Mensa is the largest, oldest and best known high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardized, supervised intelligence test. Mensa is formally composed of national groups and the umbrella organization Mensa International.
Roland Berrill, an Australian barrister, and Dr. Lancelot Ware, a British scientist and lawyer, founded Mensa in the United Kingdom in 1946. They had the idea of forming a society for bright people, the only qualification for membership being a high IQ. It was to be free from all social distinctions (racial, religious, etc.), represented by the name of the organization, which comprises two Latin words: mens, which means "mind;" and mensa, which means "table", indicating that it is a round-table society of minds.
Mensa's constitution lists three purposes: to identify and to foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity; to encourage research into the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence; and to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members.
To this end, the organization is also involved with programs for gifted children, literacy, and scholarships, and it also holds numerous "gatherings".
At Mensa's 50th Anniversary, Dr. Ware, one of the founders, addressed Mensans by stating that he hoped that “Mensa will have a role in society when it gets through the ages of infancy and adolescence.” He also said, “I do get disappointed that so many members spend so much time solving puzzles,” expressing his desire for Mensans instead to be solving some of the world's problems
velvetUG Forum Posts (763)
OMG....I MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING RIGHT...MY SON HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED TO MENSA!!!!!!!!!!!
you never know...your child could be nextyessss........mighty chuffed mum here
and we have had our fair share of struggles and strife, so it makes it extra special