Ballet Dancer
The Battalion
VOL. 40 122 ADMINISTRATION BLDG. COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, THURSDAY MORNING, SEPT. 19, 1940
Z725
No. 2
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One member of the company of 65 which composes the world
famous Littlefield Ballet which will appear on the Texas A. & M.
Town Hall February 12, 1941.
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U. S. Marine Band Is First On Town
Hall Programs; Appears Here Oct. 3
By Jack Hollimon
The United States Marin Band,
oldest, first and foremost band in
America, will be the first offering
of the new Town Hall series on
October 3rd at Guion Hall. This
performance is made possible
through the permission of the Pres
ident of the United States to allow
a limited tour of this organization,
often called “The President’s Own.”
Captain William F. Santelmann,
leader of the Marine Band, will
bring his talented musicians, re
splendent in their scarlet and blue
uniforms known throughout the
nation, to the A. & M. campus for
a full program of artistic excel
lence and stirring marches.
The band has been in existence
since John Adams officially approv
ed a bill that brought the band
into being on July 11, 1798. It has
performed at White House func
tions since the days of George
Washington. Probably no musical
organization so gloriously expresses
the soul of the nation—its history,
its religion, its patriotism, its hop
es and aspirations—as does the
United States Marine Band.
Following the United States Ma
rine Band will be the Fisk Jubilee
Singers, the finest vocal ensemble
of the negro race for several de
cades. Organized in 1871, this group
has grown in fame and reputation
throughout the following years.
They have become internationally
important and the timbre and qual
ity of their voices will be met with
the utmost approval by .the stu
dents of A. & M.
The Houston Symphony Orches
tra, fresh from a
successful summer! civilians
-stand during which they entertain
ed many thousands of delighted
music lovers at their outdoor con
certs, will make a triumphant re
turn to Guion Hall where they
gave a superb concert lastyear.
This will be one of the highlights
of a superior Town Hall season.
Jean Dickenson, vivacious young
soprano, star of both radio and op
era, will doubtless be another fa
vorite with the Aggies when she
presents her performance in Guion
Hall for another hit Town Hall
program. Glamorous Miss Dicken
son, nationally reknowned, offers
a program which none can miss
this season.
The beautiful Littlefield Ballet,
bringing to Aggieland some of the
most talented and lovely ballet
dancers in the world, will be an
other evening of grand entertain
ment for the Texas Aggies.
Texas A. & M.’s Cadet Singers,
with a program that is destined to
lift this organization on up the
ladder of success, have also found
a place on the Town Hall program.
Two other numbers, a popular
dance band and a famous news
commentator, will fill out the rest
of this years great Town Hall pre
sentations. These two will be an
nounced in a later edition of the
Battalion.
A student season ticket for all
numbers cost $2. Single admission
prices range from $1 to $3 for
each number, therefore the season
ticket will be one of the best bar
gains for real entertainment on the
campus. Reserved seat tickets for
are $4.
College Night To Be Held Tonight
A & M Enrolls 2,163 Freshmen
Upperclassmen
Will Boost Total
To School Record
After Wednesday’s registration
of freshmen students a total of
2,163 had competed the procedure,
according to figures issued offi
cially by Registrar E. J. Howell.
This represents an increase of
more than 200 over the number
enrolled by the same time last
year.
Complete figures on registration
are, of course, not available until
after Thursday on which day up
perclassmen will sign up and pay
fees.
By the time registration for
the semester is completed approx
imately 6300 students will have
passed through the portals”, ac
cording to an authoritative esti
mate by Registrar Howell. This
will be a new peak in enrollment
at A. & M.
Filled for three weeks before
opening registration the dormi
tories of the college will house
about 4600 of the students; nearly
1,000 can be accommodated in the
project houses, and the remainder
of those who enroll in the college
will by necessity find rooms in
Bryan or in off-campus houses.
It is not known whether or not
project houses will be permitted
in Bryan or other places outside
the campus as was done in years
past, but it is known that no stu
dent will be able to live off the
campus in any residence not
checked and approved by the col
lege authorities.
Official Hours Given
For Hospital, Library
And Swimming Pool
The following list of official
hours for the entire long session
has been given:
The College Hospital will be open
from 7:15 a. m. to 2 p. m. and 4
p. m. to 6 p. m. Monday through
Saturday. The Sunday hours will
be from 8 a. m. to 10 a. m. and the
Hospital will be open from 12
to 2 p. m. on holidays.
