#spence school

A chemistry lab at the Spence School, a private day school for girls at 22 East 91st Street, February 12, 1930.

Dr. Valerie Paley Returns to Spence

Leadership Through History was proud to host conversations with a prominent woman in the history field, Valerie Paley, Ph.D., Spence class of ‘79. Dr. Paley is Vice President, Chief Historian, and chair of the new Center for the Study of Women’s History at the New York Historical Society. Students and faculty alike gathered to hear about her thoughts on how women’s history can be researched and presented, her unique experience at Spence as a high school student, and her hopes for how history can be taught in the future. We were especially fascinated by her perspective on Spence culture in the 70s, when diversity was not much of a priority at the school. 

By separating women’s history, she says, scholars further marginalize the subject. With new exhibitions and research through the new Center for the Study of Women’s History, Dr. Paley endeavors to make women’s history fully integrated with the rest of the NYHS. 

She also strongly believes that the goal of teaching history should not be to do well on exams or assessments. When faculty explained our evolving curriculum including Document-Based Questions, full research papers, and open discussion, Dr. Paley was thrilled with the strides we have made since she learned history at Spence.