Darlington School seniors at the top of the class of 2001 were inducted into Darlington’s chapter of the Cum Laude Society, the secondary school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa, Monday, Jan. 15, in the Chapel.
Membership in the Cum Laude Society is the highest academic honor Darlington can bestow on a group of students. Membership is based on superior academic performance in ninth through 12th grades. In order to be eligible for consideration, students must meet the following minimum standards: an A (93) average for all four years, at least eight Honors or AP courses over four years (or two each year), a very high class rank, and a satisfactory personal record. Since membership is limited to approximately ten percent of the senior class, all students who meet the above qualifications may not be admitted. Election is by majority vote of the in-residence membership.
"This society is a fellowship of scholars whose purpose is to recognize excellence in academic work," Sam Moss, dean of studies and college guidance, said in his charge to those being installed. "As you pursue your education, it is our hope that you will accept the honor of membership in this Society as a responsibility to make some contribution to man's ongoing search for greater understanding of himself and of society."
The following students from Rome were inducted: Jordan Bray, daughter of Bob and Mary Ann Bray; Lindsay Harbin, daughter of Bob and Libba Harbin; Kelli Hutchinson, daughter of Don and Susan Hutchinson; Holly Jarrell, daugther of Ricky and Marie Jarrell; Rebecca Rhodes, daughter of David and Dee Dee Rhodes; Clara Smith, daughter of Roger and Ellen Smith; and PageThomas, daughter of Lanny and Susan Thomas.
Students who live outside Rome who were inducted are Diana Beauford, Taylorsville, Ga., daughter of John Barbara Beauford; Young Jae Lee,Seoul, South Korea, daughter of Yoon Tae and Misook Lee; Morgan McCrary, Cartersville, Ga., daughter of Dale and Leslie McCrary; Amy McRae, Helena, Ga., daughter of Bill and Maria McRae; Joanna Mundy, Cedartown, Ga., daughter of George and Martiti Mundy; Kellen Spivey, Silver Creek, Ga., son of Cliff and Linda Spivey; and Kob Sukwong, Chanthaburi, Thailand, daughter of Phaithoon Sukwong.
Faculty member Penelope Plant Braden '87, who was inducted into the Cum Laude Chapter while she was a student at Darlington, was welcomed as a returning member of the Darlington Chapter.
The Cum Laude Society, founded in 1906 at the Tome School, Port Deposit, Md., was modeled after Phi Beta Kappa, in an effort to recognize and encourage true scholarship in the same manner that recognition of school activities is given. The original name of the society was Alpha Delta Tau Fraternity, but the new organization soon became confused with the Greek letter social fraternities and therefore changed its name to the Cum Laude Society.
Since 1906, the society has grown to 332 chapters, 22 of which are public schools and 310 of which are independent schools. Initially a society for boys’ schools only, Cum Laude extended membership first to coeducational schools and then in the 1920s to girls’ schools. Today, some 4,000 students are inducted annually.
Darlington’s chapter was granted in 1961 and the first initiation ceremony was held for 12 seniors in 1962. Since that time, 496 individuals have become members of Darlington’s chapter.