The College Library will be open
(Continued on Page 6)
Nine New Taylorcraft Trainers
Bought by College for CAA Course
Nine new Tayolrcraft training-fat Columbus, Ohio, and at Cincin-
planes roared over College Sta
tion Wednesday morning at 11:30
while most students were in the
midst of registration. These new
planes were being rushed to the
college in preparation for the col
lege-taught course in flying taught
under the Civil Aeronautics Author
ity.
Two professors in the Mechani
cal Engineering department, six
students of the college, and the
flying instructor made the trip
to Alliance, Ohio, to bring the
airplanes home. One of the stu
dents and the flying instructor also
took their wives. Those making
the trip were the following: Guy
Davis, Raymond Berger, Roger
Jackson, Clint Ritchey, Edwin
Bowles, Rudy Rudasil, students; A1
Nelson, and Paul Higgins, M. E.
professors; Ralph Parkman, in
structor. Mrs. Parkman, and Mrs.
Rudasil were the ladies who made
the trip.
Leaving Ohio Sunday morning,
the group who made the trip ran
into foggy weather, and were
forced f° delay their journey both
natti, Ohio. Though the trip re
quired three days to make, the total
flying hours did not amount to
more than about 15. On the trip
the pilots passed through Colum
bus, Ohio; Cincinnatti,. Ohio; Louis
ville, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennes
see; Littlerock, Arkansas; Texar
kana, Tyler, and finally College
Station.
With these nine planes the total
now in possession of the college
and housed at the airport has been
brought to 14. These will all be
used in training this year, and are
a result of an increased appropria
tion from the C.A.A.
The new planes are 65 horse
power Lycoming Taylorcraft Train
ers valued at about $1,500 apiece.
They were bought with the prelim
inary appropriation of $36,000
made for immediate expansion.
That all of the planes now
in use can be housed remains in
some doubt. According to students
who flew them in, if they all fit
into the small space of the hangar,
“it will be a tight squeeze.”
Scientists Think
Bull Nettle Might
Have Possible Uses
Somebody has finally got around
to saying a good word for bull
nettle.
The “somebody” is two Univer
sity of California scientists who
found that the plant contained a
protein-digesting enzyme resembl
ing pepsin in its action. It is even
more like the digestive compound
found in. the subtropical fruit pap
aya, known as papain. Papain has
long been used as a medicine for
indigestion, an dit is possible that
the new enzyme, which has been
named solanain, may be useful in
the same way. r
It is also thought that solanain
may find economic applications in
tanning and other industries, es
pecially since it is more resistant
to heat than other digestive en
zymes.
Maybe Texas farmers will be
planting bull nettles some day.
Minnock Is New Head of Aggieland
Orchestra; First Dance Is Sent. 28
The Aggieland Orchestra, back--
bone of A. & M.’s entertainment
world, is rapidly getting under
way. At the first x*ehearsal Tues
day night several very promising
musicians were added. Ed Minnock,
the new manager, is building a sol
id band around the old men who
have returned.
Minnock, a Galena Park senior,
has the highest grade point aver
age in the Mechanical Engineer
ing Department. He has many ori
ginal ideas in respect to improv
ing the orchestra this coming sea
son.
“The band will be smoother this
year, but there definitely will be
no trend towards a ‘mickey mouse’
style,” Minnock said. “Arranger
Jack Littlejohn, although absent
from the campus this year, will
still contribute to the band’s musi
cal library,” he added.
The brass section, headed by Joe
Germany and Henry Baushausen,
is coming along well, although the
hot trumpet chair has not yet been
definitely filled. Except for a few
minor adjustments the reed sec
tion is ready to go. Minnock will
kick off the band from the first
sax chair. His excellent clarinet
and sax work will be a featured
attraction with the band this year.
The second tenor position is still
unsettled; however, with a few
more tryouts, the hole will be fill
ed. The orchestra promises a pleas
ant surprise in the third sax man,
a band freshman, who handles a
fine clarinet. R. B. “Toppy” Pearce,
another returning man, plays the
other tenor.
H. F. “Red” Doerr brings back
all his kettles and hides for an-
Gilchrist Appointed
To Defense Committee
Gibb Gilchrist, dean of the
school of engineering, has received
his appointment as a member of
the Advisory Committee on Engi
neering Education for National
Defense.
This committee of ten engineer
ing educators is headed by Dean
A. A. Potter of Purdue University.
Purdue is the largest engineering
school in the United States, with
Texas A. & M. being second in
enrollment.
YMCA Will Use
Guion Hall For
Motion Pictures
Converting Guion Hall into a
suitable place to show moving pic
tures was being studied by Mr.
