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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1942)
DIAL 4-5444 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF COLLEGE STATION The Battalion DIAL 4-5444 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF COLLEGE STATION 122 ADMINISTRATION BLDG. VOLUME 41 COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, TUESDAY MORNING, FEB. 24, 1942 Z275 NO. 62 1 War Department Begins ■Civilian Defense School * H R Brayton Directs Ten Day Courses Classes in the first War Depart ment Civilian Defense school to be held here were started Monday- morning with 47 men from several states in attendance under the di rection of Major H. R. Brayton, C. W. S. The course will last for 10 days and at the end of the training period, the men will re turn to their local communities to serve as leaders in the organization and training program designed for protection against air raids. Five similar schools are being or ganized throughout the nation. The first was started at Leland Stan ford University, California, on Feb ruary 9. Another will begin at Am herst, Massachusetts, in the near future. Other schools will be locat ed in the southeastern part of the country, the middle west, and the north west. The work being covered by the course is the same as that taught at the Chemical Warfare School, Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, since June, 1941. The quota, as set up by General W. D. Gasser, war de partment representative in the of fice of civilian defense, includes 22 men from Fourth and Eighth corps areas, and two each from the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh corps areas, for the school. The topics covered in the course of instruction include civilian de fense organization, identification of war gases, gas mask drill, es pionage and sabotage, training methods, aircraft warning, incen diaries, tactics of aerial bombing and defense, blackouts, plant and building protection, and citizens defense corps. Assisting Major Brayton in the instruction of the school are Cap tain V. E. McGuckin, C.W.S.; First (See DEFENSE, Page 4) Cotton Ball Sponsors Send Club Invitations Ex-Student Clubs, Mother’s Clubs and Student Chapters Invited Approximately 170 invitations went out from the Agronomy So ciety, sponsors of the annual Cot ton Ball and Pageant, to various clubs and organizations inviting them to send representatives to be duchesses in the king’s court at the annual affair to be held this year on May 1 in Sbisa Hall. A majority of these invitations went to ex-students clubs, moth ers clubs, and other A. & M. stu dent organizations. These clubs will elect their duchess and her escort both of whom will appear in the pageant. Rabbi Rabbi Sanders A. Tofield has been with Congregation Adath Yeshurn in Houston since 1934. He was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City. He is the former president of the Kallah of Texas Rabbi and the Southwest Conference of Jewish Religious Schools. Rab bi Tofield has adddressed A. & M. groups on several prev ious occasions. Large Crowd Attends Lecture By Dr G W Truitt in Guion Monday Promotion List Advances Many To Cadet Officership Colonel Welty Releases Complete New List of Promotions Under provisions of paragraph 32, A. R. 145-10, the following ap pointments of cadet officers and non-commissioned officers were announced February 20, by order of Col. Welty, commandant of the college. Corps, Field, and Staff Clark, W. W., Major ,Corps Ad jutant). Infantry Band Criswell, R. M., Second Lieuten ant. (See LIST, Page 4) As Sophomores Make Merry Flight Instructor Courses Available Flight Instructor and Cross Country courses are available to students who have completed the Secondary C. P. T. Flight course it was announced by Professor H. W. Barlow, head of the Aeronauti cal Engineering Department. These courses will be given by the Kadett Aviation Company at the College Airport, starting probably the mid dle of next week. Since there is a great shortage of flight instructors, anyone feel ing he can qualify for this type of work is requested to report imme diately to the Aero Department to obtain information and application blanks. Each of the courses offered lasts about six weeks and consists of ad vanced ground and flight training in cross country flight and flight instruction. A member of the flight instruction staff of the Kadett Aviation Company will meet with all applicants for this work next Tuesday, February 24, in the Aero nautical Engineering building at 8 p. m. Here we find the Sophomores preparing to make merry at the Sophomore ball held in Sbisa hall Friday night. At the left is T. P. Callier of 1st C.H.Q. handing a program to Miss Beth Hummel of Houston. Her escort on her left is G. W. Albritton, Houston, member of C CWS. Second escort in at tendance to Miss Hummel is H. N. McDowell, also of Houston, in C Chem Warfare. Off-Campus Student Body of 2900 Enrolled in A&M Defense Training With. an off-the-campus student body of 2900 authorized by the U. S. Office of Education, for a total of 65 defense training courses, A. & M. college has announced immediate organization of aeronautical engineering classes in Terminology, Aircraft Materials and Processes, Elementary Airplane Structures and Tool, Jig and Fixture Design in Dallas. The courses are a part of the Engineering Science Management Defense Training program offered by the college in cooperation with the U. S. Office of Education. You’re Not A Brisbane? So What? There’s Still A Chance “We wuz robbed!” I First the army called certain