Administration

Communications

C-SC Sperry Lecture examines King Henry VIII
Wednesday, April 15, 2009

CANTON, Mo. - Culver-Stockton College will host its sixth annual John A. Sperry Jr. Lecture on Wednesday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. in Merillat Recital Hall. The day of the lecture is the 500th anniversary of the ascension of Henry VIII to the throne of England, so the lecture will focus on the colorful personality and historical significance of King Henry VIII.

C. Patrick Hotle, associate professor of history, coordinator of study abroad programs and holder of the John A. Sperry Jr. Endowed Chair of Humanities, will discuss King Henry’s complex psychology and multiple failed marriages, as well as the sophisticated propaganda and dramatic events during his reign that transformed both church and state in the Anglo-American world.

Hotle has taught at Culver-Stockton College since 1993. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Iowa, a master of philosophy degree in international relations and a doctorate in history from Cambridge University.

Hotle was the first professor named to hold the college’s John A. Sperry Jr. Endowed Chair of Humanities in 2002. The endowed chair was named in honor of John A. Sperry Jr. (1926-2003). Sperry’s teaching career at Culver-Stockton College spanned 35 years from 1957-92 and touched thousands of developing lives and minds. Sperry was best known for his breadth of interest and knowledge within the humanities. He was a distinguished professor of humanities emeritus and his interests included history, political science, literature, astronomy, anthropology, and languages.

The annual Sperry Lecture is offered as part of the college’s Academic and Cultural Events program and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Hotle at 573-288-6394 or photle@culver.edu.