This is almost the definition of an unexpected find–a petition signed by the better part of the female students, asking simply that they be allowed to play tennis on the campus women’s courts with friends who weren’t enrolled at the Institute:
It’s mildly interesting as evidence of how protected the young women were at this time, but it was Dr. Lovett’s response that produced a chuckle:
What a different world this was! No explanations, no attempt to placate, no administrative gobbledygook, just an immediately comprehensible “no”.
And that was that.
Bonus: Here’s the first signatory, Camille Waggaman, on those same courts.
