SEVERN GIRLS BLAZING THE TRAIL ON CAMPUS AND IN THE WORLD

50 YEARS OF WOMEN AT SEVERN

The 2021 - 2022 school year marks the 50th anniversary of Severn becoming coeducational. The decision to admit girls marked not only a historic departure from tradition but a commitment to intentional growth and change for the better. That first group of 57 girls, admitted in the fall of 1971, opened the door for so many to follow and fundamentally changed the course of Severn's future. Today, Severn is one of the top independent schools in our area, with a forward-thinking curriculum and students who care about making a difference in our community and the world beyond Water Street. That success wouldn't be possible without the generations of girls and women whose voices have made Severn School what it is today.

How did it happen? How did a school that advertised itself as “a fine place for a boy to grow” and as a place where students “learn to be men” change course from tradition? And who were these women trailblazers in Severn's history? Any story about women at Severn must begin with Susan Teel, the wife of founder Rolland Teel. In 1914, Ms. Teel and her husband used a small family inheritance to open Severn's doors. While Mr. Teel and Mr. Albert Hawkins served as teachers and administrators, Ms. Teel was equally vital to the students' success. For half a century, she devoted her life to the social and emotional well-being of Severn students, making school feel like “home away from home." She cared for them when they were sick, cheered them on from the sidelines of every sporting event, “served [them] enough tea to float a battleship and enough chocolate cake to sink it” in her home on Sunday afternoons, and she offered them a listening ear with sound advice when they came to her with their problems. Establishing the roots from which Severn's focus on character and conduct has grown, she taught them how to be respectful, poised young men.

Susan Teel left a strong impression on the community, fondly remembered as “gracious” and an “unfailing friend” who devoted much of her life to helping others. She passed away in February 1963 at age 77, only nine years before seeing girls attend the school she founded.

Eight years before admitting girls, Severn began hiring women faculty. This was among the first steps toward creating a more inclusive environment and with that, a stronger community and academic program. The first was Ms. Carolyn Broaddus, the only woman faculty member during her tenure, who taught Latin from 1963-1965. Along with Latin, Broaddus was a gifted piano player and organist. The second, Madame Jeannie Iwanicki, arrived in 1965 and taught French at Severn until 1979. These two women blazed the trail for the multitude of women who have since taught at Severn.

The announcement came on January 21, 1971: “Severn Goes Coed!” For readers of local papers, especially the Baltimore private school community, this was surprising news. Severn School, founded as a boarding school for boys preparing to take the United States Naval Academy entrance exam, was going to admit girls.

The Board of Trustees began a conversation about coeducation in the summer of 1970 as they endeavored to position Severn for future growth in a way that would enrich the lives of its students and surrounding community. The board solicited feedback from Severn's parent and student base and began a series of thoughtful discussions on whether to expand Severn's reach by enrolling girls. They had even received 30 unsolicited applications from girls by that fall. Although the feedback they received was mixed — 15% against coeducation, 6% neutral, and 69% in favor — it was clear that the community overall was ready for change. The board pushed forward with making this momentous and needed shift and put the decision to a vote. The motion was approved on January 21, 1971, by a 3:1 margin.

According to history teacher Bob Gray in his A History of Severn School, 1914-1971, “No one [could] predict precisely how this decision [would] affect the quality of education at the School; all that [was] certain [was] that Severn [would] never be the same again.” And that it wasn't. This pivotal decision laid the groundwork for Severn to become a thriving school that responds to the changing needs of young people and society as a whole.

In the fall of 1971, Severn opened its doors with 361 students; 304 boys and 57 girls. Severn hired three new faculty members to teach Ms. Carole Dean Salomone (French), Ms. Jodi Gossard (physical education), and Ms. Jane Schwarz (art), bringing the total number of women faculty members to six, which included longtime tennis coach Ms. Sheila Keifer. And that year, the Board of Trustees added a woman to their group, while also inviting two members of the Mother's Club to their regular meetings.

According to Julian Domenech, Sr., who started his 27-year tenure as a Spanish teacher at Severn in 1967, “Even though it was a small group of girls, that group was very special . . . with strong personalities and a desire to get involved right away. We need to give credit to this group. For them to come into a school with mostly men — retired military officers — that could not have been easy. The girls were not afraid. And they were highly qualified, academically top of the line. They changed the school forever.”

