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
122 ADMINISTRATION BLDG. VOLUME 41 ( COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, THURSDAY MORNING, JAN. 8, 1942 Z275 NUMBER 43
No Finals, May 16 Graduation, Three Semester Year
Passes Academic Council, Awaits Final Board Edict
C C Hedges Given Reins
Of College Defense Council
Six Committees Govern 14 Zones; Plan
For Eventualities in Case of Air Raids
Possible utilization of the stadium and more probable
the moving of the cadet corps to the open country in the
case of an air attack was among the plans discussed at the
first meeting of the newly organized College Defense coum
cil. The council held its first meeting on December 18,
and appointed six main committees and assigned duties to
each.
The general plan is under the direction of Dr. C. C.
Hedges who is the coordinator. The mayor, F. G. Anderson,
has been designated by the Governor as the city representa
tive on the Civilian National Defense program and he in
turn has appointed the coordinator whose duty is to act in
his place in organizing the different departments of the
city into one national defense group.
An idea of the functions of each
committee can be gained from
the following outline made for the
Police services committee. They
will handle the training of person
nel, warnings including sirens and
air horns, local watches and black
outs. Power wardens will be ap
pointed and the committee will
handle the extinction of exterior
lighting—streets and bridges, ve
hicles, signs, and shops—and dim
ming of interior light. Control of
population which will cover ces
sation of traffic, taking the pop
ulation to cover, protection of lost
and abandoned articles, and evac
uation of danger zones. Mainten
ance of law and order which in turn
will prevent sabotage and crime
will be on the duties. After the a-
forementioned has been done the
committee will direct action for
the removal of delayed action
bombs.
Fourteen zones have been set
up for the protection against fire
in the case of a widespread attack.
The six committees appointed
are as follows: fire fighting ser-
Fiscal Office Sets
5 PM Deadline For
January Payments
Maintenance must be paid today
in order to avoil penalty, Clifford
C. Edge, cashier, announces. The
Fiscal office will be open until
5 p. m. to take care of last min
ute payments.
Students with unpaid mainten
ance will be dropped from the col
lege rolls and must pay a dollar
penalty in addition to their main
tenance to be reinstated.
vices, police services, medical ser
vices, public works, streets, build
ings, water, and sewage, main
tenance of vital services and pub
lic relations and education.
Members of the fire fighting
services committee are F. B.
Brown, chairman, Fred Hale, J. C.
Hotard, R. T. Poland, C. N. Shep-
ai’dson, and D. W. Williams. On the
police services committee are Lieut.
Joe E. Davis, chairman, F. G. An
derson, R. J. Tilton, and Fred Hale.
Medical services are under the
direction of M. L. Cushion, chair
man, Mrs. G. W. Adriance, D. W.
Williams, Leroy Brown, C. N. Shep-
ardson, and J. C. Hotard. Public
works, streets, buildings, water and
sewage is under the direction of
B. D. Marburger, chairman, T. R.
Spence, Lieut. Joe E. Davis, F. G.
Anderson and Joe Skiles.
Maintenance of vital services
will be headed by T. R. Spence,
chairman, B. D. Marburger, D. W.
Williams and Joe Skiles. Public re
lations and education will be di
rected by Dr. C. C. Hedges, chair
man, C. N. Shepardson, Joe Skiles,
F. G. Anderson and Lieut. Joe E.
Davis.
Engineering Dean Tells Cadets former Commandant
How to Serve Best the Nation
Engineering students may best serve the United States in the
all-out war effort by staying at school and sacrificing all non-essential
activities for concentrated study, Dean Gibb Gilchrist of the school
of engineering states in an open message to the engineering students
of the college.
Rev Confined To
Veterinary Hospital
Reveille, football team mascot, is
confined to the Veterinary hos
pital recuperating from the ef
fects of the winter. Because of her
advanced age, she is not able to
withstand the rigors of cold wea
ther, but she is expected to re
cover shortly, the hospital announ
ced yesterday.
The dean’s letter follows.
:< To All Engineering Students:
An analysis of our country’s
needs in the present war effort
reveals an acute need for engineers.
We are all willing and anxious to
put forth every possible effort
toward doing our part but what
we perhaps have not yet realized
is that doing so is going to entail
sacrifices by all. Our greatest “bot
tleneck”—and not one of us can
deny our particular part—is going
to be waste of time unless we all
firmly resolve that is not be so.
