The Texas Aggie. (College Station, Tex.) 1921-current, March 20, 1942, Image 3
FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1942 Page 3 THE TEXAS AGGIE Ninet Streamlined Moves Blaze Historic Trail Administrative Heads Foresaw World Events By G. B. Winstead Ninety days after Pearl Harbor the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas—the Lone Star State’s 66-year-old land-grant school—is operating under a sys- tem of significant streamlined re- forms in college education. Process of clearing decks for war action began in May 1939 when administrative heads foresaw the import of world events. The attack on Pearl Harbor found the college already at a high peak of national defense coopera- tive efficiency—but the quarter- year that has elapsed since out- break of total war has been the beginning of a new era in collegi- ate preparation of young men for leadership in civil or military life —whatever demand the future makes upon them. Today, with the distinction of being the trail-blazer among ma- jor American colleges and univer- sities in speeding up educational machinery in order to produce, ut the request of the Government, more trained technicians for in- dustry, more agricultural leaders for production of livestock and farm commodities, and more com- missioned officers for the armed forces, A. & M. presents a unified front—its collegiate instructional facilities on a 12-month basis, its shops and laboratories on a 24- hour-a-day basis, its famed mili- tary science and tactics depart- ment producing more army offi- cers than West Point or Annapolis through senior Reserve Officers Training Corps Units in Infantry, Field Artillery, Coast Artillery, Cavalry, Ordnance Chemical War- fare, Signal Corps, Engineers and Quartermaster Corps. Brig. Gen. Frank E. Lowe, ex- ecutive officer for Reserve and R.O.T.C. Affairs, is authority for the statement that Texas A. & M. College is the only school in the United States having all nine branches of the service represent- ed in its Reserve Officer program. Directing administrator since 1925 of the Lone Star State’s old- est institution of higher education is 58-year-old Texas-born Thomas Otto Walton, educator in the rural schools of deep East Texas at the age of 16. A free thinker on mat- ters educational throughout a life- time devoted to increasing helpful knowledge of fellow Texans this determined philosopher still takes his place in the classroom despite pressure of manifold duties. Dr. Walton’s class in Administration for seniors is one of the most pop- ular of Texas A. & M.’s courses. Up from the ranks of rural school teaching, through vocation- al agriculture work, a pioneer ex- tension disciple of Dr. Seaman J. Knapp, President Walton has serv- ed as State Extension Agent, Di- rector of Extension Service and for the past 17 years has been guiding the destinies of the Col- lege through a period of tremend- ous growth and ever-widening scope of educational service. Accorded unstinted cooperation by a Board of Directors in ex- panding the services of A. & M. to students and to the Government in critical times, surrounded by able deans and faculty, Dr. Wal- ton’s leadership has kept the col- lege at a high peak of efficiency and flexibility for utmost coopera- tion throughout the National De- fense emergency period. Through- out the years of his stewardship, Dr. Walton’s progressive attitude has enabled the College to become one of the Nation’s leading insti- tutions in adapting its teaching program to the needs of the stu- dent. Final examinations, useless as indicators of a student’s mastery of a course in Dr. Walton’s opin- ion should be a thing of the past. “Any instructor who cannot judge the degree of a student’s mastery of the subject in 16 weeks of ob- servation, recitation and review quizzing should quit teaching,” Dr. Walton observes. “The Government needs officers, industry needs technicians and ag- riculture needs farm and livestock experts. It is our duty to provide wartime. 3. September, 4. 5. 6. present time. 7. September, shortest time). 1. January, army mess officers. civilian morale. War Time Log of A&M 1. May, 1939—Board of Directors authorize President T. 0. Walton to offer entire college personnel and facilities to the Government in any needed capacity. 