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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 1940)
The Battalion STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas and the city of College Station, is published three times weekly from September to June, issued Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings; also it is published weekly from June through August. Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at College Station, Texas, under the Act of Congress of March 8, 1879. Subscription rate, $3 a school year. Advertising rates upon request. Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Aageles, and San Francisco. Office, Room 122, Administration Building. Telephone 4-5444. Bob Nisbet Editor-in-Chief Keith Hubbard Advertising Manager George Fuermann r Associate Editor Hub Johnson Sports Editor Tommy Henderson Circulation Manager Phil Golman Staff Photographer Pete Tumlinson Staff Artist J. B. Pierce Editorial Assistant T. R. Vannoy Editorial Assistant THURSDAY STAFF George Fuermann Acting Managing Editor George Woodman — Assistant Advertising Manager Junior Editors Tom Gillis D. C. Thurman Sports Staff Bob Myers Assistant Sports Editor Jack Hollimon Junior Sports Editor W. F. Oxford Sports Assistant Reportorial Staff Z. A. McReynolds, L. B. Tennison, J. M. Speer “Old Abe,” An Aggie ABRAHAM LINCOLN an Aggie? Yes, if A. & M. had been in existence during the life of “Old Abe”, it is more than likely that he would have gone here to school. His life exempli fies the very ideals upon which the school was founded and still exists. In fact it was Abe Lincoln who signed the bill creating all land grant schools. Abraham Lincoln was born to poor parents as have been so many students of A. & M., but this to him as to them was no unsurmountable obstacle. Hard work was the only formula he knew for suc cess, and work he did plowing, splitting rails, and keeping a small country store. The opportunity to work at A. & M. is extended to all who need it. Near ly a thousand boys each year work part if not all of their way through school. Abraham Lincoln could not afford an educa tion at a college or university because in his day there were no low-cost schools such as A. & M. He therefore studied law in his spare time, but he made good at his vocation because he did work hard. A. & M. graduates work, too, and their reputation for capability has spread nationwide. Over ninety percent of all A. & M. graduates find employment upon graduation—a statement few colleges in the United States can make. Abraham Lincoln was a soldier, having fought in the Black Hawk war and also having directed the Civil War as a commander-in-chief. He believed in military training and for that reason all land grant colleges are required to give the students at least two years of military training. Aggies are soldiers. Abraham Lincoln was an athlete. In his early boyhood days he delighted to enter into games of physical skill with his companions. He earned a name for himself by licking the town bully. Aggies are also athletes. In 1939 they possessed the best football team in the whole nation, and every boy in school takes some part in athletics through the in tramural program. Yes, Abe Lincoln would have come to A. & M. and he would have made a good Aggie, too. OPEN FORUM The extra curricular activity of a college is a very important phase of education for any boy. The facilities offered on our campus are wide and thorough, but lack a coordinating factor. All of you have heard the long list of club meetings read over the mess hall sound system, and some of you have wondered which of several meet ings you should attend. How much easier it would be to have all of these meetings coordinated to a scheduled meeting date, time, and place. By having all the clubs of one kind meet on a set night, the clubs will benefit by increased attendance and reg ularity of meeting. A student will be able to take part in a number of activities without slighting any one. Such a co-ordination would of necessity be flexible to meet any obstacles which might arise. The cooperation of every club, organization, and activity is needed to put over such an extensive program; however, the outcome would prove in valuable in eliminating many conflicts and improv ing our meetings. The Y. M. C. A. Cabinet, P. M. Bolton, President. The time has come to decide whether the “Y” steps will be used for a foul-mouthed bull session or for a decent spirit-raising yell practice. The purpose of yell practice is to bring out the spirit that every one has and to organize the corps into an efficient, noise-producing body—it was not started as a place to pick up the latest dirt. If the yell leaders are under the impression that the majority of the boys like the jokes and the dirt that is pulled, they are sadly mistaken, because the attendance shows that most of the boys do not like yell practice as it is conducted today. The fresh men and sophomores are forced to attend practice therefore the front ranks are well filled but the ranks of the juniors and seniors are thinning fast just because of the jokes. Some have the idea that if you don’t like the present example of a yell practice you don’t have to come and you don’t have to bring your friends. Yell practice is for the students and their friends and for all those interested in the team and the school. Yell practice and the spirit it shows is a tradition at A. & M.