It is human nature to spend a
great deal of time in discussion of
any vital issue. Intelligent discus
sion is always helpful but in war
time deeds are so much more im
portant than words that there
should be only the essential min
imum of the latter.
The duty of the engineering stu
dent is clear. To be of the greatest
service he must stay on the job
and prepare himself for his pro
fession and for the all-out war
effort in the quickest and most
thorough way possible. A student
of engineering who is giving every
possible moment to his studies is
in a sense making munitions for
use against the enemy. “Doing our
part” is going to mean sacrificing
all non-essential activities for con
centrated study. Remaining on the
campus over the week ends and
spending a goodly portion of the
time in study is suggested as an
example. It is going to mean effort
on the part of everyone toward
the discouragement of idle talk
among fellow students and the en
couragement of profitable use of
time.
It is hoped that every student
in the School of Engineering will
recognize and accept his respon
sibility to himself and his country
by setting as his personal obpect-
ive a higher scholastic mark than
he has ever attained.
Gibb Gilchrist,
Dean of Engineering.”
According to the U. S. Army
recruiting office, G. F. Moore, for
mer commandant of A. & M., has
now been promoted to the rank of
Major-General. General Moore has
been stationed on the island of
Corregidor in the Philippines. This
promotion would place General
Moore in command of the island.
Mobile Army Unit
Returns to Campus
Ninety-five Aggies have entered
their applications to the U. S.
Army recruiting unit here for
training which will lead to com
missions in the air corps. The re
cruiting unit is located on mili
tary walk in front of the flag pole
and has another office in Room
37, Ross hall. The unit is com
manded by Captain C. T. Sprague,
Class of ’22. Assisting Captain
Sprague are Captain W. H. Cul
bertson, Corporal Robert, and Cor
poral Hbbbins,
Captain Sprague has advised all
Aggies to secure their birth certif
icates immediately, since these
documents are required by every
branch of the armed forces and
will save a great deal of time for
any enlistment. Captain Sprague
has invited any person to call at
the recruiting unit to obtain any
information about any army en
listment in general, aviation ca
dets, or the selective service.
Classes of '17/18 Forgot Draft Worries;
Aggies Inducted, Then Assigned
Study Duty During World War I
By Ken Bresnen
In the summer of 1917 A. &
M. began to train men for the
armed forces of a United States
than engaged in World War I.
A group of college gradutes, pro
fessors, and students were organ
ized into Depot Co. K and received
training in Signal Corps work. The
initial group consisted of about
80 men. This was the first step
taken by the college in prepara
tion for war. Later when other
groups were formed Depot Co. K
still retained its identity as a sep
arate unit.
In the autumn of ’17 the Stu
dents’ Army Training Corps, better
known as the S.A.T.C., was es
tablished in College Station. Orig
inally the purpose of the S.A.T.C.
was to train enlisted army person
nel in specialized fields. Although
these men were ordered here un
der the command of regular army
officers, their training was techni
cal rather than tactical. They
were trained in the fields of auto
mechanics, airplane mechanics, and
the like.
By the close of the war the en
listed detachment of the S.A.T.C.,
which was called Section B, had
reached a strength of about 3,600.
They were housed in tne barracks
buildings built especially for that
purpose because the dormitories on
the campus at that time were not
sufficient.
Section A of the corps consist
ed of the regular student body
of the college. To prevent their
being drafted and to permit them
to finish their schooling, all but
about 200 of the students here at
the time were inducted into the
army at a mass ceremony. Their
first assignment after induction
was to remain in college until they
had finished their education.
Regular college courses were
modified somewhat to allow more
time for drill and languages and
other subjects which might prove
of use to men in the service. It
was expected that upon graduation
these cadets would qualify as of
ficers.
At the same time the army had
a small group of men stationed
at the college who were doing re
search in meteorology. All of these
men were college graduates. In
structors for this group were ob
tained from the United States
Weather Bureau and some nearby
airports.
“The Good Ship Foster” was the
home of about 100 dry land sail
ors who constituted the A. & M.
Naval Unit. All naval cadets re
ceived technological training in
mechanical and enginering fields
and were to go to sea when they
completed their training here. How
ever, the war ended with the de
feat of the central powers before
any of these cadets were called
into action.
17 Exes Named On
War Casualty List
The War department has released
information that up to the pres
ent date four Aggies have lost
their lives in combat, and 13 others
have been killed while on active
duty since the beginning of hos
tilities.