2. June, 1939—Campaign launched urging Texas high school boys to enter institution where military training and high scholas- tic standards would better equip them for civil life in peace or 1939—Civilian launched for A. & M. students with overflow enrollment. June, 1940—Second campaign urging Texas boys to enter college resulted in record-breaking enrollment in September, 1940. July, 1940—Facilities for National Defense Cooperation of A. & M. and its branch colleges set forth in brochure and pre- sented to Government and State officials and libraries. July and August, 1940—College Directors appropriate $10,000 for improvement of Easterwood Airport, and in Febru- ary, 1941, appropriate $14,000 more. In the meantime Civil Aeronautics Administration contributed $150,000 in grants of December, 1940, and August, 1941. Coupled with Works Progress Administration grant of $131,000 in January, 1941, the College now has a $305,000 airport nearing completion and in use at 1940—School of Aeronautical Engineering inaugurated under direction of Dr. Howard W. Barlow. (Schoel instantly popular and equipment, enrollment and accomplish- ments to date place it among the finest in the United States in 8. May, 1941—At request of War Department graduation of seniors holding Reserve Officers Training Corps contracts moved up two weeks, and 535 commissioned officers went into active service. (This brought the total number of commissioned officers graduated from Texas A. & M. to more than 5000 since establishment of the Officers Reserve Corps in 1920.) 9. February, 1941—To remedy acute shortage of trained men in National Lefense Industries, special courses in camp san- itation, civil engineering, materials testing and inspection and engineering drawing were launched at the College, cooperating with U. S. Office of Education. To date 3000 men have been trained in 65 courses, all over state. 10. March, 1941—Continued demand of industry for trained men puts A. & M. shops and laboratories on a 24-hour-a-day basis for training machinists, welders, tool and die workers and specialty engineers. Twenty-five new courses soon will start for an estimated enrollment of 1000 additional specially trained in- dustrial experts in several Texas cities. : 1942—College goes on year-round basis of three 16-week semesters, cutting to two years and eight months elapsed time necessary to complete four-year course for degree, without lowaring academic standards. 12. January, 1942—Special courses added to college curricu- lum to fill war needs.—Examples—Chemistry of powder and ex- plosives, camouflage, and subsistence management for prospective 13. Chemical Warfare Service school inaugurated by War Department at A. & M. to train selected OCD leaders in handling all phases of civilian defense in emergencies. (A. & M. school one of several which will serve entire United States.) 14. February, 1942—A. & M. designated as Key Center of Information and Training for wartime duty of keeping one mil- lion Texas inhabitants informed on war policies and to promote 15. February, 1942—A. & M. requested by War Department to install senior R.O.T.C. Quartermaster Corps and Ordnance Units to train minimum of 200 officers for army service in addi- tion to the 1064 already holding R.O.T.C. contracts in Infantry, Field Artillery, Coast Artillery, Cavalry, Signal Corps, Chemical Warfare and Corps of Engineers. (A. & M. only college having all eight branches of armed forces in officer-training program.) 16. February, 1942—A. & M. Association of Former Stu- dents pledge aid in establishing major aeronautical engineering research center at College Station comparable to facilities at Langley Field, Va., and Sunnyvale, Calif. Movement launched to provide initial funds before State and Federal appropriations are sought to expand facilities for aeronautical research. Pilot Training program them. A. & M. is at war, and will | ble enough to meet the demands remain so until final victory is ours. “This war has changed our ideas about many of the so-called ‘basic theories’. A battleship cannot sur- vive without aerial protection. In- fantry troops cannot stand against tanks. “It is my belief that peace will not bring a resumption of the ‘old order’. We never again shall oper- ate under the rules of the game as we knew them before this war. I doubt whether education ever will be the same. Educational pro- grams will have to be kept flexi- of the future, and it is a blessing. Some ideas and practices needed a thorough stream-lining. This modernization is being brought about by the war. Higher educa- tional institutions in the peace to come, must prove their value or perish. The changes we have made only indicate the progress to come.” The chronological list of events marking A, & M.'s active support of the Government in the present crisis reveals what long-distance planning and a clear-cut under- standing of the problems at hand have accomplished. A & Mto Act as Key Center of War Information and Training for Million A. & M. has been asked by the Federal Security Agency, U. S. Office of Education, Washington, to act as one of the key Centers of Information and Training in Texas, President T. O. Walton announced today. Dr. Walton has appointed the Center of Information and Training Committee headed by Dr. Ide P. Trotter, which will function under the general supervision of Dean F. C. Bolton. Other