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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 1941)
< ! * <b • k i k DIAL 4-5444 STUDENT TRI WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE The Battalion DIAL 4-5444 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF COLLEGE STATION VOL. 40 122 ADMINISTRATION BLDG. COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, THURSDAY MORNING, JAN. 23, 1941 Z725 NO. 44 “Proceed Without Interruption 7 ' Watson Tells Seniors Football Banquet Set For Friday Night Asks ' orm " h Dough Rollins Is Toastmaster; Walton Is Program’s Speaker By Dub Oxford Taking' place tomorrow night will be the annual football din ner at which the 1940 grid team will be honored. This affair, which promises to be the highlight of the season, will have as toastmaster, Coach “Dough” Rollins. For the first time in the history of football banquets, part of the program will be broadcast, going out over radio station WOAI, San Antonio. Handling the program on the air will be Pat Flaherty, sports announcer for that station. The program will be on the air from 9:00 to 9:15 p.m. President Walton will make the main address, and honored guests will be called on by Toastmaster Rollins for comments and state ments. Recognition and presenta tion of awards by Col. Ike Ashburn, E. J. Howell, Col. F. G. Andrews, and Dough Rollins will then be in order. Special guests will include Dan Rogers, James Stewart, and Dick Arcade, III, chairman of the enter tainment committee for the press (Continued on Page 3) Project to Consolidate Housing of County Departmental Agencies Pushed Manuals Produced Locally Used In Defense Program Manuals used in the machinist apprentice program throughout the State of Texas produced by E. W. Glenn of the Texas A. & M. college department of industrial education have been adopted for use by class es in the various crafts for national defense, according to E. L. Wil liams, head of the department. The manuals are being used now in such classes in Fort Worth, San Antonilo, Houston, Beaumont, Wichita Falls, Monahans and Orange. The available manuals in order of their popularity are Shop Sketching, Layout, Plan Reading and Essentials of Arithmetic. The department of Industrial Education provides the manuals to all schools having use for them at production cost. Schools also may obtain without cost outlines for courses that are being conducted under the National Defense Program. A new course has been worked out in welding for ship builders, and will be avail able soon; and work already has started on organizing material for a course to aid in the training of riveters. The outlines for courses now available cover the subjects of machinist workers, automotive workers, radio workers, ship yard workers and electrical workers. Two officials of the U. S. De partment of Agriculture, Joseph Haley, chief of the real estate di vision of plant operation; and his assistant, T. L. Smith, spent Tues day at Texas A. & M. College dis cussing with H. H. Williamson, di rector of Extension and chairman of the state Land Use Planning committee, a project to consolidate housing of department agencies in counties. Smith said the project was ini tiated in Texas at the last meeting of the State Land Use Planning committee. The object is to bring under one roof the several depart ment agencies operating in the counties in order to make it more convenient for the farmers to con duct their business with them. A further objective is to establish an agricultural center where farmers and their families can go “to read agricultural literature and hold meetings without influence of of ficials.” No Texas counties have yet been designated, but Haley and Smith, who were here only as advisers, said the State Land Use Planning committee would have charge of selecting certain counties within the 12 Texas extension districts, ac cording to location and needs, to serve as models for expansion of the plan. Smith said that under the cur rent set-up farmers having bus iness with a department agency of ten are confused in getting in touch with it because locations are scat tered. With all grouped in one building his problem would be sim plified. He added that it was the intention to proceed slowly. The two officials expect to re turn to Texas in late February and assist in discussions in counties chosen by the state committee for the first buildings. A Dissertation; Which Proves Things Concerning A & M Fish Three little fish in the itty bitty pool, Swimmin’ in the fountain in the middle of the school. “There’s something fishy about the whole thing,” officials of the buildings and college utilities de partment thought when they found 15 small perch in the new fountain in Saunders’ Park. It’s a pity that biologists have disproved the theory of abiogenesis and will shake their bewhiskered heads with condescending nods at the slightest mention of sponta neous generation, but no other ex planation has been found for the presence of the fish in the foun tain. The fish are temporarily spend ing their winter vacation in the college hot house, but will be re turned to their fountain play-pool in the spring. Their unusual and unexplained presence in the foun tain has not only been a mystery but has proved