E. Lilyan Spencer

E. Lilyan Spencer was born in 1906 in Tallahassee, Florida. While some sources record Spencer's birth year as 1905,^[5][6] her death certificate lists her date of birth as December 16, 1906.^[7] Spencer and her siblings attended Florida A&M University (FAMU); she graduated from FAMU (then FAMCEE) with a degree in mathematics with special certification in administration and supervision, according to the City of Tallahassee's Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs Department.

Lilyan Spencer held the state women's singles crown for the Florida Tennis Association (FTA) for ten years without suffering a competitive defeat. At the height of her athletic acclaim, Spencer was effectively barred from playing in the U.S. National Championships, which is now known as the U.S. Open (tennis). Althea Gibson, a fellow graduate of Florida A&M, would go on to break the color barrier by competing in the U.S. Open in 1950.

Bertha Isaacs, a Bahamian-born athlete and politician, served as Spencer's doubles partner for both state and national tournaments. In August 1937, Spencer and Isaacs won a national championship at the 21st American Tennis Association Nationals, when they captured the women's doubles title. The tournament was held at Tuskegee Institute. Spencer's feat made her the only Florida woman to have won a national competition at that time.^[2]

In the late 1930s, Spencer began to focus her time and attention on improving the lives of young people in her hometown. She taught first through third grades at Richardson Elementary School in the Springhill community near today's Tallahassee International Airport. Richardson, where she also served as principal, was one of the many one-room rural schools in Leon County at that time for African-Americans.

In 1941, Lilyan Spencer became the principal of Bond Elementary School, which subsequently became Bond Junior High School. She was the first woman principal of an inner-city secondary school in Leon County's history. Spencer also taught math, served as athletic director, and coached basketball at Bond Junior High School, where her teams were recognized statewide. She was named the best basketball coach in Florida by the Florida Interscholastic Coaches Association in 1954.

In 1948, Bond School received connection to city water services, which greatly reduced the risk of health hazards due to the contamination of well water.^[8] Enrollment more than tripled to 650 students by the end of the decade, which necessitated the need for a new school plant. Spencer's girls’ basketball team, which she coached, received state championships during her tenure.

In 1949, a brick addition to Bond Subdivision School was completed at a cost of $125,000. This was a ten-room building which included classrooms, offices, supply and boiler rooms, as well as sanitation facilities. A six-classroom masonry addition was also planned for the school in 1950, which was dedicated in April 1951.

Spencer resigned the Bond principal's job in 1951,^[9] and was succeeded by Walton Solomon Seabrooks. She eventually coached girls basketball at Roulhac High School in Chipley, Florida.^[10]

Spencer chaired the Negro Division of the March of Dimes representing the Bond neighborhood; often raising more than other divisions. She was committed to raising these funds for polio research, and focused her time on improving health outcomes and environmental conditions for her students.^[11] She attended a special school to broaden her knowledge of this disease. She also helped organize free medical exams for black children and advocated for youth sports. She was chair of the financial committee for Bond Community Credit Union, was chair of health and physical education for the Negro Pre-School Planning Conference for Leon County's African-American schools, and was chair of the women's day programs for Fountain Chapel A.M.E. Church.