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Honor

Societies

Honor Societies

Honor societies have long played an important role at Howe Military School, and yet there seems to be little actually known about their history and membership criteria — so let’s take a look.

Cum Laude Society –

The Cum Laude Society (originally the Alpha Delta Tau Fraternity) was founded May, 1906, by Abram W. Harris, Director of the Tome School, Port Deposit, Maryland, to recognize scholastic achievement of students in secondary schools. The society was organized as an interscholastic scholarship fraternity. The belief was that chapters should be established only in schools of superior academic quality, and very few schools were chosen. In 1910, Howe Military School was selected to membership. Of the current members of the society, nationwide, only three schools have been members longer than Howe Military School.

Membership Requirements

(Grades 9-12)

• grade point average of 3.4 or higher
• SAT scores of 1200 or higher or ACT of 90th percentile of higher
• Exemplary conduct throughout high school

Alpha Delta Tau (ADT) – Originally, the Cum Laude Society was named the Alpha Delta Tau Fraternity. At the same time that the Alpha Delta Tau Fraternity was renamed the Cum Laude Society, Howe Military school decided to retain the Alpha Delta Tau name as a local honorary society dedicated to the recognition of scholastic achievement.

Membership Requirements (Grades 9-12):

• Gain and maintain a 3.2 grade point average with no grade below B- for the three previous six-week grade periods.
• Maintain A conduct and not be on conduct probation for the three previous six-week grade periods.
• Cadets who fail to meet standards at the end of any six-week grade period will be placed on WARNED status.
• Cadets who fail to meet standards for the next six-week grade period after being placed on WARNED status will be removed from the society. Readmission will be based on the original criteria.

National Honor Society - Howe Military School was granted charter membership into the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools on July 27, 1962. HMS was granted permission to rename the Howe Military School Chapter of the National Honor Society the John A. Pagin Chapter of Howe Military School on February 28, 1998, in honor of John A. Pagin, who long served as dedicated teacher, department head, supporter and friend of the school.

• All applicants must maintain at least a 3.0 accumulative grade point average.
• Membership will be open to all juniors and seniors who have met the minimum standard for grades.
• Any cadet who faces a Disciplinary Review Council and is found guilty of a major violation as outlined in the Rules and Regulations for Cadets and Parents or placed on conduct probation during the current school year will be excluded from membership in the society for that year.
• All applicants will obtain and complete the information forms requested by a faculty council and submit them in a timely fashion.
• Applicants will display evidence of leadership, scholarship, service, and character.
• Selection will be done by a faculty council appointed by the headmaster or advisor for the headmaster.
• Every member of the NHS will be evaluated each year to insure compliance with bylaws of the chapter. If any member has displayed conduct which is deemed unacceptable to the NHS, said member may be reprimanded, placed on probation, or dismissed from the society. Cadets dismissed from the National Society for failure to maintain standards are not eligible for readmission.

Note: Cadets earning membership into NHS will be authorized to wear a distinctive pin on the left sleeve of the garrison coat.

Howe Military School

5755 North State Road 9

P.O. Box 240

Howe, Indiana 46746-0240

(260)562-2131