SPURS National Honor Society was an American collegiate sophomore honor society. It was established in 1922 at Montana State University and disbanded in 2005. Several chapters remain in operation as independent, local societies.

History SPURS was founded at Montana State University at Bozeman as an honor society and service club for sophomore women in 1922. It was sponsored by the local chapter of Mortar Board honor society to support and encourage student service to the university. Its purpose was to encourage women to have loyalty and to serve the university and to promote and support school spirit, campuswide student events, and campus traditions,

Chapters were established at smaller colleges and universities in the United States. Most chapters volunteered to help with freshmen orientation and homecoming, tutored, and ushered for campus events. Originally a women-only organization, its male counterpart was the Intercollegiate Knights. Its alumnae association for juniors was called the Stirips. SPURS became co-educational in 1976.

By 2006, the honor society was down to eleven active chapters, with only half being strong. There was also a lack of interest in members filling national officers. The national SPURS organization dissolved on by decision of its October 2005 national convention. After SPURS ceased operations, a few chapters continued as local honor societies. The chapter at Linfield College continued as a local honor society that included sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Students at the University of Arizona reinstalled SPURS as a club in 2017.

The Montana State University SPURS chapter decided to merge with the MSU Student Alumni Foundation the following year, along with the dissolved society Fangs which was a branch of the Intercollegiate Knights. The alumni association holds SPURS and Fangs reunions. It also coordinated the Spurs & Fangs/Student Alumni Association.

Symbols The name SPURS was the monogram of the society's pillars: Service, Patriotism, Unity, Responsibility, and Sacrifice. Its motto was "At Your Service".

The SPURS badge was a small gold spur attached to a chain. Its colors were blue and gold. Members wore dresses of blue and gold when volunteering for the university. Its flower was the yellow chrysanthemum. Its quarterly newsletter was called The Spur.

SPURS celebrated its Founders' Day annually on February 14.

Membership Members were sophomores who were selected for their academic accomplishments, leadership, and student activities. They were required to have a GPA 3.0 or better. Potential members were recruited and initiated at the end of their freshman year.

Chapters Following is a list of known SPURS chapters, with inactive institutions in italics. (List repeated from 19th edition, 1976)

Number Charter date and range InstitutionLocationStatus 1 – Montana State UniversityBozeman, MontanaWithdrew (local) SPURS national and local records, 1922-2006, are available in the Montana State University Library, accessed 12 Sept 2021. Before 1928 Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OregonInactive 1925University of UtahSalt Lake City, UtahInactive 5 1925 University of Puget SoundTacoma, WashingtonWithdrew () 1928Utah State UniversityLogan, UtahInactiveAdele & Dale Young1931Colorado State UniversityFort Collins, ColoradoInactive1931 – University of RedlandsRedlands, CaliforniaInactive15Butler UniversityIndianapolis, IndianaInactive1937 – University of ArizonaTucson, ArizonaInactive1942Washington State UniversityPullman, WashingtonInactive 1947 – Linfield CollegeMcMinnville, OregonWithdrew (local) University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, New MexicoInactive1949Idaho State UniversityPocatello, IdahoInactive1950Whitman CollegeWalla Walla, WashingtonInactive-Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, WashingtonInactiveGonzaga Digital Archive SPURS 19721955Arizona State UniversityTempe, ArizonaInactive1955University of the PacificStockton, CaliforniaInactive1957University of Texas at El PasoEl Paso, TexasInactive1958New Mexico State UniversityLas Cruces, New MexicoInactive1960California State University, Long BeachLong Beach, CaliforniaInactive1961Adams State CollegeAlamosa, ColoradoInactive1964University of Nevada, RenoReno, NevadaInactive1965California State University, FresnoFresno, CaliforniaInactive 1965 Emporia State UniversityEmporia, KansasInactive 1966Eastern New Mexico UniversityPortales, New MexicoInactive1966Jamestown CollegeJamestown, North DakotaInactive 1966 University of IdahoMoscow, IdahoInactive 1966Wichita State UniversityWichita, KansasInactive1967Fort Wright CollegeToppenish, WashingtonInactiveMarylhurst UniversityMarylhurst, OregonInactive"Spur Convention Met Expectations" Seattle University Spectator (October 16, 1967), p. 1.1968University of Northern Colorado Greeley, ColoradoInactive1969Minnesota State University, MankatoMankato, MinnesotaInactive1974Fort Hays State UniversityHays, KansasInactiveBrigham Young UniversityProvo, UtahInactiveCalifornia Lutheran UniversityThousand Oaks, CaliforniaInactiveCalifornia State University, ChicoChico, CaliforniaInactiveCarroll UniversityWaukesha, WisconsinInactiveCentral Washington UniversityEllensburg, WashingtonInactiveColorado Women's CollegeAurora, ColoradoInactiveEastern Washington UniversityCheney, WashingtonInactiveHumboldt State UniversityArcata, CaliforniaInactive19xx ?–1995 Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KansasWithdrew (local) Montana State University BillingsBillings, MontanaInactive Minnesota State University MoorheadMoorhead, MinnesotaInactive Montana Tech of the University of MontanaButte, MontanaInactiveNew Mexico Highlands UniversityLas Vegas, New MexicoInactiveNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, ArizonaInactiveNorthern Montana UniversityHavre, MontanaInactiveNorthern State UniversityAberdeen, South DakotaInactiveUniversity of DenverDenver, ColoradoInactivePacific Lutheran UniversityParkland, WashingtonInactivePacific UniversityForest Grove, OregonInactiveRocky Mountain College Billings, MontanaInactiveSan Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CaliforniaInactiveThe Year 1969-1970 at San Diego State (yearbook), San Diego State University, 1970. p.224. Archived rom the Original on September 10, 2015. Accessed 12 Sept 2021.Seattle UniversitySeattle, WashingtonInactiveUniversity of Alaska FairbanksCollege, AlaskaInactiveUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CaliforniaInactiveUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaInactiveUniversity of ColoradoBoulder, ColoradoInactiveUniversity of Great FallsGreat Falls, MontanaInactiveElizabeth Furdell Resume University of MaryBismarck, North DakotaInactiveStudent Organizations University of MinnesotaMinneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota,InactiveUniversity of MontanaMissoula, MontanaInactiveStephens, Patia. "A Primary Source Of Strength" Montanan. (Spring 2003) University of Montana. University of Nebraska at KearneyKearney, NebraskaInactive University of Nevada, Las VegasParadise, NevadaInactiveUniversity of PortlandPortland, OregonInactive University of WyomingLaramie, WyomingInactive Western Montana College Dillon, MontanaInactive

References

External links Montana State University Archives SPURS National Honor Society records, 1922-2006