committee members are Dr. T. F. Mayo, C. O. Spriggs, G. B. Wilcox, Dr. F. W. Jensen, Prof. V. M. Faires, Cadets Ransom D. Kenny, Stephen C. Kaffer and Walter W. Cardwell; and G. Byron Winstead. Organization meeting of the committee was held Tuesday in Dr. Mayo’s office and subcommit- tee assignments were issued. Dr. Mayo will be in charge of the War Information Center which will be located in the rear of the main entrance foyer of the Cush- ing Memorial Library. The War Information Center will be divided into several categories with fac- ulty-student committees volunteer- ing time to work in arranging dis- play of materials, counseling speak- ers, writers, teachers and others in use of the available materials, in organizing mobile displays for conferences and meetings and lead- ership training institutes within the area and in assisting producers of radio programs on national de- fense subjects. Faires, Kenny, Kaffer and Card- well constitute the sub-committee on volunteer faculty and student assistance. The first assignment given this group was to furnish forty-two volunteer workers in the War Information Center, which will be set up immediately on receipt of materials from the U. S. Office of Education. The materials will come from Government and private agencies, from civic organizations and from publishers. There will be approximately 140 key centers of information and training distributed according to population by States. The key cen- ter at A. & M. is expected to serve approximately one mil- lion people. + Days After Pearl Harbor A&M Marches On Ben F. Norman Heads Brazoria A. & M. Club Ben F. Norman, Jr., 29, was elected President of the Brazoria County A. & M. Club at a recent meeting in Freeport. Other new officers include Oliver Osborn, ’38, vice president, R. W. Loomis, ’40, secretary-treasurer, J. H. Griffin, ’38, reporter. All other officers live at Freeport. Norman is with the Freeport Sulphur Company and has been with that concern for over 10 years. He has been a member of the Civic Commission of Freeport for the past five years. He and Mrs. Norman have two children. Retiring officers of the Brazoria County Club include R. H. Stan- sel, ’26, president, B. F, Norman, ’29, vice-president, and W. S. Mill- ington, ’30, secretary-treasurer. Colonel Snyder Transfers Hundred To Army Air Corps Applications for transfer of commission to the Air Corps, which were made to Lt. Col. W. M. Snyder the first part of this week by seniors desiring the change, reached a total of 140, it has been announced by the Adjut- ant’s office. Selection of 70 men will be made from these applications, who will be allowed to transfer their com- missions upon graduation at the end of the present semester to the non-flying department of the Air Corps. Those selected, together with the 30 seniors who have al- ready been accepted for transfer, will make up the quota of 100 men from A. & M. No list of men applying is available. Lieutenant Strother Transferred to Hulen First Lieut. Tom B. Strother, Coast Artillery, has been transfer- red to Camp Hulen, at Palacios, and left the campus Wednesday to take up his new assignment. Lieut. Strother is an ex-Aggie, having graduated in 1938. Upon graduation he entered the U. S. Army and was assigned to Fort Crockett. On Sept. 10, 1940, Lieut. Strother assumed his duties as instructor in the Coast Artillery at A. & M., and has served here until the present time. His duties at Camp Hulen have not been des- ignated. A replacement officer has not been named. Thedford and Kirk Receive Army Wings Delong Made Ensign Two more ex-Aggies are to re- ceive their silver wings and gold bars from the Army Air Corps advanced flying schools. Marshall F. Thedford, ’41, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Thedford of Tyler, is a member of a class of aviation cadets to be graduated soon from the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Stockton, Cali- fornia. Cadet Thedford received his primary and basic training at Cal-Aero Academy, Ontario, Cali- fornia, having graduated from A. & M. in 1941, majoring in Agri- culture. One of the two student officers in the Texas contingent of the class to graduate at Ellington Field in a few weeks is Second Lieutenant Paul A. Kirk, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Kirk, San An- tonio. Lieutenant Kirk graduated in 1940, receiving a BS degree in engineering. Aggie Holstein Produces Above 100,000 Ibs. Milk Nudine Princess De Kol, a Hol- stein cow owned by A. & M,, is the 535th Holstein to produce more than 100,000 pounds of milk. In eight lactations this cow pro- duced a total of 104,919 pounds of milk containing 3,334 pounds of butterfat. Her highest single lac- tation record was 16,748 pounds of milk made on three milkings daily beginning at the age of 8 years. Nudine produced enough