`GREAT DECISIONS' EARNS $1,500 GRANT

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Missouri Humanities Council has awarded a grant of $1,500 to the human environmental studies department at Southeast Missouri State University to help fund a humanities education project.

The project, Great Decisions 1991, is a series of eight classes, open to anyone, but designed for the older adult, and consisting of a reading and discussion format.

It will involve the humanities discipline of history and discussion and debate on the pros and cons of current foreign policy in the Middle East, Europe, Soviet Union, Israel, Egypt, Japan, Cuba and the Persian Gulf.

The overall objective of the topics is to create a better understanding of international developments, the role the U.S. has played and its impact, program organizers said.

Reading materials and discussions will be designed to stimulate critical thinking and problem solving as each class participant will be asked to respond to alternative foreign policy scenarios.

Participants may attend any or all sessions. Approximately 80 people can be accommodated in any one session. Previous class participants have ranged in age from 50 to 88, program organizers said.

Dr. Frank Nickell, professor of history at Southeast, will serve as the humanities adviser and teach two of the classes.

Great Decisions 1991 classes will begin on March 19 and conclude May 7. The classes will be held at the University Center on Tuesday afternoons from 2 to 4 p.m. There are no fees, tests or formal registration involved with the classes.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the project director, Dr. Shelba Branscum, at 651-2729.

Since its establishment as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1971, the Missouri Humanities Council has awarded over $4 million in federal funds to academic and community organizations to sponsor public programs on topics ranging from Missouri history to Shakespeare.