“To appreciate the importance of Henry W. Spradley to the Dickinson community, all you need to know is just one simple fact. When the popular janitor died in 1897, they canceled classes and held his memorial service in Bosler Hall because Spradley’s local church was too small for the expected crowd of mourners.” –Amanda Sowah, Dedication speech at November 2021 renaming ceremony
Essential Question
Why was Henry W. Spradley important?
It took Colin Macfarlane (Class of 2012) several weeks to fully research the story behind this short documentary film about Henry W. Spradley. Check out his research journal from his 2011 history methods class to learn more about the discoveries and dead ends that defined his process.
Discussion Questions
- How many different types of sources did this short documentary film employ to tell Spradley’s story?
- What types of sources were missing from this biographical video?
Image Gateway
There are several photographs of Henry Spradley and his son Shirley available in the Dickinson College archives. Check out this post from the Dickinson & Slavery project detailing efforts to identify them.
Close Reading Exercise
2021 Renaming Ceremony: Spradley-Young Hall
Discussion Questions
- What has changed over the years in the Dickinson community’s relationship with the Spradley family? How should it evolve in the future?