Faculty Portrait Series

The Faculty Portrait Series

A project taken on by the Alumni Executive Board to honor MUS faculty members that have given much of their lives in service to the school. With the many changes in the appearance of the campus, these portraits serve as a constant reminder to alumni, students, faculty, and friends that although the school may look different, it is the faculty that has always been the consistent and primary reason for MUS being the great school that it is. Each year, a new portrait will be unveiled at a reception, and the portrait hung in Ingram Dining Hall.

To be considered for the Faculty Portrait Series, the following criteria must be met:

The faculty member must be retired or deceased
He or she must have served MUS for a minimum of 15 years and left in good standing
He or she may not be currently employed by MUS

Leigh W. MacQueen

Jamie McMahan, Portrait Artist

Citing his unparalleled contributions to the school and his legacy of educational excellence, the Alumni Executive Board voted Mr. Leigh W. MacQueen the subject for the inaugural portrait in 2005. MacQueen came to MUS in 1961 to teach science and direct the physical education program. In his 37 years at the school, he served as teacher...

John Murry Springfield

David Goatley, Portrait Artist

One of the most beloved figures in the history of MUS, John Murry Springfield taught math (among other courses) at MUS for 31 years, beginning in 1958. He conducted a seventh-grade choir and played the piano in daily chapel services and for yearly graduation exercises. An avid musician, he wrote the music for the MUS Alma Mater and collaborated ...

William R. Hatchett

Rich Nelson, Portrait Artist

The Alumni Executive Board honored William Hatchett in the 2007 installment of the Faculty Portrait Series. A beloved English teacher from 1957 to 1985, Hatchett was the first instructor to hold the school’s Sue Hightower Hyde Chair of English. He co-wrote the MUS Fight Song, instituted trips abroad for students for which he acted as a chape...

Jacob Courtnay Rudolph

William Benson, Portrait Artist

Coach Jake Rudolph’s portrait hangs in Ingram Dining Hall as the Alumni Executive Board’s selection for the 2008 faculty portrait. Rudolph’s impact on the school and on Shelby County football will not soon be forgotten. He retired from MUS in 1997 after 39 years and an overall record of 295-119-4, which included one state cham...

Betty Jo Higgs

Glenda Brown, Portrait Artist

The first woman to join the Memphis University school faculty, Betty Jo Higgs introduced thousands of boys to Latin and ancient Roman civilization, building a Latin program that had few peers in the nation. She was a formidable presence in the classroom at MUS for 27 years, and she provided leadership for the school as chair of the Foreign Langua...

Leslie C. "Skip" Daniel, Jr.

Kyle Keith, Portrait Artist

Skip Daniel's portrait now graces Ingram Dining Hall. A Germantown native, he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Ole Miss. After working at Southern Bell Telephone Company, he came to MUS in 1967. Skip taught economics and geography, and coached eighth-grade football and basketball before he became business manager in 1970. ...

Read More About Leslie C. "Skip" Daniel, Jr.

Michael R. Deaderick

Jennifer Welty, Portrait Artist

During his 21 years at the school, Michael Deaderick inspired a generation of students in his history classroom. He earned his bachelor's and master's in history from the University of Arkansas, and later worked on a Ph.D. at Louisiana State University. He joined the MUS faculty as chair of the History Department in 1970, held the Ross McCain L...

H. Jerry Peters

Ellen Cooper, Portrait Artist

During Coach Jerry Peters legendary 52-year career, MUS basketball teams won more than 1,000 games and the 2007 state championship. The Alumni Executive Board honored Peters for these accomplishments and many more in the eighth installment of the Faculty Portrait Series. Peters came to MUS in 1960 and was named varsity basketball head coach in 19...

John E. Harkins

Steve Moppert, Portrait Artist

Dr. John Harkins will always be associated with the history of Memphis University School, not only because he taught history here for 26 years and served as department chair for 19 years, but also because he produced the MUS Century Book (August House, 1993, 2002), telling the story of the school from its founding in 1893 through current times. ...

