Dr. William Henry Spencer:
Dr. William Henry Spencer was born on
September 21, 1857 in Columbus, Georgia.
He was a student in the Columbus public
school, the old Asbury Chapel, during
the age of segregation. Dr. Spencer was
an exemplary student who excelled in
school and attained high honors. After
obtaining his teaching certificate, he
embarked on a fifty-year career in
education.
During his career as an educator, Dr.
William Henry Spencer was the principal
of the former Fifth Avenue School and
the supervisor of the Negro Educational
Department. He was dedicated to
improving the curriculum of segregated
schools and worked to establish courses
in the fine arts and vocational arena.
Since African-American students in
Columbus, Georgia had to travel as far
as Atlanta to move beyond the ninth
grade, Dr. Spencer began working towards
opening an accredited high school for
African-Americans in Columbus. Dr.
Spencer worked hard and the
aforementioned school was approved.
Sadly, he passed away on May 30, 1925,
five years before the school was built.
The school originally built on Tenth
Avenue, was named William Henry Spencer
High School in his honor.
William Henry Spencer High School -
The Living Legend:
1930-1953
 The first Spencer High School was built
on 10th Avenue at 8th Street. This
building remained until it was destroyed
by fire. The building was the home of
Marshall Junior High school until it
burned. Spencer High School was
relocated to 1830 Shepherd Drive in
1953.
1953 - 1978
The second Spencer High School was
located at 1830 Shepherd Drive (now
Marshall Junior High School). In the
70’s the Muscogee County School Board
voted to close Spencer High School and
move the Spencer students to a new high
school located at 4340 Victory Drive.
The name of this new high school was to
be the Southwest High School and its
colors were to be Blue and White. To the
rescue came a group of young men by the
name of the Golden Owls. Their
appearance before both the School Board
and City Council convinced both not to
eliminate the name of Spencer High
School and its Green and Gold.
1978 - Present
The new Spencer High School located at
4340 Victory Drive is a beautiful
complex designed to accommodate about
1,000 students. The site has the
potential, through expansion, to
accommodate up to 1,500 students.
Spencer High School Information
furnished by:
Spencer High School Alumni Association,
1991 |
