New military school honors the South

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Tuesday, July 29, 2003 | By Jon Dougherty

[JohnHuang2]

A new Tennessee-based, all-male military school hopes to bring back the traditions of the original Virginia Military Institute by focusing on Christian principles and teaching the history and heritage of the Deep South.

Flag of the Southern Military Institute.

The Southern Military Institute – founded Aug. 20, 1997, by Dr. Michael J. Guthrie, a 1977 VMI graduate – is still in the planning and organizational stages, but officials say they are seeking qualified student applicants and will break ground on a new campus as soon as land can be procured.

"Realistically, it will probably be fall 2004 before we begin classes," he told WorldNetDaily. He says he expects 30 students to be enrolled initially; more than 100 have applied, he said.

Guthrie, a lieutenant colonel in charge of a field artillery battalion in the U.S. Army Reserve, said board members are negotiating for a 450-acre plot of land in Shelbyville, Tenn., south of Nashville. He said construction would begin immediately after land had been procured.

According to a published description, the school will offer students degrees in engineering and sciences that will emphasize "the foundations of Christian faith and morality." Classes will also focus on "the history of Western Civilization, American politics, Constitutional studies and military history."

"SMI will be steeped in Southern tradition and will re-establish the all-male Corps of Cadets, the Gentleman's Honor System, the 'Brother-Rat' Class System and the traditional 'Ratline' basic-training system," says the description. "SMI will sponsor programs that advance the knowledge and awareness of Southern history and culture, including the honoring of Confederate Memorial Day and New Market Day, which celebrates the valor of the VMI cadets at the Battle of New Market, Va., on the 15th of May, 1864."

An account of the ratline posted at VMI's website says it is "an indoctrination experience that is designed to instill and reinforce personal character traits that will serve you throughout your life."

"Rats," a term given to first-year students, endure a program "specifically tailored to foster self-confidence and physical conditioning in new cadets by creating training situations, stressful enough to demonstrate that the new cadets are capable of performing tasks which surpass their previously self-imposed mental and physical limits," says VMI. The program is run by senior cadets.

"The new cadets can expect to participate in forced marches, pugil stick fights, high-level entries into water, obstacle courses, rappelling, rock climbing and runs up to five miles," says VMI.

The Virginia institute's ratline became a subject of controversy when, in 1996, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled women must be accepted into the previously all-male, state-supported school. Critics of the school said the ratline was too harsh for women, but VMI still requires men and women cadets to be subjected to it.

School founders and organizers say they are working to get the college accredited. They also say students must first enlist with Army and Air National Guard units as a prerequisite to attending SMI.

"SMI offers a traditional Southern military education, training young men to be leaders and citizen soldiers using the proven and established 'whole man' concept," says the school's narrative. "The founders and the Board of SMI believe that a strong Christian foundation is essential for any educational program. Therefore, SMI is first and foremost a Christian-based college."

The narrative also states, "Southern traditions that have been tarnished and almost lost will live again at SMI. The concept of an officer and a Southern gentleman will be the standard, not the exception."

"Honesty, integrity, courtesy and respect for all men and women regardless of race, position or economic standing will be taught and required," it says.

Guthrie said he and fellow administrators had received "about 50" letters of complaint over the past six years since the concept of SMI was developed. Most branded the school racist, but, he said, with each bout of negative publicity, "we were inundated with requests from potential financial backers who would contact us and ask us what they could do to help."

"We've had much more positive feedback," he said.

Guthrie said the school would not be accepting any federal or state funding, so administrators are confident they can keep the school completely independent.

[JohnHuang2]

Tuesday, July 29, 2003

Quote of the Day by Liz

[goldstategop]

Bump! That's good. Otherwise the liberals will infiltrate, subvert and destroy it as they succeeded in doing to VMI.

[JohnHuang2]

Bump!

[Rodney King]

bump

[Rodney King]

bump

[Capriole]

Too bad they don't have separate-but-equal facilities for the young ladies. I have a gorgeous fifteen-year-old daughter who wears Varina Davis tee-shirts to school and would like nothing better than to study Southern Christian traditions and values while learning how to build things and blow them up.

[stainlessbanner]

Hurrah!

[Tax-chick]

It will be a great thing if it gets going. Shelbyville is a very nice area.

[arly]

This sounds Great!..

[Constitution Day]

BTTT!

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[wasp69]

Big loud Dixie bump!

[vollmond]

This school will be sued out of existance, or forced to change. Count on it.

[SuziQ]

Too bad they don't have separate-but-equal facilities for the young ladies.

Folks are free to start one if there is sufficient interest!

[arly]

this reminds me of the footage of VMI in the movie Gods and Generals. That was an awesome sight the best part of the movie imho.

[hedgetrimmer]

"Honesty, integrity, courtesy and respect for all men and women regardless of race, position or economic standing will be taught and required," it says.

Huzzah!

[archy]

Too bad they don't have separate-but-equal facilities for the young ladies. I have a gorgeous fifteen-year-old daughter who wears Varina Davis tee-shirts to school and would like nothing better than to study Southern Christian traditions and values while learning how to build things and blow them up.

Norwich Forever.

-archy-/-

[SCDogPapa]

DIXIE BUMP!!!

[Moose4]

Wow, this is still in the works? I remember reading about this on the Dixienet website (the old League of the South website) years ago.

Good luck to them, I hope it works out. While I think that the "sky is falling" predictions haven't quite come true with VMI and The Citadel being opened to women, they still should've been left all-male. And PC is slowly squeezing the Southern traditions and heritage out at both schools. I wouldn't be totally surprised if the "Star of the West" festivities disappear at The Citadel or the liberal weens in Lexington start whining to have the Jackson statues on the VMI campus pulled down.

Stick to your guns, boys. God bless!

}:-)4

[stand watie]

HUZZAH!

[Capriole]

I don't think there would be much interest. How many beautiful and elegant young ladies are in the JROTC and NRA, go to pro-war demonstrations, break horses for a hobby, have started their own high school equestrian team, and have built a website dedicated to the study of mid-nineteenth century material culture and social psychology for teenage historic reenactors? Not very many. This kid is an Army of One, as they say.

[Redbob]

And The Webb School in nearby Bell Buckle would be the perfect feeder institution!

[thatdewd]

BTTT!

[PAR35]

There are enough financially troubled small liberal arts colleges scattered around that I would have though it would have been cheaper to buy an already built campus rather than starting from scratch.

In Atlanta, Morris Brown recently lost its accreditation, and there would be a certain irony if that location could be acquired.

[lentulusgracchus]

Stick to your guns, boys. God bless!

Bump for a good sentiment!

[Thorondir]

May all good luck and an abundance of God's blessings fall upon them.

[MetalHeadConservative35]

the left builds a gay school,we build a southern one...

just a random thought thats all,

another thing..while im from michigan and would be classified as a damn yankee on here i have one thing to say to my reb counterparts

if theres ever been a better reason to fly your stars and bars...nows the time (yes im asking for a rebel flag on this thread)

[Non-Sequitur]

the left builds a gay school,we build a southern one...

Looks like neither one is going to have to worry about any co-ed hanky panky among the student body.

[4CJ]

BUMP! I wish I had a son to send. I wish them well. Deo vindice.

[AppyPappy]

Hmmm....Where's that boy of mine?

[varina davis]

Long overdue and much needed. I had the privilege of hearing the original proposal a few years ago and am so happy the plans are ongoing.

[4CJ]

Good afternoon ma'am. I am glad that it is opening, I'll support it any way I can. Deo vindice.

Guthrie said the school would not be accepting any federal or state funding, so administrators are confident they can keep the school completely independent.

I pray for their success.