DIAL 4-5444
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER
OF THE CITY OF
COLLEGE STATION
The Battalion
DIAL 4-5444
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY
NEWSPAPER OF
TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE
YOL. 40 122 ADMINISTRATION BLDG.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, TUESDAY MORNING, SEPT. 24, 1940
Z725 NO. 4
Collegians Exempt From Draft Until July 1,1941
Enrollment Reaches 6,400 Tuesday;
Exceeds Last Year’s Total By 360
Count Shows An 8% Increase
Over This Time Last Year
The enrollment for the year 1940-41, as known up to noon Sat
urday, showed that this is to be the largest registration, both of old
students and freshmen, in the history of the college. At that time,
it showed an eight percent increase over the same time last year and
the number of students still demanding to be registered indicated a
great increase in the rapidly expanding school which is already by far
the largest military school in the world that enrolls only boys.
Final enrollment figures will not be known until October 10, when
a final count of the students sign
ed up for the different courses and
schools will be compiled. Up until
noon Monday, the number was
6400, a big increase over the 5,904
of last year, and the freshmen tal-
ley jumped from 1,920 in 1939 to
2,163 this year.
Approximately 4,700 students
live in the dormitories, and the
rest will be divided between the
project houses and approved homes
in College Station and in Bryan.
Plans are up to build four new
dormitories that will take care of
the ever-increasing housing prob
lem, but even after this there will
not be enough room to accomodate
the fast growing enrollment, since
four new dorms will hold only a
little more than 1,000 more stud
ents.
Due to the fact that many
changes are being made in class
es and many more students are
still enrolling, complete figures on
the registration will not be known
until October 10. October 3rd is
the deadline for changing courses
and registration of students. Any
one dropping a course after this
date will receive a final grade of
F in the course.
It is estimated that the final
count will be somewhere around
6,500, the largest enrollment in
the history of the shook The total
is already well past the 6,030 of
last year and is going up steadily
all the time.
Aggie’s Ring'Found
In Dakota Bad Lands;
Returned To Owner
R. C. Jackson of A. & M. has
his faith in fairies and also
the honesty of the human race
strengthened.
He received this self-explana
tory letter from Paul Messer of
Hedrick, Iowa:
“You’ll probably think that this
is a fairy tale, but I guess it really
isn’t. To get down to facts, I went
on a vacation through Dakota and
Colorado. While in South Dakota, I
had to do a little climbing, and on
one of the ledges I climbed I found
a Texas A. & M. class ring be
longing to R. C. Jackson.
“I’m trusting to luck that you
will get this letter if I send it in
care of your college. If you do re
ceive this letter, send me your ad
dress and I’ll be glad to send you
your ring.”
Remainder of Promotion
List To Be Released Soon
List promotions for the remaind
er of the seniors taking advanced
military science will be released
within a week or ten days, ac
cording to information received
from the military department yes
terday.
Antenna and Recording
Machine Added To ff / i II
A. & M. College’s own radio sta
tion, WTAW, is now serving its
audience with an impressive array
of new equipment. The new tower
near Highway No. 6 is the most
conspicuous of the improvements
that have been wrought between
the time school let out last June
and the beginning of the present
session.
The tower, styled as a “vertical
radiator” by the station’s chief
engineer, H. C. Dillingham, is 222
feet high from ground to tip. The
new antenna has already effected
a considerable increase in WTAW’s
working range, and the staff of
College engineers say that this im
provement will become more mark
ed after further adjustments are
made. Cards have already been re
ceived from daytime listeners as
far away as Hallettsville and Whar
ton who have reported perfect re
ception.
The radio station has also bene-
fitted greatly by the gift of a new
Singing Cadets To
Hold First Tryouts
Tonight In Y M C A
The Singing Cadets extend a
cordial invitation to all freshmen
and old students who would like
to join the club.
Numerous trips have been plan
ned for the year. Several of these
include trips to Austin, Huntsville,
Waxahachie, Denton, and Houston.
More trips will be planned as the
year progresses. A long trip is
taken each year during the spring
holidays. This year the club is
going to either New Orleans, La.,
or to Monterrey, Mex.
Tryouts are to be held for the
next two weeks, starting Sept. 24,
from 5 until 5:30 and immediately
after each yell practice. Tryouts
are to be held in the Y. M. C. A.
parlor.
■Fairchild recording machine from
Dean of the College F. C. Bolton.
John Rosser, director of WTAW,
described the machine and its in
tended uses as follows:
“The corps has already had a
slight introduction to the workings
of this new piece of equipment.
We made a recording of the yell
practice held on College Night and
broadcast this transcription on last
Friday’s Aggie Clambake. Buster
Keeton said the yells didn’t sound
so good that first night, so we just
broadcast the welcoming address
of Dr. Walton. We’ll get some yells
when they’re better.”
