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
VOL. 40 122 ADMINISTRATION BLDG. ' COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, SATURDAY MORNING, DEC. 14, 1940 Z725 NO, 36
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS BEGIN AT NOON TODAY
Senior-Junior Meeting
Climaxes Holiday Changes
Watson and Bolton Appear Before
Stormy Session To Arrange Friday Meeting
A stormy meeting of the junior and senior classes Thursday night
at which Dean F. C. Bolton and Lt. Col. James A. Watson, Command
ant, appeared to hear the case, climaxed a drive by students concerned
to suspend school early in order to check a current epidemic of in
fluenza over the campus. Called because of a misinterpi’etation of a
petition*submitted to the faculty at an earlier meeting, this joint meet
ing was attended by about 1000^.'
men, which was as near complete
representation as were available.
With Tom Richey, senior class
president, presiding, the session
proposed several plans for arrang
ing the holidays, but the plan to
leave today received the unani
mous approval of the entire body.
The explanation of the misunder
standing by the faculty of the peti
tion submitted at the last meeting
of the senior class was given by
Cadet Colonel Bill Becker. The idea
of the senior class as submitted
was to change the holidays to get
out Wednesday, December 18, and
return Friday, January 3. Faculty
members, thinking the change to
return January 3 was the import
ant item and fearing the loss of a
school day, made the change but
stipulated that school not be turn
ed, it was voted to ask Dean Bol-
19.
When the decision to petition
for another change had been reach-
(Continued on Page 4)
Caroling Tour
Of Singing Cadets
Cancelled by Holidays
Texas A. & M.’s Singing Ca
dets have cancelled their carol
ing tour of the campus due to
the change in the Christmas hol
iday schedule, but they have an
nounced several additions to their
future arrangements.
After the termination of the
holidays, the student singers will
present a program before an as
sembly of Bryan High School pu
pils and exhibit their talent to the
Aggie Clambake. A special group
of the Cadets will sing hymns and
Christmas carols at the Episcopal
Church Sunday night.
All present members of the Sing
ing Cadets and those who are given
trials are invited to an invitation
party to be held early in Jan
uary.
New Public Address System
Is Far Cry From Days Before 1929
The installment of the new
streamlined amplifiers in Sbisa
Hall this fall marks a new addi
tion to the corps public address
system, which has been in use
since 1929.
The first sound system was built
and operated by a former student,
T. L. Hiner, who is now plant sup
erintendent of radio station KPRC
and KTRH in Houston. Previous
to that time all announcements
were made by the Corps Adjutant,
who would stand on a chair and
try to make himself heard by out-
shouting the rest of the corps. As
the corps grew in size the task of
making announcements became
more difficult, so Hiner remedied
the situation by constructing a
small address apparatus that was
scarcely as large as a small radio
set. Following Hiner as operators
were H. M. Long, J. W. Runyon,
N. H. Rudasill, C. J. Wimer, and
Erving Mills, the present opera
tor. Each of these men have made
some contribution to the system
and the apparatus involved, until
today the financial assistance of
the college, all of the original
equipment has been replaced and
modernized.
Among the many changes that
have been made the most important
was the installation of two Web
ster 60 watt transmitters in 1937.
When the new dining hall was built
Four Texas Aggie
Lettermen Receive
Wings at Randolph
Four more Texas Aggie letter-
men were among the graduating
class at Randolph Field, near San
Antonio, last month and they in
cluded Herb (Smitty) Smith, All-
Conference end on the National
Champion football team of 1939.
Others included E. D. Braswell,
Dallas, swimming letterman and
former holder of two conference
records; John (Pinkie) Couch,
McKinney, captain of the swim
ming team of 1940 and member
of the water polo team which won
the junior national championship
for the Aggies; and V. C. Denton,
Pahokee, Fla., letterman in tennis
in 1939 and in golf in 1940.
At the same time seven other
graduates of Texas A&M com
pleted their training at the West
Point of the air and are now at
Kelly Field to complete the work
in the summer of 1939, a complete
RCA sound system was included.
At the same time the sound sys
tems of the two dining halls were
connected so that an interchange
of programs between the two din
ing halls became possible.
The old dining hall is equipped
with a phonograph to furnish mu
sic with the meals. The records be
ing donated by the manufacturers
of the phonograph records. This
recorded music and all announce
ments originate from Sbisa Hall,
while all radio programs come from
the new mess hall, Duncan Hall.
This system is quite important to
the students in that it affords both
a form of entertainment and a
means of distributing news and
Corps orders.
Short Course
On Electrification
Closes Here Today
The Fifth Annual Rural Elec
trification Short Course, which
started December 12 and will con
tinue through today, is under the
direction of the Agricultural En
gineering department in coopera
tion with the Texas Committee on
the Relation of Electricity to Agri
culture.
The Rural Electrification Short
Course is designed primarily for
rural service representatives of the
electric companies, superintendents
of electric cooperatives, county ag
ents, vocational teachers, repre
sentatives of electrical equipment
manufacturers, dealers, and other
leaders who may be called upon to
assist the farmer with his electric
utilization problems. It affords an
opportunity for these leaders to be
come more familiar with the newest
developments in electric equip
ment for the farm and to discuss
latest information made available
through research and practical ex
perience.
