THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 27, 1996 TAG: 9610250023
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 23 lines
The recent decision to admit women into Virginia Military Institute is very disappointing to me. I am a high-school senior, female, and wish to pursue a military career. I am applying to both the Naval and Air Force academies. I want to be a pilot in the U.S. military, but I would never have even thought about applying to VMI.
I am a firm believer that women should be given the same opportunities as men, but when a school has been all-male for almost 200 years, let it stay that way. I understand that many students attending VMI are sons of alumni. These women are ruining the men's chance to follow in their fathers' footsteps. I don't know what the ``VMI experience'' is, but I'm sure that it is not that different from other service academies, and it is not worth destroying 200 years of tradition to experience.
FAITH HITCHCOCK
Virginia Beach, Oct. 7, 1996 by CNB