BETHEL — The Western Mountains Senior College will present the first of its “Down Home Maine” series from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Bethel Congregational Church.

Chairwoman Bonnie Pooley has announced that the featured speaker will be author Mary Morton Cowan (Bates ’61), whose latest book is “Captain Mac: The Life of Donald Baxter MacMillan, Arctic Explorer.” She will discuss the book, as well as her experiences as a children’s author.

Cowan received a Maine Library Association’s Lupine Honor Award for her book “Timberrr: A History of Logging in New England,” which involved research at the Bethel Historical Society. Her other published works include nearly 70 children’s articles, stories and activities.

The author became interest in Captain MacMillan because her great-grandfather founded the Paris Manufacturing Company, which built sleds for Captain Mac. She has researched and written two books for young adults on the explorer and has spoken widely on MacMillan’s Arctic adventures, both with Robert Peary and independently as skipper of the schooner Bowdoin.

MacMillan, 82-years-old on his last Arctic journey, also sailed to Labrador and Greenland on scientific expeditions. The two explorers and fellow Bowdoin graduates are featured in the museum named for them at Bowdoin College.

The senior college offers multi-session courses, workshops, outdoor activities, special events and social gatherings to members age 50 and over. The Down Home Maine series features unique and adventurous people from the community.

Programs are open to the public free of charge; donations are accepted to offset senior college expenses. Light refreshments are available. For more information, contact Peter Gartner at 665-2181.