Killed in the Philippines during
the week of December 12, 1941,
were three ex-Aggies. They were
Second Lieut. Arthur E. Gray, San
Marcos; Captain John A. E. Berg
strom, Austin; and Major Clarence
R. Davis, Beaumont, Class of 1927.
As a result of a military acci
dent in the Canal Zone in which
five officers lost their lives, Cap
tain Joseph J. Backloupe, Ennis,
was killed.
In addition to the above Aggies,
the following lost their lives while
on active duty with the army: First
Lieut. Maurice A. Morgan, ’39;
First Lieut. John H. Morehead,
’37; Cadet John Clifford Knight,
’40; Second Lieut. John R. Harshey,
’41; Second Lieut. Barry C.
Francks, Jr., ’41; Second Lieut.
George P. Cook, Jr., ’33; Sgt. Rob
ert M. Baird, ’40; Elbert B. And-
ing, ’26; Second Lieut. Augustus
J. Allen, ’39; Second Lieut. Charles
O. Watts; ’41; Second Lieut. Carol
H. Thomas, ’38; Ensign Lee J.
Shudde, ’38, and First Lieut. Addie
J. Hogan, ’28.
Regimental Dances
Other Big Affairs
Are Still Scheduled
Planned Shake Up Would
Change Dates of Events On
Social Calendar, Drop Some
No major a.ffairs will be drop
ped from the original social calen
der as published previously in The
Battalion, according to a state
ment made by Joe Skiles, director
of student activities.
Because of yesterday’s propos
ed shake-up in the organization of
the coming semester’s schedule,
some of the affairs must be chang
ed to conform to the new school
terms. The final ball will prob
ably be held on Friday, May 16, and
the senior ring dance on Thurs
day, May 14. The junior prom will
probably be held May 8. However,
no major activities will be drop
ped, Skiles stated.
As many of the minor events as
possible are to be observed with a
minimum change in their sched
ules. Skiles said that the new or
ganization will not hinder any more
of the social affairs than is abso
lutely necessary.
However, some of the smaller
events will probably have to be
postponed or canceled, Skiles sta
ted. All students are urged to con
tinue their present plans for these
social occasions and to make them
as successful as possible.
Federal Power
Comm Offers Jobs
To Engineering Grads
The Federal Power Commission
of Fort Worth has openings for en
gineering graduates or other engi
neers who would be interested in
employment with this agency.
The positions range in grade
from engineering aide, paying $1800
a year, to senior engineer, paying
$4600 a year. The applicant will
have to meet the requirements of
the Federal Power Commission as
to his practical experience and
technical qualifications and come
up to the standards and require
ments of the Civil Service Com
mission before he can be appoint-
ted.
Any one who believes he is
qualified to meet these require
ments should report to the Dean of
engineering in the administration
building.
Navy Takes 9 Ags
As Future Officers
Thirty-five Aggies have to date
entered applications for admission
to training schols for producing
midshipmen in the Navy. Of these
thirty-five, nine have completed
their physical examinations.
The enlistment and medical ex
aminations are being given in
Room 36, Ross hall. The recruit
ing will continue until tonight. Up
on completion of the examination,
the recruits will go to naval schools
at eithef Northwestern university
or New York City. The new re
cruits will undergo a four months
training course and will graduate
to serve as deck officers with the
fleet.
ME Students Win
$100 in Prize Money
A pleasant aftermath of a fall
inspection trip by the Mechanical
Engineering Seniors is the receipt
of $100.00 in prize money by three
M. E. Seniors.
The Texas Steel Casting Com
pany offered this prize money for
the best papers submitted on the
subject of “What I Learned About
Steel Castings at the Texas Elec
tric Steel Castings Company.” Sev
eral of the seniors competed for
this money, but the prizes were
limited to three. The first prize
of $50.00 went to L. L. Manches
ter; the second price of $35.00 to
W. E. Frost and the Third prize
of $15.00 to Robert M. Bruce.
The prizes arrived during the
Christmas holidays.
Directors Expected to 0 K
Proposed Streandined Plan
College, $15,000,000 Plant, Too Valuable
To Lie Idle Three Months of Year—Prexy
Three semesters per year, early completion of the re
maining semesters of this year, and the lack of final exam
inations as such loom for Aggies as a result of the nation’s
war effort. In line with the trend for speeding up production,
the college authorities are considering a plan which includes
these features. “The plan would prevent the $15,000,000
college plant facilities from lying idle during the summer
months, but would use them continuously in the production
of trained men and army officers,” T. O. Walton, president
of the college stated.