Town Hall’s
Reserved Seats
On Sale Today
Paul Haines, Town Hall student
manager, announced Monday morn
ing that reserved seat tickets for
Town Hall programs to be pre
sented during the forth coming
school year will go on sale Tuesday
morning, at eight o’clock for $4
each. Sale on these tickets will
last until Wednesday evening and
may be obtained at the Y.M.C.A.,
College Station, and at A. M. Wal
drop Co., Bryan.
A very attractive and colorful
series of entertainment has been
arranged and will be presented at
intervals so as to last throughout
the duration of the college year.
The U. S. Marine Band, under
the leadership of Captain Taylor
Branson and directed by Captain
W. F. Santelman, will be the first
program presented on Town Hall
and will appear Thursday night,
October 3 in Guion Hall. This re
nowned organization, referred to
as the “president’s own” is under
special permission granted by the
President of the United States.
The second Town Hall presenta
tion of the year will be the “Fisk
Jubille Singers,” acclaimed by
musicians as the finest vocal en
semble of the Negro race for seven
decades, will appear in Guion Hall
on Monday night, November 4.
They have been received in the
White House by the President and
have sung before Queen Victoria
and many other renowned indi
viduals.
Jean Dickenson, 26 year old
American soprano, star of both
radio and opera, will be Town
Hall’s third presentation of the
year. Miss Dickenson will appear
in Guion Hall Wednesday night,
December 4th. She recently made
her debut with the Metropolitan
Opera and received world-wide ac
claim on her splendid performance.
The Littlefield Ballet, first Bal
let ever composed of and directed
by Americans exclusively, will ap
pear as Town Hall’s fourth pre
sentation in Guion Hall on the
night of February 4, 1941. The
Littlefield Ballet is composed of a
company of 65 and a full symphony
orchestra, beautiful girls, gorg
eous costumes, and gay. dancing
mark this organization.
The Houston Symphony Orches
tra, outstanding musical organiza
tion in this section for a decade,
will appear in Guion Hall on the
night of March 3rd, 1941, as Town
Hall’s fifth presentation.
Seniors
To Hold
Meeting
The senior class will hold its
first meeting of the year in Guion
Hall Wednesday night at 7:30 with
Tom Richey, president; Howard
Shelton, vice-president; and Jeff
Montgomery, secretary, in charge.
The purpose of the meeting will
be to discuss business which has a-
risen during the summer and since
the beginning of the current school
year. Among the various things to
be brought up will be a discussion
of a junior-senior corps trip to San
Antonio for the Tulsa University
football game on October 5. Also
will be decided the places for the
regular corps trips for this semes
ter.
Senior section for football
games will be the same as it has
been previously, and whether or
not the juniors have a separate
section will be left entirely to their
decision.
The senior class will decide
whether or not to present the
Board of Directors with the re
quest to charge for visitors who
dine in the college mess halls.
Also will be discussed the pro
position of making kaki slacks
regulation for meal formations,
and for changing final exam week
back as it was previously.
The senior class officers will ap
point committees for the Senior
Ring Dance and Banquet, Decora
tions, and for Mothers Day at the
meeting.
Colonel Watson Presents His Plans
And Policies To Cadet Officers
In a talk Tuesday morning hrfstandards for this Corps.
the Assembly Hall, Lt. Colonel
James A. Watson, new comman
dant of the College, presented to
this year’s cadet officers and first
sergeants his plans and policies
for the coming year. His message
was apparently well taken as was
shown by the response that fol
lowed.
The text of his talk is as fol
lows: “Doctor Walton, Colonel
Ashburn, and officers of the
corps, my initial appearance be
fore you in the capacity of Com
mandant is an occasion of which
I am very proud.
“My future contacts with you
will be in furtherance of our vital
National Defense program and the
highly important place therein
that this great school fills.
“The troubled situation in Eu
rope which occupies most of our
thoughts must necessarily guide
our procedure in these times pre
paring to protect this country.
“I believe that this mission of
the cadet officers is clearly out
lined, that is to so conduct them
selves as to maintain the highest
“Discipline and training rest
with you to the greatest extent.
You have been selected for your
character, ability, and personality
to carry out this important func
tion.
“The opportunity presented to
you to gain training and exper
ience in command is unequalled.
The firmness, wisdom, and judg
ment with which you exercise this
authority will determine the con
duct, interest, and contentment of
the Corps. The responsibility is
great.
“The officers of the military de
partment are here to instruct and
advise you. Detailed instructions
as to your duties will be issued
from time to time.
“The profession of arms and its
comradship is one in which the
element of pride, some call its
morale, is the greatest factor.
“I expect you to feel, exercise,
and develop this quality to the
highest degree in yourselves and
in all the men under you.
