Platt R Spencer & Spencerian Script

Teacher and Social Reformer Platt Rogers Spencer is near and dear to our hearts here at ACDL due to his role in the establishment of library service in Ashtabula County, but he's better known in the larger world (or at least the United States) as the creator of Spencerian Script.

Spencer based his script on natural shapes like the pebbles in a stream. He was also well-studied in existing scripts and took inspiration from Copperplate, English roundhand, and Italian hand in particular when devising his own. What resulted was a cursive style of writing well regarded for its beauty, speed, and legibility (when well executed). Spencerian Script was widely used for business and personal writing. While it has given way to printed text and simpler writing forms, Spencerian Script is still seen in our world today having influenced many modern scripts and been used to create corporate logos (including the iconic logos for Coca-Cola and Ford).

Spencerian Script is still admired and practiced today by many calligraphers and penmanship enthusiasts. Indeed, the Platt R Spencer Historical Society continues to meet most weeks at the Geneva Branch for Spencerian Writing Practice. It is also recognized as a part of American cultural heritage and as a symbol of elegance and refinement.