M. L. Cushion of the Y.M.C.A. in
order that the threatre may be
moved from the Assembly Hall and
plans will be submitted to the
Board of Directors at their next
meeting.
The new project, costing approx
imately $5,000, will be considered
by the next meeting of the Board
of Directors on October 5, Mr.
Cushion has called in accoustical
engineers to list changes that will
have to be made so that Guion Hall
will pass as a satisfactory theatre.
Among the changes expected to
be made in Guion Hall are the
transfer of the large revolving
fans now in the Assembly Hall,
the stripping of the floor, the
sound-proofing of the front en
trance, the darkening of the win
dows, the extension of the stage,
the moving of the screen and
stage effects, and the construction
of a ticket booth, at the entrance.
Present plans are that the As
sembly Hall will be completely torn
down and done away with.
Plans were submitted to the
Board of Directors simultaneous
ly during the summer for the pur
chase of new equipment in the old
consolidated school building, and
for the renovation of Guion Hall,
but action on the transfer of the
picture show to Guion Hall was
delayed until October. If the
board’s decision is favorable, Mr.
Cushion has announced that Guion
Hall will be converted into a first-
class place for movie entertain
ment.
Mr. Cashion stated definitely
that student prices will remain un
changed regardless of what changes
that may be made. Y-Cards are
being sold to students at the reg
ular price this term in spite of the
new movie tax.
Gone
Jack Littlejohn, former direc
tor of the Aggieland Orchestra.
Not back this year, Jack has been
replaced by Ed Minnock. Jack,
however, will continue to be asso
ciated with the orchestra as ar
ranger and writer.
•f-ico, recognized as one of the best
arrangers in the southwest. Jack
Littlejohn will continue to turn out
arrangements and new tunes com
parable to his famed “I’d Rather
Be A Texas Aggie” which he wrote
last year. For those who would
like to hear “I’d Rather Be A Tex
as Aggie”, the Aggieland made a
record last ydar which is being
sold by the Former Students As
sociation. Littlejohn is featured
as vocalist on this record.
The orchestra had a successful
season last year. Besides playing
for the corps and organization
dances on the campus, the band
journied over Texas and to New
Orleans last Christmas. The spring
semester was punctuated with
week end trips and several festi
vals. With all the publicity A. &
M. has been receiving this summer,
Aggieland expects an even bigger
and busier season this year.
other year. Along with Murry
Evans, guitar for the last three
years, Red will keep a solid rhy
thm section going. An experienced
bass man, Frank “Sug” Barnes,
blew in to keep the band rocking.
Sug, tall and handsome, is a man
who knows the band business and
will be an asset. The piano, which
will be easy to fill, will complete
the combination.
Aggieland plays its first en
gagement Friday, September 27,
for the faculty in the old mess
hall. The following Saturday night
will mark the corps’ first glimpse
of the new band. The occasion is
the Corps Dance following the
Texas A. & I. game. The dining
hall floor is being refinished, and
the ceiling is being rebuilt. The ac-
coustics should be improved, and
the floor will be greatly improved.
Of the old members returning,
Baushausen has the seniority. He
has played with the band for six
years. Joe Germany has played
for three, as has Murry Evans.
Doerr, Minnock and Pearce play
ed last year. Although this is his
first year with the orchestra,
Barnes has gone to school here
before and is returning to finish.
For those Aggies who like a
sweet tune played well, the band
is developing a swing style for
sweet music that will please those
anti-jitterbugs but will not be too
“sugary.” The band is getting
away from so much negroid phras
ing and developing a solid style
patterned after Glenn Miller, Artie
Shaw, and Tommy Dorsey whose
arrangements the band is using.
Many arrangements are by Bud
Nelson of Albuquerque, New Mex-
143 Senior Rings
Will Be Delivered
During Registration
Seniors have order 143 rings this
year, according to information re
ceived from the registrar’s office
Tuesday.
Rings will be in three finishes.
12 to 18 -pennyweight, antique
green, dark, and light Russian.
Ninety-nine rings will be deliver
ed to seniors Thursday night from
7 to 9. Forty-four rings have been
ordered for delivery October 15.
Orders will be sent throughout the
year on the first and fifteenth of
the month.
Contract for the senior rings
again was let to Jostens, Owatonna,
Minnesota. Southern Engraving
Company, Houston, is a Texas
Branch of Jostens, the largest class
ring manufacturer in the world.
Last year at this time 205 rings
had been ordered.
$600,000 Building
Program To Begin
Before January 1
At a meeting of the A. & M.
Board of Directors held last Aug
ust 8 it was announced the four
new dormitories would be construct
ed on the campus at a cost of
$600,000 through a Reconstniction
Finance Corporation loan.
