An important time of change: a new headmaster, computers, girls and leisure in the ‘70s. Lou Gnerre began teaching in 1957 and followed Bud Moore as Headmaster working to advance the school with the addition of girls and computers.
If not for a wrong turn, New Hampton would not have had the pleasure of Lou Gnerre on campus. He would stay for over thirty years (1957-1988). During Mr. Gnerre’s tenure at New Hampton School, he was appointed headmaster during a pivotal time of returning to co-education. In the ‘70s, the country was feeling the pressure of the Vietnam war, New Hampton School was no exception. With less male students applying, T. Holmes Moore and Lou Gnerre decided that it would benefit the school to bring girls back to campus and why not take minds off the Vietnam war with a Digital Corp. PDP 8-L computer.
In the Spring of 1969, a “long-range planning committee” was formed to talk about co-education. The committee consisted of faculty, alumni, parents, students, and townspeople. The main reason behind bringing girls back to campus was economics. The admissions office was limited in enrolling qualified students if the selection was a pool of boys only. T. Holmes Moore put forth four options: 1) remain the same, 2) bring in 30-50 day students girls, 3) go co-ed by 1970 by adding new facilities, or 4) utilizing the recent purchased Wolfe Estate slightly south of campus. It was the decision of the group to adopt number three and go coeducation in 1970.
