Just as the walls barring women form the nation’s military academies have fallen, the sex barrier of Marist School’s military program has given way – but just barely. A single courageous coed, junior Sallie Knighton, is enrolled as a cadet in the Marist Air Force Junior ROTC unit.

As recently as 1974, Marist was strictly a military school for boys. But in that year, the school’s aerospace education program became optional, and this fall, Marist began admitting girls. The 153 new coeds could choose to take ROTC just as the boys could, but only Sallie did.

Though she admits, “I might not have done it if I had known no other girls were,” the 16-year-old student said she enjoys the aerospace program. “I love it. It’s fun, and I get a lot of attention, and that’s nice!”

Sallie joined 90 male cadets in the Marist ROTC unit. She serves on the school color guard, which is in charge of presentation of the flag on campus and at special events. She said she is “slowly picking up” the steps and commands of the color guard. “The guys have been really patient and nice,” she added.

The coed cadet recalled the first day of school, when she bravely wore the military uniform for the first time. “Everybody laughed and snickered. One boy saw me and yelled, ‘Sergeant, it’s a girl!’ The shoes I was wearing looked like orthopedic shoes. So I talked Sgt. (Hybert) Hardy into letting me wear another pair that are more feminine,” Sallie said. Like other cadets, she wears the Air Force blue uniform at least one day each week.

When asked if the young men in the ROTC program have accepted her properly, she replied, “Most definitely.” Sallie, a transfer student from Riverwood whose father and three brothers have attended Marist, added that she is very happy at her new school.

“I’ve never loved a school like I love this one. I think all the girls are happy, though we were scared when school started. I’ve made so many friends. I guess my brothers gave me an edge, because people knew me,” the enthusiastic coed remarked.

Miss Knighton, who aspires to be a doctor, said she is taking aerospace education “just for now” and probably won’t continue it in college. Naturally, she hopes other Marist girls will join her. “Younger girls have been asking me about it and hopefully some will join next year,” she said.

The daughter of Don and Martha Knighton of Dupree Drive NW, Sallie is active in varsity cheerleading, the yearbook staff and powder puff football. She said she is outnumbered by boys in all of her classes, and “that doesn’t bother me a bit.”