diego. "USD's community is a caring community, through its employees as well as its student body. We hope the elderly will feel at home here; we will attempt to demonstrate that phrase we use to descnbc USD - 'person-oriented ' "Our park-like campus, which Is centrally located and on the city bus route is an ideal setting for our senior citizens to mix with our un- dergraduate students. "We look for support of the profes• sional community to assist us through its expertise In the medical and instructional aspects of the Uni• versity of the Third Age.'' Rafferty said that the concept was brought to Hughes' attention by San Dlegan V.H. Krulak, retired Marine Corps general, who heard of its success at University of Toulouse and investigated its operation. This will be the first program of its type on the West Coast. On a typical day, the students will begin with physical exercises, then go on to lectures in such subjects as current affairs, economics, religion ,and others. The day will begin at 9:30 a.m., with a break for lunch at noon, then classes will resume at 2 p.m. and go until 4. Instructors for the various lec- tures will come from the profes- sions, from USO and from govern- ment, Rafferty noted. The university plans to provide a group of student interns from USD's Departments of Psychology and So- ciology who will take part in the program with the senior citizens. The university will evaluate the results of the program and deter- mine If there is a possibility of It being repeated, Rafferty said. "We feel this will be a great help to senior citizens, In enjoying their lhes more, and 1n widening their interests," he continued. "We hope that an outgrowth of this program will be to motivate the participants to go on to other schools, such as UCSD, San Diego State and our community colleges. "And If the only benefit they get is from the physical activities, then it will be successful."

At Mental Reiuvenation

A pilot program designed to rekin- dle the spark of living among senior citizens is bemg inaugurated this summer by the University of San Diego. Details of the plan, called the University of the Third Age, were disclosed yesterday by USD offl- cials. Patterned after a successful project at the University of Toulouse in France, lts object is to proVJde a mmd-expanding experience for the participants. They will be exposed to a variety of educational areas - politics, law, economics, art, religion, language, music. And their physical welfare will not be neglected Every student who registers will get a health checkup. DP.pending upon their fitness, they will take part in diff rent kinds or exercises, everything from simple .walks to jogging, from calisthenics to swimming. "The basic idea of the program is to excite or ignite their mterest in

By MICHAEL SCOTl'-BLAIR • -loll Writer. TIM son D'- UnlOII A French university experiment that has helped keep older people young Is to be copied In a pilot program at the University of San Diego this summer. "Many American cities llke San Diego have expanding populations of older citizens and we believe that by challenging their minds we can help them to stay younger longer," said USD President Author E. Hughes In announcing the new program. There is nothing new about educa• tlon rrc;~s for senior cl~.is, but th s concept - called the Univer• slty or the Third Age - has had outstandlng success In returning Inactive people in many part:; of Europe to active lives, Hughes said. ToP. tic:. _ .,. ..,...,:it to USD by retired Marine Lt. Gen. Victor H. Krulak, who visited the University of Toulouse In France and talked with Professor Pierre Vellas, father of

the University of the Third Age concept "The program is not designed to lecture people, or educate and In· struct them. It Is designed to fasci- nate them, to stimulate them and re- expose them to a wide variety of Ideas and mental challenges - but to do it within a university atmos- phere in the company of Y?~ peo- ple involved In slmilar studies, said Krulak. Asked why such programs could not be Introduced In the traditional retirement centers concentrated In the Southwest and on the Atlantic seaboard Krolak said: "The Sun City sy~drome is stultifying. It makes old people older quicker. It makes people of sound bodies age more rapidly because they have no real mental challenges "The older people don't llke Sun Cities. They are mental ghettos. But the old people are stuck with them, (Continued oa B-4, Col. 1)

SOUTHERN CROSS, April 6, 1978-3 SD's 'university of third age' to stimulate elderly

