MONDAY: Military Stronghold Falls to Women

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LEXINGTON, Va: There's something different about the freshmen arriving today at the Virginia Military Institute. The historic school has opened its gates to 31 female cadets and officially ended its 158-year-old men-only policy.

After a six-year battle, the school finally agreed to go co-ed when the Supreme Court ruled last year that any institution accepting federal tax dollars must consider female applicants. To prevent a repeat of the Citadel fiasco, in which several female cadets said they were abused by their male colleagues, VMI's top brass promised swift punishment for any male who gets out of line.

But while the men must be on their best behavior, the school is warning the ladies not to expect a cake walk. Banned are lipstick, jewelry and sorry guys dating upperclassmen. The women must also live in the same barren dorm rooms and sport the same stuffy drill uniforms as men. Despite the rigid conditions, VMI wasn't beyond a little generosity. As the women arrived on campus today, each received a stylish buzz cut on the house.