The Birth of the Women's Athletic Association (continued)

A piece in the Badger spoofed this much-touted notion of womanliness, as well as the enthusiasm displayed by the women of the WAA. The article claimed the group was founded "with the idea of instilling a more womanly womanliness in the women of Wisconsin. The general idea appears to be that if a woman runs three miles, hikes five, swims ten, and tennises fifteen in an afternoon she is a womanly woman, which is nothing if not an interesting theory."¹⁶

Over the years the WAA sponsored many clubs, including the Physical Education Club, for majors and faculty; the Dolphin Club, for swimming and diving; the Outing Club, a precursor to today's Hoofers; and Orchesis, the student dance group. The WAA controlled more than the rules of competition. In 1913, training rules were instituted, which outlawed pastry, tea, coffee, candy, or hot breads. Fruit was the only acceptable between-meal snack. Athletes were required to sleep at least 8 hours per night (except for one weekend night), and retire by 10:30 p.m.

Perhaps the biggest WAA event of the year was the May Fete. It began in 1903, when a lawn fete was held to raise money to construct a women's building. The event proved so popular that it was repeatedly annually, and the entirety of spring physical education classes were dedicated to its preparation. It showcased many of the talents of the Wisconsin women, originally including everything from dances and club swinging to singing and readings. In later years, the program was focused on a series of dances, often international in scope, with elaborate costumes for each dance number.

Although the events changed from year to year, the May Pole Dance was the cornerstone of the May Fete and was typically performed by the freshmen. In the established tradition of maypole dances, a tree or pole is decorated with flowers and long ribbons, which the dancers hold. Through the intricacies of their dance, the ribbons are woven around the pole. The pole itself, a tree salvaged from the clearing for Lathrop Hall, was used year after year. Upon the conclusion of the first May Pole Dance, the crowd pounced upon the pole and stripped it of its decorations. The following year, the women had a plan: they surrounded the pole and sang Varsity while police carried off the pole's decorations. As a countermeasure, the crowd threw the pole in Lake Mendota, where it was retrieved the next day by a brave coed.¹⁷ The last Fete was held in 1917. In the face of World War I, the event's elaborate costumes and decorations seemed rather indulgent.