—no other school can boast of having anything like it. Many traditions have died at A. & M. because of the antics as are going on now. Yell practice will not go from this college because of the actions of a junior who seems to have let his position run away with his sense of decency. The other night it was a case of “When the cat’s away the mice will play.” The junior in charge was informed of the fact that there were several women present but this did not stop him from delivering a so-called joke. I wish his mother, sister and dad could have been there, I’m sure they would have been proud of him? The idea of getting a decent yell practice is growing fast and if things do not change soon, I’m confident that certain people will feel the reper cussions—they will not be pleasant. If the present leaders cannot instill spirit in the corps except by jokes—then they have failed; we should hold another election and get some yell leaders in there who can give us something to be proud of—something that we will be proud to be a part of. Not the case where we have to apologize for an exhibition of a mis informed Aggie. Donald W. Corley Roy J. Chappell Jr. Robert M. Harle Lewis J. Nelson William E. Smith Dallas, Texas October 9, 1940 Battalion, A. & M. College Station, Texas Sirs: Three (3) cars, 12 women inc. heard the most disgraceful profanity by dorm 3, 4, 6, last week of upper-classmen cussing out fish. This was last week.^ It’s OK to have the fun but some of these Jrs. and Srs. in this uncalled for conduct has caused a bene factor to state their assistance is at an end. You boys in your pub. should place a write up and not have a repetition. This is conduct of the lowest type of men and not of this honorable cadet corps. This group is certain to cause an early investi gation and now are at work securing absolute evi dence of this conduct unbecoming an officer. Thanks a lot. Yours truly, Rev. and Mrs. Keaton, Corpus Christi, Texas Something To Read By DR. T. F. MAYO Ask Miss Pearce, the Reference Librarian, for the current number of “The Biblomac,” a new little digest, all on one sheet, of the most interesting magazine articles of the month. The articles are better selected, I think, and the digests are more skillfully made than by any other of the dozens of similar projects. Though only a score or so of lines are given to each article, you will be a much better informed person when you have finished the sheet. Magazines stand, of course, midway between newspapers and books, not only in the length of their units but in their degree of thoughtfulness and solidity. The safest way to form your opinions is probably to read books. But there are too many books on too many subjects, and they take too much of the tired Aggie’s valuable time. The next most reliable form of reading is un doubtedly the best magazines, such as Harper’s, The New Republic, The Atlantic, The Nation, The Survey Graphic. But here again there is such a wide field that even magazine articles are sometimes too long to suit your needs. Hence the luxuriant crop of “digests” which has appeared in the last decade, most of them (if you ask me!) pretty terrible. The “Biblomac” digest, which I hereby introduce, really abstracts, I believe, the best articles in the clearest and shortest way. This month’s contents, for example, include: Three articles on the reasons for the collapse of France, with lessons for America. “The American Fascists” (Harper's) “Rubber out of Oil” (Harper’s) “What Does Lindbergh Believe?” (Current His tory) “Toward a Dynamic Democracy” (Survey Graphic) “Good Neighbor in Action” (New Republic) “We Stand Here” (by two college boys) (At lantic) As the World Turns.., BY “COUNT” V. K. SUGAREFF Does the radio interfere with studying? Many students would give a negative reply to this question. They would marshall a long list of reasons to support their answer that the radio in no manner interferes with their studying. They can be listening to the most captivating “Blues” Singer’s voice and it will not detract one iota from their concentration. Dr. C. G. Wrenn, professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota, differs with that point of view. He told the freshmen at Middlebury College that it is impossible to concentrate while listening to the varying frequencies of radio music. Besides most of the radio program have at intervals ad vertising stuff which aggravates the problem of concentration. Studying without the radio accompaniment is apt to bring better results in most Contrary to general