Page 137 - lake-city-florida-a-sesquicentennial-tribute-(h-morris-williams-kevin-mccarthy)-2009

Lake City, Florida: A Sesquicentennial Tribute (2009) H. Morris Williams, Dr. Kevin M. McCarthy

Chapter Twelve: 1920 - 1929

Local people of Lake City

In 1926, Hugh Cecil Birley, long-time member of St. James
Episcopal Church, died and was laid to rest. His affiliation with St.

James dated back to 1898. A plaque, affixed to the wall of St. James’
older, smaller church, is dedicated to him: “In Memoriam. Hugh Cecil
Birley. Born Pendleton, Manchester, England, April 21, 1855. Died
Lake City, Florida, March 5, 1926. A faithful and devoted church-
man. A generous friend of mankind. For 28 years a communicant and
officer of this church. This tablet is erected by The Diocese of Florida
in grateful appreciation of his life and service.”
In 1925, the Florida Legislature passed an act that allowed
women to enroll at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville if they
were at least 21 years old, had already completed two years of col-
lege at a respectable institution, and wanted to major in a field not
offered at Tallahassee’s
Florida State College for
Women. Lake City’s Lassie
Goodbread Black took full
advantage of this act, en-
rolled at UF, and became the
first woman to attend UF,
majoring in horticulture. 35

She later withdrew,
but afterwards earned her
degree at UF in 1940. Then
she earned her master’s
degree in education from
Emory University, taught
economics and science in
Columbia and Hamilton
Lassie Goodbread Black counties, and was an
extension agent for
Columbia County.

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