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THE BATTALION
THE BATTALION
Published every Wednesday night by the Students’ Association of the Agricultural
and Mechanical College of Texas.
Subscription price $1.76 per Year.
Mr. White is a well-known philantrophist, author, editor, and reform
er. Therefore his speech should be extremely interesting if not instruc
tive. If it fails to instruct, the cause will probably be laid at the cadet’s
doorstep. So come and be prepared to defend yourself by looking intelli
gent and keeping your feet still. And if you must cough, bring your
cough drops with you.
ALL ADS RUN UNTIL ORDERED OUT
Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Bryan, Texas, under the Act of
Congress March Srd., 1879.
All undergraduates in the College are eligible to try for a place on the Editorial
Staff of this paper. Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors who are interested in journalism
for its own sake, are urged to make themselves known to some member of the Staff.
EDITORIAL STAFF
E. Li. ANDREWS
R. H. SHUFFLER
W. C. MORRIS
H. C. GIVENS
A. PAEZ
J. M. HOLMES
P. A. DRESSER
F. W. THOMAS, JR. . .
G. M. WRENN
W. T. COLEMAN
J. J. LOVING
H. W. TOEPPERWEIN
Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor
....... Associate Editor
Associate Editor
Associate Editor
Sports Editor
. Associate Sports Editor
. Assistant Sports Editor
Literary Editor
Associate Literary Editor
Exchange Editor
Columnist
L. W. JOHNSTON
News Editor
J. E. TEAGUE
Associate News Editor
J. M. GARCIA
Assistant News Editor
W. P. PATTON, JR.
L. HANKS
V. A. BUESCHER .
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager
Assistant Business Manager
Circulation Manager
OUR UNSUNG HEROES.
These heroes of the night, these unknown and unsung lads who raise
the bold pirate flag (under the cover of darkness) and fire trusty guns
into the open sky, are often held up by the crowd as daredevils of en
viable courage—until they are caught. With capture these lads lose all
their romantic trappings and become merely very foolish little boys who
thought they could throw spitballs at the teacher and get away with it.
Is this short-lived notoriety worth the effort?
When they know that sudden and severe punishment of no uncertain
nature awaits them if they are caught, are these lads wise in risking
reputations and careers in a cause they only very vaguely understand ?
If the cause they are backing at the risk of expulsion and disgrace is
worth such sacrifice, why can’t they come out in the open and defend it ?
If they want A. and M. as it was (the Gods only know when) and not as
it is, why can’t they come peaceably to the authorities and ask for the
necessary changes before taking such drastic measures ?
The truth of the matter, very probably, is that the men who are so
valiantly working for the cause at night haven’t the slightest idea con
cerning the changes they desire. True, they may be dissatisfied with the
present system—it has its faults—but they don’t seem to be able to give
exact reasons for their dissatisfaction, or to even tell just what reforms
they desire. Any disgruntled bolshevik can raise the very devil at night,
but it takes a little reasoning and thought to bring in necessary reform.
This blind and rather vicious striking at authority is foolish unless
there is a real cause—and is really foolish then—there are many safer
easier and more effective methods. Why not come out in the open if there
is anything worth considering ?
CONCERNING DALLAS.
A very ungracious sports writer of a Dallas newspaper has taken
great offense to an editorial which recently appeared in The Battalion. We
are very sorry indeed that the comments appeared in either of the papers.
The Dallas Ex-Students have drawn up a statement, in which they as
sume all responsibility for everything that happened in the way of greet
ing the Aggies on their recent corps trip. This was a very noble act, and
we appreciate the feeling of the Dallas Ex-Students. We sincerely hope
that the Dallas E-Students have not been caused any embarrassment by
either of the papers, and we gladly dismiss the affair.
BIG-HEARTEDNESS.
There is still a Santa Claus on this campus in one respect. Several
barbers from the “Y” Barber Shop went over to the hospital Sunday
morning and shaved all the boys in the hospital free-gratis. That is really
a good example of big-heartedness and kindness. You that have been in
the hospital for a few days without a shave know how a fresh shave
makes you feel. It makes you feel almost human again.
And then there are the nurses at the hospital. They have been ex
hibiting the greatest amount of kindness during the crowded condition
of the hospital. And if there is anything that will help a sick man to
feel better, it is kindness.
WHITE’S SPEECH.