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TURE CHALLENGES AGE Mental Reiuve (Continued from Pag B-1)

u and an economics session on the problems of the American farmer. There will be beginning instruction in foreign languages, discussions on the tuna industry crisis, Equal Ri"hts Amendment, stock market, economic growth of the Far East, realit1e of pollution, and First Amendment rights. "When they have finished the 5½ weeks, we expect the students. will wilk with a sprightly step and with a higher head," said Krulak. Brood Approach Hughes said .the USD campus i~ particularly suited for the Uruvers1- ty of the Third Age because of the campus atmosphere and its "holistic (universal) approach to educati?n. "Many universities are comrmtted to teaching acadeIDJc subJects and that is fine, but we are comm~tted to the mtellectual, spiritual, social, po- litical and physical lives of our st~- dents, and we intend to offer this same holistic approach to the ~u- dents of the University of the Third Age. . "In France, the older population :S spread out ~cross the nation, but m this country there are large ':°ncen- trations of older people m the Southwestern states, and along the Atlantic seaboard,'' Hughes said. In callmg for support of the new university, Krulak echoed the recent words of French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing who said• "The aging repre nt a great human resource of experience and equilibrium. Society should welcome them not consign them to a ghetto of doubts and fears."

cuss1ons, field trips, physical education and other daily routines through Aug 24 USD President Author E. Hughes said there will be 10 maior divisions in the program: physical condi- tioning_ current affairs, law, economtcs, religion, retirement issues, medi• cine, languages, art and music. SELECTED undergrad- uate students will be taking the program with the senior citizens as a "leavening", according to Krulak. "Our park-like campus which is centrally located on bus routes is an ideal setting for our senior citizens to mix with our undergraduate students," said Hughes. "We look for support of the professional commun- ity to assist us with exper- tise in the ed1cal and instructional aspects of the 'university of the third age."' ANNOUNCING the pro- gram last week, Krulak said the "third age"-when people are above middle age-often receives no stimulus to do other than grow older. "It is possible to arrest the aging process," he said, "by stimul.ating the mind and the body." Commenting adversely on retirement commun- ities, he said "The Sun City syndrome is stultifying. It makes old people older quicker. There are no stimuli. They age rapidly." THE TOULOUSE experi- ment, now in its third year,

has proved so successfu I, he said, that the President of France has devoted millions of fr ncs to its further development. Krulak, who has visited the program at Toulouse, spoke of its great success. "There are now 36 cam- puses in France, three in Switzerland, three in Belgium and two 1n Po- land," he said. "The impact of such programs in the United States, where people are aging faster, could be massive," said Krulak. THE FIRST course, which is bemg privately funded, will make a minimum charge of $45 per student of the 50 finally selected, according to president Hughes, who said the total cost would be about $10,000. Under the direction of Malachi Rafferty, con- ference center director of USD, the "university of the third age" will give a daily program, 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. and 2-4 p,m. "We hope that the elderly will feel at home here,'' said Hughes. "We will attempt to demonstrate that we are 'person-oriented.' The holistic concept of educa- tion at USD will be applied to these nontraditional students." IT IS POINTED out that there will be no academic tests, no exams, no expect- tations. "We shall simply stimulate," said Hughes. Information is available from Rafferty at 298-6140, ext. 4318.

Southern Cross Reporter It is not "Close encoun- ters of a third kind" but the "university of the third age" And 1t will start at the University of San Diego this summer The "university of the third age'' is aimed at stimulating people over 55 who otherwise might drift into a ltfe which does nothing but age them, according to retired Marine Gen Victor H. Krulak. who promoted the idea with USD. MODELED AFTER a proiect designed by Prof. Pierre Vellas at the Univer- sity of Toulouse, France, the USD program will be the first of its kind on-the West Coast. The pilot program will accept 50 older persons as students starting July 19 for a series of talks , dis-

