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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 25, 1929)
4 THE BATTALION THE BATTALION Published every Wednesday night by the Students’ Association of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. Subscription Price $1.75 per year. ALL ADS RUN UNTIL ORDERED OUT. Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Bryan, Texas, under the Act of Congress March 3rd., 1879. Member of National College Press Association 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 L. W. JOHNSTON Editor-in-Chief J. M. GARCIA Managing Editor J. E. TEAG'UE Associate Editor Y. B. GRIFFIS Associate Editor P. A. DRESSER Sports Editor F. R. McKNIGHT Assistant Sports Editor M. H. HOLLOWAY Columnist (Staff not yet completed) BUSINESS STAFF LESTER HANKS . . . >. Business Manager J. A. REYNOLDS Circulation Manager A FURTHER DIGRESSION Last week an editorial was published in this volume entitled Advice to Freshmen. It was intended to be a generalization imparting to our new students the specific idea that even here, as in other phases and walks of life, a man may be outstanding as well as popular. To narrow down the field of thought, it is our wish to attempt as nearly as possible to present the student with the material realization and value derived from a college education. Perhaps your ideas shall differ from ours, but the consensus of opinion of so many men agree with our conviction that we feel sure it shall be worth your time at least to give the matter serious consideration. In the crowd it is concert of action which ^brings about transition and accomplishes deeds, but in the individual it is a question of volition of will, granting the fact that the student has the voluntary seriousness of pur pose, we may proceed. Too often undue stress is laid upon the acquiring of frinds, or shall we say, fair weather associates. Too often campus activities are followed very closely and the question of the training of the mind through academic learning disregarded almost completely. The happy solution of the problem lies, we believe, in the correctly percentaged coordination of the three mentioned phases of college life. Naturally, the development of the mind is to be gained through study. But let the term include also the study of men, of women, and all phases of life. Associations has innumerable ad vantages, most of which are so clearly discernable that no digression is necessary. We merely wish to impress on the minds of the thoughtful mem bers of the student body the fact that to grow lax in the effort of gaining friends is to do oneself a grave injustice. But, at the same time, the exec utive training, business experience, and training of the mind resulting from the holding of responsible positions leads us to rather emphasize campus activities. If the student is able to coordinate the three phases of college activi ties in such a manner as will prove successful, we feel sure that the maxi mum benefit that this institution can afford shall surely be derived. STUDY Study, that condition in which the mind is concentrated on a problem, endeavoring to perceive its bigness; to acquire by a repeated process of con certed thoughts an idea, gist, or mental detailed sketch of that which is being perused. What is your definition of the term; what does it mean to you? Undoubtedly the most important phase of college life, it is often underestimated and even disregarded. A more serious deliberation on the part of some members of this student body might inculate into their minds a better understanding, a clearer knowledge of just what they are driving at. Sometimes strange, the goal which some so-called students have in mind. The grade; to pass the course. Unfortunately it seems that the ma jority are narrow-minded enough to work with this end in view. If every one could only realize that academic work has as one of its principal pur poses the training of the mind, then there would probably be more en lightened minds in our midst. Too much faith is placed in text book ma terial in itself; too few are able to perceive the value and development of the mind to be secured by regular unfailing hours of study and serious ap plication. After all, development of mind is permanent; text book material is soon largely forgotten. It is unfortunate that a process whereby knowl edge can be transmitted from one individual to another without effort on the part of the receiver has not yet been born. Until such a process shall be instigated, it seems likely that we are doomed to extend effort for what we are to acquire. So let us compose ourselves to our fate and accept the apparently unremediable situation serenly. Repeating, back of the entire proposition must lie the seriousness of purpose and the willingness to learn, very necessary attributes to a real student. The major part in human life that habit, the regular and periodical conducting of oneself or one’s activities along a definite line, plays is clear ly and evidently perceivable. Evident also, the fact that they are easy to form and hard to break. It seems quite advisable to form this habit rather early in the year, and to pursue its course conscientiously throughout. And why not, for it is certain to simplify