[Reading-hall-of-fame] Re: [EXT] Re: Margaret Meek Spencer

Tue May 19 18:52:42 BST 2020

To both of you giants of our world of literacy, thinking, and holding onto ethics:  Yes, yes, yes, to all those Yetta has named.  I knew Margaret very very well, and she was indeed a living legend, and we have lost a lady (in the finest sense of that word), an amazing scholar even to the end of her days, and a friend to so many young scholars.  I also know Harold and Michael, because once we bombed Iraq way back when (seems centuries ago in our present circumstances!), I moved to London for ten years and worked on Creative Partnerships there first with Tony Blair and then with Gordon Brown.  In that work, I was able to become familiar with so many of the giants of that nation's learning community.  I have felt for so many years that IRA (in spite of its name) and LRA have become America-centric (only occasionally giving a nod to Canada or Mexico).  Whatever we can do now will mean little to the scholars you name, Yetta, but their students will appreciate the recognition, perhaps, though today few scholars from any place in Europe wants to give even a nod America's way.  [Amazing that the convening this week in Europe on Covid 19 responses did NOT even include Trump!  They were certainly smart not to do so!]

And to you two giants, my hat is off to you both for your persistence, activity, and for all those who have circulated about you and learned from you all of their lives.

And, Yetta, I have a long long letter, written in stages for the past two months, about my memories of dear Ken.  He and I shared so many great arguments, conversations, debates over this or that, and praise as well as regrets for the state of young scholars today.

Hugs to you both,

Shirley
________________________________
From: reading-hall-of-fame-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk <reading-hall-of-fame-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk> on behalf of Yetta Goodman <ygoodman at u.arizona.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 10:06 AM
To: P Pearson <ppearson at berkeley.edu>
Cc: reading-hall-of-fame at lists.nottingham.ac.uk <reading-hall-of-fame at lists.nottingham.ac.uk>
Subject: [Reading-hall-of-fame] Re: [EXT] Re: Margaret Meek Spencer

Dear David,

I believe I have yet to thank you for the letter you wrote about Ken. I am trying, much too slowly, to try to send out
a thank you to everyone who has emailed, sent a card or in other ways contacted me about Ken.  In my attempt to let folks
know how touched I have been by their reaching out to me, I have discovered some other RHF issues and wanted to ask
you if you have any similar concerns or thoughts.
ask y ou if you have any s. personal

I am so surprised to discover that Margaret Meek Spencer (who recently died) is not a Reading Hall of Fame member.
 And when I check the RHF membership, I become aware that there are other language/literacy scholars from the
London Institute of Education who are not in the Reading Hall of Fame:  Harold Rosen and Margaret are only two of other
possibilities.  I just thought I'd check with you before I speak with Henrietta Dombey, who is a member from Brighton to join
me in nominating these two who I have learned so much from during my career. Do you have any additional information to
add to my concerns. Also, I just thought of Michael Rosen as well.     Yetta
On Thu, May 7, 2020 at 2:46 PM P Pearson <ppearson at berkeley.edu<mailto:ppearson at berkeley.edu>> wrote:

External Email

I never had the privilege of interacting extensively with Margaret, but I found her written work, particularly On Being Literate and How Texts Teach... , very insightful.  We are losing too many colleagues.
pdavid

On Thu, May 7, 2020 at 2:07 PM Jan Turbill <jturbill at uow.edu.au<mailto:jturbill at uow.edu.au>> wrote:

Yes sad news. Margaret Meek Spencer was a strong advocate for children’s literature and literacy learning. Her work influenced curriculum in NSW in the 80s. Her legacy lives on.

Jan Turbill
jturbill at uow.edu<mailto:jturbill at uow.edu>.au
Sent from my iPhone

Jan Turbill
jturbill at uow.edu<mailto:jturbill at uow.edu>.au
Sent from my iPhone
On 8 May 2020, at 5:28 am, Brian Cambourne <bcambrn at uow.edu.au<mailto:bcambrn at uow.edu.au>> wrote:

Another sad loss to our community. Our ranks are too quickly thinning.
We need some Torchlighters to pass the RHF’s torch to.
Take care of yourselves.
 Brian Cambourne

On 7 May 2020, at 11:37 pm, Norman Stahl <flowercjs at aol.com<mailto:flowercjs at aol.com>> wrote:

from Denny Taylor's FB post of 10 hours ago...

I received a sad note today from the UK to let me know Margaret Meek Spencer is no longer with us. When I think of Margaret I think of her incredible strength and indomitable spirit. She will remain in my heart for ever. Her participation in the great women's scholars forums 10 days after September 11th will always be with me. It is like a movie that I watch in odd moments - especially in times of disaster, like now. I was thinking of Margaret two days ago in this way and I will continue to do so. Yetta M. Goodman<https://www.facebook.com/ymgoodman?__tn__=%2CdK-R-R&eid=ARAL9HJe7GCWeLkRYghHuygqqO3shbGxBPPmGtjX0lhg74wUnM2jFsV79KyFONmQyIDEFy-fuuAGHVba&fref=mentions>, Maxine Greene and Louise Rosenblatt also participated in the forum and I see them also - their gestures as well as their words. Each great scholar was a tower of strength at a time when their guidance and love made it possible to go on. All of their presentations are in this little book which I keep with me always.

Norman Stahl
flowercjs at aol.com<mailto:flowercjs at aol.com>
Historian Reading Hall of Fame

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