Krutak and umv rs1ty authoritie sa1d th y do not favor kmg r der• al or 'late government aid because "there are always too many strings attached" to government funds. At the Univ rstty of Toulou:,e, the tud nt body of th nlversity of the Third Age has grown from 65 to 1,250 Th r are 32 campuses In France, six ln s.... 1tzertand three m Belgium, two In Canada and one m Poland. Krulak said . 1m1lar programs hav been tned at th University of Ohio Nolrt• Dame and City Uruversi- ty or , ·ew York, but this t the f1rst on the West Coa t - and th first to attempt to dupl!cate the Univer.uty of Toulou · effort. Though much of the program still has to be worked out, voluntary participation and voluntary services will be the key, Krula ·aid. Volunteer speakers will be sought to talk about good diet, eye care, the law, politics, econormcs, .religion , music, art and current affairs.

and th y h.iVl' no atternat1v , other than : clung off their off prmg." Kruta warn d that without Imme• dlate tt ntion the problem or pro- 1du1 a u ful and er atlve env1r0n- m nt for nlor Cllllens will soon b com acute He aid that th Lx-w k course I Fran ha r ulted ID many retired op! r turning to politics ID their at communities or going ba k mto busme . Begins July 19 Fifty person aged 55 or ov ·r will take part In the !tr ;t pUot program at USO, beginnln JUiy 19. Th, cours wlll nm for 5½ w ks Mon• da) through Friday, with daily ses- sion from 9 30 a m. to 12. Op.m. and 2 to 4 p.m StudPnts must be able to tran po:l them Ives to the l'ampus and be m reasonably good phy. IC l II a1 th . Each will pay a • token u11t1on ?f about $45, "to underscore the thesis that notl'.lng a good and meanmgful a the rontemplated program should come fr ," Krulak said Pro p ctlv ud nls an get ap- plication forms from talachl Raf r rty or th USD taff, \\hO Is ('()()rd • natmg th pr gram It "'lll be run at no cost to the umv rslty, oth r than th use of the campus fac1!1tles, Hugh said The pilot program Is bemg fman d by a private grant or $10,000, plu th tuition fees Th French program's succe fl nally gained the attention or the FrPnC'h government, which has ap- propnated 450 million fran ( 7 nulllon) to expand 1t

U.S.D. Festival Student Chapter 974 at the University of San Diego of the Council for Exceptional Children will present the Special Olympic Arts, Crafts and Enter- tainment Festival on April 16, 10:00 to 6:00, at the West end of the University of San Diego campus. Among the activities planned are an arts and crafts exhibition, music and dance presentations, skateboard and kite demonstra- tions, a floor hockey tournament in the USO gym and profes- sional tennis exhibi,ion and clinic. There will be a celebrity auction, game and food booths and a barbecue. For more information, contact Terry Jenna at 291-6480, Special Education or write the University of San Diego, Alcala Park, San Diego, CA. 92110.

Third Age University for elderly

. T~e University of San Diego wlll JlJU. 1 al-fu,ilv, n;Jg_t ,w;g1t1;3;-- plesm~l\-,k USO. He said the holistic concept of education ~ ill be applied to the program. r1,1JJ,v Tlr'v'E~-A\)\/oCATG APR.Av ~1 1 1q13

U ~ao ts Program to

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nomics. Instructional sessions were scheduled on such things as medical problems of the aging, pensions, taxes and welfare. Optional teaser courses in Italian, English and Spanish were tossed in as part of the effort to regenerate an interest in the outsideworld. Vellas is not ready to scientifically document the results of his program. But in five years his original class at Toulouse has grovm from 65 to a cur- rent enrollment of 1,250. Instead of one trimester a year, clasres are offered in The program has spread to 32 cam- puses in France, where it now receives an annual subsidy of 435 million francs from the national government.to six campuses in Switzerland, three in Belgium, one in Poland and two in Some limited efforts, University of San Diego spokesmen said, have been three. • Canada.

