Stratford Hall Symposium on Slavery

Reconstructed Slave Quarter

Stratford Hall will host a three-day residential Symposium on Slavery (click link for schedule) for Virginia teachers October 2-4, 2009. VCU Professor Emeritus Philip Schwarz, who formerly headed our two-week Seminar on Slavery, will serve as symposium director. As with the two-week seminar, the symposium will introduce participants to noted slavery scholars, along with the best literature available on the topic. Closely attuned to the Virginia Standards of Learning, the symposium has been funded in part by a grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.

As with our other residential programs for educators, participating teachers will stay in the Cheek Guest House and have their meals at the Stratford Hall Dining Room. Instructional sessions will be offered in the duPont Room of the Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library. Using the library’s wireless network facilities will also heighten participants’ understanding of electronic resources that can be highly beneficial in the classroom. In addition, participating teachers will gain permanent access to the internet discussion group stratalum@arthes.com, and they will be encouraged to create personal blogs to record and disseminate their symposium experience.

The symposium's Friday through Sunday arrangement is set so as to minimize the amount of time participating teachers must be away from their schools. An application form can be printed out, completed and mailed. The cost of the symposium is $100 upon notification of acceptance. Recertification credits can be made available. As an added incentive, the Virginia Council for the Social Studies is offering five scholarships for their members who attend. For further information, please contact Ken McFarland, Director of Education, at 804-493-8038, extension 1558, or by e-mail. Application materials can be faxed to 804-493-8006.