Sperry, Willard Learoyd, 1882-1954. Papers, 1902-1954.
Overview
Letters and sermons of of Congregationalist minister and dean of Harvard Divinity School Willard Learoyd Sperry (1882-1954). The collection also contains subject files on Amherst College, Andover Newton Theological School, and Harvard Divinity School, among others. Finally, there are miscellaneous writings and other materials, including clippings, notes, and article fragments.
Dates
- Creation: 1902-1954.
Extent
6 boxesThis collection consists of letters to and correspondence with Sperry 's family, particularly his sister, Pauline Sperry. These letters are arranged chronologically. There are also sermons, listed chronologically, by Sperry. The collection also contains subject files on Amherst College, Andover Newton Theological School, and Harvard Divinity School, among others. Finally, there are miscellaneous writings and other materials, including clippings, notes, and article fragments.
Biographical / Historical
Willard Learoyd Sperry (1882-1954) was born in Peabody, Massachusetts. He received his BA from Olivet College in 1903, an MA from Oxford in 1907, and another MA from Yale University in 1908. He was ordained a Congregationalist minister at the First Congregational Church of Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1908. Sperry served congregations in Fall River and Boston, until he resigned in order to serve as dean of the new theological school at Harvard University, a union of Andover Theological Seminary and Harvard Divinity School. When the union between the two schools was declared invalid, Sperry became dean of Harvard Divinity School in 1925. In 1928, he was appointed chairman of the Harvard Board of Preachers and Plummer Professor of Christian Morals. Sperry was also a prolific author and published numerous volumes, including The Paradox of Religion (1927), Religion in an Age of Science (1935), Religion and Our Divided Denominations (1945), The Ethical Basis of Medical Practice (1950), and Worship in an Academic Community (1951).
Arrangement
Organized into the following series:
- Series I. Letters to his sister, Pauline Sperry, 1903-1907, 1911, 1917-1921,1922, 1925-1954
- Series II. Letters to Pauline Sperry from Muriel Bennett Sperry (Mrs. WillardLearoyd Sperry), 1919, 1934-1935, 1939-1943
- Series III. Letters to his family, 1902-1935
- Series IV. General correspondence, 1923-1953
- Series V. Sermons
- Series VI. Miscellaneous writings
- Series VII. Subject files
- Series VIII. Miscellaneous
Acquisition Information
Gift of Dr. Pauline Sperry , 1963-1964 .
- Title
- Sperry, Willard Learoyd, 1882-1954. Papers, 1902-1954: A Finding Aid.
- Author
- Andover-Harvard Theological Library
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- div00080
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard Divinity School Library, Harvard University Repository
Special Collections at Harvard Divinity School Library preserves and makes accessible primary source materials documenting the history of religion and theology, with particular historical emphasis on American liberal religious traditions. Though the historical strengths of the collections have been in the field of Christianity, other religious traditions are increasingly reflected, in step with Harvard Divinity School's evolving focus on global religious studies. Known as Andover-Harvard Theological Library since 1911, it was renamed the Harvard Divinity School Library in 2021.
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