The decision as to the location
of the buildings will be made at a
meeting of the Board of Directors
to be held in the near future. It
is hoped, however, that construct
ion of the new dormitories will be
started sometime during the winter.
In order to make room for the
new buildings the Board of Di
rectors authorized President T. O.
Walton to name a committee to
handle details of vacating and dis
posing of residences on the cam
pus that are now occupying sites
for prospective new buildings. Only
administrative heads of the insti
tution will remain in campus res
idences, it was pointed out, all
others now residing there will be
given an opportunity to purchase
the homes and remove them to
other locations in the various res
idential subdivisions adjacent to
the College properties.
Present occupants of campus
residences will have first option
in bidding, it was said, and doubt
less many College employees will
wish to purchase thehomes they
are now occupying.
Expect
Attendance
Of 7,500
College and Cadet
Officials To Speak
To Corps Tonight
The annual College Night cele
bration, to be held to night begin
ning at 7 p. m., will be the largest
in the 64-year history of A. & M.
College, E. R. Keeton, head yell
leader predicted last night.
With an expected attendance of
more than 7,500 cadets and civil
ians, the event is the first yell prac
tice of the year and will be the
first opportunity that 2,500 fresh
men will have to see what’s ahead
of them in the coming nine months.
“Everybody’s back feeling flush
over last year’s victory,” Keeton
said. “This year, however, the team
will need even more support than
the wonderful cooperation shown
by the corps last year. The yell
leaders are prepared to give the
team all the support they need and
the corps is right behind us,” Kee
ton added.
The College Night exercises to
night will feature short addresses
by President T. O. Walton, Colonel
Ike Ashburn, and Cadet Colonel
Bill Becker. Following this Head
Coach Homer Norton will intro
duce the members of the team.
Another feature of the College
Night exercises will be the presen
tation of the Sugar Bowl trophy to
the corps by Keeton. The famed
bowl has recently been returned to
the college after being on exhibi
tion at the New York World’s Fair
throughout the past summer.
As at all yell practices, the fa-
mouse 214 piece Aggie Band will
be present.
The A. & M. yell leaders, who
will officiate at the College Night
Exercises, include Keeton, head yell
leader; C. J. “Foots” Bland, senior
assistant yell leader; Skeen Sta
ley and Bill Beck, junior yell lead
ers. College Night will be held at
the traditional location of all yell
practices, on the steps and the
area immediately adjoining the
Y. M. C. A.
Indications are that tonight’s Col
lege Night will be the largest and
most successful in the history of
the event, and every cadet is urged
to attend. Civilians in surrounding
communities are also invited to wit
ness the colorful function.
College Calendar
Has Events To Note
The college calendar lists the
following events for the respective
dates:
On Thursday old students will
register, and freshmen will have
a special program mapped out for
them.
Classes begin Friday morning at
8 a. m.
The week of September 29 to
October 5 has been designated as
Church Week and will be devoted
to campus church work.
Freshmen will take the annual
psychological test on October 5 at
8 a. m.
November 11 will be observed as
Armistice Day, and appropriate
services will be held in honor of
those who died from A. & M. in
World War I.
Thanksgiving falls upon Novem
ber 28, and time-out will be taken
for that week-end.
Christmas recess begins on Sat
urday, December 21.
Town Hall Ticket
Sales Booming as New
Record Is In Sight
The success of the 1940-41 Town
Hall was assured yesterday when
the freshman class broke all pre
vious records for Town Hall stu
dent ticket sales. In an announce
ment made late yesterday by Paul
Haines, student manager, it was
learned that ticket sales have gone
beyond all expectations.
It was also announced that re
served seat tickets will go on sale
Tuesday both in Bryan and at Col
lege Station. At College they will
be at the Student Publications Of
fice on the first floor of the Ad
ministration Building. In Bryan
tickets may be secured at Waldrops.
Reserved seat tickets this year will
be $4 and tickets will be distributed
equally between Bryan and College
Station. With the season’s first
number, the U. S. Marine Band,
only a short time off, sales are ex
pected to be rapid.
Battalion Staff
Meets Tonight
The meeting for the organiza
tion of The Battalion staff is again
brought to the attention of the
students of A. & M. Those who
wish to work on The Battalion
will meet in room 122 Administra
tion building Thursday night im-
I mediately after yell practice.
Included in this meeting will be
| artists, advertising men, sports
| writers, news reporters, editors,
I fiction writers for the magazine,
j in fact, anyone who wishes to be
connected with the publication.