The University of Michigan
Skit for Annual Luncheon
April 18, 1962
FWC 40th Anniversary
Forty Years in Song and Rhyme
By Hope and Harlan Bloomer
The 1920s
‘Tis forty years, this October last
Since Faculty Women’s Club first came to pass.
A meeting was called by the new Mrs. Burton
Everyone came – you know that for certain.
In fact, fifty responded and passed a resolution
To formulate aims for a new constitution.
Three sections were formed, their hobby to pick –
The Dramatic, the Nursery, and the Athletic.
The Dramatic oft welcomed a husband as guest,
The Nursery gave mother a chance for a rest,
The Athletes were devoted to gymin’ and slimmin’
All part of the physical fitness of wimmin’.
Dances and luncheons, a reception and tea
Made faculty-wife life as gay as can be.
A building was found – old University Health
Which promised us joy in spite of itself.
It included a janitor, space, light and heat,
Where all of our numerous members could meet.
By means of our treasury, bridge and donation
We furnished our clubhouse with much compensation.
And we come now to January 1923
When Art section members first came to be.
It is an old adage that ‘music hath charms’
So a musical section was formed by the marms.
Horticultural ladies, wooing sunshine and showers
Formed a section to learn about gardens and flowers.
For a dollar a month as oft as seemed fitting
A plan was evolved for mass baby sitting.
Our numbers were growing, a happy condition
Next the Newcomers Section became an addition.
Twelve Newcomers entered their names to affix
To the membership rolls in 1926.
For the next two years our hopes soared like flying
As the League building bonds our members were buying.
The ladies worked hard and bought bonds like beavers
Since the world had not learned about “Under-achievers”.
So in nineteen hundred and twenty-nine
Our meetings were moved to environment fine.
And there, have flooded by happy tears,
The club members ended their first ten years.
The 1930s
Ah, those halcyon days – for our meetings, no rents
And the Annual Luncheon cost just fifty cents.
We had a League closet our treasures to store,
A small hideaway with a lock on the door.
This kept china and silver as safe as can be
Since few of us knew where to locate the key.
The thirties unfolded. Now membership coin
Must be paid by the members ‘ere sections they’d join.
Monthly meetings were changed to Wednesday, no doubt
Because Thursday was everyone’s maids’ day out.
A pageant was held with such talent infused
A rerun was asked. It was promptly refused.
The socially mined were soon taking chances
And luring their husbands to Faculty dances.
As the Club grew in scope and complexity
Its problems provided their share of perplexity.
Eligibility and all of the rest,
Were matters the officers tackled with zest.
Near twenty long annums now had been spent,
Yet it seemed scarce a day so swiftly it went.
The 1940s
With the war came a flurry of constant activity,
A gift for which Faculty wives have proclivity.
We raised money for E-bonds and purchased a Station
Wagon for Red Cross and thus aided the Nation.
A gay presentation of stunts, it is clear,
Celebrated our silver anniversary year.
Thus in February ‘forty-seven, anno domini,
Some four hundred wives and guests, you see,
Were entertained with skits and songs
And all that to such an occasion belongs.
In ’49 as the members increased
And activities grew, the Club thought at least
It should keep the membership informed better
And so was established the timely Newsletter.
And no sooner in print and its first mailing made
Than the Club had completed its next third decade.
The 1950s
The first half century now has passed,
The second half begun at last.
In ’54 our Board then was
At Inglis House and now still does
Meet there amid the song of linnets
To vote and listen to the minutes.
October of 1956 found Flint College establishing
A chapter of Faculty Women and wishing
To join in the Michigan tradition
Of multiplying new centers by fission.
At a Clement’s Memorial Library tea
Members of 35 years, you’ll agree
Were honored and a Club celebration was fixed
For December the second, 1956.
At the annual meeting in 1957
The constitution was changed and heaven
Was rent by the anguished cries of the blue
When dues were raised from one dollar to two!
And scarce had the members recoiled from that blow,
Than the fourth decade passed with the others in tow.
The 1960s
Instead of a document plagued with revisions
To serve as the base for our many decisions,
New By-Laws were writ without undue prolixity
Ratified and installed by the members in six-ity.
The next year we honored our Founders and all
Gathered to celebrate this in the fall.
A group formed in Dearborn had scarcely begun
Before it was chaptered in late ’61.
Now a decade has passed so the minutes by direction
Were bound and placed in the Archives of the University
of Michigan Historical Collection.
And now we’re middle-aged and forty
The years have passed but we’re still sporty.
Today was song and rhyme a plenty
Since we won’t again be two times twenty.
L’envoi
All hail to 1962
The past reviewed gives us a clue
Of what’s to come though it be cursory
Twixt now and our golden anniversary.
For our Club will be fifty years in time
While we’ll all still be thirty-nine.