An unusual and practical feature
of the short course this year is that
formal lectures and demonstrations
have been held to a minimum. This
has made it possible for those tak
ing the course to actually operate
the newest types of equipment and
work out practical problems in
volved' in the use of modern elec
trical equipment on Texas farms.
The Battalion Wishes You
Early Dismissal Result Of
A Very Merry Christmas
Widespread Flu Epidemic
New Ruling Decided On at Joint Meeting Of
Faculty Members and Junior Senior Group
Classes are suspended today at noon and will be resumed Thurs
day, January 2, at 1 p. m.
This decision was reached at a joint meeting of the faculty
members and a committee appointed from the junior and senior classes
Friday morning. The recommendation was made as result of an epidemic
of influenza that is spreading through the student body.
After a meeting of the junior and
ME Dept
Has Large List
Of Missing Articles
If you’ve missed a jacket or hat
recently, drop by the Mechanical
Engineering Office and take a look
at the long list of lost articles
found in the M. E. Department.
The list contains a wide and va
rious assortment of books, clothes,
and engineering drawing instru
ments. Several books and jackets
are marked by the following
names;: J. B. Cupp, C. S. Hiese,
Jay Kay, A. Brown, C. K. Brown,
and Carl Bentley.
C. W. Crawford, head of the
department, requests that anyone
who has lost any personal be
longings recently come by his of
fice as soon as possible and iden
tify the same.
senior classes Thursday night, a
committee was appointed to be
accompanied by Lt. Col. J. A. Wat
son, Commandant, to appear be
fore the President of the school,
and certain members of the fac
ulty to discuss the matter. This
meeting resulted in the decision to
begin the holidays at noon today
rather than after the last classes
Thursday, December 19, as was
previously the rule.
Members of the student com
mittee included Paul Lowry, Roy
Chappell, Jack Keyes, Jack Kim
brough, Buster Keeton, Alden
Cathey, and Bob Nisbet. Faculty
members present at the discussion
were President Walton, Dean Bol
ton, Col. Watson, Dr. Marsh, Col.
Ike Ash burn, Coach Homer Nor
ton, and J. W. “Dough” Rollins.
25 Years of Service Receives
Recognition As Seven Men Honored
By Jack Holliman
The Former Students Associa
tion will honor seven employees of
Texas A. & M. who have spent 25
the leaders and he has been large
ly responsible for the progress
during his long term here.
Dr. Reynolds has made many ad
Flu Epidemic Reaches Alarming
Proportions With 300 Men on Sick List
Student Committee
Reports 5 to 40 Men
111 in Every Outfit
For one entire week, the college
hospital has had more than 200
patients as the continued cold and
wet weather has brought about an
increasing amount of sickness. Be
tween three and four hundred boys
are confined to the hospital at the
present time and many more are
confined to quarters in the dormi
tories over the campus. As a direct
result of the seriousness of the
increasing sickness classes have
been suspended beginning today.
A committee of students com
posed of Jack Keese, Roy Chap
pell, Jack Kimbrough, and Paul
Lowry, made an investigation of
the amount of sickness in each or
ganization on the campus. From 5
to 40 boys in each organization are
either in the hospital, confined to
quarters, or have been sent home.
The average number for each or
ganization is 14 boys unable to
attend classes because of illness.
This information was used to pre
sent the case for the immediate dis
missal of school.
Special precautions are being
taken to see that the illness does
not increase. All students confin
ed to quarters will not be allow
ed to leave the college until they
can obtain clearance from the hos
pital stating that they are in phy
sical condition to make the trip
home. Every effort is being made
to see that the condition of stu
dents confined to the dormitories
are not exposed to further danger.
All boys who have been sick
should take great care in going
home for the holidays. No one who
is in a weakened condition should
highway it home. It is absolutely
necessary that boys who are re
covering from the influenza should
ride home or go by bus or train.
All students including those who
have not been to the hospital should
observe the following precautions
Sick Men Will Not
Leave Until Cleared
By College Doctor
issued by Dr. Marsh.
Take part in no exercise and keep
from getting hot.
Keep feet and head dry by wear
ing hat and shoes at all times
when exposed to the rain.
Do not sit around in wet clothes.
Do not wash head at night or go
to bed with the head wet.
Avoid eating heavy indigestible
foods such as hamburgers, chili.
Drink lots of liquids such as
water, milk and fruit juices.
Eat soft foods.
Do not let drarts blow across
the bed.
Avoid crowds and crowded plac
es, such as the theater, “bull ses
sions,” meetings, etc.
Stay away frdm people with
coughs.
Since college is being dismissed
(Continued on Page 4)
Students Going to Cotton Bowl Must
Have Tickets Sent to Them by Mail
At the senior class meeting yes
terday afternoon, it was approved
and announced that any student de
siring a ticket or tickets to the
Cotton Bowl game should leave a
stamped, home-addressed envelope
with their organization command
ers containing $1.65 and coupon
number 32 of their coupon book.
