Yesterday I was inducted into our UMW’s new chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, or the National Communication Honor Society. During the ceremony some of the history of UMW was brought up, which of course got me thinking about this project again. Their focus was about how communication became a subject taught/learned and eventually became the major we have now. But for me the subject sparked was that of groups at the school.
Currently, the University of Mary Washington homepage states we currently have more than 120 clubs and organizations.¹ I have no doubt this is true. The school caters to a lot of different hobbies, beliefs and views. I unfortunately never really got around to joining in any of these clubs or organizations (Minus Lamda Pi Eta) but my partner on this project Sarah has (She’s also an officer in two different clubs. Such a Busy Bee <3 )
So after the Lamda Pi Eta ceremony I decided to look further into the clubs the school has had in the past. Some of these include:
The Rifle Club [1910]
The Nightingales [1914]
Cotillion Club [1942]
Modern Dance Club [1965]
Men’s Rugby [1979]
Symfonics (Co-ed A cappella group) [2002]
Through out history UMW has had many diverse clubs and organizations. These were just a few of them. While some may no longer be in our line up, such as the rifle and cotillion clubs, dance, rugby and symfonics are still around today. Just like with my post about the school’s degree requirements this kind of makes me thing about the future and wonder what clubs that we have today will survive. What will the climate of the school be like? What will be the interest of students 50 years down the line?
Notes
1. “Clubs and Organizations – Office of Student Activities and Engagement (SAE).” University of Mary Washington. University of Mary Washington, n.d. Web. 28 April 2017.
Image Citations
1. Rifle Club, 1913. Centennial Image Collection, Fredericksburg. Special Collections and University Archives, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington. Web. 28 Apr. 2017
2. The Nightingales, 1914. 1914. Centennial Image Collection, Fredericksburg. Special Collections and University Archives, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington. Web. 28 Apr. 2017
3. Cotillion Club officers, 1942. 1942. Centennial Image Collection, Fredericksburg. Special Collections and University Archives, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington. Web. 28 Apr. 2017
4. Dance Club, 1965. 1965. Centennial Image Collection, Fredericksburg. Special Collections and University Archives, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington. Web. 28 Apr. 2017
5. Men’s Rugby, 1979. 1979. Centennial Image Collection, Fredericksburg. Special Collections and University Archives, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington. Web. 28 Apr. 2017
6. Symfonics. 2002. Centennial Image Collection, Fredericksburg. Special Collections and University Archives, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington. Web. 28 Apr. 2017
You’re right; it is interesting to see how things change: as you point out, Communication became a major and your photos point out how there was a cotillion club in the ’40’s and then a modern dance club in the ’60’s.