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THE BATTALION
-SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1941
Aggieland’s rf Feeler”
This slender steel structure is the new antenna erected for radio
station WTAW, whose efficiency has increased the signal strength of
the station 25 per cent.
Ask My Wife H(rw Much Gas
We Need-She Drvies the Car
We satisfy every type of motorist—in the
better gasoline values, finer service, lower
prices we offer them. Whether they drive
up front (or as in the case above), from
the back seat, motorists will find a quality
about our service that guarantees smooth
er driving, economical motoring.
Aggie Service Station
Clyde Park, Owner and Operator
College Station, Texas
A&M’s Radio Station, WTAW, Is the
Only Non-Commercial Station in Texas
Operated By Rosser
As Service to Public
Of the State of Texas
By Mike Speer
WTAW, the only non-commer
cial educational station in Texas,
is maintained and operated by A.
& M. College as a public service.
The program policy of the sta
tion is administered by John 0.
Rosser, a native Texan who got
into radio via the newspaper
route. He came to A. & M. from
New York City.
Broadcasting daily from radio
studios located on the second floor
of the YMCA building, WTAW
is powered by a recently installed
new 1000 watt radio transmitter
that has an approximate satisfac
tory range of 60 miles in adverse
weather conditions. In clear wea-
their reception can be obtained in
regions 150 to 200 miles away
from College Station.
Replaced by the new trans
mitter the old transmitter, 500
watt maximum capacity, will be
used as an auxiliary and for prac
tical study in the school of elec
trical engineering.
New Antenna Increases Efficiency
Adding further facilities and in
creasing the efficiency of WTAW’s
225 foot antenna, sometimes re
ferred to as a “radiator,” has been
erected about one mile northeast
of the campus at an approximate
cost of $6,000. Two 500 watt red
light globes that can be seen from
40 to 50 miles away on clear
nights, flicker constantly from
sunset to sunrise as a warning to
low flying airplanes. The lights
are operated by an electrical timer
that automatically switches on at
sunset and off at sunrise.
The chief aim of the program
department of the radio station is
to furnish information to the pub
lic. In this connection, at least
two regular programs not carried
on WTAW’s own frequency are
heard over thi*ee of the most in
fluential stations in the Southwest
—WFAA, WBAP, WOAI and K
PRC. These stations comprise the
Texas Quality Network, and it is
on their wave lengths that the
familiar Texas Farm and Home
Program is heard every week-day
morning at 6:15. In cooperation
with the State Department of Ed
ucation the college radio studios
also produce one vocational guid
ance program a week, as a unit of
the Texas School of the Air.
Student Training Offered
From the student standpoint,
work at WTAW constitutes ex
cellent practical training for a
possible radio career. Student tech
nicians and announcers from WT
AW have frequently secured ex
cellent jobs at commercial radio
stations; and since they have ob
tained their training “the hard
way”—by actually performing the
tasks called for in all types of
broadcasting—they give a good
account of themselves.
A typical day’s program over
WTAW (“local” as distinguished
from “network”) calls for a wea-
WTAW Director
John O. Rosser
ther report, announcements of lo
cal interest, a writeup of the high
lights of the day’s news in Bryan
and College Station, as well as
other programs in the public in
terest.
In addition to the regularly sche
duled broadcasts, WTAW often
makes arrangements to present
outstanding special events of cam
pus life, such as oi'ganization
dances, military reviews, and other
activities of a suitable nature for
broadcasting. The most recent ex
ample of this type of variety was
the annual Cotton Pageant and
Ball, presented each year by the
Agronomy Society. Interviewers
moved about the floor of Deware
Field House, where the pageant
was presented, and interviewed
students and their dates so that
those who failed to attend could
get a radio view of the elaborate
procedure. For such broadcasts,
student announcers are used when
ever possible.
Orchestra Program Is Popular
A popular feature with the ca
dets is the weekly Friday after
noon broadcast by the Aggieland
Orchestra. Under the direction of
Ed Minnock, the orchestra has de
veloped its own distinctive style of
radio variety show. According to
Minnock, “We specialize in swing,
sweet music, and com—with a
slight prejudice in favor of that
item.” A typical “gag” on the Ag
gieland’s program was the band’s
decision to barbecue Minnock at
the end of the current school year.
Trumpetman Henry Baushusen un
dertook the task of feeding the
band-leader the balanced rations
recommended by the Animal Hus
bandry Department for producing
prize beef. Doghouse - player
“Shug” Barnes took a leaf from
Home Demonstration Agents and
broadcast a series of appetizing
recipes, with Minnock as the main
ingredient.
Round-Table Broadcast
The serious side of radio also
comes in for its share of atten-
CONGRATULATIONS
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Come in and visit with us when you
come to A. & M.
AGGIELAND BARBER SHOP
! Across from Post Office North Gate g
illillllllillliillllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllJllilllllllllllilillllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllUlllllllllllllllllillUlllllllllIlllllOUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUlS
GREETINGS
To High School Graduafes
For 23 years we have been making uni
forms for A. & M. students. The symbol, “Made
by Mendl & Hornak”, has become one of dis
tinction and satisfaction on the campus.
We invite all High School Graduates en
tering A. & M. next fall to come in and see us.
All work guaranteed.
MENDL & HORNAK
UNIFORM TAILOR SHOP
NORTH GATE
There’s More ^ ^ ess, ° n °f 12-week Defense
Course Finds Employment for 69
Than Sports
At Aggieland
A&M Has Nation’s
Largest Ag School
And Vet Med School
By Tom Vannoy
Fresh in mind is the nationally
famous football teams represent
ing the “Fighting Texas Aggies”
in gridiron battles for the past two
seasons. Perhaps unknown are
some of the other abilities possess
ed by Texas A. & M.
