Honor Socieities

Honorary societies exist at MUS for the purpose of recognizing outstanding achievements by qualified students. Where applicable, rules of the national societies govern our local chapters.


List of 8 items.

  • Cum Laude Society

    Cum Laude Society
    Membership in the Cum Laude Society is the highest academic honor students in a secondary school can receive. Modeled on Phi Beta Kappa, the Society encourages scholarship under the motto, "Excellence, Justice, Honor." The Memphis University School Chapter was chartered on December 14, 1967.
  • Foreign Language Societies

    Foreign Language Societies
    Instructors in classical and modern languages recognize students who have excelled in the study of French, Latin, and Spanish through three national language honorary societies: Société Honoraire de Français, Latin Honor Society, and Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica. The modern language societies reserve membership for those who have completed a minimum of five semesters of study. The Latin Honor Society bestows membership on students who qualify at each level of study. The faculty considers academic achievement as well as a student's enthusiasm for the subject and his classroom comportment in choosing honorees each year.
  • History Honor Society

    History Honor Society
    Members of the History Department may nominate students at the sophomore level or above for induction into the History Honor Society. A student must have a solid academic performance in history courses with an 85 average or better. He must demonstrate intellectual curiosity in the field, an understanding of interrelationships of historical processes, a love of the discipline, and a pursuit of historical understanding beyond that required by the curriculum. Induction is based on majority vote of the members of the History Department faculty.
  • Journalism and Writing

    Quill and Scroll
    Membership in Quill and Scroll, an international honorary society for high school journalists, is bestowed upon those students who satisfy the high academic requirements of the national organization and receive the recommendation of a faculty advisor for superior work in some phase of journalism or school publications.
  • Lower School Honor Societies

    Order of the Owl
    The Order of the Owl honors both seventh graders and eighth graders. To be considered, seventh graders must have achieved at least a 90 weighted average, computed from their grades for the first semester and third quarter, excluding P.E. Eighth graders must have achieved at least a 93 weighted average, computed the same way. They must also have demonstrated character consistent with the high standards of the school's Honor Code and Community Creed and must maintain their performance during fourth quarter.

    Springfield Scholars
    The Springfield Scholars, named in memory of the first Lower School principal, John Murry Springfield, is the most esteemed honor society in the Lower School. An eighth grader qualifies for induction if he is in the top ten percent of his class based on a weighted GPA. In addition, he must have demonstrated character consistent with the high standards of the school's Honor Code and Community Creed, and he must maintain his performance during fourth quarter.
  • Mathematics Society

    Mu Alpha Theta
    The purpose of Mu Alpha Theta, an international honorary mathematics club, is to stimulate interest in mathematics by providing public recognition of superior mathematical scholarship and by promoting competitive activities. Membership is reserved for those who have maintained superior scholarship in mathematics over a minimum of five semesters and who have demonstrated an exceptional aptitude and enthusiasm for the pursuit of knowledge in the field of mathematics.
  • National Honor Society

    National Honor Society
    Attaining membership in the National Honor Society is one of the highest honors that can come to a high school student. Juniors and seniors who have at least a 3.50 cumulative weighted GPA are reviewed by a selection committee for strong evidence of scholarship, character, service, and leadership while at MUS. The committee uses student activity forms and leadership/service questionnaires prepared by the candidates, as well as faculty recommendations and evaluations. School-sponsored service events are weighted more heavily than outside programs, but non-school programs are considered.
  • Service Honor Society

    Societas Caritatis
    The Civic Service Organization conceived Societas Caritatis, meaning Society of Charity, to recognize students who have demonstrated outstanding charitable leadership and/or service to the local community. The CSO sets the requirements for membership, and each year its Executive Committee selects the inductees.