This letter (Document SB, 7) regarding the 10-College Exchange program was sent shortly after discussion of the program began in October of 1968. In the beginning stages, this program would coordinate the exchange of students between ten private Northeast colleges. Bowdoin was strongly interested in this program because it “would lead to other things”, as stated in the notes from the Ten College Exchange Meeting at North Hampton on January 8, 1969. These “other things” included the discussion of co-education, as these exchange students would be the first female Bowdoin students. This program mediated official coeducation. It was not long after that Trinity and Wellesley Colleges requested membership, thus changing the name of the program to the “Twelve College Exchange.”

As suggested by this letter, female student interest in Bowdoin was immediate. Bowdoin’s Dean of Admissions, Richard Moll, was forced to postpone the discussion of application procedures with Evelyn Banning because the program had not yet been formally approved. The Wheaton female students mentioned in this document represent a larger group of women who were excited about the prospect of receiving a Bowdoin education.

It was not until the end of January 1969 that the college information and relevant forms were to potential applicants. In 1970, the first 12 women were invited to study at Bowdoin as a part of the Twelve College Exchange. This opened the door to countless discussions of coeducation during the following years and finally to the admission of a full class of female students in the fall of 1971.

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