City: Williamsburg, VA

Category: Retirement

Telephone: (757) 221-1506

Description: No report on retired living in the Historic Triangle would be complete without mention of the Christopher Wren Association for Lifelong Learning, an innovative educational program begun at the College of William and Mary in 1991. Any Williamsburg area resident of retirement age who loves learning is welcome to take part in this course of study. Don’t worry, there are no grades or tests here, though intellectual challenge is amply present.The association, founded by retired college professors Ruth and Wayne Kernodle, is peer-run and peer-taught. By tapping the area’s reservoir of retired persons with expertise in art, literature, history, social sciences and other fields, the program is able to offer courses on government, comparative religions, photography, music, and many other subjects. The enrollment fee is $85 per semester. In addition, the association sponsors the Town and Gown Brown Bag luncheon-and-lecture series, held weekly at William and Mary’s Campus Center. This program attracts many area retirees, who gather to hear speakers from near and far give informal talks after a catered luncheon on topics of sometimes general, sometimes specialized, interest. The series is open only to regular and associate members of the Christopher Wren Association. (Associate members pay a $25 fee and may attend the luncheons, social events, and day trips, which carry an additional fee. Associate members are not eligible to enroll in classes.) A full schedule of course offerings and additional information is available by visiting the Web site, listed above.