Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
A series of classes is gaining momentum at the Whitman County Library in Colfax.
Taught in the library basement and adjacent former Hamilton Drug Store building, which the library now owns, the classes are put on by Community Colleges of Spokane.
The program began with a few offerings last spring, after an effort by Friends of the Library’s Sue Hallett, who contacted CCS three times asking about bringing their Act Two program to Colfax.
Some of the low-cost classes are four-part series while others are just one class over a lunch hour, afternoon or evening.
“Some have been hugely attended and some cancelled for lack of interest,” said Library Director Kristie Kirkpatrick.
As part of the Community Colleges’ sponsorship, it sends out mailers to area residents listing the current classes.
“That is a perfect example of what we couldn’t afford to do,” Kirkpatrick said. “We’re meeting our mission of educating the community at a low cost through this partnership.”
Because of bringing in the Act Two program, the library has since altered its plan for the drug store space, which is deemed “The Center.”
Originally, after acquiring it in 2011 with a private donation, library staff planned to apply for grant funds while shuttering it, then renovating it and opening it to use.
Instead, the Act Two classes needed immediate space, so library staff got to work cleaning the building and preparing it for basic activity.
Over the past two years, the former store’s showroom has been cleaned out and painted, with a new toilet installed in the bathroom. Much of the work, including dismantling old metal drug store shelves for donation to the food bank, was done by jail inmates.
“What we can do for free, we do for free,” Kirkpatrick said.
In the basement, various items were cleared out, including old patient records from the early 1900s and vials of what was presumed to be medicine.
Then it was cleaned and a cement floor put in to seal off moisture and a musty odor.
“Now the basement smells better than the rest of the building,” Kirkpatrick said.
This winter, “The Center” has been out of use, because the cost to heat it is too high.
Kirkpatrick said that she hopes to be able to afford that by next winter.
The next class period scheduled for The Center is March 31.
As more classes are added, The Center will continue to be used for many of the art offerings, since its hard floor is preferable over the carpeted downstairs of the library.
Several classes have been taught by local people, including Cathy Ensley of Colfax, Randy Suess of Steptoe and Mahlon Kriebel of Garfield. A new offering this spring, Home Food Preparation, will be taught by Helen Appel of Colfax.
Classes are decided on in a give-and-take between library directors and the Community Colleges.
So far the most popular class was “The Indian Wars of 1858” with Kriebel and Frank SiJohn.
Kirkpatrick invited anyone with program ideas to please contact the library.
“Magic of Disney”
Charles Snyder, an anthropology instructor at WSU, will teach a new class this spring titled “Magic of Disney.”
It came about through his anthropology classes in which he referenced aspects of the Disney company. From there, a new curriculum came together.
Snyder grew up in Anaheim, Calif., before going to college at WSU. He worked at Disneyland in attractions for four years and is a longtime student of the company.
He said his class will delve into the history of Disney, Disney Parks and their influence on culture.
“It’s a real practical understanding of what Disney’s doing and where they’re doing it,” he said. “Because of technology, we’ll be able to virtually transport the students to various sites and see a lot of cool stuff.”
In addition, he will also teach about Disney’s connection to the local area. Lillian Disney, Walt’s wife, grew up in Lapwai, Idaho. She and Walt were married in Lewiston and Disney money has gone to various Lewiston causes over time.
Aside from “Magic of Disney,” other new classes for this spring are American Red Cross First Aid, Introduction to Digital Photography, Pastel Portraits, Watercolor Landscapes, Garden Mosaic, Painting with Watercolor, Playwriting, Printmaking and Seven Continents in Seven Weeks.
The latter two will be taught by Snyder as well.
Starting point
Hallet, a longtime care manager for the Council on Aging in Colfax, also has a Masters in English from WSU, where she taught for several years.
About 10 years ago, she went to Walla Walla to inquire about getting involved in the Quest adult education program at Walla Walla Community College. She asked if it could be brought to Colfax, and was told that it would be the domain of Spokane Community Colleges.
So she called them and asked and was told “no.”
A few years later she called and was told no again.
Still later, she sent an e-mail, after picking up an Act Two program book while in Spokane one day.
The next afternoon she got a response from someone named Jaclyn Jacot, who wrote saying that she didn’t see why not.
“Sometimes you don’t need to give up the first time,” Hallett said.
In the fall of 2012, Jacot came to Colfax for a meeting with Kirkpatrick and Hallett.
Classes began the following spring, by a partnership in which the library waives its facility fee and in turn the Community Colleges sponsor the classes.
From there it has grown.
“I’m just so grateful about it,” said Hallett. “It was a beautiful meshing of things.”
There is a bonus as well, she suggested.
“I think there’s an economic benefit to Colfax,” she said, citing that many people have the means to seek out enrichment in Pullman, Moscow, Lewiston and Spokane. But with these classes, people stay in town for some of that.
“There’s a few cars parked downtown in the evening,” Hallett said, suggesting that, in turn, the people may stop to run an errand or two.
Hallett’s husband Scott teaches the program’s ukelele classes.
Act Two is an effort which originated 25 years ago in greater Spokane as the Community Colleges’ seniors program. Then, in 2011, the name was changed to Act Two and modified to offer enrichment classes for those over 50, to baby boomers and seniors.
The program is funded by state tax dollars which go to community and technical colleges.
By design, it can offer no sports, hobbies or crafts.
So far, Act Two Director Jacot reports that the Colfax classes have a 75 to 80 percent ‘Go’ rate with a 20 to 25 percent cancellation rate.
“Compared to what we offer in Spokane, that’s really good,” she said. “It’s been going well (in Colfax). Without the strong partnership with the library we wouldn’t have been as successful.”
Jacot went on to indicate that other areas around Spokane may follow suit.
“Colfax really is a model,” she said. “I hope we’ll be able to expand the model to other rural communities.”
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
Reader Comments(0)