Few Get WAC Mailbox Flyers

Earlier this week, when the Fly Club reversed last year's decision to admit women as members, few students protested--or even seemed to care.

Even Women Appealing for Change (WAC), a group of undergraduate women which shot to prominence last year with their boycott of Harvard's all-male final clubs, was barely heard.

WAC officials said they had planned to distribute flyers reading. "We're still here, they're still sexist--Boycott all-male finals clubs," to all undergraduate mailboxes.

But they were turned away by mailroom supervisors all over campus.

Members said they called all the house mailrooms, but in some cases were told the flyers would not be put in individual boxes.

WAC co-chair Rebecca H. Ewing '95 blamed house mail distribution policies that "have been getting stricter and stricter."

Only students living Eliot House, Kirkland House and at the Quad received WAC flyers in their mailboxes protesting the decision.

"I remember getting it...there was just a big box in the mailroom where people were throwing them out," said Eliot House resident Don L. Hayer '97.

Some students said they didn't realize WAC had responded to the Fly Club vote.

"I've heard of the organization because I've been around for four years," said Adams House resident Celerie L. Kemble '95. But Kemble said she hasn't noticed any publicity lately.

Other students said they haven't even heard of WAC.

But WAC officials said they have tried to make their viewpoint visible this week. In addition to distributing flyers, three of the four co-chairs wrote a letter to The Crimson on Tuesday expressing their "deep frustration and anger" over the recent vote.

"We were waiting to get the flyers out sometime after the Fly's decision," Ewing said.

The flyers were not intended as a reaction to that specific decision, she said. "We wanted to let people know we're still around and not to attend all-male clubs," Ewing said.

WAC members said they will hold an introductory meeting next week in order to introduce their plans for this year.

WAC hopes that their recent publicity will spark "worthwhile debate and make women and men think about what their decisions to be involved in these clubs mean," said co-chair Sarah E. Winters '95.