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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1915)
THE BATTILION Published every Wednesday night by Students of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas Subscription price $1.25 per year. Advertising rates on application. Member of Texas Collegiate Press Association. A. E. BURGES, ’15 Editor-in-Chief J. F. HA’DEN Business Manager P. A. HOMANN, ’15. .Associate Editor W. L,. RUTAN, ’15 Asso. Bus. Mgr. E. McR. CLAYTOR, ’15...Ex. Editor MISS LOUISE PROCTOR..So. Editor M. T. GARRETT, ’16 Agr. Editor UEL STEPHENS, T6 Eng. Editor S. P. McPADDEN, T6... Sport. Editor G. C. MOPPET, T6. .Y. M. C. A. Editor D. H. KIBER, ’17 ’Frisco Editor Cartoonists P. T. CROWN, T5, J. M. BURKETT, ’16 Assistant Business Managers S. B. HAYNES, ’16, J. B. ROBERT, ’16, Reporters J. R. BARNES, J. B. JOYCE, T. W. TEMPLE, P. W. HALSEY. All material for publiication should be signed and turned in not later than Monday night. Entered as second-class matter at College Station, Texas, February 17, 1905. College Station, Tex., Jan. 20, 1915. CHOOSING A VALEDICTORIAN. We are aware that this is a delicate subject and that we will be accused by some of trying to play politics, whatever we may say, more especial ly since the Senior election is ap proaching, but we hardly think that there are any who would advise us to wait until after the election to ad vance our ideas on the subject of choosing a valedictorian on the grounds that after the valedictorian has been elected is a more appro priate time to discuss the qualifica tions which he should possess than before. We have no idea at this early date who the candidates will be, and, moreover, this discourse is meant for the underclassmen as well as Seniors, hence we beg to be excused from the charge of playing politics. It seems to us that one of the least considered and yet most important qualifications which a valedictorian should possess is that of high scholar ship. The only proper objects in at tending college are the acquiring of knowledge and training, and no class should confer the great honor of the office of valedictorian upon a man who has been unsuccessful in this en deavor as compared with his fellows. It must be admitted that the brilliant student does not always possess the other necessary qualifications to the proper degree, and the choice should not by any means rest on this point alone, but the good student will usually measure up to the standard in other ways. A second qualification no less im portant is that of eloquence or ease and beauty of expression with clear ness of thought. While it may be pleasant to listen for a time to one who is solely a word painter, such soon becomes monotonous unless he has something to say as well. A third qualification is reasonable dignity. We all enjoy listening to the witty speaker, especially if he can act his jokes as he tells them, but unless he is capable of other styles of speech as well, he is not a suitable candidate for valedictorian. The day on which the valedictory address must be delivered is always a formal occasion, and the Seniors, realizing that they must leave the college where they have spent the four best years of their existence and go out into the world to take a man’s part in life, are in a serious mood. A fourth qualification of no small importance is that the valedictorian be popular with his fellows, in order that he may more truly represent his class. This does not mean simply that he shall secure the most votes, but it means that in the honest and unbiased judgment of the major por tion of his classmates he is the man for the place. The Senior who votes to make one candidate valedictorian when, deep down in his heart, he be lieves another to deserve the place, is disloyal to his class. CHEATING ON EXAMINATION. On the front page will be found the welcome news that the discipline committee and the student council have agreed to put absolute faith in the students of this college in the coming examinations. We students have long maintained, with consider able justice, that the honor system on examination could never be an honcv system so long as the instructors re mained in the classroom and kept watch over us. The system was a farce in some departments because, the instructors made it so, not realiz- : ng that the dishonest would manage to cheat anyhow, despite their pres ence, and that the honest did not and could not consider themselves on their honor while being watched. Why is it wrong to cheat on exami nations? We shall give two reasons. First, it is a breach of honor, and no gentleman will violate his word or pledge of honor. Even a criminal will seldom break his honor when he voluntarily promises to do a thing. Judge Ben Lindsey has proved that. Surely none of us care to be in a class lower than criminals. A second reason is that in cheating our way thru college we lower the value of our diploma, not only for our selves but for other graduates, and gain by fraud a thing which money could not buy. The faculty and the student council have now put us on trial; surely we cannot afford to show ourselves un worthy of their trust. TO CLUB REPORTERS. The Battalion is always glad to pub lish