In September 1989, Hymers College opened its doors to welcome girls and became a co-educational school. Until that time, only a handful of girls had studied in the Sixth Form during the 1970s and 1980s.

The idea of Hymers College admitting girls as well as boys was first mooted when the school was being proposed.  Although John Hymers' will was for the provision of an all-boys school, there was opposition to it from the start.  From the book Hymers College: The First Hundred Years (written by Francis W. Scott, OH 1925-34, Alex Sutton, OH Staff 1962-2002 and Neil King OH Staff 1974-2006), the following extract details the opposition put forward by Jane Bremner:

The most determined and unexpected opposition was led by Miss Janet Bremner and her sister, Christina, who kept a girls' school at Clyde Terrace, Anlaby Road, teaching successfully for the Cambridge Locals. Miss, Bremner, who wrote on behalf of the Hull and East Riding Women's Liberal Association, met the Committee along with three married ladies. They claimed there was no justification for confining the Hymers scheme to boys and they suggested a less expensive site might be chosen. Boys and girls could be mingled in classes as in America, or they could use the same buildings in different rooms. The Classical Department could have one side for boys and the other for girls. Failing all this, three Hymers Exhibitions (to the university) should be given to girls.  The Committee recognised the need for a girls' school but could only help if in future the endowment were sufficiently enlarged.  The ladies, not satisfied, organised a petition with 2,604 signatures to the Town Council, which met in a special session for five hours on 30 January, 1889.  Woodhouse told the Council that Robert Hymers had been annoyed by Miss Bremner's letters and, if the scheme approved by him were rejected, the only alternative was to transfer the fund to the Charity Commissioners.  The amendment was defeated 34 to 9.  Robert's letter to James Mills reads:

Despite a petition of 2,604 signatures, the school was built and opened for the education solely for boys in October 1893, taught by male Masters.  In fact, it wasn't for more than 20 years before the first female teachers arrived at the school and mainly due to the outbreak of the war.  As Masters grew scarce, Mr Charles Gore, first Headmaster 1893-1927, appointed two female teachers in 1916.  Miss K. Smith (OH Staff 1916-17) of Girton College, Cambridge, joined the school for one year and taught classics, while Miss Joan Allan (OH Staff 1916-50) of Edinburgh University, arrived in the Junior School.  Two years later, Miss Agnes Allan (OH Staff 1918-27) joined her sister in the Junior School.  Other female teachers that joined the school around this time were Mrs Anderson (OH Staff 1917-51), an art teacher, Miss Darneley (OH Staff 1917-19) Junior School teacher and Miss Ireland (OH Staff 1918), also a Junior School teacher.  Despite their gender, these teachers were referred to as 'Sir' by the students.

After the six female teachers started at Hymers during the war, it wasn't for another 24 years before a new female teacher was appointed at the school, in the form of Mrs Ashworth (OH Staff 1942-50), who taught Maths, before joining in the Junior School in 1947.  Mrs Duffin (OH Staff 1952-53, 1956) next joined the school, also as a Maths teacher.  After she left, it was another 16 years before there would be another female teacher at the school.  Mrs Chesters (OH Staff 1972-2005) arrived to teach French.  In fact, when Mrs Chesters retired in 2005, it was noted in The Hymerian at the time that when she started at the school, she was only permitted to wear trousers if there was snow on the ground!

By the 1970s, although the school lacked female teachers, there were a few girls who had been allowed to join the Sixth Form.  Hilary Atkinson (OH 1971), a former Beverley High School pupil, entered the 3rd year Sixth Form Oxbridge set, to prepare for the 7th term Oxbridge examinations.  Her presence in the school created quite a stir and it was not uncommon to see her being followed around the school by young admirers.  Her presence seemed to inspire the rest of the Oxbridge candidates as 16 were successful in their applications, although she was not, unfortunately, successful herself.

A year later, Eileen Kenny (OH 1972) followed Hilary's footsteps but was successful in gaining a place at Cambridge.  The same year, two girls Jane Hawkins (OH 1972-74) and Frances Walker (OH 1972-74) were also admitted into the Sixth Form.  The next girls to be admitted were in 1975, when Véronique Bouchet (OH 1975-77) and Jacqueline Sprinz (OH 1975-77) joined the school.  By the end of the 1970s, 25 girls had been admitted into the Sixth Form, a number that continued to grow.  By the time the school became co-educational in 1989, a further 140 girls were admitted into the Sixth Form.

