ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 23, 1997 TAG: 9704230041
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LEXINGTON
SOURCE: RON NIXON THE ROANOKE TIMES
"As you bring women in, the soul, the essence of VMI doesn't change,'' said Lt. Gen. Winfield W. Scott on Tuesday.
Women will make Virginia Military Institute a better school, a past superintendent of the Air Force Academy and current superintendent of the New Mexico Military Institute, told students, faculty and alumni Tuesday.
"I know how many of you feel," Lt. Gen. Winfield W. Scott said. "In 1976 when they made the announcement that the military academies were to be integrated, I was upset. But I can tell you from that experience, [the women] will do well.
"As you bring women in, the soul, the essence of VMI doesn't change. There's no reason why you can't continue all those procedures, policies and traditions when the women come in. You broaden your education," he said. "When you look back 10 years from now at this fundamental change, you'll say VMI is a better school because of it."
Scott was the featured speaker at the final session of the school's orientation program to prepare cadets for the arrival of women in the fall. Over the past year, the school has had two schoolwide orientation sessions and a number of small-group sessions covering everything from hazing to sexual harassment.
According to figures from VMI's Office of Public Relations, 61 women have been accepted to the school and 14 have paid deposits.
Scott said VMI is better prepared than any other military school to assimilate women because the institute did its homework.
"They can't see everything that's going to happen, but they are better prepared than West Point or the Naval Academy when they integrated women," he said. "I know it's going to be a success because of the hard work that went into it."
But ultimately, Scott said, the success or failure of the women's integration into the school will fall on the shoulders of the Corps of Cadets. "Everyone's watching. There's a lot of interest in what you do here at VMI," he said.
Scott cautioned cadets to watch for sexual harassment, fraternization and sexual misconduct. "When you see something starting to happen, you have to nip it in the bud. This school has a tremendous reputation. You don't want to put a blot on it because of one incident."
After Scott's speech, cadets said they thought the school had adequately prepared them for the upcoming year.
Tom Warburton, a junior from Pulaski who served on one of the assimilation committees, credited the school for taking the time to prepare cadets for the changes they will face.
"They didn't just rush into it," he said.
Conner Powell, a sophomore from Arlington, agreed: "I think the smartest thing VMI did was to take a year off and look at what happened at other schools," he said. "I think we're as prepared as we can be going into the next year."
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