Further Antedating of "Coed"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

The term "co-eds" was used in a student publication of the University
of Michigan called "The Chronicle" in 1877 and 1878. Here are three
citations. The sense in the October 13, 1877 is not very clear. The
citations in the April 6, 1878 and June 8, 1878 do seem to refer to
female students.

Date: October 13, 1877
Periodical: The Chronicle
Volume: 9
Published by: the Students of University of Michigan, The Chronicle
Association of Ann Arbor, Michigan
Article: Things Chronicled
Quote Page 12, Column 2

http://books.google.com/books?id=GUfiAAAAMAAJ&q=%22+co-eds%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
We would suggest that a convention of co-eds. he called, and a
committee be appointed to wait on President Eliot, in regard to his
pamphlet of last year. If he doesn't repent of his course, then our
powers of observation go for naught.
[End excerpt]


Date: April 6, 1878
Periodical: The Chronicle
Volume: 9
Published by: the Students of University of Michigan, The Chronicle
Association of Ann Arbor, Michigan
Article: Things Chronicled
Quote Page 189, Column 1

http://books.google.com/books?id=GUfiAAAAMAAJ&q=%22+co-eds%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
Two of the co-eds at Northwestern can sing base. So says the Vidette.
[End excerpt]


Date: June 8, 1878
Periodical: The Chronicle
Volume: 9
Published by: the Students of University of Michigan, The Chronicle
Association of Ann Arbor, Michigan
Quote Page 252, Column 2

http://books.google.com/books?id=GUfiAAAAMAAJ&q=%22+co-eds%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
Chalk down another one for the freshman. Two of these gentlemen have
the good fortune to live under the same roof with two young ladies of
their class, near the suburbs of the town. The latter, taken with an
attack of the furor musicus, attempted to favor their gallant
fellow-classmen with a vocal serenade, and succeeded admirably, until
these young scions of chivalry, thinking to be funny, returned the
compliment with a blast from their horns. The indignant co-eds
returned to the house, bent upon revenge; and later in the evening
appeared again upon the scene with wrath upon their foreheads and
horns within their hands. And there beside the evergreens, so glorious
and so free, they made the most pan-demonical racket that ever greeted
mortal ears.
[End excerpt]

Garson


On Sat, Aug 30, 2014 at 10:27 PM, Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      Further Antedating of "Coed"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> coed (OED, 2., 1893)
>
> 1882 _Cornell Sun_ 15 May 2 (Online archive)  The society for promoting hig=
> her education of women have been circulating a petition to admit them -- co=
> -eds, you know -- to Columbia.
>
> Fred Shapiro=
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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