Fly Places Tradition On Trial at Clubs

More than a hundred years of all-male tradition may end this year if, as expected, the Fly Club's graduate board approves the undergraduate's recent decision to admit women to the all-male final club.

Many members of the Harvard community hope that the Fly's move will lead to similar decisions by the other eight clubs. Others believe that even if all the clubs vote to go co-ed, it would only be the first step in reforming a system they say is still elitist in nature.

"Sex discrimination is not acceptable and finally Fly Club members have realized this," said Radcliffe Union of Student's Co-president Maura H. Swann '95.

"But the struggle to end all types of oppression is much larger than the scope of Women Appealing for Change [a newly formed undergraduate group asking clubs to admit women]. Therefore I am not and would not be satisfied with the clubs' move simply to go co-ed," she said.

For the administration, the Fly Club's decision to admit women would be sufficient cause to reconsider the organization for official University recognition, which was withdrawn almost a decade ago because of the final clubs' single-sex status.

"The College has long argued that women should be treated as equal members of Harvard," said Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III in an interview yesterday.

"If they apply for recognition we would give them very sympathetic consideration," Epps said.

Dean of the College Fred L. Jewett `57 said the University will consider official recognition of the Fly as long as there are no club rules discriminating on the basis of sex, race, religion, gender, or national origin.

"There isn't anything in our rules or guidelines saying that a club can't be selective of its members," Jewett said.

"People can have a social club where the members are their friends," he said.

While the decision of the Fly's undergraduatesis contingent upon approval of the graduate board,a Fly Club member interviewed yesterday said hethought the majority of the club's graduatemembers would support the undergraduates' proposalto admit women.

He said most graduate Fly members polledrecently by club officers said they approved ofthe plan.

A graduate of the Delphic, A. Clinton Allen '67said he strongly supports the Fly's decision andhas previously urged Delphic members to admitwomen to the club. "The clubs are part of thefabric of the University and since the Universityis co-ed, the clubs should be co-ed."

Most of the final clubs were established by theturn of the century. When women moved into Harvarddorms in 1970, the nine clubs remained all-male.

Though some graduates are reluctant to seetheir clubs change from the way they were whenthey were undergraduates, Allen, who voiced hisopinion in response to a request for money duringa Delphic fundraising event, said that having twodaughters at Harvard had changed his opinion.

"I would find it very hard to support anyorganization that wouldn't let my daughters in,"he said.

Clubs count on alumni for financial support, sothe opinions of alumni can prove a major factor inthe considerations of other clubs.

Although the group Women Appealing forChange has made headlines recently for their"friendly" boycott of final clubs, Fly PresidentScott B. Logan '94 said the Fly members reachedtheir decision independently.

Lars Kroijer '94, president of the Inter-ClubCouncil, said the Fly's vote will not affect theclub's status as a member of the council, and hethinks the Fly's decision may affect other clubs.

But members of the Owl and Spee clubs deniedlast night that the Fly's move would have anyeffect on their organizations. Some clubs areknown to have held votes in the past on whether toadmit women.

Spee "punch-master" Ryan K. Berglund '95 says"the Fly Club is going to be an experiment."

But while club members will be watching closelyto see how the Fly will change if women areadmitted, Berglund says he does not think theFly's decision means that other clubs will change.

Berglund says admitting women to the club hasalways been a topic of conversation, but the Speehas no plans to take a formal vote of its members.

An Owl Club member says that at an informalmeeting last week, the topic of going co-ed wasnot raised. He says that most of his club'smembers want the club to remain all male, and willnot feel pressured by the Fly's decision.

Despite the recent developments, the topic ofadmitting women is not widely discussed amongmembers, members say.

"The overall attitude isn't hostile, but one ofindifference," the Owl members says. "No one talksabout it. It's life as usual."

A small minority of members are in favor ofadmitting women, the Owl member says, but "theydon't feel strongly enough about it in a meetingto bring it up."

The Fly Club's undergraduates reachedtheir decision to propose admitting women to theclub at a meeting on Sunday.

According to one Fly member, some members whoattended the meeting were initially opposed toadmitting women, but after a lengthy debate thegroup was able to reach a consensus.

"If we thought [some members] would stop goingto the club, we wouldn't have done it," he said.