accounts of club meetings when anything of interest takes place at these meetings, but, of course, we do not care for the simple statement that the club held its regular meeting, car ried out the regular order of business, and adjourned. Whenever your club pulls off a banquet, is addrest by a speaker from a distance, or in any way has a session of more than ordi nary interest, we want to know it. DR. KNAPP AND MR. OUSLEY TO ADDRESS LEGISLATURE Dr. Bradford Knapp and Hon. Clar ence Ousley have accepted an invita tion to address the lower house of the legislature Thursday evening on mat ters pertaining to Southern agriculture so our industrious college publicity agent, Ike Ashburn, informs us. Be sure you see The Dixie and Queen ads in every issue of the Bat. be. His great capacity for doing work and his other sterling qualities will surely made him successful at what ever he undertakes. ON TO ’FRISCO. There is one man in our midst who is great and famous, not of his own volition, but merely because his great ness was thrust upon him. He is very timid, unassuming and retiring of na ture. Reputation was never sought by him, but came unsought. He is al ways willing and anxious to return good for evil and is always afraid that he is not doing enough good. This man has achieved much in a military way, not through fondness for military, but because he has al ways tried his best to do what was right. Entering “I” Company as a “Pish” when hazing was thought to be legal, he, by his humbleness and willingness, gained the good will of his mates and consequently was re warded with a corporalship in “I” Company. While a corporal he was always careful to perform all duties J. S. BUGBEE Editor Student Farmer. Ever since the Frisco trip was pro posed many cadets have been trying to settle the perplexing question of finances. The usual form of the question is, “Can I afford to attend?’’ but a better form of the question would be “Can I afford to miss the exposition?” In the face of such arguments as, the trip will be worth a year in col lege, and it will perhaps be the best opportunity that a cadet will ever have to see the West and the only one to see it in such splendor as it will be in this year, it seems that the lat ter question is the practical one. Let us all pull together and make the trip come to a realization of the original idea. Manager Davis publishes the fol lowing statement of the finances of the three post-season football games. After the expenses have been deduct ed the remainder is given to Charlie Davis to help finance the basketball team; Receipts. Company championship game..$ 28.65 All-company game .. . 31.65 All-company—T-AMC game . . . 84.30 Total $144.60 Expenditures. Company championship ball..$ 5.00 All-company footballs 37.05 All-company—T-AMC banquet. 19.50 Lining off field.. - 1.00 Total $ 62.55 Gross receipts $144.60 Expenses , 62.55 Net proceeds $ 82.05 FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS CON CERNING SENIOR WRITE-UPS and still kept the good will of the company. His straightforwardness, promptness and academic standing won a first sergeantship for him in “E” Company. Now, as captain and commissary, his efforts have been fully rewarded and he is fully satisfied in that he can pursue his one hobby— studies. He has been a distinguished student every year of his college career and all indications point to a crowning of this success, as it seems he will again be distinguished this year, his Senior year. He strives not only to get all out of his course, but he also hopes to gain all the knowledge that will in anyway benefit him in his future busi ness. And who is this man? Why, no other than our best representative, John Sherman Bugbee, a native of Kansas City, but now a citizen of Clarendon, Texas. “Jawn,” as he is known by his fellow classmates, has accomplished much in other lines than military and academic work. For his abilities as a student he was unani mously chosen for the position of editor-in-chief of the Student Farmer, which position he is filling admirably as the good issues of the Student Farmer demonstrate. For his good will and cheer to all mankind he was considered as a valuable asset to the Y. M. C. A. and consequently was made a cabinet member of that honor able organization. “Jawn” is an earnest worker at whatever he undertakes. He is de termined to accomplish the end of whatever problems may be set before him, no matter how difficult they may Every Senior is expected to write his own “pedigree’ on a sheet of paper, following out instructions previously given, and to hand this sheet to his biographer. His biographer will then write the write-up proper and hand the whole to W. C. Gillespie, he being in charge of that part of the Long horn. Watch the great Paramount in the Queen ad this paper every week. We do Kodak Finishing and Developing every day. Come in to see us before you have your next work done Carter’s Studio Bryan, Texas LODGE AND SOCIETY EMBLEMS WEDDING FLOWERS FUNERAL DESIGNS CUT FLOWERS PLANTS Phone Direct SCOTT FLORAL 00., Navasota, Texas FOR SALE. Stove wood, $5 per cord, delivered. Good, cut kindling, $5 per cord, de livered. Phone T. M. Reddell, Feed ing and Breeding Station, 87-3 rings.