milk to fill 4,850 10-quart pails to over- flowing, In addition to her out- standing production achievements, this cow has been officially classi- fied “Good” in type. Her records were made under the supervision of the Holstein- Friesian Association of America, Brattleboro, Vermont. Shreveport Club Sees Grid Movies The Shreveport A. & M. Club held a stag dinner at the Caddo Hotel on the evening of March 14 with Athletic Director Homer H. Norton and Association Secre- tary E. E. McQuillen as honor guests. Shreveport coaches and sportswriters and fathers of pres- ent A. & M. students were also invited and many were present. R. K. Lothrop, ’26, new president of the Shreveport Club presided. Other officers of the club recently elected included the following: Louis Lenz, ’07, vice-president; N. N. Burlingham, ’26, secretary; E. H. Sullivan, ’39, treasurer; and the advisory board consists of M. A. Abernathy, ’16; R. A. Woodall, 31; W. J. Howard, ’31; Francis W. Grant, ’32; E. M. Freeman, 22; H. W. Egger, 21; Walter G. Free, 31; W. C. Morris, ’39; and A. H. Weyland, ’19. E. M. “Jiggs” Free- man, ’22, is the retiring presi- dent. The evening’s program consisted of talks by the visitors and foot- ball movies by Coach Norton. Short talks also were made by former A. & M. faculty member, Mr. McKnight, and by guest Mr. N. C. McGowan, president of the United Gas Corp., Shreveport. Ashton Writes Hereford Journal Article for January Dr. John Ashton of the A. & M. Rural Sociology Department submitted a feature article to the American Hereford Journal which was printed in the January issue. Dr. Ashton gained information for his article in a recent visit he paid to the headquarters of the Matador Land and Cattle Com- pany in Cottle and Motley coun- ties. Dr. Ashton also unearthed interesting historical facts on the financial operations of the Mata- dor empire at the State Library at Austin. The article tells of the writer’s reception at the ranch headquar- ters and of the advanced methods employed by this organization. The article is illustrated by photo- graphs taken by the author, whose articles on Texas Cattle industry have been printed far and wide during the past decade. 1917 SILVER ANNIVERSARY April 11-12. HAL F. CORRY lives at 3522 Gillon, Dallas, and will be on the campus for the reunion April 11- 12. He is a manufacturers’ repre- sentative in the Southwest for sev- eral large concerns. The A. & M. participants in this year’s annual Laredo Border Olympics Track Meet swelled with pride when BRIGADIER-GENER- AL HARRY JOHNSON delivered the feature address before the track meet finals began. General Johnson is in command of the 56th Cavalry Brigade stationed at Fort McIntosh. He was an official with the Gulf Refining Corporation in Houston before going on active duty. 1918 HENRY A. ARMSTRONG is owner of H. A. Armstrong & Co., Building Contractors, 1895 Vir- ginia Road, San Marino, Califor- nia. He expects to have a son in A. & M. next year. 1920 LIEUTENANT BREWER F. WITMER is on active duty at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He is at- tached to Headquarters E. R. T. Prior to going on active duty last fall, he was with the International Boundary Commission and Mrs. Witmer still maintains their home at McAllen. They have a son who is a student at A. & M. 1921 ARCH C. BAKER is now lo- cated at 2607 Pine Street, Tex- arkana, where he is working with the Lone Star Ordnance Plant assisting in design. He was a re- cent campus visitor to see his son who is in A. & M. C. C. B. WARREN has been promoted from major to lieuten- ant-colonel. He has been in the Army since his graduation and served in World War I before entering A. & M. He makes his home at 820 Aspen Street, NW, Washington, D. C., and is in the Machine Records Division, Adju- tant General’s Office. He sends regards to his A. & M. friends. 1922 20th ANNIVERSARY REUNION April 11-12. W. B. BARNETT writes from Carmi, Illinois that he will be on hand for the reunion if at all pos- sible. He is temporarily located up there but lives at 121 Myrtle Avenue, Longview, Texas. G. L. BOYKIN, of the Extension Service, State College, New Mex- ico, is uncertain of his attendance at the class reunion because of the military situation. He holds a reserve commission and expects to be called at any time. JOE C. BROWN, who is teach- ing at Texas A. and I., Kingsville, hopes to be on hand for the Class of 1922 reunion, although he has been recently ill. JOHN T. CARLISLE recently moved from Palestine to Opelous- as, Louisiana, where he bought half interest in the Farm Service, Inc., extensive dealers in fertil- izers, feed, and seed. He also re- ports a physical examination com- ing up soon to see if Uncle Sam can use him against the Japs. He sends regards to all his A. & M. friends and invites them to stop by and see him in Opelousas. MAJOR JOHN P. CRUICK- SHANK is on active duty in the Plant Division of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer in Washing- ton, D. C. His Washington ad- |. dress is 2103 “O” Street, N. W.