By CATHERINE LEGG / Community Columnist

The ambitious theme this year for the Montevallo Study Club is “Reverence for Place,” and the monthly programs are both thought provoking and discussion inspiring. The March meeting was held in the home of Michele Hill. Club member Lois Doyle had asked Dr. Dorothy Grimes to lead the program. Grimes is an English professor emeritus of the University of Montevallo. She reviewed and led a discussion on the new edition of the national bestseller, “Last Child in the Woods,” by Richard Louv.

The author argues that children suffer from what Louv calls “nature deficit disorder,” and the book has spurred national concerns about the disconnection between children and the natural world.

Grimes brought out in her presentation that today’s young people spend too much time indoors with television and electronic devices because parents are fearful of the outside world. She introduced for discussion many passages in the book summarizing those problems and suggesting ways in which, with little effort, they can be overcome so that children once again can enjoy the wilderness and all that it has to offer.

“I was glad Dorothy has a little different way of looking at the book,” said Doyle, “and she gave us a lot of things to think about. She had arranged her presentation so that it inspired a lively discussion in which most everyone participated. We were happy for that interaction.”

Other programs presented this year were titled: “Searching for Roots,” “Montevallo’s Historic Churches,” and “There’s No Place Like Home.” April’s program will be “Seeds: Past, Present, and Future.” Members of the club are responsible for the program. All of the presentations are reflective of the club’s desire for learning experiences designed to support their concern for the community and to inspire their tradition of giving, in all ways, to the community.

The 20-member club was organized in 1933 for that very purpose of providing service to the community.

Some of the organizations benefiting from the current club’s support are the Community Chorale, Shelby Emergency Assistance, Parnell Memorial Library and the Community Garden.

Catherine Legg can be reached at clegg2@bellsouth.net