Women's Recreation Association records

The Women's Recreation Association WRA (changed from Women's Athletic Association in 1947, signifying its intent to not be solely devoted to intramural activity) was the first women's athletic association at Ohio University. The club, originally organized in conjunction with the founding of the Department of Physical Education for Women in 1923, resulted from the men vacating the old gym, leaving the building for exclusive women's use. Ruth Carson, head of the Department of Women's Education, was primarily responsible for the founding of the WRA. The WRA granted membership on a "point" system. Points could be earned through hikes, swimming teams, volleyball and other sports. Those women taking part in many activities could join the "Flying 'O' Club".

In 1933, the WRA joined the Athletic Conference of American College Women, allowing the organization to become more national in scope. Though the club's focus was primarily intramural; they also sponsored some inter-school competitions in such sports as target shooting, swimming, and softball. The WRA served primarily to engage women students in extracurricular activities. The WRA owned and operated a small cabin in the outskirts of Athens, just off Route 50, which was purchased in 1939 and would later be open to all university coeds for a small fee. The WRA also served as an incubator for many women's athletics, so that when they became popular in their own right they "spun off" into their own separate and autonomous group. This occurred with rifle shooting, volleyball, swimming, and many other sports.

The WRA was largely subsumed by the schools broadening of the Intramural program in response to Title IX around 1970, though there is inconclusive evidence as to the actual denouement of the organization.