University Times

Margaret E. “Peg” Covert, professor emerita and a pioneer in women’s physical education at Pitt, died of pneumonia Dec. 27, 2006. She was 95.

In a career that spanned seven Pitt chancellors’ terms, Covert held several teaching and administrative positions, including director of physical education for women in the School of Liberal Arts, forerunner of the School of Arts and Sciences.

She earned a master’s degree in education at Pitt in 1946, and joined the physical education faculty that year as assistant professor. She introduced modern dance to the University’s curriculum in 1947. In 1949 she was appointed associate professor and in 1953 she was named professor. She earned the title professor emerita in 1978.

During the 1950s Covert served as director of intramural and recreational sports and was adviser to Pitt’s first women cheerleaders. She also was president of the Faculty Club, 1956-57.

In 1959, Covert headed the first program of its kind to teach physical education to children with cerebral palsy, and that year also introduced fencing into Pitt’s physical education curriculum.

She spent 1961 on a teaching sabbatical at the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney and Teachers College, Sydney, Australia.

In the early 1970s, Covert helped establish women’s intercollegiate athletics, building up women’s gymnastics, volleyball and swimming teams to go with the basketball team. She was named head of the women’s athletics program in 1972 when she also served as president of the Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

Covert also taught physical education for primary school teachers and taught gymnastics to Pitt students. For many years, she coached the field hockey team.

In a 1998 interview with the University Times, Covert reflected on her Pitt career. She said there was some resistance to the changing roles of women. “We used to practice field hockey on the Cathedral lawn. Dean [of Women Students Helen P.] Rush didn’t like that, those bare legs out there, but, you know, you educate as you go, times change.”

Among her fondest memories were her travels on behalf of the University. “The drama department was doing a production of ‘Brigadoon’ [in 1957] and it had a little ‘road tour’ to military bases and I got to go because I was the girls’ choreographer,” she said. “Three of the show’s stops were the Azores, Iceland and Bermuda. Imagine packing for that trip!”

Covert had an abiding love for Pitt. “It’s a wonderful life at the University,” she said in 1998. “I enjoyed it so much. And of course, the students. … Watching them grow and learn was wonderful. I’ve even had babies named after me. Of course, if you spend more than 30 years in a place, you become very fond and attached to it.”

Covert is survived by a half-brother, Leland Covert.

—Peter Hart