R. O. T. C. officers; the air corps lured potential pilots; General Hershey’s boys requested the duty of some; then the deans wondered how a few stayed in college as long as they had with so many cuts and so few grade points. So, as must come to all A. & M. men, leaving Aggieland (by one means or another) came to a great part of The Battalion newspaper staff during the past three weeks. But their leaving wasn’t all in vain. No, it left openings for per haps 20 Aggies, any of whom may some day be Battalion Editor-in- Chief. Of course these men needn’t be miniature Brisbanes or even one of those scarce oddities known as an English “queer”. Any good old hard pluggin’ boy, junior, sopho more or fish is a fit man, pro viding he takes advantage of the opportunity. Tomorrow afternoon will be the first time when these opportunities will be offered. Those men inter ested who have time off Wednes day afternoon should come by The Battalion as soon after 2 o’clock as possible. Texas Cottonseed Crushers Will Meet Here on May 25-26 Directors of the Texas Cotton Seed Crushers Association, at a meeting yesterday, set May 25 through 26 as probable date for the Annual Short Course for Oil Mill Superintedents which will be held at A. & M. for the four teenth time this year. F. F. Bis hop of the college chemical en gineering department reports. Dr. J. D. Lindsey and Bishop of that department will have charge of the course. Dallas aeronautical engineering courses will be under direction of Dr. Howard W. Barlow, head of the Aeronautical Engineering depart ment. The purpose of the courses will be to upgrade aircraft factory workers endeavoring to equip themselves for better positions and for workmen desirous of obtaining employment in the rapidly ex panding aircraft industry in Texas. Courses will be given two nights per week, two and one half hours per night, for twelve weeks, with the exception of the course in Aeronautical Engineering Termi nology which lasts only six weeks. These courses are free to all stu dents except cost of textbook. Teachers will be drawn directly from the industry and will be men of extensive practical background in aviation manufacturing. Courses are now in progress at Tyler, Kilgore, Texas City, Corsi cana, Mineral Wells, Beaumont, Houston, Freeport and Fort Worth. At Prairie View all Engineering Defense Training courses author ized in Texas for negroes are be ing given by A. & M. college. Seven courses are in progress now, seven teen courses have been completed and two more have been author ized to start soon. A meeting will be held in Fort Worth, Saturday, February 27th, to plan expansion of the program in the Northwest Texas area. Smokestack Climbs Twelve Feet a Day; Duplicates First One The new smokestack, just west of the power plant, is still under construction, going up at the rate of 12 feet a day, The smoke stack, started on January 8, is be ing built at a cost of $8,000, and like the other stack, will tower to a height of 202 feet. As now under construction, the stack will be almost an exact dup licate of the first, built in 1917 at the time the power plant was erec ted. Down the side of the stack will be painted in black the words A. & M. College. This will add color to both the structures, since they stand so close together. New Dorms Will Be Done AtEarlyDate Four Halls To Be Completed When Interior Furnished Final interior finishing on the four new dormitories west of the hospital will be completed in the next couple of weeks E. N. Holm- green, business manager of the college stated. All that is holding up the completion is the installa tion of several main wiring cir cuits in all four halls, and the balance of the tables and dressers that have not arrived. Like all other dormitories, these facilities have been offered to the United States Army for housing certain branches of the forces that might be stationed here for training in national defense work. No definite plans have been made as to which organizations will be assigned to these dormitories, since there is still an uncertainty as to whether any branches of the arm ed forces will be moved into them. All beds and mattresses have been moved into the halls, and two carloads of dressers have also been moved in. One carload of - tables is waiting to be unloaded at the present time, but no tables have, as yet, been put in the new halls. Landscaping of the new dorms has already been started and it is expected to be completed in the next few months. There are two walks leading from the dorms east ward to the old mess hall where the occupants will take their meals. These walks will be used to march to the mess hall. Many of the lightposts are ready, but as yet have not been set up. Meetings Will Continue Throughout Remainder Religious Emphasis Week More than 2,000 Aggies and visitors attended the first service of Religious Emphasis W.eek to be held in Guion Hall at 12:00 yesterday. Fred Smitham, president of the Y. M. C. A., presided over the meeting. Cadet Colonel Tom Gillis and Don Burrus, chairman of the Inter-Church Coun cil, represented the student body on the platform along with the council presidents of the various church groups who in troduced the visiting religious leaders from their respective denominations. ; Rev. Eugene Brackney of the Wesley Foundation led in prayer and Harvey Hatcher led in the singing of “My Country ’Tis of Thee”. Rev. R. L. Brown, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Col lege Station, introduced Doctor Truett, the principal speaker for Religious Emphasis Week, who Tuesday 7:45 A. M. Leader’s Breakfast Aggieland Inn. 12:00 A. M. Dr. George W. Truett, Guion HalL 8:00 p.m. Meetings for this hour same as those on Monday night except the Christian group will meet in the Y. M. C. A. Parlor. Wednesday 6:30 A. M. Mass and Holy Communion, Catholic Chapel. 