Faculty Portrait Series

The Faculty Portrait Series is a project taken on by the Alumni Executive Board to honor MUS faculty members that have given much of their lives in service to the school. With the many changes in the appearance of the campus, these portraits will serve as a constant reminder to alumni, students, faculty, and friends that although the school may look different, it is the faculty that has always been the consistent and primary reason for MUS being the great school that it is. Each year, a new portrait will be unveiled at a reception, and the portrait hung in the Dining Hall.

To be considered for the Faculty Portrait Series, the following criteria must be met:

• The faculty member must be retired or deceased
• The faculty member must have served MUS for a minimum of 15 years and left in good standing.
• The faculty member may not be currently employed by MUS

Jamie McMahan, Portrait Artist	Leigh W. MacQueen Citing his unparalleled contributions to the school and his legacy of educational excellence, the Alumni Executive Board voted Mr. Leigh W. MacQueen the subject for the inaugural portrait in 2005. MacQueen came to MUS in 1961 to teach science and direct the physical education program. In his 37 years at the school, he served as teacher, academic dean, Upper School principal, and associate headmaster. He designed the school seal and co-founded the Red and Blue Society. After officially retiring, MacQueen returned to organize and maintain the MUS Archives. He is remembered for the long hours he spent helping the school and individual students, his detailed pursuit of perfection, and the standard of excellence he helped impart throughout all of the school's curriculum and activities.
David Goatley, Portrait Artist	John Murry Springfield One of the most beloved figures in the history of MUS, John Murry Springfield taught math (among other courses) at MUS for 31 years, beginning in 1958. He conducted a seventh-grade choir and played the piano in daily chapel services and for yearly graduation exercises. An avid musician, he wrote the music for the MUS Alma Mater and collaborated on the MUS Fight Song. He was the chairman of the Fine Arts Department and, later, chairman of the Mathematics Department. In 1966, Colonel Lynn put him in charge of all MUS clubs with responsibilities for supervising activities and providing advisors. He became the first principal of the Hull Lower School in 1970, a role that secured him indelibly in the memory of so many alumni. He is remembered as a man of integrity, selflessness, and honor. Mr. Springfield continued to give to the school after his death in 1989 by leaving a legacy in his will that established the MUS Distinguished Teacher Award to honor outstanding faculty members.
Rich Nelson, Portrait Artist	William R. Hatchett The Alumni Executive Board honored William Hatchett in the 2007 installment of the Faculty Portrait Series. A beloved English teacher from 1957 to 1985, Hatchett was the first instructor to hold the school’s Sue Hightower Hyde Chair of English. He co-wrote the MUS Fight Song, instituted trips abroad for students for which he acted as a chaperone and tour guide for 14 summers, authored the first history of the school, and for years served as the school archivist. He maintained the old school belief that excellent teachers were those who actually had knowledge to impart and who could instruct and delight so that students were awed and surprised by the deep joy of words, well-turned phrases, great literature, and learning of any kind. In 2002 the faculty and staff of MUS voted to dedicate Classroom 103 of the Upper School to his memory.
William Benson, Portrait Artist	Jacob Courtnay Rudolph Coach Jake Rudolph’s portrait hangs in the Campus Center Dining Hall as the Alumni Executive Board’s selection for the 2008 faculty portrait. Rudolph’s impact on the school and on Shelby County football will not soon be forgotten. He retired from MUS in 1997 after 39 years and an overall record of 295-119-4, which included one state championship title, two state runner-up finishes, six regional titles, and ten district titles. Today, his record stands as the second highest number of career wins in Shelby County and the fifth highest number of career wins in Tennessee prep football. He won many distinctions throughout his coaching career, including being named the Tennessee Coach of the Year. The beloved and inspirational coach and algebra instructor taught his players and his students courage, excellence, individual responsibility, and discipline. Artist William Benson worked with Rudolph before his death to ensure an accurate portrayal. He said Rudolph insisted that his clipboard be featured prominently.
Glenda Brown, Portrait Artist	Betty Jo Higgs The first woman to join the Memphis University school faculty, Betty Jo Higgs introduced thousands of boys to Latin and ancient Roman civilization, building a Latin program that had few peers in the nation. She was a formidable presence in the classroom at MUS for 27 years, and she provided leadership for the school as chair of the Foreign Languages Department for many years. A graduate of Whitehaven High School, she earned a B.A. in Latin, with honors, from Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College), and an M.A. in Latin from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. She was an excellent pianist and piano teacher. She was active in the Tennessee Foreign Language Teachers Association and the American Classical League, and in 1986 she received the Distinguished Latin Teaching Award from the Tennessee Classical Association.
Kyle Keith, Portrait Artist	Leslie C. "Skip" Daniel, Jr. Skip Daniel's portrait now graces the Dining Hall. A Germantown native, he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Ole Miss. After working at Southern Bell Telephone Company, he came to MUS in 1967. Skip taught economics and geography, and coached eighth-grade football and basketball before he became business manager in 1970. He oversaw five expansion projects and a doubling of enrollment during his 30 years in this position. Skip instilled the values of hard work and thoughtful monetary choices, most memorably through his long-running stock market competition in his many economics courses. A world traveler and honorable man, Skip Daniel received the Jean Barbee Hale Award for Outstanding Service for his devotion to MUS and his students. The gate on Park Avenue is named for him, to honor his loyalty and impact on MUS.
Jennifer Welty, Portrait Artist	Michael R. Deaderick During his 21years at the school, Michael Deaderick inspired a generation of students in his history classroom. He earned his bachelor's and master's in history from the University of Arkansas, and later worked on a Ph.D. at Louisiana State University. He joined the MUS faculty as chair of the History Department in 1970, held the Ross McCain Lynn Chair of History, and created many semester-length history courses covering Russian, Civil War, and Military History. He taught the first Advanced Placement course here and received the John M. Nail Outstanding Teaching Award in 1992. He served as faculty advisor to the Owls' Hoot for six years and director of student activities for nine years, creating a comprehensive, community service program for students. The lessons he taught – individual responsibility, diligence, preparation, attention to detail, decorum, respect – are woven into the lives and the hearts of the many alumni he taught.