acquaint them with the present and get themmterested in the future. That atmosphere, he decided in 1S72, could best be found on the camp of a His first experiment began in the spnng of 1973 with a "class of 65 old- sters ranging in age from the late 50's There were only two qualifications and previous education was not one of them Candidates, to be accepted, had to pass a physical examination to determine they were capable of at least mild physical exercise. And they had to be able to pay a token tuition of 10 francs to certify their interesL Undergraduate students, on a volun- tary but for credit basis, were liberally Vellas's faculty al~o was composed of volunteers drafted from the univer- sity staff and from leaders in various fields in the city of Toulouse. It in• eluded doctors, lawyers, journalists, univerSJty. to 90. mixed into the class.

an Interest m the affairs o( tus village. He ultimately ran for pubhe office and ow he is a respected patnarch or the commlllllty. He no longer is a gen- He has what the originator or thls ?eJUvinating process, French Prof. Pierre Veil as, hkes to call "Le Troi- sieme Souffle,• the "third puff" or the ond wind" an athlete acquires durmg a strenous workouL But it i~ enough, ms1sts Vcllas, to give the idle, unpro- ductive agmg a new lease on hfe. We won't give our grandfather a name. He's actually a composite of what has happened and is happening to htcrally hundreds of elderly men and women throughout France and now in veral other countries. Vellas, a recognized authority on geriatrics at the venerable University 9f Toulouse, had determined - as have others - that the elderly who v. re content to stagnate in their rock- ing chairs aged faster and died younger than tbeir mentally and physically active contemporaries. The answer, he decided, was to get them back on their feet by concur- r ntly stimulating them physically nd m ntally man atmosphere that ould take them out of the past, re- v. as elected teel bun. "third breeze• Its not qwte so rong as the• the energy crisis, guideposts to a healthy diet, the oviet Union, the ystem in the United States, in!lauon. ancient religions, the Middle East crisis, crime and Jaw enforce- ment, income taxes, Red China, the Panama Canal treaties, illegal aliens, the death penalty, modem religions, of the American farmer, the Central Intelligence Agency, black Africa, contemporary popular music, balance of trade, Mexico, atorruc agency, free- welfar modern art, cla ical music, problems

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'third age' unive sity SAN DIEGO (AP) - A lit- tle mind expansion is in the works for old people. The University of San Diego says it will begin a pilot program this summer In which senior citizens will be exposed to politics, law, art, religion, language, music and economics. A private grant of $10,000 will pay for what the Roman Catholic school calls its " university of the third age." If the 50 persons who are picked to participate pass an entrance physical exam and like the courses, an official said they will be enc"uraged to become regular college ~tudents somewhere - again, for some. Retired Marine Lt. Gen. v i,ctor H. Krulak, who pass- ed along the idea from the University of Toulouse in France, said it's the first ~uch program on the U. S. ~estcoau~1-.']$

The Umversity of San Diego launches a commendable and ex- citing program this summer-aoo it deserv the support of all those who ieve education should be a life- long experience. Called the University of the Third Age, the pilot project here will run 5 1., weeks and consist as 50 students, most of them over 55, and some of them in their so's aoo 90's. Gen . Victrn 'Krulak conceived Ile local progra1 and convinced USD administrator. that it woukl be worthwhile. Krolak spent time with Prof. Pierre Vellas in 1972 at the Uni- versity of Toulouse, France, then wrote a concept paper whi::h stresses Vellas' fundamental con- viction : "If elderly people were brought into a wiiversity environ- ment, if the were given a strong Krulak, 65, convinced Hughes and the administrative board of USO to give it a try. He has taken on the'task of leading the drive. to recruit promi- nent members of the community as lecturers and round table discussion 'The dramatic growth in the project (in France),' Krulak said, "is a measure of the impact it has had on the stu- "The effect is real, beneficial and "Elderly students who came to the course With little personal orientation departed stronger physically, better oriented to society at large and anx. ious once more to become a useful part leaders. dents. visible. He, too, will concede, however, that success of the San Diego experiment might force it .into either the state university system or the state colleges of the mainstream."