press reports, the national defense program is making creditable progress. Mr. William S. Knudson of the national defense commis sion, speaking before the Army Ordinance Associa tion, said that up to the end of September contracts for the army and navy amounted to over eight bil lion dollars. The production of ammunitions of all categories has been speeded up. Difficulties of plant expansion, profits, and wages are being quickly adjusted in the interest of the national defense pro gram. Airplane production has reached about 1,000 per month, tanks about one hundred; and the pro duction of anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns has been increased proportionately. All national arsenals are working on a twenty-four hour schedule. Contracts have been placed for all the machine guns and the 37 mm. Eleven powder and explosive plants are now in operation and five more have been projected. This all around preparation for war is probably the most effective reply we could have made to the triple axis military alliance. We should try to create an axis of our own, consisting of the United States and its possessions, Canada, and Latin America; and eventually including within its orbit Australia, New Zealand, the Dutch East Indies, and the Federated Malay States. Recent reports indicate that Secretary Hull is already negotiating along these lines. V. K. Sugareff instances. L “No shine! I just want to rest a bit." BACKWASH By George fuermann “Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence.”—Wens ter. Once Over Lightly . . . Sopho- mopes George R. Murphy and Jim my Mehegan bought the first tick ets to Tuesday night’s world pre miere of Aggietone News after a two-hour wait . . . It’s hollyhocks to John Meriweth er and Nico Snyde- laar who rang the bell with the most unique sidelight of the premiere. Call ing a taxi, they asked to be driven the three-block-dis tance from Milner Hall to the Cam- Fucrmann p us Theater and there paniced lookers-on as they were formally exited from the cab attired in tuxedos. Quipped Nico, “If they can do it in Hollywood, we can do it in College Station.” ... In a recent Grantland Rice NBC radio interview, the famed sports writer asked the coach at N. Y. U. how he would like to have John Kimbrough on his team. “Well,” the coach drawled back, how’d you like to have ten mil lion dollars!” . . . Many post cards have been received from radio listening Aggies who heard last Saturday’s UCLA game. The com plaint being: The UCLA band play ed “The Spirit of Aggieland” too fast . . . Seven hundred and fifty TCU students—coeds included— will come to College Station via three special trains for the week end’s Aggie-Frog game . . . Keyes Carson, the Aggies’ self-styled “All-American hitch-hiker,” did it again when he made the Califor- nia-to-Texas jaunt in 34 hours fol lowing the Aggie-Uclan game last Saturday. Keyes arrived on the campus early Monday morning. . . . Less fortunate were Carlos Dodd, A. E. Burkhalter, F. D. San born, and R. W. Grady. The four managed to get as far as Las Cru ces, New Mexico, but the combina tion of rain, snow, and no rides finally resulted in a turn-back when game time was too near to complete the trip. • Burke-Wadsworth. The registration procedure at the Consolidated High School was blessed with a new high in some thing or other yesterday morning. A young negro began his registra tion by telling registrar Mrs. W. C. Stone that his name was Ross Sandy. “Are you certain that Sandy is your last name and not your first name?” Mrs. Stone quizzed. “Yes mam,” was the reply. “What was your father’s last name?” Mrs. Stone came back. “Ross,” the negro returned. “Then surely that’s your last name,” the registrar con tinued, a little impatient. “No mam,” the name-certain negro em phatically replied. “Mah name was Ross when ah was bom and Sandy was the last name ah got after that—my last name is Sandy!” • Thirty Cents The Board of Directors meets again tomorrow. They’ll again con sider the student body’s requests to remove the thirty-cent charge currently being made for cadet’s guests in the mess halls. Cadet Colonel Bill Becker, Senior Presi dent Tom Richey, Head Yell Leader Buster Keeton, and your corres pondent will carry the corps plea to the assembled members. Back wash hopes that the board will see the corps’ point of view: That the good will won for the college through taking guests into the mess halls far exceeds the alleged loss es. Even the losses are doubtful— hundreds of places are vacant every day in the mess halls as cadets, for any one of countless reasons, miss occasional meals. Dale Carnegie It was during the summer months that the “How to Win Friends” au thor devoted his entire column to Texas A. & M. Although the facts contained therein are out of the groove of accuracy, here’s a partial quote of the column: “Boys, would you like to go to college on $252 a year? Well, it can be done, and at one of the best colleges in the United States. I refer to the