Board Meeting Decides Saint Mary’s Future
By Danielle Little
Editor
The Saint Mary’s Board of
Trustees met February 2-3 to
discuss the future of the school.
They concluded, after the two-day
meeting, that Saint Mary’s will
remain a women’s institution and
will admit ninth-grade day students
next year.
The option of going co-ed was
considered by the Board, but was
emphatically refused. The number
of women’s schools in the U.S. is
decreasing due to a number of
them admitting males. Saint
Gary’s considered this option
because it seemed logical, but
refused it because of the area’s
demand for specialized schools.
“Women’s education has been
our strength for over 150 years,
there is continuing and increasing
public interest in it and we will
continue to provide it for the
foreseeable future,” said Charles
M. Winston, Chairman of the
Board of Trustees. The ar^ment
backing their decision is that
women’s schools allow their
students to pursue leadership
positions and to feel more
comfortable in classrooms. They
also boost confidence levels.
The major change the board
decided upon is the addition of a
ninth grade to the Saint Mary’s
campus. The news caused mixed
reactions from the students, but
only positive feedback from the
administration. The Board decided
to admit about fifteen ninth gmde
day students next year. The ninth
grade will complete the high
school at Saint Mary’s. The
program will be very selective,
admitting only outstanding, well
rounded girls. In answer to the
great maturity difference between
ninth graders and eleventh graders,
the students have to be mature in
order to fit in. Hopefully, these
girls will study all four years of
high school at Saint Mary’s. "By
the time they are in the twelfth
grade, they should be good
students, mtiking an influence on
others," said President Jenkins.
The Board envisions many
advantages to adding the ninth
grade. Having people in high
school for four years will be an
economic advantage. It will
benefit the girls themselves, by
eliminating the need to transfer in
the middle of their high school
careers. The number of classes
offered at Saint Mary’s will
increase with the addition of more
upper level classes. The only
courses that must be added
specifically for ninth graders are
Algebra I, English, and
Govemment/^onomics.
Saint Mary’s is trying to increase
the quality of its applicant pool by
enticing good students to apply.
"This change in policy will ^low
us to serye more students, to serve
them in a more accommodating
way, and will allow us to continue
the steady rise in the quality of our
students and instruction that has
characterized Saint Mary’s since
we opened our doors in 1842, "
accoi^ng to President Jenkins.
Sports at Saint Mary’s will grow
depending on need. If there is a
demand, junior varsity programs
will be created. Currently, Saint
Mary’s offers tennis, volleyball,
basketball, soccer, swimming, and
dance on the high school level, and
tennis for the college. There is a
potential for cross-country and
field hockey, if the need arises.
The decisions made by the Board
will have no effect on tuition
levels. Saint Mary’s will continue
to emphasize need and merit based
scholarships. Also issued are
leadership scholarships which are
given to well rounded students.
Resident Jenkins said, in regard to
sports scholarships. "Classroom
comes first for us. One will be
able to use her mind long after she
cannot play a sport."
Despite the rumors. Saint Mary’s
will continue its college program.
The goals for the college include
making it more attractive to
perspective students, to increase
the quality of students, and to have
more academic attractions to lead
to more clear majors. This year,
the change in the rules for college
students has had a positive impact
on the students.
Saint Mary’s will remain a
school affiliated with the Episcopal
church. The heart of Saint Mary’s
mission will not change. It will
continue to provide a nurturing
atmosphere of individualized
instmction.
President Jenkins Reflects on What Lies Ahead for Saint Mary’s
By Harper Best
Editor
When President Jenkins sat
down with The Belles recently, it
was to talk about what had
transpired at the Strategic Planning
Board Meeting which took place at
the first part of the month.
Much of the local media accounts
centered around the proposition of
Saint Mary’s going co-ed.
However, the school community
found even the discussion of co -
education ludicrous. Jenkins said
that it was considered as a viable
Option for Saint Mary’s, although it
"'ill not be implemented.
President Jenkins went on to talk
^bout the important niche Saint
Gary’s holds as the only girls’
preparatory school in the area, as
"'cll as the nation’s only Episcopal
^Omen’s college. He feels that
^hese are distinctive traits that the
Board wishes to further by adding
ninth grade to solidify the high
School.
The Board decided that a ninth
Srade is strategic to the Raleigh-
Ptirham area as it becomes
^Ocreasingly urbanized. Also, a
ainth grade will prevent students
from facing three different schools
three years.
Jenkins pointed out that the ninth
^^ade at Saint Mary’s will be
^^tremely selective, accepting only
® brightest and most well-
^ojjnded girls.
f accommodate the high school
^^hmen, a new building has been
purchased. It is on Hillsborough
Street, and was formerly the Social
Security building.
The building will be remodeled
to include a ninth and tenth grade
lounge, science labs, and a
publications/computer lab.
President Jenkins said that this
new building will add continuity to
the campus. Now Saint Mary’s
encompasses an entire block.
Jenkins also spoke of the need to
expand high school athletics. He
said that the school would meet the
demands of the student population.
Next year, Jenkins expects the
cross country team to be
resurrected.
Although discussion of the high
school predominated, Jenkins was
eager to underscore how important
the college is to the institution.
This is especially true, as women’s
colleges are disappearing across
the country.
Jenkins reiterated that the Board
felt the college was a good thing,
and that it would continue into the
foreseeable future.
At the conclusion of the
interview. President Jenkins
addressed the Ransdell affair. He
feels that the school acted
appropriately.
He also said that Ransdell had
made an erroneous statement when
she said she had been expelled
from the School.In fact, she had
been asked to leave until the end of
the pregnancy and was told that
she could return at that time.
Jenkins did say that Saint Mary’s
policy on pregnancy would be
published in future handbooks.
The strategic planning session
appears to have been a great
success. Many worthy issues were
discussed and acted upon. This
Board Meeting is definitely a
turning point in the school’s
history.
The Board has reexamined all
aspects of life at Saint Mary’s, and
has directed the institution in a
decidedly contemporary direction
which will hopefully behoove all
in the Saint Mary’s community.