Memphis University School - Owl Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

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MUS PLANT GROWTH MUS ' ambitions have been the driving force behind the constant improvement of the facilities at school. The school ' s growth has been gradual yet constant. Originally an area of undeveloped land on the outskirts of Memphis was purchased by the school ' s founders. The original administration building was the only structure on campus, and this building was only a fraction of the size of the present building. Oddly, the shape of the first building on campus was a U , the school symbol. As the school developed, the administration building was enlarged in order to house more classrooms. As the years passed, MUS ' athletic interests increased, and a gymnasium was constructed. The student body of MUS began to grow more rapidly, and a facility had to be built which was capable of holding the entire student body; therefore, in 1962 the Hyde Chapel was constructed. Previous to the building of the chapel, all programs for the student body were held in the dining hall. As the growth of the student body continued to accelerate, a separate Lower School building was added in 1972. Intellectual curiosity has always been a primary attribute of the MUS student body, and the library, which occupied the current lecture room, had to be augmented in order to satisfy the students ' need to learn. The Hyde Learning Center was built in 1 972 to give MUS one of the finest library facilities in the area. A Fine Arts wing, built in 1976, gave impetus to artistic interests. The athletic facilities have undergone great changes over the years. The tennis courts originally stood where the library was built. The library ' s construction necessitated the moving of the tennis facilities to their present location in 1972. That same year a Lower School gym was added. MUS once had a skeet-shooting range, but when the campus was annexed into the city, firearms were no longer permitted on campus. Golfing enthusiasts at MUS once had their own three-hole cou rse on campus. The latest addition to the MUS campus is the McCaughan Science Center. This building follows in the MUS tradition of providing the finest facilities available in order to increase the benefits of an MUS education. 8 OPENING

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AT HIS 25 YEARS WITH MUS MUS has one of the few gyms where the floor does not run in the direction of the goals. This resulted from the fact that we completed only half a gym in 1 956 and played on the court running north and south, and the floor was laid accordingly. The school fight song was written in 1 958 by two members of the faculty, Mr. Bill Hatchett and Mr. Charles Mosby. Mr. John Springfield composed the Alma Mater in 19 60. The only live owl owned by the school was purchased from Ross Allen. It had performed in several Walt Disney films. The owl was housed in the basement of the gym, ate 1 Vi pounds of meat a day, and, in spite of the promises of the Student Council to take care of him, the task for a large part of the time fell to the headmaster. In 1 959 the attention of the U.S. State Department, Congress, and newspapers throughout the United States was focused on MUS when a 9th grader, Robert Graham, now Dr. Robert Graham, received soil samples from Russia for a science experiment that he was conducting. Rufus Thomas performed at the mid- winter formal in 1959, and again later at one of the Student Council elections. Possibly the most traumatic experience in the history of the school was the fire on April 29, 1 970, w hich destroyed the three language classrooms, and damaged other areas of the school. In spite of the dislocation due to the fire, only one day of school was missed. It was determined that the fire was the result of arson, but no one was ever apprehended. Over the years, I have not observed any change in the quality and caliber of the student body. Certain fads have come and gone, such as clothing style, length of hair, music, and interest of the students. During the late sixties and early seventies there was more questioning on the part of the students about the rules and standards. However, while some adjustments were made, Over the years, I have not observed any change in the quality and caliber of the student body. Certain fads have come and gone . . . however . . . there was no compromising as far as the ideals . . . on which the school was founded. there was no compromising as far as the ideals and standards which governed the founding of the school. The outstanding progress of Memphis University School has been made possible by an able student body, by dedicated teachers and staff, and by the generosity and support of the Memphis community. It has been a privilege and an honor for me to have been part of the founding of the school and its headmaster for twenty-three years. It is my hope and belief that greater things lie ahead for the school. Ross M. Lynn Headmaster Emeritus COL. LYNN 7

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-...itMiy« :, • ' i.-. ' ' Aw Among the fine facilities available to MUS students are (pictured clockwise from left) the Humphreys Administrative Wing, the Hull Lower School, the new McCaughan Science Center, the Hyde Chapel, and the Hyde Learning Center. PLANT GROWTH 9