Girls are now walking the halls at a longtime all-boys school in Delafield.
Tuesday is St. John's Northwestern Military Academy's 135th anniversary, and they're celebrating with a co-ed campus. Out of about 200 students enrolled, 12 are young women.
When the school opened in 1884, there were girls in class for a couple years, and again for a short time in the 70s, but there were no female graduates. President Dr. Jack Albert said accepting girls was a long time coming.
"One of the big changes was letting everyone know that was a bit of a firestorm," said Dr. Jack Albert, St. John's Northwestern Military Academy.
The school focused on adding female barracks, more bathrooms, and additional security to accommodate the girls.
8th grader Carmen Butler likes knowing she is one of the first ladies to walk these halls.
"I think it's really exciting to be able to like tell people like I'm one of the only girls at a military academy," said Carmen Butler.
The change caught sophomore Zoie Dana off guard.
"I'm not gonna lie I started crying," said Zoie Dana.
Dr. Albert said adding females is more than a business decision.
"Look what we do for leadership for young men why should we not do that for young women," said Dr. Albert.
