Clifton Perry, Hudson professor in the department of political science, spoke about the Magna Carta anniversary today, July 14, at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute's Brown Bag Lunch and Learn event at Clarion Inn and Suites.
OLLI is a partnership between the Osher Foundation and the university, and according to Linda Shook, director of OLLI and administrator in Outreach Programs, there are 119 programs like it across the country, including the University of Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana State University and Vanderbilt University.
Shook said OLLI's mission is "to promote lifelong learning for the older adult."
"But this is what is funny, I'm 55, and it's for people 50 years or older, so that's what we do," Shook said. "We just get people to learn."
During the summer Shook said OLLI holds classes once per week, but in the fall, winter and spring they have full classes Monday-Wednesday.
She also said they have two levels of French and three levels of Spanish courses.
Perry has been a professor at Auburn since the fall 1984 and said this was his second time teaching a Brown Bag event.
He explained the importance of Magna Carta and how it corresponds to our government today during the lecture.
According to Perry, June 15, 1215, marks the 800th year celebration of Magna Carta.
He said although the document is British, "it's meaning is symbolic" and means more to Americans.
In Perry's lecture, he spoke about David Letterman's show in 2012, where he asked the British Prime Minister what Magna Carta meant.
"David Cameron, who was the prime minister couldn't tell him," Perry said. "And David Letterman said, 'It'd be really good if you knew.'"
Perry explained Magna Carta was originally written in Latin and through pronunciation it became "Magna Charta," a combination between Latin and English.
A British scholar in 1954 finally said that pronunciation was neither Latin or English, according to Perry.
"Pick your poison, good grief," Perry said. "Call it the Grand Charter or call it Magna Carta."
Perry also specified the distinction between "the Magna Carta" and just "Magna Carta."
"I was joking when I said this: 'The difference between going to John and going to the john', Magna Carta doesn't need 'the' in front of it either," Perry said.
John Tidwell has been an OLLI member for 15-20 years and said he has been to about 60 classes with the program.
"[The lecture] was well-received on a very difficult subject," Tidwell said. "I didn't see anybody sleeping, that's one way to judge it. I heard very positive comments."
Tidwell has taught five or six classes for OLLI,and said he gets wrapped up in his explanations while speaking, but said Perry had great delivery.
"Sorta like a Baptist preacher in the middle of the Revival," Tidwell said.
Shook said Tuesday, July 21, OLLI is hosting the 85 Years and Beyond Birthday Party at the Alumni Center, where any member who is 85 years or older can celebrate. She said they already have 30 people who have responded.
"The university feels very strongly about the continuum of learning that they want to service everyone through outreach in the community, so they really do pay a lot of attention to older adults," Shook said.
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