James D. Russell

Jie Ruan, Portrait Artist

With his gentle and encouraging manner, English instructor Jim Russell offered inspiration and wisdom to hundreds upon hundreds of students for 48 years while also serving as a mentor to many a young faculty member. He earned his bachelor's degree from Tulane University and his master's degree from Vanderbilt University before joining the MUS faculty...

Andrew F. Saunders III

Sergei Chernikov, Portrait Artist

Many who encountered Andy Saunders’ prodigious talents considered him a Renaissance man. Equally skilled in front of and behind the Hyde Chapel curtain, he could act, sing, direct, and design and build sets. He also coached football and taught an eclectic array of subjects, including science, photography, mechanical drawing, religion, a...

Terry N. Shelton

Chris Saper, Portrait Artist

The Alumni Executive Board honored Terry Shelton in the 2016 installment of the Faculty Portrait Series. Shelton joined the faculty of MUS in 1978 and retired in 2015. In his 38 years as an instructor in English he taught a variety of classes, including AP English, Twentieth Century Literature, Junior English Review, seventh- and eighth-grade voca...

Peter M. Bowman

Jeffrey Martin, Portrait Artist

The title of a 2017 Memphis College of Art retrospective on the late Peter Bowman, “Beloved, Quirky, and Covered in Paint,” aptly describes the unforgettable artist who taught at MUS for 29 years. A 1961 graduate of Corinth High School, Bowman went on to earn a bachelor of fine arts degree from Memphis Art Academy and a master&rsquo...

John F. Hiltonsmith

Bart Lindstrom, Portrait Artist

Students remember John Hiltonsmith for the love of music he instilled. Audiences at The Orpheum remember his artistry at the theater’s organ. Music professionals remember his technical skill at audio design and engineering and his ability to build, restore, and maintain pianos and organs. Friends and family remember a man of boundless ene...

Reginald A. Dalle

Grace DeVito, Portrait Artist

Dr. Reginald Dalle taught French at MUS for 30 years, from 1981-2011, but he left lifelong impressions on students and faculty alike. In addition to teaching all levels of the language and serving as an ambassador of French culture, Dalle coached junior varsity soccer, advised the French Club, and chaperoned trips to Latin tournaments, Model U.N....

M. Vincent Mutzi

Fielding Archer, Portrait Artist

Growing up in an Italian-American family, Vince Mutzi had bilingual beginnings. He added a third language by earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Spanish from the University of Mississippi and completing graduate work at the Instituto de Monterrey, Mexico. Coming to MUS from Georgia Southern University in 1970, he helped ushe...

William S. Taylor

Dawn Whitelaw, Portrait Artist

When Harold Adams Sparr graduated from MUS in 1912, he surely could not have imagined that grandson Bill Taylor would join the faculty in 1976, become the Ruth McCaughan Morrison Chair of Science, and coach one of the winningest tennis programs in Tennessee history. All of this would come after “Coach T.” had teamed up with the headm...

A. Robert Boelte, Jr.

Linda Tracey Brandon, Portrait Artist

Bob Boelte held administrative roles for a quarter century, but students in his English and history classes remember the passion and excitement for learning he instilled.

They fought to get into classes such as Ancient Medieval History and Word Wealth because “The Coach” made them fun while also challenging, Collie Krau...

Richard C. Broer

Carter Laney, Portrait Artist

Rick Broer brought wisdom, concern, and camaraderie to his role as teacher and administrator over 22 years at MUS. With a calm, level-headed approach, he emphasized scholarship and accountability as he challenged students to fulfill their potential.

Originally from Oregon, Broer earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a ...

Richard E. Batey

Katherine Buchanan, Portrait Artist

It was the fall of 1991 when Casey Nolan ’93 first heard “Champions of Character,” Coach Eddie Batey’s charge to his cross-country runners. For Nolan and his teammates, it was more than a catchphrase – it was an ideal they incorporated into eight-mile training runs and sweltering races. Their adherence to the p...

W. Barry Ray

Eddie Filer, Portrait Artist

When Barry Ray interviewed at Memphis University School in 1978, he was fresh from The University of the South with a degree in political science. Headmaster Ross Lynn wrote on his resume, “good impression.” Those words would be prescient.

Coach Ray soon began a 46-year teaching, coaching, and administrative career. Along ...