50 Years of Women at Nobles

In the 168th year of Noble and Greenough School, it’s striking to consider that coeducation has been part of our history for only the past 50 years. For the first 108 years, Nobles was an all-boys institution, achieving success in academics, athletics, and the arts but frequently struggling with enrollment and financial stability. By the late 1960s, amid sweeping social and cultural changes, the board of trustees recognized that embracing coeducation was vital for the school’s continued success. The community largely agreed that admitting female students would not only diversify the student body but also enrich the overall educational experience. This decision has proven transformative. The early contributions and participation of female students in school life, particularly in the arts, academics, and athletics, have played a pivotal role in reshaping the culture at Nobles, redefining what it means to be a student and to excel here.

Before the 1970s, the performing arts at Nobles included a modest selection of classes, clubs, and activities. Music programs featured the chamber singers, glee club, and Nobleonians, while the dramatic club offered student-organized theatre performances. Just before coeducation, Nobles often collaborated with other schools like Beaver, Brimmer & May, and all-girls institutions such as Winsor and Dana Hall for plays and musicals requiring female roles. In earlier decades, it was common for Nobles boys to play female roles, complete with wigs, high heels, and dresses.

It wasn’t until the 1970s that the theater program truly began to flourish, with the introduction of female students playing a significant role in that growth. The 1976 spring musical, Guys and Dolls, marked a milestone as Nobles’ first co-educational musical performed solely by its own students. This production was the largest in the school’s history at the time, involving nearly a quarter of the student body. Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, the theater program continued to expand, buoyed by the enthusiastic participation and contributions of female students.

The contribution of female students at Nobles in the 1970s not only revitalized the theatre program but also infused new energy into the music program. In 1975, The Twelve Tones, an all-girls a cappella group, emerged as the female counterpart to the all-boys Nobleonians. This group quickly gained popularity, performing at assemblies, pep rallies, and community events. By the following school year, they rebranded as the Greensleeves, solidifying their place in the Nobles community and inspiring other musical groups. A middle school version of the group, the Shortsleeves, would emerge a few years later when the middle school also became coeducational.

In the first year of coeducation at Nobles, girls competed in several different varsity and junior varsity sports. In the fall, they played field hockey and fall crew. Winter sports included basketball, gymnastics, hockey, and skiing, while spring brought lacrosse, tennis, and more crew. Softball was introduced the following year, and soccer soon after. Although the initial selection was reasonable, these pioneering female athletes faced significant challenges in the early years, including limited field space, equipment shortages, and inconsistent team sizes—struggling with too few players in some sports and overcrowding in others. They also endured heckling and teasing from male classmates. Girls’ sports at Nobles in those early years were undeniably undervalued compared to boys’ sports. Yet, despite these obstacles, the girl’s varsity field hockey team, known as the “Noblettes,” made an indelible mark by going undefeated in their inaugural season—the only varsity team at Nobles to achieve this distinction that year. Other girls’ teams also performed admirably, especially considering the infancy of their programs and the many challenges they faced. In 1976, one female tennis player joined the boys’ JV tennis team to seek more of a challenge, and she didn’t lose a single match. These early accomplishments laid the foundation for the girls’ athletics program as it stands today—a program distinguished by exceptional performance, unparalleled sportsmanship, and a deep sense of community.

Within just six years of coeducation, a female student became the editor-in-chief of The Nobleman, marking a significant milestone in student leadership and journalistic voice at the school. Even more quickly, within five years, the first female School Life Council (SLC) president was elected, demonstrating the immediate impact of women on shaping school policies and student life. In just one year, the school celebrated its first female valedictorian, highlighting how quickly female students began to excel academically. From the very start, girls distinguished themselves in the classroom, earning academic awards and securing places in the Cum Laude Society. These achievements underscored the readiness and ability of female scholars not only to meet but also to exceed expectations, contributing profoundly to the intellectual and leadership culture of the school.

Embracing coeducation was a visionary step toward expanding the Nobles community, enhancing its diversity, and securing its long-term viability. Over the past 50 years, this decision has proven transformative. Nobles has grown in size, scope, and spirit, becoming a more inclusive and forward-thinking institution while maintaining the core values that have always defined it. The addition of new facilities, an expanded curriculum, a more diverse faculty, a multi-faceted performing arts program, and broader athletic programs are just a few of the tangible benefits of coeducation. More importantly, the decision has fostered a more vibrant and dynamic school community, one where all students, regardless of gender, have the opportunity to excel and contribute their perspectives and talents to the legacy of Nobles.