This month’s “Armchair Film Adventure” series at Coos Bay Public Library on Tuesday, September 13th at 2:00 p.m. features a live presentation on Ethiopia by Sam Greer, a recent retiree to Charleston from Boise, Idaho. Sam is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder with a degree in Art Education, and minor in Anthropology, and was where he began his other ‘minor’ career in cooking. He was born and grew up in Denver with his mom and younger brother. His teaching career began in 1966 in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia, East Africa, where he taught Mechanical Drawing, and English at the Technical School in Addis Ababa. Sam followed his two years of Peace Corps service with two years of teaching Junior High Art on Guam. Then he taught Junior High Art in Idaho Falls for five years before taking a position directing the Idaho Federation of Teachers. Sam’s presentation on Ethiopia will include a slide show on the traditional construction of a village home as well as a ‘hands-on’ sharing of instruments, crafts, and photos of this unique East African country. Some of the history of Abyssinia from the Queen of Sheba through H.I.M. Haile Selassie and on to the present will be linked to its arts and culture. Ethiopia’s special place in Africa’s development and its contributions to the world scene – besides being the birthplace of coffee – will be noted. Every day and common items like language, clocks, religion, calendars, meals and clothes discovered during Sam’s many travels in Ethiopia will highlight some of our cultural differences. Since retiring, Sam has returned to painting landscapes, and is active with the Bay Area Artists Association. Everyone is welcome at this program sponsored by The Friends of Coos Bay Public Library. No admission is charged and refreshments will be served. Please call 269-1101 for further information about this program.
