OBSERVATIONS
In
so many ways, Harpeth Hall has always been about breaking barriers. What took the rest of the world until 1972 to acknowledge with the passage of Title IX, our school’s founders began acknowledging in 1865. At that time, a 19th-century education for women did not approach that which was provided for boys and young men. Thus, an excellent girls school in Nashville was born. Title IX’s passage was a monumental step for girls’ and women’s full participation in athletics and school programs in co-ed institutions nationwide. Simultaneously, it lifted our school and our effort to grow a fuller and more robust competition platform for our students. Half-court to full-court, intramural to intermural, additional choices in girls athletics — all of these changes played into our hands. But above all, the simple words “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded...” validated our work of over 100 years. Among the many advantages of attending an all-girls school is that we have advanced the notion that a girl can study and pursue any academic discipline, can have a career of her choosing, and for the last 50 years, can compete on the fields and courts with any worthy opponent from another institution. Title IX forged a path for women in athletics and, at the same time, opened doors to higher education for many women for the first time through athletic scholarships. Glass ceilings serve as magnets for our students, not deterrents. Time and time again, our alumnae speak of the deep understanding that when they left the stage at graduation, they could do and be anything they wanted to do and be. Just think: Our 1994 alumna Reese Witherspoon shattered the glass ceiling in Hollywood by producing, directing, and acting in an unprecedented number of films with strong female leads. Her positive momentum with the creation of her company “Hello Sunshine” shifted the culture in Hollywood and served as a model for all of us as she committed herself to the success of other women. You will read in this issue about many barriers breaking through the endeavors and achievements of our students and graduates. Our graduate from the class of 1981, Tracy Caulkins, competed in the 1984 Olympics and was the first swimmer — man or woman — to set records in all four strokes. Continuing that swimming legacy, Alex Walsh ’20
2 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
won silver in Tokyo last summer in the 200 individual medley, following in the footsteps of Tracy, who was the last American to win gold in that event. Katie Hill, class of 2000, joined the National Football League as senior vice president of communications — one of very few women to ever hold that position. All of these women, and many more in the pages of this magazine, believed in their ability to create something they could not yet see. Harpeth Hall’s mission gives priority to the common bond and unique voice of girls and young women. Our mission remains relevant and vital today as female students still face new challenges in maintaining authenticity and confidence in a culture that continues to serve up a double standard and uneven playing field. At Harpeth Hall, we celebrate what it means to be a strong and healthy girl and later a strong and healthy woman who engages in a life of learning and meaningful work. Half a century ago, our country acknowledged that girls could not be “excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program.” One hundred years before that, Harpeth Hall, through our roots at Ward Seminary and Ward-Belmont, knew that girls should never be excluded. They deserve to learn, to compete, and to flourish.
Jess Hill Head of School