|{ He was brought up in the Field |! Artillery but has landed a place in the Signal Corps. Prior to being called on active duty, Cruickshank was superintendent of sub-stations for the Appalachian Electric Power Company in West Virginia. WILLET FOSTER is county ag- ricultural agent at El Paso. CLINT L. TAYLOR is a Major in the Quartermaster Corps and stationed at the Air Corps Gun- nery School, Las Vegas, Nevada. JOHNNIE MARCH, listed in the recent class roster with an in- correct address, is living at 625 Wellesly Road, El Paso, Texas. 1923 MR. AND MRS. JOHN C. MAY- FIELD have purchased a charm- ing two-story brick veneer resi- dence at 2515 Pelham Drive, in River Oaks, Houston. John is an officer of the Long Reach Ship- side Terminal of Houston. As a cadet at A. & M. he was cadet colonel, editor of the Longhorn, president of the “Y” Cabinet, a dis- tinguished student, and partici- pated in many other student or- ganizations. LIEUTENANT COMMANDER GERALD B. OGLE is in Washing- ton, D. C. with the Navy Depart- ment. After completing his fresh- man year at A. & M. he was graduated from Annapolis, Mary- land in 1924. In 1932 he received his master of science degree from Columbia University in New York City, "N.Y. 1924 DR. E. KING GILL is now Major General in charge of the eye, ear, nose, and throat section of the Station Hospital at Good- fellow Field, San Angelo. As a student at A. & M., Gill was a letterman in football and basket- ball, a member of the Ross Vol- unteers, a member of the “T” Club, and all-conference guard. GREER B. NELSON has been promoted to the rank of Major and is stationed at Fort Bliss. He has seen extensive active duty, serving with the CCC Camp from 1935 to 1941. MAJOR CHESTER W. TERRY is executive officer in the office of the District Engineer, San An- tonio, Texas, District, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. 1925 A. Y. GUNTER is president of the New York City A. & M. Club. He is with Alco Products, with offices at 30 Church Street, New York City, N. Y. VICTOR LEMAY is a member of the firm of Evans & LeMay, |’ Advertising Agency, 909 Dan Waggoner Building, Fort Worth. 1926 JACOB R. HILDEBRAND gets his mail at Box 31, Mineral Wells, Texas, where he is employed by the State Department of Public Welfare in the capacity of Field Worker or Investigator. CAPTAIN AND MRS. D. G. “PINKY” TALBOT, of Fort Knox, Kentucky, had a 10 day leave to take in the Southwestern Exposi- tion and Fat Stock Show in Fort Worth. Prior to being called to active military duty, Talbot was assistant manager of the Stock Show for many years. JACK TURNER, manager of the Silver Creek Farms at Fort Worth, and a well known Pan- handle Hereford breeder, judged the 12th annual Amarillo Stock Show which opened on the 16th of March. THOMAS H. WALLACE is General Superintendent, Western Gulf Oil Company, Bakersfield, California. A few years back he was located in London, England. JOHN L. WILSON is a First Lieutenant in the U. S. Engineers Office, San Antonio, Texas, Dis- trict, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He has been assigned to the Archi- tectural Branch. 1927 15th ANNIVERSARY REUNION April 11-12. W. T. CLARK WILL T. CLARK has been named Secretary of the Electrical League of Cleveland, Ohio. He has been with the League since 1936, handling exhibits, displays, spe- cial promotions and lecture work. Prior to that time, he was in charge of lighting sales for the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company, and prior to that, was associated with the Nela Park Sales Promotion Department. He received his degree in electrical engineering, was a member of the Ross Volunteers, Fortnightly Club, and a captain in the Cadet Signal Corps. MAJOR H. E. BELSHER is in the U. S. Engineer Office, San Antonio, Texas, District, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Belsher is head of the Agricultural Branch and he and his family reside at 927 Cambridge Oval, San Antonio, (Continued on Page 4) I OA OA EAA AA CLAUDE EVERETT (21) INC. 522 Barziza St., Houston, Texas GENERAL CONTRACTORS EXCAVATORS FOR ALL TYPES OF BUILDINGS A The New Tourist Camp Opposite College on Highway. 6 Tile Baths - Simmons Beds COLLEGE COURTS P. O. Box 118, College Station Phone College 4-1178 KEN W. HOOE (29) & CO. Writing All Lines GENERAL INSURANCE BONDS 806 Medical Arts Bldg. Waco, Texas Telephone 7555 Old Line D. D. Budd, Pres. — E. F. H. ld SOUTHWEST RESERVE MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY SOUTHWEST RESERVE LIFE BLDG. Longview, Texas “Texas’ Best for Best Texans” W. M. Sparks, Chairman of the Board Legal Reserve Roberts, V. Pres. and Actuary