In a summer full of joy

Don Holb is a freshman in the United States Naval Academy, and he is still in a difficult adaptation period known as "plebe summer". Sander Owen is a first-class student. One day in July 1979, when Holb was still used to intensive memory training in college, Owen ordered him to recite the lunch menu. From this story, Lucian Perkins, a photojournalist, reunited with Sander Owen and Don Holb, graduates of the Naval Academy. Thirty years later, his photos captured the new school of gender dynamics.

Video: According to a contemporary report in Washington post, a naval soldier met his opponent again. Related content relives a landmark history of Samuel Eliot Morrison-a Woodstock moment-4 years later, he talked endlessly about Swiss cheese, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, sea rolls, almond biscuits, lemon iced tea, milk ... er ... madam.

"Did I hear Salami, Mr. Holb?"

she didn't, she demanded. She should have. Holb and his fellow civilians pulled their chins like nervous turtles, a punishment gesture called "Cheer up". Now, he is preparing for a storm of words.

"I don't remember what words she used, but I remember her tone," recalled Lucian Perkins, an intern present at the time, who was filming the summer ceremony in Plejby. He patted the shutter.

Until 1976, the college was an exclusive field for boys. At that time, 81 girls were admitted, accounting for about 6% of the freshmen. In 1979, the senior freshman class included girls for the first time in the college's 134-year history. The picture of a woman scolding a man is so rare that it made the front page of Washington post.

However, Holb didn't fully understand the meaning. He said, "We know this is the first time to take a women's class, which is a historic thing, but when you are yelled at, whether it is him or her."

A day or two later, Owen opened the dormitory door and reached for her daily post. Sure enough, the photo appeared on the first page. "Oh, [cursing]," she recalled, a few minutes later, one of her male classmates rushed into the room and he slammed down the newspaper. "Owen recalled," he looked at me and said, "We were not impressed." But you know what? My parents are very proud. As long as I make my parents proud, I don't care what others think

Owen didn't go to college to express his views, but to get a low-cost education and career. She said that she used to be a "california gurls", a lively cheerleader from the Gulf city of Livermore, but she was also determined to be the first member of her family to graduate from college. Although nearly a third of lesbians learn to drop out of school (and a quarter of male students will drop out), she will stick to it in the next few weeks.

Owen has received hundreds of letters from people who have seen the photos, which have been widely distributed through the Associated Press. Some people expressed congratulations, support and even thanks. Others have death threats. (The naval investigators persisted. )

"I have never worried about my life," she said, but some of them quoted the Bible as saying that women should not be in a position of power, and I am a Christian, so I wanted to argue with them on this point. Of course, none of them signed.

Holb also squirms in the spotlight. He has been trying to mix with other civilians. Few people on campus know that his father, Mr. Staser Holb, is a vice admiral. Owen, of course not.

"I didn't want any special attention or help, so I didn't tell her," said Holb. He accepted some ridicule from senior students, mainly because of his poor supporting posture (chin is not deep enough), but for him, this scene soon ended.

Owen agrees that when she started working for the CIO of the Pentagon the next year, it was all over. But one day, her boss found an excuse to let her go to the office of Deputy Admiral Holb.

"You can see people around you start snickering because they know who I am. "I was thinking,' Oh, my God, I'm dead,'" she said, but he came out from behind the table, shook my hand and smiled. He said, "If my son forgets something, he should be scolded."

As a public official, Owen served in the navy for 8 years and in the reserve for 3 years. She rejoined the reserve in 1999 and was mobilized for nearly two years after September 11, 21. Now a captain, she plans to retire next summer.

She was single until last year, when she married Steve Young ("At 5, I became young!" " She said,

During her 22 years as a naval officer, Holb spent most of her time on a nuclear submarine (coincidentally, women are still prohibited from serving there). He retired in 25 and became an enforcer. Now he is 48 years old and works in a private defense contractor in Virginia. He lives with his wife Jayme, a lawyer. His three children have all grown up.

As for Perkins, he was hired by the Post a few months after filming Encounter and worked for the newspaper for 27 years. He won several major awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes and a World News Photo of the Year award. Holb, 56, is now writing freelance at his home in Washington. His photos of Owen and Holb are hanging in the corridor.

Amanda Benson is an assistant editor of the magazine. "It's ... a historic thing," said Holb (Owen was in Annapolis in May 29). "But when you are screamed, whether it's him or her." (Lucian Perkins) Now Serve Sorrow: Owen (right) taught Holb (left) why Plebe should never forget the menu. (Lucian Perkins