The Bee, as it came to be known, survived untilthe beginning of the century, before it wasinterrupted by the first World War.

In the late 1980s, a group of Harvard womendecided they wanted a female version of theall-male final clubs already on campus. Deborah E.Lipson '95, a former Bee president, says aRadcliffe alum told the budding organization ofthe Civil War group and the 14 founding membersadopted the name "the Bee."

Lipson says the club was originally formed as asocial outlet.

"It never felt like a sorority, but it was morea group of women who were looking for otherinteresting women to talk to," Lipson says."Nothing was required, nothing was expected frommembers. You got out what you put in."

In those days, Lipson says Bee activitiesranged from weekly coffees to an annual boozecruise with informal club lunches on the side.

"I don't think people realized the type offriendships that were being made," Lipson says."There were people making connections that wouldlast a lifetime."

Still, Lipson says the Bee decision to keep theclub a secret initially led to a checkeredreception on campus.

"Their attitude at the time was to keep thingsquiet until they felt secure enough to go public,"Lipson says, explaining that attempts to formother female clubs had failed in the past. "Itsort of came off as being super-snobby,super-exclusive, kind of cagey."

Bee All That You Can Bee

Today, club members say that negative--andinaccurate--stereotype persists.

While still a small group, the club, whichbegan with 14 founding members, inducted 22undergraduate women in last semester's punch.

"The new officers seem to say this is themoment that the club can start making money whichwould lead to having a house and being able to domore things," says Medora S. Bross '00, a recentlyinducted member.

And Bee members say they are proud to be partof the organization.

"I never thought I would join a sorority-typeorganization, but I was just impressed with thepeople," says Beth A. Stewart '00, president ofthe Undergraduate Council. "I liked the fact thatwe were all compatible."

"I have the same distaste for meaningless,hollow talk that most people do," she adds. "Theconversations were less superficial than I thoughtthey would be."