Lew Somers  
Overseer

It is bit difficult to put together the feelings that were the process for bringing women back to PC. As you know, in the very early days William Penn had advocated coeducation.

I was on the board when the present decision was made.  It must also be said that I was not particularly positive about the idea. Earl was new in the position and was a strong advocate. Grace Wheeler was Clerk and a strong advocate.  My two sons were recent grads and not advocates.  Some of us rather old fashioned in our thinking and actions.  "If it had been all boys for this period why change it." Sports would become a disaster. We would need to spend a fortune to convert facilities for the girls, etc.

The Quaker process was what I really remember most. In the beginning it was a pretty divided board. Consensus was a long way off. Alumni were verbal but not as strong a force as one would imagine. I do remember some Alumni putting the arm on me a bit. We went through many meetings. Certain teachers were evidently assigned to recalcitrant Overseers, taken to dinner and strongly pitched. Grace and I had several strong meetings. It was intriguing to watch the forces of consensus work.

The Quakers when they make up their mind can employ some very strong tactics to help the consensus process. The net of it all, consensus was reached and you are part of the celebration of the 25th year of the decision.

Although Grace and I had some pretty strong discussions, it was she that proposed me as Clerk later on.  So things do really work out.

As I look back it certainly was the right decision and Penn Charter is a much stronger school because of it.  But change is a difficult thing to make happen and it takes wise thinkers like Grace and Earl to push dramatic change forward.