that there is more than one kind of fish on the A. & M. campus. Robinson Names Rogers, Rosenthal, Gillis Junior Editors Engineer Off the Press About Jan 29 The second issue of the A. & M. Engineer will be ready for distri bution about Jan 29, editor Jeff Montgomery said yesterday. The central theme of this issue, aeronautical engineering, will be portrayed on the cover and empha sized in articles throughout the is sue. Many illustrations are included in this issue, among which will be a map of the college airport. As in the last issue, the activi ties of each engineering club on the campus will be reviewed and new plans will be announced. An appointment of junior editors for The Battalion Magazine was announced today by Magazine Edi tor, A. J. Robinson. Lee Rogers, E. M. Rosenthal, and Tom Gillis were those chosen to aid in the direction of the magazine during the second semester. The selection was made on the basis of the amount and quality of work done on the magazine throughout the past year. Each of the new junior editors works on The Battalion Newspaper and holds a similiar position there. The positions of junior editor are positions of responsibility and are planned to provide experience and training as background for the magazine editorship of the coming year. Rosenthal comes from Fort Worth and is a student of agri cultural administration. Rogers, who is a student of the the same subject, is from Bishop. Gillis, also from Fort Worth, follows a liberal arts course of study. AH three students are classed as juniors at JA. & M. Band and Ross Volunteers Help Inaugurate Pappy-O By Bob Nisbet With the Texas Aggie Band and the Ross Volunteers as the offic ial escort, GovemoiyW. Lee O’Dan iel was royally inaugurated Tues day for the beginning of his second term of office. Program for the day was begun when the Aggie band broke forth into the strains of the Aggie War Hymn and started a parade at 11:00 a.m. up Congress Avenue to the capitol. A radio program by the band in the rotunda of the capitol building and a 30 minute joint con cert by the Longhorn Band of the University of Texas and the Ag gie Band preceded the actual in augural ceremonies. Through an arch of shining sa bers presented by Ross Volunteers, and marching tq the strains of Hail to the Chief came the Gov ernor at 12:00 noon to take the ■f-fceedings. Guns of Battery C, 132nd Light Field Artillery Regiment from Cle burne, thundered a 19 gun salute and airplanes of the 111th obser vation Squadron roared overhead to add to the noise and confusion of the occasion. Then the Governor began to speak. “We must preserve the sac red heritage of the past, to pro tect our noble land, and defend the rights of men everywhere to be free.” The huge crowd shifted uneas ily and moved in the direction of the savory odors coming from the ban quet preparations on the lawn in front of the mansion. “Serving will not begin until the Governor’s speech is finished”, boomed the loudspeaker in front of the man sion. And the Governor continued. “The Governor of Texas has about as much power in guiding I the ship of state as an experienced oath of office and begin the pro-(captain who attempts to cross the -ocean in a vessel with neither rud der, engine, nor sail. . . .1 have made recommendations to the Leg islature which, if enacted, will go far toward taking control from the hands of self-seeking influen tial cliques. ...” A slip in referring to William Barret Travis, hero of the Alamo, as James Barret Travis caused no little comment. Then the speech was finished and the entire assemblage retired to the mansion lawn and ate barbe- qued buffalo shot by the Governor himself especially for the occasion —that is, all but the Aggie Band and the Ross Volunteers who were treated to a banquet in the dining room of the Driskoll Hotel. Tuesday night dances were held in every hotel, in the street behind the capitol building and in Greg ory Gymnasium. At 2 a.m., Wednesday morning | the Band and the R.V.’s returned home, as they left at 6:15 a.m. the 1 morning before, sleepy. Lieut.-Col. J. A. Watson Here Is Complete Text of Watson’s Address to Seniors Editor’s Note: The following is the complete address made by Lieut.-Coi. James A. Watson, commandant, last night in Guion Hall to 550 seniors who will receive commissions as second lieuten ants in the Officers Reserve Corps next June. The address is considered by The Bat talion’s editors as particularly significant in view of the current national defense situation. I have called you together to in form you at first hand of some of my own ideas, the policies of the Military Department, and advice and recommendations that may be of aid to you. The majority of you will be com missioned in June as 2d Lieuten ants of your respective branches in the Officers Reserve Corps. As such you will be subject to call to active duty by the Federal Gov ernment. I believe that I thoroughly realize what is uppermost in the minds of most of you, that is the approximate date or iminence of that call. That, I do not know. Many men say that they would like to know in order that they may be advised as to seeking for or ac cepting employment. I believe that you should proceed in these mat ters without respect to any exist ence of emergency. Why