7:00 and 10:00 A. M. Holy Communion, Episcopal Chapel. 7:45 A. M. Leader’s Breakfast, Aggieland Inn. 11:00 A. M. D. George W. Truett, Guion Hall. 5:00 to 6:00 P. M. Coffee Hour, Y. M. C. A. Parlor. 8:00 P. M. Same as Monday night. brought a forceful message on prayer, concluding with a prayer of benediction. Marion Lyles play ed the organ during the assembl ing and disbursing of the large crowd and furnished a soft mus ical background during the pray ers. Churches of College Station be- (See TRUITT, Page 4) A&M Federal Credit Union Has Good Report Trotter Announces Dividend; Directors Re-elected for Two Years Loans aggregating $17,530 were made during 1941 without a single loss by the A. & M. Federal Credit Union, and the organiza tion’s reserve fund for bad loans has not been touched since the Union was organized in 1939. This announcement and the an nouncement of a four and one-half percent dividend have been made by Dr. Ide P. Trotter, President of the Union. Directors re-elected for two-year periods at the recent annual stockholders’ meeting are H. A. Dulan, G. W. Schlesselman and Dr. Ide P. Trotter. Carry-over members who will continue to serve during 1942 are Dr. L. P. Gabbard and C. E. Bowles. Books of the Credit Union were recently audited by the Farm Credit Administration. The or ganization’s 180 members soon will receive or be credited with an an nual dividend of four and one-half percent interest on all fully paid shares, Dr. Trotter said. Burly Irishman, ‘Good Old Boy’ World Adventurer, Tells Story Hensley, Bryce Air Corps Grads At Merced, Calif Among the first class of avia tion cadets to graduate from the new Air Corps Basic Flying School at Merced, Calif., are two former A. & M. students. They are Willie L. Bryce and Harold Hensley, Jr. At the conclusion of a ten- week’s training course, beginning next week at Air Corps Advanced Flying Schools, they will be com missioned second lieutenants and placed on active duty with tacti cal units or will be assigned to Army Flying Schools as instruc tors. The former students began their basic training at the Merced Air Base in December, following pre liminary flight instruction at Air Corps civilian elementary schools in California. By Ken Bresnen A big burly Irishman whom the Aggies would describe as “a good old boy”—that’s Quentin Reynolds, world adventurer, news writer, au thor, lecturer who told the corps last night of his recent trip to the battle front of Europe. Although he has led a life of adventure and thrills, Reynolds still insists that the title of his most recent article in Collier’s express es his true sentiment, “I Don’t Like to Travel.” When asked what was the biggest thrill of his life, the genial war correspondent ans wered, “Meeting the President of the United States and spending 30 minutes alone in comference with him.” While on the desert battle fronts of Libya, he went to the front lines to gather material for his latest book, which he finished yes terday morning at the Aggieland Inn. News men with the British forces are given the rank of captain and wear the uniform habitually. He traveled to the front in a tank, carrying a “tommy gun“ in one hand and a note book in the oth er. While reporters are supposed to be neutral, the enemy can’t dis tinguish them in the heat of the battle, and so they are provid ed with weapons to defend them selves. “This is truly an amazing place,” said Reynolds, “I’ve never seen another college like this before. One of the things that most im pressed him was the fact that World Adventurer An entertaining conversationalist, a man who has been places and seen things—that’s Quentin Reynolds, world adventurer who spoke to the Aggies on the Town Hall program last night. the Aggies can have all the milk they want, while in England a civilian can’t even get a drink of milk. One of the greatest hard ships on Americans in the war zone, according to Reynolds who calls the colonel of his regiment a “good guy”, is the difficulty of securing American made cigarettes. Most American people have a misconception o f Communistic Russia. They try to think of it in terms of the Trotsky regime which fell years ago. The famous writer gained the impression that communism as it operates today in the soviet is very efficient and has definitely improved the eco nomic and living conditions of the people. “They have it on a money making basis,” he stated. At press conferences, Hitler nev er answers questions, but instead makes speeches, according to Rey nolds. His impression of Goering is that he is somewhat like A1 Capone, a likeable fellow, but a “genial murderer.” As for the situation of the Un ited States, he has definite ideas. First of all he feels that General MacArthur is where he belongs and should stay in the Far East as long as possible. Secondly, A. & M. and College Station should ab solutely go ahead with their plans for civilian defense. Said Reynolds, “It is not at all beyond the realm of possibility that someday a place like Houston, which is only two flying hours from the Pacific, might be bombed.” One of the peculiarities of the situation in the States that struck him as unusual was the fact that there is no shortage of tires in England, although they have been at war for several years, while in America, tires are already being rationed. Although he has slept in front (See IRISHMAN, Page 4)