
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 5, 1993                   TAG: 9306070116
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

OLD RIVALS ALSO SUPPORT VMI

I HAVE never had any affiliation with VMI. In fact, all the universities I attended have a long history of rivalry with VMI on athletic fields. I received my undergraduate degree from Marshall and law degree from George Washington, a present and a one-time rival of VMI in the Southern Conference. Since my retirement from the federal government, I have taught at Virginia Tech, once a traditional and sometimes-bitter VMI rival.

However, as a Virginian, I am proud of the history and traditions of VMI, and to destroy that in the name of political correctness would be a sad travesty. I sincerely hope that VMI officials will find a way around their problem. But if they are faced with no other choice, I would sadly but soberly recommend to the Board of Visitors that they close VMI's doors and maintain a portion of it as a museum, in lasting memory of that venerable institution and its justly proud graduates who have so ably served their country in peace and war. JAMES F. BROOKS BLACKSBURG

by CNB