Spencer High School - Spencerian Yearbook (Columbus, GA)

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THE GREAT WAVE MR. WILLIAM A. SPENEER EREATED THE WAVE WILLIAM H. SPENCER Mr. William H. Spencer was born in Columbus on September 21, 1857, and attended public schools here. Following his graduation, Mr. Spencer began his long and distinguished career in education as a teacher in Harris County, Georgia. While teaching in Harris County, he met and married Martha Love, a marriage which produced five children. Shortly after his marriage, Mr. Spencer was persuaded to leave Harris County and return to his beloved Columbus as a teacher in the system which educated him. He subsequently rose through the ranks in local public education to a position of consultant, principal, and supervisor. His influence was felt regionally as well as locally. Among the goals for which he strived were extension of the public education experience from nine to twelve years, and full accreditation for local schools. Both goals were accomplished. Mr. Spencer was also very active in community service outside the public schools. He was organist for the St. James A.M.E. Church and Superintendent of the Sunday School. Mr. Spencer was Worship Master of his Masonic Lodge and Treasurer of the state Masonic Lodge. Through his work in the lodge, he was able to establish a foster home for widows and orphans in Americus, Georgia. Following Mr. Spencer's death in 1925. local educators and townspeople thought it only proper that a public school should bear his name. In the fall of 1930, Spencer Junior High School opened its doors to students. It is in that same spirit of admiration and appreciation for an outstanding individual that we gather today to dedicate this new facility. 2

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 Design No. 601-I

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SCHOOL HISTORY Spencer High School has a history of over 50 years of service to the students of this area. The school is named in honor of William H. Spencer who was born and educated in Columbus. After teaching for a time in Harris County, Georgia, Mr. Spencer returned to Columbus where he served the school system as a teacher, a consultant, a principal, and finally a supervisor until his death in 1925. In honor of his many contributions to the education of the students of Columbus, the William H. Spencer High School was formally dedicated on November 29, 1932. The school was made possible by donations from the Rosenwald Foundation, Dr. George Foster Peabody, and the Board of Education. That first year in the building on Tenth Avenue there were sixteen teachers and one principal on the staff. The first graduation class consisted of thirty seven students. In later years the school was moved to 1830 Shepherd Drive. Finally, on April 19, 1979, a new building was dedicated as William H. Spencer High School. This new facility at 4340 Victory Drive is a continuing reminder of the community’s admiration and appreciation for the outstanding achievements of Mr. Spencer. The present school contains 50 instructional units as well as an auditori- um, a library, a cafeteria, and a gymnasium on almost 70 acres of land at the edge of the Fort Benning Military Reservation. A staff of approximately 70 professional educators oversees the education of up to 1200 students from Muscogee County, Fort Benning, and Chattahoochee County. PHILOSOPHY AND GOAL PHILOSOPHY The curriculum and instructional activities of Spencer High School are guided by the philosophy of teaching the command of fundamental processes and meeting the needs of all students at various levels of achievement. The basic principles of such a philosophy of education include the development of individuals to have positive attitudes toward learning, to be contributing members of society, and to be pre- pared for their academic, social, political, and economic futures. KEEPS THE WAVE fl F L 0 fl T fl N Q T fl E W fl V E WAVES GOAL The goal of Spencer High School is to provide learning experiences that will be meaningful and useful to the students served whether they enter the labor force or pursue post-secondary studies. Objectives are designed to generate the learning activities necessary to accomplish the intentions set forth within the goal statement. 0 N