F Club Members (circa 1920s)

F Club Goats (circa 1930s)

What The "F" Club is All About

          The F Club was founded in 1919 by the Florida State College for Women's Athletic Association. It provided incentive to participate in athletics while also honoring students with multiple athletic achievements. The initiation ritual of new members was a campus-wide display with F Club Goats (inductees) wearing their Fs upside down. In order to raise their club's visibility on campus, on Friday, official club members and Goats wore white with their F club letters and sang in front of the dining room after dinner. This became a part of everyday campus life, even for those who were not members. Camp Flastacowo was where the initiation ceremonies typically took place. This was also like a second home for this popular athletic fraternity. In order to become a member, a student had to play on two Odd or Even teams where she could earn a varsity letter in one school term. 

Old "F" Members tell the new girls the following:

An "F" must be:
Fearless—Faithful.
Lively—Loving. 
Original—Optimistic.
Resourceful—Respectful.
Intiative—Individualistic.
Dramatic—Determined.
Active—Alert.
Self-forgetful—Sincere.
Trustworthy—Truthful.
Alive to beauty—Attractive. 
Tireless—Tactful.
Enthusiastic—Enterprising. 

          Some of the club's rules state: Whatever comes, have a strong heart; where courage is demanded do not fail; be active every minute; never put yourself first; be faithful always; be worthy of every responsibility; "Cleanliness is next to Godliness"; strive for personal attractiveness and attain it at all costs. 

"F" Point System

          Page 43 of the Jewell Genevieve Cooper Scrapbook, circa 1924-1930 outlines the new "F" Point System which was targetting anyone who had interest in earning their college letter. In order to earn that saught after "F", a student had to accumulate 200 points in one athletic season or a total of 400 points in one year. To retain an "F" a student must obtain 50 points each semester. 

These are just some of the breakdowns on the award system:

1st place team - 50 points
2nd place team - 40 points
3rd place team - 30 points
Even or Odd Team - 75 points
Varsity team - 100 points
1st place in tennis singles or doubles - 50 points
Best all-round athlete - 50 points
Raising National Record - 25 points
Vice-President of Athletic Association - 40 points 

          The list goes on and on, further showing just how important and detailed this "F" Point System really was. To add on to the importance, this article also mentions "F" Point System Checkers. These were considered bankers that would credit a student with points (provided she has earned them) in the various sports. It is up to the students to let the bankers know what points are owed to them. Some of these bankers are listed by name and include: Alice Collins for teams in hockey and baseball, Evelyn Keck for Field Day for preliminaries passed and places in events, Annie McKay for swimming practice and more.