Mr. William Allen White, who romped all over the brown derby,
will speak here at the college the night of the 5 of December. The Man
agers have coyly refrained from saying what he will speak about or on;
he is to be given complete freedom, and complete freedom for Mr. White
.... the fireworks should be glorious.
THE GRADUATE.
It was a beautiful sunshiny day
in early June. The air was sweet
and warm, the trees were in full
leaf, here and there flowers lent
their gorgeous coloring to complete
natures handiwork. A mocking bird
sang in a treetop.
On the campus of Mammon Uni
versity the contagion of the day had
called forth the students from their
work, hand in hand couples strolled
around the campus or lounged un
der the trees, talking of the sum
mer vacation soon to sart. Animated
and gay, they cared not for the
morrow.
Several feet from the nearest
group, seated on a concrete bench,
was a lone figure, a senior, head
bowed in thought, on his face a look
of despair that showed something
was wrong in his cosmos. Passersby
eyed him askance and then turned
to stare again, at a person who
could look gloomy and discouraged
on such a day. Deep in thought, he
was unconscious of their gazes. He
was reviewing his college career
and the reminiscence was painful.
Tomorrow he would graduate—
with honor. Four years of hard
work, four years of repression, four
years of butting his head against a
stone wall, would be over. What had
it accomplished ? What had been
the cost? Was it worth it?
Four years ago he had entered
college eager for knowledge. In hi»
ignorance he had believed that col
lege could satisfy the desire to know
that was so strong in him. Each
spring he had gone away disappoint
ed and disillusioned, each fall he
had returned, full of hope. Now,
at the end, the bitterness of defeat
rose in his throat and choked him.
He felt there was a conspiracy to
keep him from knowing. A conspir
acy, not so much against him as
against youth in general. A con
spiracy between the colleges and
business that had as its purpose
the production of a highgrade fuel
for the industrial furnaces. Business
did not want intelligence, they only
wanted mental laborers, who could
by the use of their skilled brains,
produce more goods at less cost.
They had succeeded, and in their
success had warped the lives of
many. No wonder so many families
were broken up when the men only
knew how to make money and the
women how to spend it. They could
not understand each other, they oc
cupied different worlds and had no
common meeting point. No wonder
they approached the absurd in their
pleasures. Only at the extremities
were their desires in accord. Thank
God, he was forearmed.
He had seen long ago the danger
and had tried by every means with
in his power to avoid the trap set
for him. He had neglected his work
and devoted his time to other things,
to a study of sociology and philos
ophy, to religion, psychology and lit
erature. In them he had found a
measure of peace and satisfaction
He felt that at last he had found
what he was searching for. But
even then he had been thwarted. The
requirements of the professors had
taken so much of his time he had
been unable to accomplish much.
Well, no more would he listen to
their longwinded dissertations on un
important things. He was through.
The thought brought a smile to his
face.
He was glad his college days were
over. No longer would he spend his
nights memorizing a few facts so
that he might pass a quizz, and then
forgot them the next day. Instead,
through the writings of the great
and near great he would make part
of their knowledge his, and, perhaps
in a few years he could bridge
the chasm of ignorance. A chasm
the college had tried to detour.
The last four years has cost him
heavily, but probably it was worth
it. It had provided him with the
tools to carve a living out of the
world. Though he would probably
cut himself on some of them, yet,
in the main, they were valuable. The
principle trouble was he did not know
how to use them intelligently. He
was like a child with a hammer and
saw, who knew their uses, but would
probably use them on the furniture
rather than in the construction of
something useful.
The enemies of intelligence had
almost defeated him in college, and
they were still lying in wait, waiting
for an unguarded moment to at
tack his feeble defenses. He must be
careful that in the economic strug
gle they did not find the opening
they were looking for. He must be
careful that under cover of material
success they did not capture and
make a Babbitt of him.
With a smile he arose and ambling
to the depot bought a ticket—for
South America.
First Down
Ten Yards to Go !
Don’t wait until the last day
to get ready for that trip to
Austin.
We are showing a great as
sortment of coats, shoes, shirts,
etc., to make such a trip more
pleasant.
“Drop by and Look us over.
W. F. GIBBS & SON I
The Biggest Little Store in ^
Bryan.
THEM GOOD
MALTEDS
WE STILL MAKE ’EM
Cadets and Campus People
Invited to Call
HOLMES
Confectionery