Penn State University - La Vie Yearbook (University Park, PA)

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During this term of service, Prof. Sparks gradually turned hack to his favorite specialty the study and teaching of history, 111111 for several years, added to the duties of his own Depa1't111e1111,tl1e care of the Lollege classes in 11111111115 historical subjects. hvei'y half 1101111 that could he gained from ioutine occupations, was devoted to the favorite study. 1111'0fess01 Sparks was, then as now, 1111 enthusiastic 111111 inspiring teacher. The successful teacher must not only be acquainted with the facts and versed in the prin- ciples of his subject, but must also be 11 master of their presentation. Emer- son 1111s said, hlf you would learn to write itis 111 the street you must learn it. .Professm'5par11's 111111, 111 the st1LLt school of the 11e1 vs 1'Lpo1te1, aheaLly le11111ed to use language so that 1111 could 11111le1 st 11111 it,gai11e1l aptness in the discussion of a broad valiety of subjects, 111111 learned to illuminate his- toric cha' acters and conditions by the use of appropriate a11ec110te.No 1111- 11111101t1111t part of his errt at this time was spent in more completely 111115- tering the art of expression, and few days passed 111 which some hour was not devoted to exercises in composition for the sole purpose of securing- a1l11e11 ease, 111ei11ity,111111 versatility of style. 111 1891, l rofessor 811111113 received from his 11111111 11111111' the degree of Master of Arts. 111 the summer of: 1893, he attended a g1111l1111te Lou1se in history giVeu at Harvard University, under the direction of its professor of history, Doctor Albert Bushnell Hart. A portion of the 11111111111111: Col- lege year was spent in studies at the Chicago Exposition; 111111 subsequent H1'11c11ti011 periods were likewise devoted largely to further historical studies in the libraries of W'ashington,B11lti111ore and l ostou. 'Ilhe te1Ll1er differs from the student in this also, that the latter may be content with the mere gainiurr of knowledge while the former is irresistibly impelled to impart to others 5, as clearly as he can, the knowledge he has ac- quired. We have already intimated that l 1'ofessorSpa1'ks was by 11111111e a tea Lher. At the period of 11111111 we are speaking, the impulses of the teacher were shown by him not only in his routine class-room work, hut in many other ways. In 1893, he published his first historical volume, Wliopieal Reference Lists in American History , a valuable 11111 to college teachers using the re- search method of instruction. The same year, he connected himself with the A111e1'ie1111 Society for University Extension, 111111, in this relation, delivered at Altoona, hrmiuga 11am, 111111 Holidayshurg series of lectures upon subjects in Ameri '1111 history. These lectures were appreciatively received. Their success, and the excel- lence of 1'e1'11i11 articles contributed to the University Extension Magazine brought Professor Sparks to the faVO' able notiLe of President IIar',pe1 who tendered him 11 position 111 the University l'xtension Division, organized in 1893 in the Univeisitv of Chicago He 11eLepte11 to the sincere regret of his State College associates. Six months later, he was appointed to a position 111 the Department of History of the University, though his connection with the University 111x- t'enson work continued.

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him as Dean 111 the University College, the division of the University organ- ized for the instruction of the teachers of the city of Chicago in the higher branches with special reference to their pedagogical aspects. The problems of Oiganization 111111 1111111inist:'atio11 with which Doctor Sparks capably dealt in this relation, ares suggested by consideration of the facts, that the students could give to the Work only a portion 111' their time, that the attendance of the University College was over one thousand, 111111 that the number 01 in- structors was about seventy- -Jive, the diversity of the subjects great, 111111 the 11e11 1111101e111 phases of the 1v11111 1'111111-111'e1111ing. At his suggestion, the Historical Museum was estal11ishe11,s011n afte1 he went to Chicago, 111111 he served as its C111'11101 during the 1e1naining years of his connection with the University He is 1'1 111e11111e1'111 the American 1-Iist111'ie1'11 11'Xss11ciati11n, American Academy 01 101itieal Science, American Civics 1'Xss11ciati11n, Xmerican Ar- chives C0111111ission,11 director of the Illinois JJist111'i1111 Society 111111 corre- sponding 111en1be1'111 the Chicago 111st011c111 Society. He was 11 111en111e101 the Advisory Committee 111 the Illinois Historical Library, which has charge of the publications 111 the State Historical Society; 11 member of the 1C11it111'i111 11111111 111 the .111i1111is J'Jistm'y 'Jieachers' Ass0ei11ti11n,in which relation he edited 111 he Last Iwo Journeys of 1111the11111111'1111ette 11906, Atkinson 111111 Mentzel , Chieagm , chairman 111 the L11n1111ittee 1111 Marking 11ist11riea1 P1aces in Illinois, which has been successful in securing the erection 111 memo- rial tablets at the places of chief historical interest; ehai1'1111111 111 the 1'1'1111111it- tee 111111111g'i11g' the Lincoln-Douglas Debate celebration, in 10118; chairman of the History Committee, upon the occasion 119031 111 the One 1111111111111 An- niversary of the Founding of Chicago, 111111, in that relation, he prepared an i1111str1'1te11 lecture upon the eityis history which was delivered in its public schools, 111111 secured the 1111111111113 111 its 1111 ices of historic inteiest J11 1907, when the trustees 111 Jhe 1e11nsy11'1111i11 State C1111e11'e were seeking 11 1111111 c11mpetent,by re; man 111 111'1s1111111 11111 111ities, experience 111111 rec- ognized standing 11s an educator, to take 1111 the 11'1'eat work .1 resident Mhei- t11n 111111 developed, they recalled the abilities 111-.sp111-ks 111111 shown in his earlier connection with the L1111ege, 111111 turned their attention 11111111 his later 11111'11. S11 11111111111111111' satistied we1 1' theV with the accounts received 111 his achievements 111111 with the 1'ec1111'11iti1111 these 111111 won that the 1111111'11 c.1111e11 him 11111111im1111s1V tn the 111'esi11ency.11e was inaugurated 1111111 17 1008, 111111stze11t11ti1111s1V assumed the duties 111c this, his 111st 111esi11entia1 vear 111111 1111s in the few months that have 111sse11w11n both confidence 111, 111111 11' ien11- ship 1111 his a11111i11istrati11n. President Spaiks havinn' ieeently 1'11111111et'e11 the Illinois Hist111'1c111 S11- eiety s history of the 1111c111n- 1311113311114 Debate, was honored 11y 1111 invitation to be one of the t111ee 11 atms at the 1'e1ent exercises in Chicago 11111111 the Centennial of Lineohfs Birth On Founders, Day, this Vear Lehiqh Univer- sity for the third time in its hist111'V. e1111t'e1'1e11 the 111111111'111'1' 11e1r1'ee 11f 1301'- tor of Laws. and its recipient was 1711111111 T'r1e Sparks. wThe 11ce11s. though mute. spoke 101111 the deer .