The Academic Council, compos--
ed of the deans and heads of de
partments of the college, met yes
terday afternoon at 3 p.m. in the
administration building and passed
the following recommendation. To
become effective the recommenda
tion must also be adopted by the
Board of Directors in their meeting
here Saturday, January 10.
To the Board of Directors:
The total war in which our
nation is now engaged has cre
ated an urgent demand that
young men be trained both
for certain essential indust
ries and as reserve officers
as rapidly as possible. Both
industry and the Army have
requested the College to grad
uate the students as rapidly as
possible. To meet this demand
we recommend to the Board of
Directors that the College re
organize its course on a basis
of three semesters of 16 weeks
each with one week of vaca
tion following each semester
and one week for Christmas
holidays, and that this plan
be inaugurated at the close
* of the present semester.
The average age of our en
tering students is 17 Yz years.
The plan will not only save one
year in the preparation of
young men for industry and
for commissions in the army,
but with reductions in the draft
age to 20 it will enable these
students who are to obtain ad
vanced course ROTC contracts
to do so before they are sub
ject to call under the draft
and will make it possible for
most of those who do not have
courses before they are called
contracts to complete their
courses before they are called
or to be sufficiently advanc
ed in “necessary” courses to
receive deferment until their
completion.
To carry out the plan we
propose the following modifi
cations and additions to the
college calendar:
Close Present semester Janu
ary 22, 1942.
Inaugurate the semester plan
on the following schedule:
III. January 26 to May 16,
1942, 16 weeks; vacation, 1
week
I. June 1 to September 19,
1942, 16 weeks; Vacation, 1
week.
II. September 28 to January
23, 1943, 16 weeks and 1 week
Christmas; Vacation, 1 week.
III. February 1 to May 22,
1943, 16 weeks; Vacation, 1
week.
I. May 31 to September 18,
1943, 16 weeks; Vacation, 1
week.
II. September 27 to January
22, 1944, 16 weeks and 1 week
Christmas.
F. C. Bolton
Dean
If the plan is adopted by the
Board of Directors Saturday, the
speeded up plan will end this sem
ester of classes Thursday, Janu
ary 22. There will not be the cus
tomary three hour final examin-
(See NO FINALS, Page 4)
Bull Text Checks
Ready for Payment
Military Science checks for Sen
iors and Juniors are now in the
hands of the senior instructors
for payment, Major A. J. Bennett,
Adjutant, has announced.
All members of the advanced
R.O.T.C. who signed promissory
notes for tickets to the Cotton
Bowl game are expected to make
immediate payment to the Fiscal
department.
Juniors received $14,319 at this
time while Seniors received $12,-
623.25.
Navy Extends Air Corps Training
To Include Sophomores in Class V 5
New Orleans, Jan. 7.—Launch
ing a drive to procure 2,500 avia
tion pilots each month for com
bat fliers in the aviation wing
of the U. S. Navy, the Navy de
partment today extended enlist
ments in the Naval Reserve Avia
tion class to include sophomores
in college and announced that all
men enlisting as volunteers in
Class V-5 will be eligible for active
duty at the end of their current
school year.
The enrollment of sophomores in
college as potential candidates for
commissions in the Naval Re
serve Aviation is the result of an
effort by the Navy department to
build up the pool of able-bodied
young men to take the place of the
thousands of young Naval pilots
now passing through Naval Air
Training stations for duty with
the fleet.
Candidates for appointment as
aviation cadets must:
(a) Be a male citizen of the
United States for a period
of at least ten years.
(b) Be not less than 20 years of
age, and have not reached
his 27th birthday at the time
of enlistment as seaman, sec
ond class.
(c) Agree to remain on active
duty four years, including
period undergoing training
as aviation cadet, unless
sooner released by the Navy
department.
(d) Be unmarried, must not pre
viously have been married,
and must agree to remain
unmarried until the expira
tion of two years from the
date of entering upon active
duty.
(e) Be educationalily, morally,
physically and psychological
ly qualified.
College juniors and seniors, aft
er enlistment in Class V-5, may
be deferred from call to active
duty until completion of their cur
rent college year, if they so re
quest. Thereafter they will be as
signed to active training duty in
the earliest class in which they
can be accommodated.