The number of female teachers also gradually increased prior to the school becoming co-educational in 1989.  Mrs Dalton (OH Staff 1975), joined the staff body briefly, and was recorded as a form teacher in the Junior School.  Miss Romanis (OH Staff 1977) briefly taught Woodwork at the school, while Mrs Dunham (OH Staff 1979-82) also taught in the Junior School.  In the 1980s, Mrs Imrie (OH Staff 1982) taught French, Mrs Duffy (OH Staff 1982-87) taught Geography, Miss Davison (later Mrs Dyson, OH Staff 1984-95) taught Music, Mrs Dex (OH Staff 1984-2008) taught Art and Mrs Sinkler (OH Staff 1984-2018) taught in the Junior School.  In 1985, Mrs Thomas (OH Staff 1985-96) joined the Junior School as the first female Deputy Head there and a year later, Mrs Aldred (OH Staff 1986) briefly taught French and Mrs Tipper (OH Staff 1986-88) taught Art.  In 1987, four more female teachers joined the school; Mrs Chorlton (OH Staff 1987-2006) as Senior Mistress and English teacher, Mrs Green (OH Staff 1987-2003) in the Science Department, Mrs Wright (OH Staff 1987-99), Geography and Mrs Bushby (OH Staff 1987-2011) in the Junior School.  A year before the school became co-ed, Mrs Powell (OH Staff 1988-2006) joined the Language Department, Mrs Rennie (OH Staff 1988-2000) joined the Science Department and Mrs Moore (OH Staff 1988-89) taught Chemistry.  By the time of the school's centenary in 1993, four years after the school went co-educational, there were 19 teaching staff, almost a third of the staff teaching body.

In 1983, a new Headmaster arrived at the school in the form of Bryan Bass (Headmaster 1983-90) and within a few months, he realised that for the school to remain financially healthy through the next few decades, co-education was going to be important.  He considered a mixed education in the school to be desirable both in principle and in practice.  In principle, to educate the sexes separately was to create an unnatural situation which is no preparation for life and in practice, as Hymers had to compete in the market-place.  A business which sets its sights on only half the available market is putting itself at a severe disadvantage.

Mr Bass had expected little opposition during the initial discussions, especially since the School Debating Society in 1980 had argued with reference to admitting girls to the school that 'Hymers is a maladjusted microcosm causing its inmates irreparable psychological damage'.  However, this was not the case and he found that many Governors, former students and others who felt that they had the best interests of the school at heart, did not want to see a change to the traditions of the school that they loved.  And so, despite the overwhelming support of most of the staff, the first attempt to turn Hymers into a co-educational school failed.

In 1987, Mr Bass tried again, and again the decision was made that Hymers was not yet ready to become a mixed school.  However, there was a mood change in the Governing Body and Mr. Stephen Martin (then Deputy Chairman, latterly Chairman, of the Governors) came into the Senior Common Room one break time to explain to the staff that negotiations were at a delicate stage, that nothing could be done in a hurry and that patience was necessary.  The following year his approach was vindicated and at a Governors' meeting on 10 August 1988, a decision was made that as from September 1989, Hymers College would admit girls at the ages of 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 16, and that, therefore, by September 1991, there would be girls at every level in the school.

During 1988/89 girls' uniform was designed, facilities were built and changing rooms were added to the gymnasium.  Mrs. Rebecca Glover, OH Staff 1989-94, was appointed as girls' Games/PE specialist, and Mrs. Mary Chorlton, OH Staff 1987-2006, of the English Department was given responsibility for girls' welfare.

So, with the decision made to go fully co-educational, girls were admitted into the first two years of the Junior School (Years 4-5) and in the Senior School, as well as the Sixth Form, girls were admitted into the first three years (Years 7-9).  For the Senior School, a more staggered approach was adopted and for that year, there were only 21 girls in Year 7, 15 girls in Year 8, and 10 girls in Year 9.  At that time, a school year usually consisted of approximately 100 students, so the girls were still very much in the minority.

A decision was made that initially some forms would be mixed and some all boys to avoid very small numbers of girls in any form.  On the first day of the school term in 1989, there were on roll in the combined Junior and Senior Schools, 919 pupils of whom 788 were boys and 131 were girls (14%).  Now, 35 years later, Hymers College has a roughly equal split of girls and boys.

For a day or two, it was bizarre to watch very little girls walking down the corridors of Hymers carrying hockey sticks which were almost taller than they themselves.  Within a week it all seemed natural and we wondered what all the fuss was about. 

In the Junior School, the girls also settled in well and quickly became absorbed in as many activities as the boys.  Indeed, all the girls entering the school at eight came from co-educational schools and so for them, unlike us, there had been no change.

Mr Neil King, OH Staff 1974-2006, Director of Sixth Form and Head of English

Research thanks to Hymers College: The First Hundred Years (Chapter 8), written by Neil King OH Staff 1974-2006

Related Articles:

• Trailblazing Girls at Hymers: Jackie Sprinz
• Trailblazing Girls at Hymers: Véronique Bouchet
• Co-Education Memories from Headmaster, Mr Morris
• Co-Education Memories from Mrs Chorlton
• Co-Education Memories from Junior School Headmaster, Mr Bingham
• Remembering the Birth of Rev. John Hymers
• The Later Life of John Hymers
• The Life of John Hymers (from The Hymerian 1955)