Jump to content

Quill and Scroll

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quill and Scroll
FoundedApril 10, 1926; 99 years ago (1926-04-10)
University of Iowa
TypeHonor
AffiliationNational Scholastic Press Association
StatusActive
EmphasisHigh School Journalism
ScopeInternational
Motto"Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make ye free."
PillarsTruth, Initiative, Learning, Integrity, Leadership, Judgement, Loyalty, Friendship
Colors  Blue and   Gold
PublicationThe Weekly Scroll
Chapters14,611
Members5,235 (2022-23) active
1,500,000+ lifetime
Headquarters7300 Metro Boulevard, Suite 131
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55439
United States
Websitequillandscroll.org

Quill and Scroll is an international high school journalism honor society that recognizes and encourages both individual and group achievements in scholastic journalism. The organization was founded in 1926 at the University of Iowa. In 2022, it merged with the National Scholastic Press Association. Chapters are located in 14,611 high schools in 38 countries.

History

[edit]

George Gallup and a group of high school advisors founded Quill and Scroll honor society high school journalism on April 10, 1926, at the University of Iowa.[1][2] Its purpose was to recognize ability and achievement in writing by high school journalists, encourage interest in scholastic journalism, promote professional standards and a code of ethics, and to encourage "exact and dispassionate and clear and forceful writing".[1] Gallup, a noted pollster and professor at the university, served as Quill and Scroll's first national secretary.[3] Elizabeth White Parks, a journalism teacher at Central High School in Omaha, Nebraska, was the society's first president.[4]

The society was launched with nineteen founding chapters, all chartered on April 10, 1926, including:[2]

Quill and Scroll rapidly expanded in the United States. Members were initiated at the Freeport High School in Freeport, Illinois in May 1926.[3] The Josephus Daniels chapter was established at Hugh Morson High School in Raleigh, North Carolina on July 7, 1926.[5] A chapter was also established on December 4, 1926 at the Holland High School in Holland, Michigan,[6] followed by Knoxville High School in Knoxville, Tennessee in late December 1926.[7]

In 1927, Quill and Scroll sponsored a national writing competition to encourage high school students' interest in journalism.[8] In May 1931, the society had 12,000 active members and 586 chapters.[9] By September 1934, it had more than 800 chapters, located in every state in the U.S., along with Alaska, British Honduras, China, England, and Hawaii.[4] In 1937, Quill and Scroll Corporation incorporated as a nonprofit organization.[10]: 9  It established the Quill and Scroll Foundation in 1940, which provides scholarships.[10]: 9 

In 2022, Quill and Scroll merged with the National Scholastic Press Association.[10]: 9  As of 2025, Quill and Scroll has more than 1,500,000 members and has established more than 15,000 chapters in add fifty U.S. states and 37 countries.[11][2] To be eligible for a charter, a high school must publish a magazine, newspaper, yearbook, literary magazine, broadcast program, or website; or, the school must have students who are under the supervision of a local news bureau, radio or television station, or publication.[12] Its national headquarters is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[2]

Symbols

[edit]

The motto of Quill and Scroll is "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make ye free."[13] Quill and Scroll's guiding principles or pillars are Truth, Initiative, Learning, Integrity, Leadership, Judgement, Loyalty, and Friendship.[2]

Initiates received a gold pen shaped like a scroll, with a quill over the scroll.[3] Members may also wear and blue and gold honor cord at graduation.[14]

Activities

[edit]

Quill and Scroll sponsors various contents, including a Yearbook Excellence Contest and an International Writing, Visual, Multimedia Contest.[15][16] It also presents the Gallup Award for news media evaluation.[17] Quill and Scroll has no requirements for local chapters' activities but encourages chapters to pursue activities that serve its school's journalism and publications program.[18]

Historically, the society published Quill & Scroll Magazine four times during the school year; the society now published The Weekly Scroll online.[19]

Membership

[edit]

Quill and Scroll has three membership types: active (student), faculty, and honorary.[1] To be eligible for induction into Quill and Scroll, students must meet the following five requirements:[10]: 9–10 

  • They must be junior or senior. Second-semester sophomores may be initiated during the last grading period of their sophomore year. Their membership will become effective at the beginning of their junior year.
  • They must be in the upper third of their class in general scholastic standing, either for the year of their election or for the cumulative total of all high school work.
  • They must have done superior work in some phase of journalism or school publications work. They may be staffers of a magazine, newspaper, yearbook, news bureau, or radio/television station.
  • They must be recommended by the supervisor or by the committee governing publications.
  • The society's executive director must approve them.

When a charter is granted, the publication's adviser or advisers automatically become a faculty member.[12]

Notable members

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "What is the Quill & Scroll Society?". The Sugar Beet. Garden City, Kansas. 1934-01-25. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e "About". Quill and Scroll. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  3. ^ a b c "Journalist Work of Ten Elected to Quill and Scroll Club Commended". Freeport Journal-Standard. 1926-05-27. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c "Register Wins International Honor Award". Central High Register. Omaha, Nebraska. 1934-09-28. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Quill and Scroll Honor Students Formally Initiated at N. C. State". The Raleigh Student. 1926-09-06. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Holland Pupils Win U.S. Honors". The Grand Rapids Press. 1926-12-04. p. 16. Retrieved 2025-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Blue mand White is Honored by National Society". The Knoxville Journal. 1926-12-24. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "'Eagle' is given to Centra High". The Omaha Daily News. 1926-12-19. p. 10. Retrieved 2025-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Gulfport School to Install Quill and Scroll Chapter". Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. 1931-05-23. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b c d Chapter Manual (PDF) (Revised ed.). Milwaukee, Minnesota: Quill and Scroll Foundation. 2024. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  11. ^ "Charter Schools". Quill and Scroll. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  12. ^ a b "Charters". Quill and Scroll. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  13. ^ "Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists". Stewarts Creek High School. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  14. ^ "Graduation and Honors Regalia". Pine Creek High School. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  15. ^ "Yearbook Excellence Contest". Quill and Scroll. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  16. ^ "Writing, Visual, Multimedia Contest". Quill and Scroll. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  17. ^ Hill, Marta (2025-09-04). "2025 News Media Evaluations". Quill and Scroll. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  18. ^ "Chapter Activities". Quill and Scroll. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  19. ^ "The Digital Quill". Quill and Scroll. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  20. ^ "Dr. Regis L. Boyle Honored". Evening star. 1944-06-24. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "East Lansing High School Names Outstanding Seniors". The Lansing Journal. June 11, 1954. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Quill_and_Scroll&oldid=1319138609"