LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / August 22, 2000

Senior citizens in St. Charles Parish have been getting a taste of theInternet through free classes coordinated with St. Charles Parish Library andthe Council on Aging.

System Administration Librarian Eric Holt has hosted weeks of classes at the West Regional Library at Lakewood West in Luling. Each class lastsroughly 90 minutes long, teaching seniors the mysteries of e-mail and the Internet, using the parish library computers.

Signup for the program has been brisk, according to Council on Aging administrator Margaret Powe, with more than 60 participants so far. TheCouncil on Aging’s activity programs for seniors include drawing and painting, exercise, bowling, defensive driving classes and the annual Mardi Gras ball.

In this particular computer class, Steve and Barbara Templet joined Dorothy Ward, all of Luling, at the computer stations. Each had a little experience,but all were a little nervous.

“I can do e-mail and that’s about it,” Barbara commented prior to the class.”I use e-mail a lot to keep in touch with my family.”Holt, formerly of the St. John the Baptist Parish Library, took the threestudents through a quick introduction of common computer terms, including mouse and icon and how to operate basic functions for affecting what they see on the screen.

The hands were a trifle shaky, but all of them quickly caught on and were soon maximizing and minimizing with ease.

Holt said he hopes in a few weeks to start conducting larger classes, once the new equipment ordered arrives, including a laptop for his use and a projection screen for the laptop, which will allow a classroom of students to observe his actions all at once.

Holt then took his students through the steps in locating computer files, being careful about how to not accidently erase important operating files and programs.

He then took them through the use of floppy discs and understanding Microsoft Word. “It’s really easy, once you master it,” observed Barbara.During the Internet instruction, Dorothy asked about how to find Priceline.com, a site for discount purchases. Holt also explained how tocreate and use favorite sites and bookmark them on the computer.

Steve Templet commented he used to use computers at work, but after retirement relied on his wife to use their home computer. “I usually ask herto do it for me,” he said.

“That’s why I brought him,” she replied.

In the end, after every student achieved working familiarity with computers, they received bookmarks and congratulations for their speed and agility on the Internet.

At one point Steve burst out with a triumphant laugh when he successfully returned to the Yahoo main page from another site.

“Every little bit helps,” Dorothy said with a smile.

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