M. Lyle (Matthew Lyle) Spencer

Born in Mississippi in 1881, Matthew Lyle Spencer was an American minister, writer, and educator whose career moved steadily toward journalism and public life. He taught English at Lawrence College, worked on the editorial staff of the Milwaukee Journal, and became known for writing clear, practical guides to reporting and style.

Spencer is especially remembered for books such as News Writing and A Handbook of Punctuation, works that reflect his interest in making writing teachable and useful. Beyond his books, he also served as president of the University of Washington from 1927 to 1933 and later became the founding dean of Syracuse University's School of Journalism, where he helped build one of the country's important journalism programs.

He died in 1969, but his name still turns up in the history of journalism education because of the straightforward, instructional approach he brought to the craft of writing.