While Fly President Logan strongly supportedthe plan, many others who attended the meetingwere vocal in backing the proposed change,according to the same source.

The source said club members voted to go co-edbecause they felt women would augment the club.

"The clubs were established when Harvard wasall male, and it's not all male anymore," he said.

He also said that although any institution thatexcludes women is sexist, most Fly members used tobelieve that the merits of an all-male cluboutweighed the drawbacks. Now, that sentiment hasreversed.

The Fly member said he thinks that if the FlyClub admits women, more non-members will attendclub events. Women who previously refused to go toFly parties will now feel more comfortable doingso, he said--whether or not they belong to theorganization.CrimsonJamie W. BillettThe Fly Club building on Mt. AuburnStreet.

While the decision of the Fly's undergraduatesis contingent upon approval of the graduate board,a Fly Club member interviewed yesterday said hethought the majority of the club's graduatemembers would support the undergraduates' proposalto admit women.

He said most graduate Fly members polledrecently by club officers said they approved ofthe plan.

A graduate of the Delphic, A. Clinton Allen '67said he strongly supports the Fly's decision andhas previously urged Delphic members to admitwomen to the club. "The clubs are part of thefabric of the University and since the Universityis co-ed, the clubs should be co-ed."

Most of the final clubs were established by theturn of the century. When women moved into Harvarddorms in 1970, the nine clubs remained all-male.

Though some graduates are reluctant to seetheir clubs change from the way they were whenthey were undergraduates, Allen, who voiced hisopinion in response to a request for money duringa Delphic fundraising event, said that having twodaughters at Harvard had changed his opinion.

"I would find it very hard to support anyorganization that wouldn't let my daughters in,"he said.

Clubs count on alumni for financial support, sothe opinions of alumni can prove a major factor inthe considerations of other clubs.

Although the group Women Appealing forChange has made headlines recently for their"friendly" boycott of final clubs, Fly PresidentScott B. Logan '94 said the Fly members reachedtheir decision independently.

Lars Kroijer '94, president of the Inter-ClubCouncil, said the Fly's vote will not affect theclub's status as a member of the council, and hethinks the Fly's decision may affect other clubs.

But members of the Owl and Spee clubs deniedlast night that the Fly's move would have anyeffect on their organizations. Some clubs areknown to have held votes in the past on whether toadmit women.

Spee "punch-master" Ryan K. Berglund '95 says"the Fly Club is going to be an experiment."

But while club members will be watching closelyto see how the Fly will change if women areadmitted, Berglund says he does not think theFly's decision means that other clubs will change.

Berglund says admitting women to the club hasalways been a topic of conversation, but the Speehas no plans to take a formal vote of its members.

An Owl Club member says that at an informalmeeting last week, the topic of going co-ed wasnot raised. He says that most of his club'smembers want the club to remain all male, and willnot feel pressured by the Fly's decision.

Despite the recent developments, the topic ofadmitting women is not widely discussed amongmembers, members say.

"The overall attitude isn't hostile, but one ofindifference," the Owl members says. "No one talksabout it. It's life as usual."

A small minority of members are in favor ofadmitting women, the Owl member says, but "theydon't feel strongly enough about it in a meetingto bring it up."

The Fly Club's undergraduates reachedtheir decision to propose admitting women to theclub at a meeting on Sunday.

According to one Fly member, some members whoattended the meeting were initially opposed toadmitting women, but after a lengthy debate thegroup was able to reach a consensus.

"If we thought [some members] would stop goingto the club, we wouldn't have done it," he said.

While Fly President Logan strongly supportedthe plan, many others who attended the meetingwere vocal in backing the proposed change,according to the same source.

The source said club members voted to go co-edbecause they felt women would augment the club.

"The clubs were established when Harvard wasall male, and it's not all male anymore," he said.

He also said that although any institution thatexcludes women is sexist, most Fly members used tobelieve that the merits of an all-male cluboutweighed the drawbacks. Now, that sentiment hasreversed.

The Fly member said he thinks that if the FlyClub admits women, more non-members will attendclub events. Women who previously refused to go toFly parties will now feel more comfortable doingso, he said--whether or not they belong to theorganization.CrimsonJamie W. BillettThe Fly Club building on Mt. AuburnStreet.