The Legal Light Justin Stack Duelling dictionaries in court battle over word "youth" Does the word "youth" include young females as well as young males? That was the pivotal question in a recent legal battle fought with duelling dictionaries in the NSW Supreme Court. At stake was whether the 162-year-old Sydney private boys school, Newington College, could admit girls to the junior school from 2026 and become fully co-educational by 2033. A group of old boys and parents strongly opposed the change. They took the case to the Supreme Court, pointing to the charitable trust deed from the Methodist Church that founded the school in 1873 "to provide an efficient course of education for youth". They said "youth" meant boys, not girls. Geoff Baldwin, business lawyer at Stacks Law Firm, says the case demonstrates the importance of being precise and unambiguous in language used in trust deeds, contracts or any other document which creates legally enforceable relationships. "Just because you think a term like 'youth' refers to young males, does not necessarily mean it will be accepted as such in court," Mr Baldwin said. Senior Counsel representing a current student at Newington, whose name was suppressed as he might be bullied at the school, said the word "youth" clearly meant boys and young men, not girls. The anti-coed lawyers produced a quote from the 1848 edition of Barclay's Universal Dictionary that defined youth as being "the part of life which is between childhood and manhood". But defence Senior Counsel representing the Newington school board, which had decided to go coed, presented definitions of youth from a dozen dictionaries that they argued showed the term could mean both young male and young female. For instance, the 1854 Webster's said it could mean a young person, male or female. The 1872 Chambers said it meant a young person. The 1882 Imperial Dictionary said it was "not invariably a young man, but collectively youth applied to "young persons". An 1891 law dictionary said it may include children and youths of both sexes. The most modern authority cited was the 2017 Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary, which said it applied to a "young person (esp. male), but also to young people when used collectively". Methodists meeting in 1873 to establish the school said it would provide education for the "children" of church members, not just boys. The defence argued the term "man" or "manhood" historically applied to both men and women. The school won the argument. In his 170-paragraph judgment, Justice Guy Parker found that the term "youth" in the 1873 trust deed was used in a "gender-neutral sense, and did not mandate male-only enrolment at the school". STACKS LAW FIRM Tim Stack Commercial Lawyer 02 6592 6592 taree.stacklaw.com.au Partners in life The Legal Light Justin Stack Duelling dictionaries in court battle over word " youth " Does the word " youth " include young females as well as young males ? That was the pivotal question in a recent legal battle fought with duelling dictionaries in the NSW Supreme Court . At stake was whether the 162 - year - old Sydney private boys school , Newington College , could admit girls to the junior school from 2026 and become fully co - educational by 2033 . A group of old boys and parents strongly opposed the change . They took the case to the Supreme Court , pointing to the charitable trust deed from the Methodist Church that founded the school in 1873 " to provide an efficient course of education for youth " . They said " youth " meant boys , not girls . Geoff Baldwin , business lawyer at Stacks Law Firm , says the case demonstrates the importance of being precise and unambiguous in language used in trust deeds , contracts or any other document which creates legally enforceable relationships . " Just because you think a term like ' youth ' refers to young males , does not necessarily mean it will be accepted as such in court , " Mr Baldwin said . Senior Counsel representing a current student at Newington , whose name was suppressed as he might be bullied at the school , said the word " youth " clearly meant boys and young men , not girls . The anti - coed lawyers produced a quote from the 1848 edition of Barclay's Universal Dictionary that defined youth as being " the part of life which is between childhood and manhood " . But defence Senior Counsel representing the Newington school board , which had decided to go coed , presented definitions of youth from a dozen dictionaries that they argued showed the term could mean both young male and young female . For instance , the 1854 Webster's said it could mean a young person , male or female . The 1872 Chambers said it meant a young person . The 1882 Imperial Dictionary said it was " not invariably a young man , but collectively youth applied to " young persons " . An 1891 law dictionary said it may include children and youths of both sexes . The most modern authority cited was the 2017 Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary , which said it applied to a " young person ( esp . male ) , but also to young people when used collectively " . Methodists meeting in 1873 to establish the school said it would provide education for the " children " of church members , not just boys . The defence argued the term " man " or " manhood " historically applied to both men and women . The school won the argument . In his 170 - paragraph judgment , Justice Guy Parker found that the term " youth " in the 1873 trust deed was used in a " gender - neutral sense , and did not mandate male - only enrolment at the school " . STACKS LAW FIRM Tim Stack Commercial Lawyer 02 6592 6592 taree.stacklaw.com.au Partners in life