matters greatly. Another suggestion is in order. Some great men have made studies of the psychological aspects of the human mind, and of study, and have published matter with the view foremost to make easier the arduous and toilsome task of assimilating learning. It would be wise to secure a little data on this subject, and, as a bet with yourself, see if the task does not appear a bit easier. FRIENDS When the average Freshman comes to College, he feels that he has left at home all of the friends that he has in the world and that he is now entering upon an entirely new life which can most profitably and selfishly be lived according to the idea of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. However, one of the things that should be most prominent in the minds of not only Freshmen but all college students is the fact that in College more so than anywhere else there is a great opportunity for one to make golden friendships of lifelong duration. In after life one will find that these friendships will help him in all walks of life and in his old days the reminescences of them will comfort him greatly. Now you may ask: “If these friendships are to be so valuable to me and others how can I cultivate them to the ultimate degree?” Thomas Hughes, an English author, gas given us one of the best sketches on Friendship that has ever been written. Friendship to him involves many things, the most prominent of which is the going out of one’s self and loving and seeing whatever is good and noble in our fellow man, and in helping him along his trials and troubles you yourself will be benefitted beyond measure. No man can live the helpful kind of life unless he con siders the well-being of his fellow man and certainly no task is nobler. STUDENT ACTIVITIES It is often said that a man who seeks the company of others shows a lack of trust in himself. Solitude is at times of extreme importance to help an individual to find himself, but very often the case is that of a person who, through selfishness and personal egotism, purposely isolates himself from the rest of his fellow men. Civilized society was founded through the gatherings of individuals and the development of closer relationship among themselves; this being the only manner in which it would exist. We at A. and M. represent a social group by itself. There are certain forms of environment which attempt to bring us closer together. Athletic activities predominate on the campus, this being something where, if a man be gifted by nature for such sports, there is an opportunity to gain popularity and the acclamation of cadets. The military has open place for those who distinguish themselves through their ability and character: this is a task difficult to perform due to the many inconveniences which a man has to undergo. Of lesser attraction to students are the social entertain ments, which, by the nature of their requirements, do not attract their attention. A man should be able to take delight in the frivolous conver sation that usually takes place in such gatherings. Last, but of much more importance than any other activity, is the cultural side of life in this insti tution. There are a few clubs on the campus that attempt to develop the minds of a limited number of students by holding meetings and discussing books, ideas, and beliefs. It is a fact to be regretted that a great interest is not shown along this line of activity. Any progress made towards improving the cultural education of the student body is of unlimited value both to the institution and to the stu dents themselves. We must not forget that the man with an education and a mind of his own dictates while the ignorant must follow and obey. THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE TO THE STUDENTS It is a hard task to influence students with a year or so of college behind them but to elevate and inspire the ambitions of those just begin ning their chosen work is a simple matter unless the efforts to help are not counteracted by the associations with the morons so assinine in their ideas that they resist such outside aid. Regardless of the type of mind of the individual, the message of Dr. Walton’s to the student assembly last Friday morning at Guion Hall should have affected any student whose body produces enough mental energy to overcome tendencies toward insomnia and reverie.. “We have a large number of students registered with us this year,” Dr. Walton stated, “but a large number does not necessarily mean growth.” “I should like this to be the best year of all at A. and M. College,” he said, “and if every student will do his best each day, this will become a realization.” “Each student, on entering, is expected to exert exceptional individual effort in their work, but some fail to appreciate their responsibility: some never even learn the college routines. ‘Accidents’ sometimes get in and a few occasionally graduate, but myrth and pleasure seekers were given the invitation for immediate campus exeunt lest they receive ultimately their logical disappointment.” “During the early part of last February, the largest number of stu dents were sent home of any year in Texas A. and M.’s history. This is a deplorable fact, but when the Executive Committee realizes, as you do,