Honor societies have long played an important role at The Howe School, and yet there seems to be little actually known about their history and membership criteria.

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 intention was that chapters should be established only in schools of superior academic quality, and very few schools were chosen. In 1910, The Howe School was selected to membership. Of the current members of the society, nationwide, only three schools have been members longer than The Howe School.

Membership Requirements (Grades 9-12)

1. Grade point average of 3.4 or higher
2. SAT scores of 1200 or higher or ACT of 90th percentile or higher
3. 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, The Howe 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)

1. Gain and maintain a 3.2 grade point average with no grade below B- for the three previous six-week grade periods.
2. Maintain A conduct and not be on conduct probation for the three previous six-week grade periods.
3. Cadets who fail to meet standards at the end of any six-week grade period will be placed on WARNED status.
4. 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 (NHS) / National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)

The National Honor Society (NHS) has become an old and honored part of the American educational establishment.  It was started in 1919 by Edward Rynearson, a high school principal that believed, like many of his colleagues, that something should be done to honor the academic achievements of good students.  The Howe School was granted charter membership into the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools on July 27, 1962.  The Howe School was granted permission to rename the Howe School Chapter of the National Honor Society the John A. Pagin Chapter of The Howe School on February 28, 1998, in honor of John A. Pagin, who long served as dedicated teacher, department head, supporter and friend of school.  More recently, the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Chapter was named after James E. Malerich.  He too long served Howe as dedicated teacher, coach, department head, headmaster supporter and friend of the school.

The five cornerstones of the NHS/NJHS are Scholarship, Service, Leadership, Character, and Citizenship.  Membership in the NHS/NJHS is based on more than just the students’ academic achievements.  Students must demonstrate to the faculty that they have the qualities that have been an integral part of the society for almost a century.

Membership Requirements

1. All applicants must maintain at least a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) a cumulative grade point average (GPA).  Cadets must have gained and maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) for NJHS.
2. Membership for NHS will be open to all juniors and seniors who have met the minimum standard for grades.  7th or 8th grade class standing for NJHS (7th grade cadets are inducted in the May ceremony).
3. 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.
4. All applicants will obtain and complete the information forms requested by a faculty council and submit them in a timely fashion.
5. Applicants must display evidence of leadership, scholarship, service, and character.
6. Selection will be done by a faculty council appointed by the Dean of Academics or advisor for the Dean of Academics.
7. Every member of the NHS/NJHS 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/NJHS, said member may be reprimanded, placed on probation, or dismissed from the society. Cadets dismissed from the NHS for failure to maintain standards are not eligible for readmission.  Cadets may be readmitted to NJHS.

Note: Cadets earning membership into NHS/NJHS are allowed to wear a distinctive pin on the left sleeve of the garrison coat.  Pins will be removed from uniform, if cadet fails to maintain required standards, as identified above.