“In a last analysis, I am your
(Continued on page 4)
A & M’s Guardsmen Will Be Called
For Year’s Active Duty November 22
School Board To
Discuss New Dorms
Wedesday Morning
The College Board of Directors
will meet at 9:30 Wednesday morn
ing in the director’s room for the
purpose of discussing the erection
of the four new student dormitor
ies.
An appropriation of $600,000 was
received through an application to
the Reconstruction Finance Cor
poration during the past summer.
At a meeting of the directors, which
was held in the early part of Aug
ust, it was decided that the location
of the buildings and the type to be
erected should be postponed until
this meeting.
At the meeting Dr. Walton was
authorized to appoint a committee
to handle the details of vacating
and disposing of residences on the
campus that are now occupying
sites for prospective new buildings.
Only administrative heads of the
college will remain in campus res
idences, and all others now resid
ing in buildings on the campus
will be given opportunities to pur
chase the homes and remove them
to various residential subdivisions
adjacent to the campus.
At the present it is hoped that
construction on the new buildings
will be started sometime this
winter.
WTAW Will
Double Its Time
On Air This Year
Re-scheduling of the Texas
Farm and Home Program and par
ticipation in the Texas School of
the Air have resulted in more
than doubling the broadcasting
schedule of A. & M. College, ac
cording to WTAW director John
Rosser.
This does not in any way change
the actual hours of broadcasting
of WTAW. The College radio sta
tion is operating on its customary
schedule—11:25 to noon every
weekday, with an additional hour
from 4:30 to 5:30 on Friday after
noons and a total of one hour from
8:30 to 9:30 Sunday morning.
Formerly, the Texas Farm and
Home Program was heard at 11:30
over WTAW and TQN. Under the
new setup, the program is heard
only over WBAP, WOAI, and
KPRC every morning at 6:15
o’clock, and WTAW may make use
of the 11:3.0 time locally as it
sees fit.
The College studio will also ori
ginate for the network a quarter-
hour weekly program as part of
the Texas School of the Air. To be
heard Wednesday at 1:15 P. M., the
A. & M. series will be called “Jobs
Ahead.” It is designed to offer oc
cupational information to youths
of high school age who will shortly
be seeking work. The series will be
written and produced by Rosser, in
collaboration with outstanding edu
cators in the College and the State
Department of Education. The first
program will be broadcast on Oct
ober 9th.
“Even without the new program
series, A. & M. College has for
many years had more time on the
Texas Quality Network than any
other school or college in the State,”
Rosser said. “At the present time,
I believe that we produce more
actual broadcast hours than any
other educational institution in
Texas.”
Yell practices, however, are by
no means the limit of usefulness of
the machine, Rosser pointed out.
The recorder is of the double-turn-
table type, capable of transcribing
a high-fidelity record of any sound,
from music to speech, of any length,
and without interruption. The
switch from one table to another
can be made instantaneously, al
lowing a program of any length to
be recorded in “takes” varying in
length from fifteen to twenty-seven
minutes.
It is planned to record a series
(Continued on page 4)
Faculty To Hold
First Dance Of The
Year Friday Evening
Friday night, October 4th, will
mark the beginning of the faculty
dances when the first dance of a
series of nine will begin at 9 p. m.
in Sbisa Hall annex. Music will be
furnished by the Aggieland Or
chestra which will make its first
appearance since it was reorgani
zed by Ed Minnock.
All officials of the College and
members of the faculty are urged
to attend. E. D. Parnell, president
of the faculty dance committee
has announced that season tickets
are now available and may be se
cured from him or Russell Couch,
secretary. The price for season
tickets is six dollars for the series
of nine dances.
Texas Guardsmen Not Exempt Under
Provisions of Burke-Wadsworth Act
By George Fuermann
Texas A. & M. students, and collegians throughout the
nation, will be exempt from military conscription until the
end of the current 1940-41 long session.
Section five, article (f) of the Burke-Wadsworth Mili
tary Conscription Act reads, “Any person who, during the
year 1940, entered upon attendance for the academic year
1940-41
(1) at any college or university which grants a degree in arts
or science, to pursure a course of instruction satisfactory comple
tion of which is prescribed by such college or university as a
prerequisite to either of such degrees; or
(2) at any university described in paragraph (1), to pursue a
course of instruction to the pursuit of which a degree in arts
4-or science is prescribed by such
university as a prerequisite; and
who, while pursuing such course of
instruction at such college or uni
versity, is selected for training
and service under this Act prior
to the end of such academic year,
or prior to July 1, 1941, whichever
occurs first, shall upon his request,
be deferred from induction into
the land or naval forces for such
training and service until the end
of such academic year, but in no
event later than July 1, 1941.”
Article (a) of section five ex
empts, among many other groups,
“cadets of the advanced course,
senior division, Reserve Officers’
Training Corps.”