Agriculture and Me chanical College of Texas, located at College Station, Texas, 95 miles northwest of Houston. It is the largest boy’s school in the world. “How can it be done on such a small, a low cost basis? “Because it is run along co-opera tive lines. Dr. Dan Russell has shouldered the head-aches neces sary to determine how a group of boys live together on a co-opera tive basis and acquire an education at the same time. “The boys grow much of the food they eat; what they don’t grow on the grounds, they buy at whole sale prices. Boys have gone there with only $50 in their pockets and come out with a college edu cation. But a college education is not all they leave there with. No, sir, not by a long shot. When they leave A. & M. they take with them, aside from a diploma, two of the most important ingredients to success: self confidence and self- respect. Many of them are also equipped with another ingredient: Determination. If a man can’t make a success when equipped with these three, then success just was n’t meant for him. “The boys all dress alike; there are no social fraternities. For this is a democratic school, where one man is not as good as another un til he has proved his superiority by hard work and achievement. “The school specializes in agri culture and mechanical training, but it has a school of arts and sciences, and a veterinary school. “If you get sick, it will cost you $5.00 a term for medical fee, med icines, and hospital expense (and this fee must be paid whether you get sick or not—a sort of insur ance, you see). “But if you go without money you must work. Don’t think it is all work, however, for this college has two well-equipped gymnasiums and the finest indoor swimming pool in the South, in addition to practically every form of athlet ics. Col. Ike Ashburn—whose name was spelled “Washburn” in another part of the column—was swamped with inqueries because of the er ror in the cost of being a Texas Ag gie. WHATS SHOWING AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL Thursday 3:30 & 6:45— “GOLD RUSH MAISIE,” featuring Ann Sothem, Lee Bowman, Slim Summerville, and Virginia Weidler. Friday — “2 0 MULE TEAM,” starring Wallace Beery, Leo Carillo, Marjorie Rambeau, Ann Baxter, and Douglas Fowley. AT THE CAMPUS Thursday — “VILLAGE BARN DANCE,” with Rich ard Cromwell, Doris Day, George Barbier, Versa Va gue, and Don Wilson. Friday—“THE MAN I MARRIED,” featuring Joan Bennett, Francis Lederer, Lloyd Nolan, Anna Sten, and Maria Ouspenskaya. Ann Sothern has already made quite a reputation for herself with her pictures in the Maisie series and “GOLD RUSH MAISIE” is the latest. The laughs come thick and fast as Ann does her bit to help the rush, but the story of this one is a little different from the rest. Ann is a showgirl looking for a job in the Arizona desert. She gets caught in the gold rush and carried along by a f amily of Oakies to get in on the prospecting. After the bottom falls out of the gold deal, Ann inspires one of her suitors to arrange credit for the prospectors so they may become homesteaders there, and then she goes off and leaves them. Ann is the warm hearted and pretty comedienne who mixes the right proportions of laughter and pathos to make the picture appeal to nearly every type of audience. Slim Summerville also looks pathetic but there’s laughter in his homeliness as the hired man. Lee Bowman as the male lead is not so well known and his role carried nothing extra toward the picture’s appeal. A picture that gives you little besides entertainment, but plenty of that, is “20 MULE TEAM” with coarse, carrousing Wallace Beery. This show not only shows a pic turesque chapter in the history of the West, but as pure entertain ment it fills the bill like a T-bone steak. Wally is the tough driver of a 20-mule team bringing borax out of Death Valley in the ’90s. Leo Carrillo is the little indian that helps him. Owner of the boarding house and bar in the mining town of Furnace Flat is Marjorie Ram beau and she and Wally bicker with one another continually. The min ing town life is a bad influence on Marjorie’s daughter Ann Baxter and Wally has to be the saving saint in the end so the daughter can marry the right feller. Wally is the desert rat of the first degree in this feature and as such he can’t be beat. His swagger and ego get him lots of places that his lies can scarcely get him out of, but he gets along and makes ev erybody like it. It is worth the time to see. THOMMcAN STORE Care of Norwoods 102 South Main Street Bryan, Texas It’s More Fun To Go Formal... It’s fun to dress up; it’s fun to feel free and easy in even the most formal clothes . . . and it’s fun to pay such modest prices. GRIFFON TUXEDOS $25 and $27.50 Single and Double-Breasted ARROW TUX SHIRTS and TIES HICKOK TUX BUTTON SETS HICKOK TUX SUSPENDERS INTERWOVEN TUX SOX BOSTONIAN TUX OXFORDS TUX HANDKERCHIEFS and BUTTONAIRES 7 YT r-^T\ iWlMBERLEY STONE DANS87 Vs/. 07X7 CLOCKIERS COLLEGE and BRYAN * • # ■> 11 •) i < i >