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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1920)
THE BATTALION THE R. O. T. C. VERUSU THE CASUALS. Upon entering A. and M. a student is required to take, along with his regular scholastic work, miltary train ing, unless he be exempted for one of the following reasons: first, his physical condition may be such as to disqualify him; second, if he is a member of another military organ ization he cannot become a member of the R. O. T. C. and; third, if he has been in some branch of the ser vice a minirtium of six months he may choose either the R. O. T. C. or the Casual Company. If one has completed the first two years of the R. O. T. C., the basic course, he may, upon application, be exempted from further military training or may con tinue the advanced course as he sees fit. In comparing the man who joins the Casual Company at the beginning of his freshman year with the one who assumes his duties in the R. O. T. C. a marked contrast is usually evident in the general spirit with which he regards his school. The man who is unfamiliar with the life of a freshman in the Corps at A. and M. in all its varying moods is indeed handicapped. No doubt those fresh man students who are Casuals realize this fact to a certain degree, but they cannot be blamed for their choice in the matter as it is only natural that they should show a preferance for “cits” after having been in the ser vice during the Great War. A man of this type may have just as much love for A. and M. as any cadet, but, if he has not, it will be decidedly more difficult for this feeling of de votion toward his college to be im planted and mature within him than it would have been had the sgg\|. j/ecrr nourished by ^ year’s experience as a freshman in the Cadet Corps. Now the student who has been a cadet during his first year presents a somewhat different and certainly more loyal affection for his place of education because of the fact that he has been reared in close association with true A. and M. ways and man ners as taught by the upper class- men. The relation of the first year man to the old man in the Cadet Corps is a much closer one than could possibly exist between these same classes in the Casual Company. Therefore, the freshman cadet has a chance to make faster friends, is en abled to become more in contact with real college life and society, and is apt to become a better all around A. and M. man than his civilian brother. The contrast between the man who gives up the R. O. T. C. after two years service to join the Casuals at the beginning of his Junior year and the man who continues as a member of the Cadet Corps is not nearly so pronounced. In fact there is pract ically no difference in the sentiment which each bears toward his college. In their freshman year they with stood the same hardships and un pleasant incidents side by side, again in their second year they stood by each other right or wrong, until now, while choosing different courses for their third year, they are, because of these mutal experiences of difficul ties and pleasures alike, almost in separable. Both hold A. and M. above all else and work together to bring about our success on all oc casions and under any conditions. The Junior Chsual has had enough of the R. O. T. C.; the junior cadet prefers to remain a member; both are for A. and M. through thick and thin. In all probability the Casual Com pany has become a fixture, and, as long as junior standing is required for entrance, it will prove a helpful factor in our upbuilding. Next year there will be hardly any freshman eligible for membership.' But, if it were possible for anyone to gain ad mittance to the Casuals without any restrictions whatsoever, we should be heartily in favor of discontinuing this civilian body at once, as it might lead to unnecessary rivalry between it and the Corps. Eventually it might des troy that quality so precious to us all, concerted effort, or the old A. and M. spirit, which should be stronger and more binding than any fraterni ty or brotherhood in existance. 1928 On a balmy July afternoon In the year of ’28, Out in the cities superb Just outside the ballyard gate A multitude was gathered At the ticket office stall. For at four o’clock the home nine Was to demonstrate baseball. At length they all had entered, And the lofty three-deck stand Was loaded to capacity With all species of man. From the manifested currency The treasury had none left. The instruction to the visitors Was, “Make it easy on yourself.” The visiting team was now warmed up And primed themselves to win. But for some unheard-of reason Our team had not blowed in. The grandstand became im' r> " + ' nt I-efrgth their igo• The visiting team was yenii.t, ' “Run ’em by, run ’em by!” Two hours now had come and gone But not a man went out. An explosion was impending When the hard-boiled umps sted- ped out. The buttons on his tailored coat Were flashing in the sun. The fabric of his raiment Was the best that could be spun. 5000 “bevo” bottles Were directed at his head, But when he had his audience This is what he said: “Ladies and gentlemen— Crawford went to Europe In his aeroplane. Dwyer is down in Wall Street Cornering all the grain. The Hiwaian Isles are Lackey’s now. A private health resort. Lake Michigan belongs to Higg A gun club of some sort. Lewis is lending money To Rockefellow’s firm. Henderson launched his navy To make the English squirm. He took the outfield with him, And he remarked to me: ‘I’ll be back in the winter. Or whenever Ireland’s free.’ Now don’t blame the athletes kind folks, They’re all too rich to play. Ten spots refunded at the gate. There’ll be no game today.” ’23 Back to Nature (Official notice from the office of Ike S. Ashburn). Effective this date, olive drab shirts, campaign hats and collar ornaments will be worn by cadets visiting Bryan. Kills We Study the Wants of College Trade. Shoes, Shirts, Hats, Underwear, Hosiery, Collars, Ties, Hand Bags, Suit Cases, Etc., are the kinp that please, and — UTIjc jMost JHcascmaMe in Price ❖ ❖ * ❖ •i* ❖ * * ❖ * * ❖ * 4* ❖ ❖ 4* •I- «§• «§• * * ❖ ❖ * •I* *!• »I* •!* ■>!• •!* *!• *!• ‘■I- »I* -!• -!• •!* -I- *!• -I- -*• •!. .t. .t. .t. .j. .?..j..'. .j. .r. .r. .% .r. .j..j. FISH BANQUET, BATTERY A On the night of Friday, April 30, the Fish of Battery A gave a ban quet. At 8 p. m. the Battery was lined up with the Freshmen in the front rank and the old boys in the rear rank. The rear rank was im mediately inspected for shoe-shines, hair cuts, and shaves. At the com mand “squads southwest” the Bat tery marched to the Shirley Hotel where the banquet was served. The toastmaster, Fish Meridith, opened the evening with a speech of welcome, after which every one started to eat. Every Fish had his servant and many were the orders given. It was nothing unusual for a second, third of fourth year slime to be chasing after sky-juice or co ask for cush. When the meal was finished, ci gars were passed around and the af ter dinner speeches were called for. The first talk was on Battery A, the second one on “Our Captain” and the third one on that subject which is dear to every man’s heart: Ladies’.’ The final speeches of the evening were made by the visitors. Major Jungman and Sergeant Ed wards, and every one left feeling well content, both mentally and physically. ’23—. THE HEIGHTH OF SHORTNESS I know a man that was so stingy he married an armless woman to keep from buying the ring, stopped the clock at night to keep from wear ing out the works, looked over his glasses to keep from wearing them out, took long steps when he walked to save his shoes, made his hired man whistle all the time while in the cherry orchard so that he would eat hone of the fruitj, took his food in capsules to save his teeth, and, when he lost his pocket book and a man returned it to him a week .later, he charged the fellow interest on the money while hat it. ’23 There are some Sophomores who are so short they think they have a headache when their corns are troubling them. sTl/ST LHMP the 1 Ft ftj T THR-r OPT r -r's O O T O.U K. W U K bCe \H R Y_» \ W ^