WAC Magazine

APRIL | MAY 2015

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30 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | APRIL / MAY 2015 T HE IDEA OF ALLOWING single women to become Club members was not part of the original WAC plan. Such privilege was to be given to the wives of members only. Seattle's unmarried businesswomen and widows, however, had something to say about that. According to a Seattle Daily Times article of 1932, which described the formation of the Associate Women's category: "Obtaining a husband was too high a price to pay for membership, the bachelor girls thought; likewise the widows, who although they ardently wished to join the Club still preferred their independence." Soon after the Club's opening, the bylaws were modified. A special membership initiation fee and dues for women were agreed upon, and the WAC's pathway to long-term success was paved. At first, the Club's governing committee determined that 100 women would be admitted to membership, but the list quickly grew to include 200 female members. The Associate Women's member- ship category continued until the mid-1980s, when the introduction of individual memberships for men and women equalized membership across genders. The Associate Women of old stand as an important part of the WAC legacy, but they are just the beginning of the story. Today at the WAC, working single women are meeting mentors, connecting socially and professionally, and supporting each other's development and achievements—at the Clubhouse and far beyond our walls. MEMBERSHIP WITHOUT MARRIAGE An excerpt from a Seattle Post- Intelligencer editorial of September 19, 1932, explains how the WAC brought to Seattle a definite and unheralded change in civic life and guaranteed the Club's success at the same time: "e idea is so simple that one wonders why it had not been discovered long ago. It is the growth of a family club out of a men's club without loss to the men and with infinite gain to women and children." With the inclusion of families came an infusion of creativity for Club activities. A "Supper-Dance/ Boxing and Wrestling" event drew men to the ringside. At the final bell, the women coaxed their husbands to the dance floor. Dads chaperoned the mayhem of Boys' Splash and Slumber Parties. Women organized guest speakers, golf tournaments, bridge games, and more. Today, in addition to a wealth of athletic and professional pursuits, the WAC counts more than 300 social events a year. Much of the packed calendar can be attributed to the diverse interests of families. e Club's early decision to open membership to both genders, meanwhile, can only be described as ahead of its time. Eight decades later, women make up nearly half of today's U.S. workforce and more than half of U.S. college students. A new club within the Club, Women of the WAC, helps connect professional women with each other and with Seattle-area leaders. e strategic, considerate and appropriate inclusion of women and children was a bold step in early WAC history and one we will always celebrate. With the inclusion of families came an infusion of creativity for Club activities. —Suzie Schofield is a Seattle-area freelance writer. J O H N B A N G

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