Entre Nous, Hypatia page
One hundred years ago Mabel Willoughby was the first winner of the Hypatia Honor Society Cup.
The Hypatia Honor Society was established at Howard College in 1924 to with six members, Willoughby serving as their first president. Junior students were admitted into this first female centered honor society based on academic accomplishments, leadership, service, and future potential.
Tapping Day saw the prospective members walking across campus wearing white dresses and carrying yellow roses. They would then gather on the college lawn, hoping to feel the «tap» of acceptance on their shoulder. Future tappings did not include the march across campus, but the white dress and yellow rose persisted as the initiation dress throughout the organization's lifetime.
Photo. Tapping Day
The organization was named after Hypatia, the Greek philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician who eventually took over her father’s school in Alexandria early in the fifth century. She forced her way into the history books despite many women’s accomplishments being erased. She is remembered today as a remarkable scholar and leader with a strong spirit. It was in her memory that the society was named and those ideals exemplified.
From their first through their close in 2007 the Hypatia Cup was awarded to the student selected by the current members for her service to the Hypatia group and for exemplifying the ideals of the organization.
Photo. 1925 Hypatia cup
Resources
- 1925 Silver Hypatia Honor Society Cup. Samford University Special Collection, SCAV 1456
- Hypatia Honor Society Collection 1924-2007. Samford University Special Collection, SC 6491
- 1936 Photograph of Howard College Hypatia Tap Day at East Lake Campus. Samford University Special Collection, SCAV 929, VM 14161, p-od000384
- 1925 Howard College Entre Nous Yearbook, Samford University Special Collection, https://archive.org/details/entrenous1925howa/page/n5/mode/2up
