Prank Precedes Start of VMI ‘Rat Line’

The Virginia Military Institute’s first freshman class to include women started its “rat line” initiation Wednesday, hours after 30 dead rats and a sign reading “Save the Males” were found on campus.

The white laboratory rats apparently were left by pranksters from a rival school. At VMI, “rats” is the term for first-year cadets.

Coming during the week that women first arrived at the school, the incident visibly disturbed Supt. Josiah Bunting.

“It tells you a lot more about the people who would do that than the point they’re trying to make,” Bunting said. “What kind of people would do that? Sick people.”

The 458 freshmen, including 30 women, lined up at attention on the parade ground, facing screaming upperclassmen drill masters as they started their “rat line,” a six-month ordeal intended to test the limits of their physical, mental and emotional endurance.

Cadets have been trained how to avoid sexually harassing the female “rats” without compromising VMI’s harsh training regimen.