Learning It’s Never Too Late for College : Lifestyles: Senior citizens eagerly return to the classroom at Marymount, where they brush up on science, Italian and philosophy. Teachers find it refreshing as well.

Teaching students whose combined years nearly reach back to Aristotle’s Greece, the young philosophy professor queried: What is happiness?

Good health, responded one. Being satisfied with what you’ve got, even if it’s bad, offered another.

But the search for happiness ended when Molly Rosedale answered.

“Happiness is completing sex,” said the 90-year-old, to the laughter of her classmates.

Classes at Marymount College are usually filled with students who aren’t old enough to drink. But on Wednesday the seats were filled with senior citizens, 65 of whom showed up at the two-year Rancho Palos Verdes college for lectures on science, Italian and philosophy.

The occasion was back-to-school day for senior citizens, a semiannual event begun last year at Marymount. The program is an outgrowth of volunteer work performed by Marymount students at San Pedro’s Harbor Terrace retirement home. Because students frequently visit the retirement home, Jean-Philippe Malric, a community relations official with the college, thought it would be a good idea to bring the senior citizens to the peaceful seaside campus.

The program was expanded this summer to include senior citizens from communities surrounding the campus. The strong response was evident Wednesday as excited senior citizens, many of whom had not set foot in a classroom in 40 years, arrived 30 minutes early for their courses.

“It’s a really fun day for everyone,” said Malric, who coordinated the day’s events. “And it’s a pleasure for the faculty to teach someone over 22.”

Italian and French instructor Laurence Moscato agreed.

“They’re not afraid to say the words wrong like the younger students are. You just reach a certain age and you don’t care if you look ridiculous anymore,” Moscato said. “I love it. They’re delightful.”

In class Wednesday, Moscato drilled her students on pronunciation and taught them a few basic words. The animated instructor humorously weaved Italian cultural traits, such as aggressive driving and fanaticism about sports, into the lesson.

“Soccer is the national pastime in Italy. Try to tear a man away from his soccer and you’re dead,” said Moscato, whose husband is Italian. “Soccer in Italian is calcio. “

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Some of the students plan to put their new knowledge to immediate use. Vincent Moretti, 55, of Lomita said he picked up some useful words in Moscato’s class. Moretti will fly to Italy later this month to visit the city of Rodi, where his father was born in 1903.

Others say the learning serves a broader purpose. Leetha Renwick, 79, believes exercising the mind keeps her feeling young. “I’m just a perpetual student, I guess,” said the well-spoken Renwick. “I would get bored to death if I weren’t learning something.”

But even with such mental stimulation, a few students were still hampered by the effects of their age. One gentleman, 83, though lucid in class, drew a blank when asked later where he lived. He retrieved a note from his pocket to remind himself of his address, explaining that he has been having trouble with his memory lately.

Classes were held on the ground floor so senior citizens, some of whom use canes and walkers, did not have to contend with steps. Students were also allowed 15 minutes to get from one class to the next.

The students capped their morning of instruction with a luncheon and graduation ceremony. Marymount College President Thomas D. McFadden, who took office only eight days ago, delighted in the ceremony.

“The real reason I wanted to be president was now I get to shake hands and give out diplomas,” McFadden said.

He also paid tribute to his first graduating class. “Education is not just for the young,” he said. “It’s a lifelong process.”