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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 1925)
THE BATTALION THE BATTALION Published every Wednesday ni^ht by the Students’ Association of the Agricultural and Mechanical Coi.ege of Texas. Supscription Price $1.75 per year. be? There are so many interesting and engrossing topics that would provide an entertaining and educational medium. Our library though small has any number of new books that could be read, afterwards providing an additional subject for discussion. The daily papers carry the current news and many other items which are always of interest, but yet, whenever a group of A. and M. men congregate on the campus, the conversation drifts towards the obnoxious. ALL ADS RUN UNTIL ORDERED OUT. EDITORIAL STAFF. JACK E. FINKS C. T. SCHWAB R. W. COLGLAZIER D. G. BELL W. H. CALDWELL D. H. KEITH R. A. RAWLINS W. F. GUION JACK WILLIAMS E. H. CAPERS B. BERNARDONI L. T. FRANKE L. DODSON L. E. HAGAN Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Sports Editor Associate Sports Editor Associate Sports Editor Exchange Editor News Editor .Associate News Editor .Associate News Editor .Associate News Editor Social Editor Humurous Editor BUSINESS STAFF. STEVE A. NOBLE Business Manager M. E. DEALY Assistant Business Manager W~. H. WENDLER Circulation Manager Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized October 18, 1922. INTERCOLLEGIATE PROFESSIONALISM For some years, rumors have continually gone the rounds to the effect that some of the schools in this state were enticing high school athletes to enter their halls of learning and in return for their athletic services would be given a splendid “position” whereby they would be able to earn their ex penses. Personally we did not think that this could be true, especially as several of the denominational schools were involved in the accusuations. However, within the last year these rumors have become more persistent than ever, in fact they have ceased to be mere rumors as absolute proof has been obtained time and again to substantiate the accusuations. The former letter men of A. and M., the Aggie athletes of the days gone by, in formal session here on the occasion of the dedication of the new memorial gymnasium, denounced the practice of buying athletes for A. and M. and went so far as to denounce any school that followed this practice. Since this action was taken by the wearers of the Aggie “T,” the student body of Aggieland has anxiously awaited a similar action from the other colleges and Universities in the state. Instead, the outstanding high school men of the state are still being bought and the salaries are running higher. There is a conference rule that forbids the coaches and athletic depart ments of the institutions forming the conference, from soliciting the high school men either verbally or through writing, in an endeavor to influence the stars to enter their schools. It is a splendid rule and is being lived up to by those whom it influences, for the coaches can not afford to take the chance. But the rule has done nothing to eliminate the disgusting practice of paying athletes to attend college to participate in athletics instead of get ting an education—the primary aim of higher learning. There is no rule that prohibits a friend or alumnus or even business men from paying an athlete’s way through school. An athlete who really works his way through college is to be commended, but a man who will receive money upon the fictitious pre tense of working his way through school is to be denounced and should be barred from intercollegiate participation. The time has come when a high school man, upon being asked where he is going to school next year, will reply: “To whatever college makes me the best offer.” College athletes are supposed to be amateurs but whenever an amateur receives remuneration for his athletic ability, he enters a new class—the ranks of the professional. It is regrettable that some of the de nominational schools, that are supported and maintained by the different re ligious sects, are listed among the chief offenders of this deplorable prac tice. Jinx Tucker, of the Waco News-Tribune, prominent sport writer of the Southwest and a firm believer in clean athletics in the colleges and high schools, has devised a plan whereby this evil can be eliminated. He proposes for the conference officials to employ detectives to deter mine who is receiving money for athletic participation. And if a man is found to be receiving pay to go to college, he should be declared ineligible for intercollegiate athletic competition in the Southwest as well as any other conference. “After a number of stars had been declared ineligible by this method, perhaps the new crop of high school athletic stars would be willing to go to college for an education instead of a salary.” This is a matter that needs immediate attention for if the present cir- circumstances continue to exist, intercollegiate athletic competition will cease between colleges and only the intramural athletics will survive. The public upon whom collegiate athletics are dependent bath financially and morally, are becoming disgusted at the present state of affairs and soon will refuse to patronize the various games. “BULL PENS” THE CURSE OF A. & M. Have you ever stopped to think of the wasted hours spent either telling or listening to some wild tale that had no sense to it, and which was im pressed on your memory only for a short while? You probably heard the laughing and talking in the next room and went in there just for a few min utes to see who was there; you listened to a few of the latest jokes and be fore you left, the bunch expected you to tell at least one good hot one. In this pleasant manner two or three hours slipped by, taps was sounding and with it came the thought of the lessons that should have been prepared. Then is the time to taks stock, see what you have gained from the evening’s | entertainment. The trouble lies not in the evening having been spent in pleasant con versation but in the subjects that were discussed. Tradition decrees that the subject for “Bull Pens” be light or even a bit shady. But why sholu dthey j If “Bull Pens” continue to take and waste as much time in the future as in the days gone by, our scholastic standard has reached the pinnacle; we will continue to be as narrow as we are today. College men should have sense enough to abolish those things which are injurious to themselves. Let’s do away with “Bull Pens.” A Contribution. ©(©)(§) (§)(®)©(@)(§)(g)(§)(§)(§)(g)^'®#©(§)(§)©(§)@K§)^)(§)(§)® W H A T Is a Six-Letter Word beginning with C and ending with S, meaning SERVICE, COURTESY AND QUALITY A S E Y S © (§) <§) <§) (§) <§) © <§) <§) © <§) (§> (§) <§> <§> <§) (§) (§>(§)(®)(§)(§)(§)(i)(§)(§)(§)#(§)(§)^(§)(§)©(§)(§)<§)(§)(§)(§)(§)@(§)® FOR SPRING CLOTHES UNIFORM AND CIVILIAN CLEANING and PRESSING Ctras. Mitch I l W. CRENSHAW, JR. INSURANCE AGENCY QJPE IVE INSURE IT E. W. CRENSHAW, Jr. W. C. MITCHELL. PHONE 144 BRYAN, TEXAS DR. W. H. LAWRENCE DENTIST Fourth Floor, City National Bank Building Phones: Office 348, Res. 558 X-Ray Equipment I 1 Bryan Nursery and Floral Co. FOR VALENTINE FLOWERS Phone 266, Bryan, Texas j Members F. T. D. P. PEARSON, College Rep. i PATRONIZE BATTALION ADVERTISERS