Ruth Ansel, Suzanne Cheek, Cindy Donner Reiner, and Joan McDaniel were the first young women to graduate from Severn in the spring of 1972. Of these four, three graduated in the top 10 of their 47-student class. Reiner, who also won the French Award at graduation that year, recalls, “I was always proud to tell people that I went to a high school where I was one of only four girls. It was like a badge of honor.”

Girls on campus most definitely elevated and broadened the academic perspective at Severn. Domenech recalled, “The dynamic of the classroom changed for the better. We didn't see any more discipline problems. Boys were behaving for the first time. Only one or two girls in a classroom of 15-20 boys made a big difference!” One of Domenech's students, Betty Waters Phipps '75, remembers Severn adding an advanced level class to the curriculum to accommodate her in Spanish: “I was interested in languages. At that time there was only an AP Spanish Literature exam but no class offered. Señor Domenech created a class just for me so that I could take the exam.”

The positive impacts of this change extended beyond the classroom and onto the fields with new athletic teams for girls. Phipps remembers, “If you were the least bit athletic, they wanted you to participate in all the sports since there were so few of us. We were able to [have] field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse teams.” Her good friend and classmate Joan Adrian Morgan '75 explains, “The group of girls in my class quickly bonded, becoming friends and teammates on everything from the hockey, lacrosse, and basketball teams to the cheerleading squad. We would often run to the locker room from our own game, pulling off one uniform to change into our hand-made cheerleading outfits to get to the boys game.” Domenech, Head Coach of the Varsity Rifle Team, vividly remembers team member Claudia Clanton Woods '73. “We practiced 2-3 hours every day underneath the dormitory where I built the rifle range. Claudia joined the team at Severn as the only girl in a very male-dominated sport. She didn't think twice about it. That tells you something about her strong personality.”

Although such essential and far-reaching change can often cause friction, many of the first young women at Severn said that their transition into the community was smooth. Julie Greenebaum Pfeifle '77, who remembers being given the title of “very first girl admitted to Severn” explained, “I feel like there were tons of efforts to make us feel like equals in the school.” Reiner agreed, “The boys were all respectful of the girls and the transition was seamless from my perspective.” Morgan added, “I never experienced anything but respect and support from the male students and teaching staff. I have treasured memories from those three years on campus. I didn't see [the transition to Severn] so much as a challenge, but as an opportunity to be a trailblazer.”

Even the faculty agree that these changes presented fewer challenges than they would have expected. Ms. Carole Coss, a math teacher hired in the fall of 1973 who stayed at Severn for 27 years, remembers, “From the very beginning, it was a very positive, comfortable experience. I have always felt good about being a part of the group of women trailblazers at Severn. I only have good memories.“

It is important to note that there were some in the inaugural group of girls who didn't find Severn to be a good fit. According to Kemp Passano Hill, who was admitted to the 8th Grade in the fall of 1971 but left after two years to attend an all-girls boarding school in D.C., “While I do remember taking pleasure in being part of something special, and while I do wonder if my choice to attend Severn influenced my decision to attend UVA only four years into its switch to coeducation, ultimately I don't think Severn was a good match for me socially and academically.” Even so, she maintains an abiding appreciation for Mr. Don Wood, her 8th-grade earth science teacher, and Ms. Sarah Donnelly, the wife of Severn's 6th head of school. Donnelly recognized Hill's uneasiness adjusting to school and took extra care to make her feel valued and appreciated. Hill specifically recalls skipping to Ms. Donnelly's on-campus house after class to bake with her while her older siblings played sports. “I still have those treasured recipe cards!”

In May 1972, nearing the end of Severn's first academic year as a coeducational school, Head of School Alfred G. Ward was quoted in the school newspaper as saying, “As I have written to many of you, the school is having one of its best years; by far the best since I've been here. The coed students have made a difference, and for the better. The boys study harder to keep up with the female competition and they behave themselves better. School spirit is tremendous.” According to Admiral Ward and many others, Severn's leap of faith into coeducation was a success. According to Domenech, “To me, admitting girls was the best decision the school has made in 100+ years. No question about it.”

And here we are, about to begin the 2021 – 2022 school year, celebrating 50 years of coeducation at Severn. Severn has grown to include 423 girl students, 109 woman faculty and staff, 12 woman board members, and 8,062 alumnae as of the 2020-21 school year. Among that group is an impressive array of scholars, athletes, leaders, innovators, and creators, who have significantly impacted the trajectory of Severn School and their communities at large. And to the women who blazed the trail for future generations, we say, thank you. You have forever changed Severn for the better. Congratulations on a remarkable 50-year legacy, and may your leadership inspire more trailblazers to come.