Guardsmen Called
The announcement made public
last Thursday calling all Texas
Guardsmen into active service for
a year’s training beginning Nov
ember 22 will affect Texas Aggies,
but the number of A. & M. students
who are members of the National
Guard is yet undeterminable.
President T. O. Walton pointed
out, however, that there are prob
ably very few Guardsmen enrolled
here. “It is my belief,” he said,
(Continued on Page 4)
College Students
Offered A National
Photography Contest
Youth In Focus, a national photo
contest, paying more than $1500
for the best pictures about young
America awaits every college cam
era fan as they return to school
today. The contest is sponsored by
Dr. Mary E. Wolley, president of
the University of North Carolina.
It is open to amateur photograph
ers whether they own dollar Brown
ies or expensive Leicas, Youth In
Focus announced that, “The subject,
story, and skill will determine the
winners; technical ability will be
entirely incidental”. Interesting
pictures of students in class rooms,
labs, dining halls, at football games
and “bull sessions” will form an
important part of the photographic
document Youth In Focus will pro
duce.
Entry forms, rules, and complete
information about the contest may
be obtained from Youth in Focus,
1775 Broadway, New York City.
Football Dances Open With
Saturday’s Corps Dance
By E. M. Rosenthal
Open season on bird dogs will
officially start this coming Satur
day night, September 28, when the
corps will have its first dance of
the year in Sbisa Hall. Ed Min
nock, maestro of the Aggieland
Orchestra, at that time will pre
sent the new members of the band
and the latest arrangements of
songs that are being acclaimed
over the country.
Both the jitterbugs and the
other dancers, who take life less
recklessly, should be well pleased
with the new floor and improved
acoustics that they will find in
Sbisa Hall. The addition of these
features was started during the
summer and will probably be com-
American Society Of Civil Engineers
To Hold Its First Meeting Tuesday
The A. & M. Student Chapter of-
the American Society of Civil En
gineers will hold its opening meet
ing of the year Tuesday night at
7:30 p. m. in the lecture room of
the Civil Engineering building.
As guests of the Chapter, all
freshmen enrolled in civil, admin
istrative and agricultural engineer
ing will meet with the sophomores,
juniors and seniors in an informal
smoker for the purpose of dis
cussing plans for the coming year.
At the conclusion of the smoker,
election of a vice-president and a
secretary-treasurer will be held and
various standing committees ap
pointed by the president, Henry
Drumwright.
The Chapter brings to the cam
pus of the institution an organi
zation affiliated with the National
Society, which has in its member
ship 16,113 engineers representing
every state of the union and 46
foreign countries. Through the ef
forts of Mr. R. J. Potts, formerly
a professor of Highway Engineer
ing at A. & M. and now a prom
inent business man of Waco, a
Texas section of the Society was
organized in 1913. The student
chapters soon resulted as the need
of a closer touch between the young
student engineer and the practic
ing engineer became apparent. A.
& M. was the first college of the
state to secure an affiliation for a
student chapter and the current
year will probably see a peak mem
bership of over 150 student engi
neers.
The National Society has func
tioned since its organization in
1852 under a completely selective
membership basis, however it urges
that every effort be made to see
that all college students planning
to practice in any field of civil
engineering after leaving school
be given an opportunity to better
qualify themselves by maintaining
membership in student chapters. In
keeping with this policy, the pres
ident of the A. & M. student chap
ter has indicated that he plans to
make a special effort to see that
freshmen as well as others who
have not yet joined the society are
afforded every opportunity to work
and meet with the organization
during the year.
■pleted before the end of the week.
There have been unconfirmed
rumors going about that prices
will be slightly higher for the
corps dances this .year. If this is
true the small addition will be
merely a government tax and not
any increase of the base price.
However, it is believed that Sat
urday night’s cost will be the reg
ular $1.00.
The price of season tickets for
the nine faculty dances is six dol
lars. They are available now and
may be secured from E. D. Parnell,
president of the faculty dance com
mittee, or from Russell Couch,
secretary of the organization. Mr.
Parnell urges all members of the
faculty and officials of the Col
lege to attend their first affair of
the year.
Minnock says that the orchestra
is every bit as hot as it was last
year, and he hopes that the corps,
and the faculty will again give the
boys the rousing receptions that
they have in the past. He promises
music from the slow sweet style to
those fiery swing numbers which
proved to be so popular last year.
Minnock’s big wish is that every
one let his tune preference be
known so that the Aggieland can
feature what the campus, as a
whole, wants.
Annual A & M Staff
Banquet To Be Sept. 27
New members of the staff at
Texas A. & M. College and their
wives will be honored at the an
nual dinner to be held in Sbisa Hall
Friday evening. September 27, Dr.
F. C. Bolton, dean of the college
has announced.
All of the new members and
their wives will be guests of the
Deans and Directors and all old
members are expected to attend
to meet the newcomers to Texas
A. & M. Further details will be
announced later.