not? If the Government requires your ser vice you will be called and placed on active duty regardless of em ployment, but you may not be re quired for months or even a year. That depends entirely upon the military situation. Meanwhile, you must take advantage of your op portunities for employment or the pursuit of your professional ca reer as they occur. If you are call ed to duty you certainly have not lost anything by your efforts. The same philosophy must apply in the pursuit of your education. There has been a question in the minds of some who will complete their R. O. T. C. training this year but who will not graduate from College as to whether or not they will be commissioned and made sub ject to active duty prior to such graduation. The policy of the Col lege is that they will not, and this will not be departed from unless the National Emergency requires such action. This will permit you (Continued on Page 4) ► Cadets Advised to Continue Job-Hunting As Under Normal Conditions A & M Military Staff Gutted As War Department Relieves Nine Officers of * Local Posts; Bender Relieved at NT AC By George Fuermann Keynoting A. & M.’s policy of cooperation with the current national defense program, Lieut.-Col. James A. Watson, A. & M. commandant, addressed the 550 cadet officers Wednesday afternoon in what amounted to an unprecedented move at the college. “Continue, without interruption, whatever lines of endeavor you are now pursuing,” he advised the seniors, all of whom will receive commissions as second lieutenants in the Officers Reserve Corps next June. In an effort to halt a movement on the part of several hundred cadets who are making no after-graduation plans on the basis of an immediate call to service June 1 or earlier, Col. Watson delivered his brief and impressive address to the assembled cadets and more than 200 civilians in Guion Hall. “Uppermost in the minds of most of you,” he said, “is the approxi mate date of your call to service. I realize that this consideration is influencing you men in searching for and accepting employment after graduation. “It is my belief,” he went on, ‘that you should proceed in these matters without respect to any existence of emergency. Your call to service depends entirely upon the military situation . . . and it may not come for months, or even a year. “You are being fitted to serve the government as Army officers in case of emergency, but without the existence of such, the pursuit of your careers as business men, agriculturists and professional men is vital to the nation. Let’s go on with our work in all channels and in that way prepare for any event uality without loss of time or op portunity.” Col. Watson continued with an outline of the cadets’ responsibili ties as embryo Army officers. “As the time for your active duty draws near,” he said, “you are probably concerned with how you can best fit yourselves for the as- (Continued on Page 4) 42 Seniors Added to Local Reserve Unit Forty-two more seniors have signed applications to become junior members of the Reserve Officers Association, which brings the total of 416, approximately 100% of the seniors with advanced contracts, local president R. L. Elkins said yesterday. Because a large number of se niors did not receive or cash their subsistence checks last Friday, the “Officers Guide” Includes 3 Pics Of A & M Units Three recent photographs of ca dets participating in military ac tivities on the A. & M. campus appear in a military publication which has just been copyrighted and released. The publication is the “Officers Guide,” fourth edition, Howard Berry, Experiment Station photographer, took the shots dur ing the first part of the semester. “The Officers Guide” is intend ed to be used by officers as a ref erence for military customs and procedure followed within the army as they pertain to commissioned of ficers. It is published by the Mili tary Science Publishing Company at Harrisburg, Pa., and copyright ed January, 1941. All three of the pictures used in illustrating a chapter on the Re serve Officers Training Corps. One of the shots shows a field artillery battery going through standing drill. The cadets pictured have on the cotton khaki slacks worn at the first part of the semester. Another shot Is of a latest model three-inch anti-aircraft gun used by the coast artillery. It was taken Military Day on the old Pa rade ground when the equipment was on display last November. The gun is surrounded by cadets and regulars who are explaining its op eration. The famous Aggie Band appears in the third shot as a typical ROTC band. The band is formed in the shape of the “T” which was used Guion Hall Gets Curtain And Cyclorama A curtain and background cyclo rama are being installed on the stage of Guion Hall, it was an nounced today by Phil G. Norton, college architect. The additions to the stage are now being installed and will keep the stage from looking as bare as in the past. The use of a front dray curtain will increase the util ity of the stage and greatly add to its appearance, Norton said. The main draw curtain is made of maroon valour, a heavy fabric similar to velvet. The curtain op erates on a track drawn by means of a pulley to a position behind the stage columns. Also being installed is a valour