WAC was in a difficult position from the start because it was too hostile toward the clubs for some women who socialize there and too amicable for many others.

"Many of us have attended club functions andbeen members' 'dates' to many events, whether aHasty Pudding Show or a Fly punching party," readthe text of WAC's original petition, whichappeared as an advertisement in The Crimson lastSeptember.

"More often than not, we have benefited in manyrespects from the free beverage, food, or fun,"the ad continued.

WAC was able to gain the conditional support ofthe Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) later inSeptember, but only by preparing an alternateversion of the petition. That version was gearedtoward women who had previously boycotted finalclubs and who did not agree with theadvertisement's amicable tone.

Perhaps the most disappointing development forWAC organizers has been the boycott's failure tohave any appreciable effect.

Fly Club President Robert M. Carlock '95 saysthat although some women did boycott his club, theprotest did not affect the club's decision onwhether to go co-ed (please see related story,this page).

"I think that the general consensus was thatthe idea of a boycott is also misguided," Carlocksays. "As much as we enjoy having our femalefriends at the club to the extent that they canbe, the reason we join the club is not to have ourfriends over, it's the club experience."

Whether they believe in singlesex institutionsor not, some students say the answer to theongoing debate about final clubs lies withHarvard.

"By simply severing ties with the final clubs,Harvard probably distanced itself from thesolution as well as the problem," says Kaleil D:Isaza '94-'95, a member of one of the all-maleclubs. "We all want to be part of the solution."

If You Can't Join 'Em...

But not all women were devoted to WAC's cause;some made serious efforts not to join the all-malefinal clubs, and chose to start groups of theirown.

The Lynx Club was born in February, when asmall group of undergraduate women receivedinvitations to tea at the Ritz-Carlton from thegroup's "President and Members." The wax-sealedinvitations were delivered to people's doors inthe same way that final club punch notices aresent.

But unlike the final clubs, the Lynx has noclub house and accepts first-years as members. TheLynx women, like the women who organized WAC, areessentially friendly to the all-male clubs.

In fact, six of the 18 women who joined theLynx this year were already members of anotherexclusive all-female organization--a chapter ofthe Kappa Alpha Theta female "fraternity" formedby Harvard women in January of last year.

The membership of both groups is secret, butThe Crimson has learned that the Lynx's foundingpresident, Nicole Jampol '94, was also a foundingmember of Theta. Melissa B. Fisher '94, JenniferW. Grove '94 Cary S. Gunther '97, Janie A. Ho '96and Margaret L. Roberts '96 are also members ofboth Theta and the Lynx.

Sources say the Lynx patterned itself on theBee, the oldest of the all-female pseudo finalclubs. The Bee registered with the state as anon-profit corporation in January 1992.