These envelopes will be turned
in to J. W. “Dough” RoUins of the
Athletic Department by each cap
tain before the Christmas holidays
begin. Beginning Monday morning,
the athletic office will sort through
the envelopes and mail the tickets j
to the purchasers. Any other types
of tickets, in addition to the ones
that sell for $1.65 may be bought
in the same manner.
Mr. Rollins left for Dallas last |
night to receive the ducats from
the Cotton Bowl Association. He
will bring them back with him
over the weekend, and they will be
counted and ready for sale by Mon
day morning. Anyone desiring
tickets after Monday and before
the day of the game may secure
them by writing to the athletic of
fice, College Station, Texas.
The military department has ar
ranged for juniors and seniors
holding advanced ROTC contracts
to receive as many as five tickets
to the game without any expendi
ture of cash. The amount of the
tickets will be deducted from their
January military checks.
The signing for these tickets
was begun Friday afternoon in the
chapel of the YMCA and will con
tinue at the same location today
from 8 a. m. until noon. It is be
lieved that this innovation of al
lowing juniors and seniors to pur
chase tickets without any cash out
lay will boost the attendance of
students from these two classes.
This is the first time that a pro
cedure of this type has ever been
attempted, and all advanced mil
itary students are urged to take
advantage of the privilege.
A total of 10,000 tickets will be
placed on sale here. That group
includes tickets of varying price
ranges, and students will be al
lowed to purchase any type of
ticket.
years in the service of the college
at the annual Christmas banquet
to be held in Sbisa Hall December
20. A quarter of a century in and
around Aggieland working in their
various fields has brought these
men a love for A. & M. and their
work has brought many glories
and accomplishments to the college.
This banquet, sponsored by the
Former Students Association of
which Bert Pfaff, ’25, is president,
is given to all college employees
who have served 25 years, and it
has become a worthy tradition of
the school. Those honored become
members of the Twenty-five Year
Club and they are to be presented
engraved walking canes by Pfaff
at the gathering. Pfaff will de
liver the citations and preside as
principal speaker at the banquet.
A. L. Darnell, professor of dairy
husbandry; S. C. Hoyle, editor of
college publications; Dr. E. B. Rey
nolds, chief of the division of
agronomy of the Agricultural Ex
periment Station; R. E. Karper,
agronomist in charge of sorghum
investigation at Lubbock for the
Experiment Station; M. P. Holle-
man, chief clerk, Experiment Sta
tion, Sam Steptoe (colored), con
nected with the entomology depart
ment, and Cable Henry (colored),
employee of the college hospital,
are the men to be banqueted for
their outstanding service.
Darnell has done flawless work
in the field of dairy husbandry and
he is an important cog in the op
eration of this division of the col
lege.
Hoyle has put college publica
tions of Texas A. & M. up among
Spriggs Is *
Principal Speaker
At Sociology Meet
The Rural Sociology Club met
Thursday night with Mr. C. O.
Spriggs, professor of English, be
ing the principal speaker.
After a brief business discus
sion by the club Mr. Spriggs talk
ed to the club on recent books and
the present social trend in litera
ture. In the discussion the trend
toward a unified farm and labor
movement and its political possi
bilities were stressed.
The meeting was enjoyed by all
present but there was a noticeable
dent in the attendance due to the
rain and the influenza.
vances in agronomy research and
because of this he and the agrono
mists associated with him have
uncovered much valuable scientific
information.
Karper, stationed in Lubbock at
the present time on sorghum in
vestigation, has devoted his know
ledge and experience to the agron
omy division of the Experiment
Station.
Holleman has become known for
his technical ability and the man
ner in which the Experiment Sta
tion has been controlled clerically
by his work and industrious at
tention.
The two negro employees, Sam
Steptoe of the entomology depart
ment, and Cable Henry of the col
lege hospital, have given 25 years
of faithful service during which
time they have become endeared
in the hearts of their employers.
Research In
Petroleum Field
Brings Many Jobs
The field of research for pe
troleum industries throughout the
nation has brought occupations
and positions to many graduates
of A. & M. and other engineering
schools who have made petroleum
engineering their college study.
Such processes as hydrogenation,
solvent dewaxing, polymerization,
alkylation, and catalytic cracking
have entirely uprooted old systems
and ideas which in turn have turn
ed the oil industry into a business
that must call upon the young
engineers of the country for ac
curate operation of plants and re-
fineraies.
H. G. Mclndorf of the Standard
Oil Company, in his speech deliv
ered to the student meeting of
the A. I. Ch. E., stated the various
needs of the oil industry insofar
as new engineers are concerned,
and according to Mclndorf, they
are needed in all of the divisions
where research is made.
Roads are rough in the quest of
desk jobs, but after their first
training course given by the com
pany, the young engineers do rou
tine work in oil laboratories. Next,
they enter special duty at the
plant, and their talent may be
pointed toward design.