valence, which is a shield across the top of the curtain and remains permanently in place. A biege cyclorama is being hung on a track around the sides and back of the stage. The cyclorama may also be drawn back to the sides by means of a pulley system. Two biege borders are being hung from the ceiling to obscure the view of the roof through the top of the other curtains. The stage dressings were put in to beautify the stage for Town Hall programs and other perform ances in Guion Hall. The complete equipment was made by the South ern Stage Equipment Company of San Antonio at a cost of approxi mately $600. Vacancies Exist In Advanced CAA Training Program A. & M.’s quota of secondary filght trainees in the CAA train ing program has not yet been filled, Howard W. Barlow, coordinator of the CAA flight training and head of the department of aeronautical engineering announced yesterday. The original announcement that this program would be given at A. & M. college in the spring semester was made last week. Although a number of applications have been received to date, there are still openings for all those who are in terested in going further with their flight training. Candidates for the course must hold a private pilot’s license obtain ed through the CAA primary flight training program. According to in formation received recently the Civil Aeronautics Administration is decreasing the number of col leges giving this secondary train ing and is endeavoring to concen trate the work in a few outstanding institutions. A. & M. College has been selected by the CAA as one of the colleges which is particularly qualified to handle this work. The secondary flight training program is an intermediate stage of pilot training which fills in the gap between the private pilot train ing and the commercial pilot license. payment of R.O.A. dues was not j at several games this year. The pic- completed. However, the regimental ture was taken before the Rice commanders will collect the 75^ game.' dues from those who did not com- The pictures published are three plete registration. Applications are of a group sent to the publisher by still being received Elkins said. Berry at the request of the War A “get-acquainted” meeting is j Department, planned by the Brazos County j Berry’s pictures are the only pic- Chapter of the R.O.A. for the new tures included in the publication members and will be announced in which were taken on a college cam- the near future. j pus. Plans Nearing Completion for Annual Fish Ball A meeting of the freshman class representatives was held Wednes day night in the physics lecture room for the purpose of discussing plans for the coming Freshman Ball on Feb. 15. Very few ticket sales have been made as yet and president T. S. Parker said that a check-up will have to be made Sunday, 26, to see whether or not the required three hundred tickets have been sold. It is necessary to sell 300 tickets in advance to cover the cost of the dance, Parker said. Sbisa Hall has been procured and the Aggieland Orchestra is being considered to play for the dance, but as yet nothing definite has been decided. Dean F. C. Bolton has vetoed the proposed invitation to the freshmen at the Texas State Col lege for Women. Housing must still be found for the dates of the Aggie freshmen. It has been proposed that Wal ton Hall be evacuated to accommo date the visiting girls, but final approval has not been given by Dean Bolton and Engineer Regi ment company commanders yet. Just One Bee Sting Wouldn't Prove A Thing - Even for Science By D. C. Thurman For the sake of science I’d do it. Yes, for the sake of science I’d let a bee sting me—even two bees. Everybody wouldn’t do it, but I would. Full of resolve and a deep sense of martyrdom, I reported promptly to V. A. Little’s beekeeping class, entomology 308. We were going to have lab work at the apiary that afternoon. Now beekeepers have a theory that if you remove a bee sting im mediately after you are stung that the pain will be much less than if the sting is allowed to remain for a few minutes. A study of the bee’s sting shows that it is made up of a pair of sliding lances which have a bulb ous attachment or poison sac. When the bee stings he looses all this apparatus and the lancets keep sliding back and forth while the bulb pumps in more poison. When we arrived at the apiary J we found the bees unusually active for this time of the year. From the back end of the car we took a pair of scales and set them up. No soon er had we done so than one hive took offense and scattered the lab oratory students right and left. Rather nervously I set about catching my two bees. I wanted one for each hand—one sting I would pull out the other I would leave in my hand so that the tink poison bulb could get in its venomous work. I finally coaxed two to come my way, but decided one wasn’t potent enough, (looked frozen), so I threw him away and Little caught a third bee for me. But wait—the story isn’t finished yet. On the way back to college both bees got out of their vials and commenced climbing on the window panes. After a few painful minutes I returned them to the vial but un fortunately one had lost his sting, though not on me. My beautiful experiment was ruined. What would one bee sting prove ?