These include the largest agri
cultural school in the United Stat
es, also the largest school of vet
erinary medicine. It has the sec
ond largest school of engineering,
offering courses in chemical, civil,
aeronautical, electrical, petroleum,
mechanical, industrial, and archi
tectural engineering.
Texas A. & M. is the only men's
senior college in Texas and is the
oldest state supported school.
In view of the present need for
national defense, A. & M. offers
military training for commissions
in the army as an officer in the
infantry, field artillery, cavalry,
coast artillery, engineers, signal
corps, or chemical warfare. It is
the largest military college in the
world. More officers from A. & M.
served in this country’s fighting
forces than any other school, in
cluding West Point.
A. & M. has the world’s largest
dining halls, and a mess hall sys
tem which is remarkable in its ef
ficiency and economy.
It has a “school spirit” which is
renowned in addition to having the
most famous band and yelling sec
tion in the Southwest.
Utterly democratic except for
distinction in classes, which all col
leges have, A. & M. has a reputa
tion of being a school which builds
men capable of doing their work
well after graduation. Its traditions
make life here interesting during
school years and worth remember
ing forever.
Texas A. & M. has more dormi
tories than any other college in the
Southwest; consequently it is cap
able of handling nearly every pros
pective student. In addition to the
dormitories, it has a widespread
cooperative project house system,
enabling hundreds of boys to at
tend who could not otherwise af
ford college.
It offers a list of student activi
ties run by students alone in most
cases, which would be hard to equal
anywhere.
Boy Scout Work
Can Be Continued
After Entering A-M
If an A. & M. student has had
Scout training before his entrance
here and desires to continue his
training in the work he may do so
by transferring his membership to
an advanced Scouting organization.
A. & M. now has excellent facili
ties for advanced Scout work.
Two Senior Boy Scout organi
zations are operating at present
on the A. & M. campus. One, a
Rover Crew, available to men be
tween the ages of 17 and 25, is
sponsored by the Rural Sociology
Department. This crew is the out
growth of a Scoutmasters’ train
ing school which was held on this
campus in 1938. The second or
ganization is a Rover Crew spon
sored by the College Station Metho
dist Church. Either of these crews
is available to any Scout coming
to A. & M. who is interested in
continuing his Scout work here and
wishes to do so by transferring his
membership here.
tion at WTAW, with occasional
rouhd-table discussions by stu
dents on topics of current inter
est. A Sunday morning broadcast
of transcribed symphonic music is
a great favorite with the “long
haired” music lovers.
Arrangements with the English
partment allow a few members of
the classes in Public Speaking to
study radio at first hand and re
ceive a certain amount of credit
for this work. Although “Radio”
is not listed as a course in the
catalouge at present, it is hoped
that such a course will be added
for the 1941-42 school year, Ros
ser said. “The English Depart
ment and the Dean are working
on the proposition,” he said, “but
it’s too early yet to make any def
inite announcement.”
By Jack Decker
On phase of the extensive pro
gram planned by A. & M. college
for the purpose of training the
youth of America in the defense
of America was finished May 3
upon the completion of the 12-
week Civilian Defense Training
courses which began February 1.
Gibb Gilchrist, dean of engineer
ing at A. & M. college, who, is one
of the ten members of the Advisory
committee on Engineering Train
ing for National Defense appoint
ed by the President of the United
States is sponsoring this program.
Dean Gilchrist appointed Mr. J.
T. L. McNew, head of the Civil
Engineering Department, as local
director of the program.
Three Courses Offered
The three courses offered were
Materials Testing and Inspection,
Engineering Drawing, and Camp
Sanitation, all being badly needed
in many different industries.
Of the sixteen men originally
enrolled in the Materials Testing
and Inspection course, four took
^jobs before the completion of the
course, and all but three of the re
maining men had jobs waiting for
them when they finished.
Twenty eight men enrolled for
Engineering Drawing, and out of
that group thirteen men took draft
ing jobs before complete the course
and the rest reported for work im
mediately upon finishing. Eight of
the first thirteen men went to one
aircraft corporation in California,
two are working for the Dwight
Boiler Works in Houston, and the
other three went north to take
drafting jobs.
Nearly all of the twenty-five
Camp Sanitation enrollees were
sent by companies and returned to
their jobs as soon as the twelve
weeks was completed.
Courses At Prairie View
A. & M. is also offering three
courses at the Prairie View Nor
mal and Industrial College, a
branch of A. & M., including a
course in Power and Heating Engi
neering, one in Internal Combus-
(Continued on Page 12)
iPlllllllllllllllllIllllllllllllllllllllllllllIllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllM
To The
High School Students
of Texas
When visiting A. & M. College, we
invite you to visit with us and
breathe the old Aggie Spirit, and
expose yourself to the true, tradi
tional college atmosphere of Aggie
land at . . .
George’s Confectionery
In the New “Y”
EATS - DRINKS - SMOKES
IIIIIH
GREETINGS!
HIGH SCHOOL GRADS
We wish you much success in life and may the
years before you bring happiness. We hope you se
lect Texas A. & M. College so that we can be of
service to you in the future.
JUNIORS! Bring your mother to see these
beautiful boots that you will want for next year.
For many years we have made steady progress
in making boots. This year’s boots will be of the
highest quality and if possible even more comfort
able.
We urge you to order now to insure delivery
before September.
Holick’s Boot Shop
North Gate College Station
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