Page 28 - Priorities #63- Winter 2016

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Girls
By Emily (Kirkland) Mangini, Class of 2001
25 YEARS OF
I remember my first day at Priory like it
was yesterday. It was 1995. I was petrified and felt like I was falling through air—fairly standard for starting at a new school. But in 1991, the girls embarking on their Priory journeys faced a hurdle much larger than standard preteen anxieties: being the first female students in a sea of raucous, pubescent boys. This year marks the 25th anni- versary of Priory becoming co-educational—the decision was made in 1990, and enacted quickly in 1991. It was by all accounts an exciting period, with growing pains and triumphs alike. As an alumna, I am a grateful benefactor of that seismic shift in the Priory community. But putting myself in those girls’ shoes, I have to admit: I am not sure I would have had the stomach for it.
“That first class of girls, they were strong,” Father Martin, OSB, reflected. “They were really sticking their necks out by coming to Priory. They weren’t pushovers. They were awesome.”
Drawn to the Priory for myriad reasons—merit schol- arships, the beautiful campus, the thrill of being a part of the school’s history—these first female students were pio- neers. (Pioneers that Priory had considered welcoming for many years.)
Reflecting on what finally tipped the scales, Father Pius, OSB, shared that parents and board members had long been advocating for their daughters to have access to the Priory community and education. But even more, there was a dis-
tinct, and much needed, economic advantage to admitting girls. Not only was Priory facing the waning popularity of single-gender education, but there was also a regional short- age of high school students.
“At the time, there just weren’t enough students for all of the schools that were recruiting. Even public schools were closing,” explained Father Martin. “So by adding girls, we doubled our admission pool.”
The decision to become a co-ed school was met with relief and reservations.
“My first thought was, ‘Finally!’” shared Paul Trudelle. “I wanted my girls to one day be able to come to Priory.”
Many shared that excitement, but there were also con- cerns that the school was unprepared. Questions of wheth- er there were enough teachers with co-educational experi- ence, and if the facilities were equipped to accommodate the female students, swirled the campus. Caitlin Davis ‘95 and one of the first female freshman to join Priory, remem- bers well the push and pull as the community navigated its new waters.
“The first few days and weeks were a bit of a culture shock. Wewatchedastheschoolfiguredoutthebestrules with boys and girls on campus—the one I remember most wasthatgirlscouldn’tleavetheschoolinaboy’scar. We tested these boundaries, and that of the regular and the for- mal dress codes. Once we showed up in the boys’ formal dress since we thought our dress policy wasn’t fair. We were all sent home to change.”
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