mental with judicious physical exercise, and if they were brought together with young undergraduales during this experience, that the net effect would be inspirational and healthful for the elderly student and, in his re- vitalized character, that he couki make a significant contribution to society." Courses in the pilot program will include physical conditioning, cur- rent affairs and politrcs, law, eco- nomics, religion, retirement issues, medicine, languages, art and music. Financed by token tution and a pri\ate grant, USD's program this summer will cost only $10,000. If you want further information, call Co- ordinatcr Mal Rafferty at 291-43480. Ext. 4318. Meanwhile, we commend USO for this uooertaking. challenge along

D1EGO-V1suah if you v.111 S'1l vous pla1 , a 70-y ar-QW grandfa- lh rm a small village n ar the French city of Toulo Grey-haired, rnusta• chtoed, content to It, unshaven for days and Joppily drl.'!lsed, and rock y Ufe, In the main, wa o er. His time had com and one. The mainstream had eel him by. Th highlight of any given day might well be nvisit from a granrlchild whom he could dawdle all too briefly, onhlsknec. A common occurrence, to be sure Th me thing happens, and perhaps more frcqu ntly, mthis country. In France, however - and perhaps in California If a University of San DI go experiment proves successful - some dramatic changes re being mad Our French grandfather, for exam- pl , after five and one half short weeks, sudd nly was transformed into aw II d, active man about town. He still hked his grandch1ldrcn, of cou nd rocking ch lrs v.ere fin , too, mtheir proper place. B t Grandp('r now had thmgs to do. I had Jlllsi11ons to accc)mp!Jl!h. tonch1tv J.' ..way his few rem

made at American univerSities such as clergymen, economists, bankers and Notre Dame and Ohio State, but until government officials. now none has undertaken the broad Physical activity programs were program espoused by Vellas. worked out on an individual basis for In this coming summer, however, each elderly participant: They ranged USD, a mall, pri\-ately endowed, from walking and modest calisthenics independent Catholic university, is to swimmmg and ]Ogging. going to give it a try - on a very Lectures and roundtable discu ons small and purelyexperimental ba; . were set up on current events, politics, Fifty scruor citizens will be enrolled. art, music, religion, thee~llialj'w~a~nrud:!..ec~o- '=---~-Jei...,....a·, .,.i.,....,,.....,..,..i

He, however, is dead set against federal funding as has occurred in "Federal bureaucracy has bungled every effort that.has been made to help people in this country," he told The Times. "Can you imagine what HEW (the federal Department of Health, F.ducation and Welfare) could do with something like this?" At any rate, the experiment will be tried this summer-if Krulakand the university staff can line up the volun- teerstheyneed to make it go. Rafferty isn't certain any real meas- ure can be made of its success or fail- ure, however. The university does not have the resources to conduct any kind of extensive follow-up. (There will be no long range detennination of how many grandmothers and grandfa- thers stayed out of their rocking chairs - if any actually leave them in the France.

the experimenting mig It better be done in one of the huge public higher educational systems of the state. Certainly, Rafferty states, if the program is to grow to any magnitude it will have to be taken over by the public colleges and universities. Small schools such as USD. he says, have neither the physical nor monetary resources to see it through. The driving force behind the San Diego experiment has been Victor H. Krulak, a retired 11arine Corps lieuten- ant general and former San Diego newpspaper executive, who has been an ardent follower of the work Vellas

prececle each day's activities. Conver- sational Spanish and French will be University President Author E. Hughes has committed just $10,000 in university funds - most of it from a which he has dubbed the "Univel'Slty Candidates for the class v.ill have to be able to pay $45 to participate ratber ;\lalachi Rafferty, conference center director or the university, v.111 coord1- nate the' experiment. He says he JS 'enthu.,iastic' about the program but offered. private grant - to the experiment of the Third Age." than 10 francs.

dom of the press.

t three field trips are planned.

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