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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 1944)
PAGE 2 THE BATTALION FRIDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 21, 1944 PJ of wl or th fr su hs or- sa th or is es tc is O] tl r< tl t] c< k tl tl v i1 n f 0 h f t r 1 1 i 1 SOMETHING TO READ Edna B. Woods Ass’t Circulation Librarian STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Teas and the City of College Station is published three times weekly, and issued Tuesday,, Thursday and Saturday mornings except during the summer semester when it is published two times weekly and issued on Tuesday and Friday afternoons and is the official publication of the students of the A. & M. College of Texas and serves unofficially in the interest of the enlisted personnel of the United States Army and Navy stationed on the campus. Entered as second class matter at the Post 3ffice at College Station, Texas, uder the Act of Congress of March 8, 1870. Subscription rate $3 per school year. Advertising rates upon request. Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Office, Room 5, Administration Building. Telephone 4-1444. Calvin Brumley. Dick Goad Alfred Jefferson S. L. Inzer J. W. Bell Editor Managing Editor .Managing Editor Sports Editor Sports Writer Dick Osterholm Robert Gold Eli Barker D. V. Hudson Renyard W. Canis. Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Backwash Editor Of .Assistance to Visitors . . . A number of Eastern schools have set up a plan that is commonly known as guide service. For example, at Yale university, two tours through the campus are scheduled daily. Each trip is conducted by a student who knows much about the campus, the buildings, and the traditions of the school. The visitors, after assembling at a designated start ing place and registering in a guest book, are taken on the tour by a guide. As they walk along, the student who serves as the guide reveals facts and answers questions about the school. A. and M. College covers an area of approximately 4,000 acres and has something oyer one hundred buildings. The historical references and traditions of the school are colorful. Visitors to the campus would find their visits more interesting were they able to learn more of these facts. The various buildings, what they are, what purposes they serve, and how long they have been here would all be of interest. The traditions of the school and items of a historical nature would be entertaining. We do not have a guide system. Perhaps a plan like that would appear too commercial. Yet it does seem important that we have some plan whereby we can offer more informa tion to visitors who come to the campus. One solution would be for all Aggies to familiarize them selves with the necessary information, and learn how to retell it in an interesting fashion. Then as visitors appear on the campus and ask Aggies questions, each student would be able to offer such information as would be necessary and helpful. Such a plan would serve a double purpose. In the first place, it would make visits to the campus more entertaining for visitors. More important, however, is the good such a plan would afford each Aggie. It would provide him with a background of factual knowledge which will make him more appreciative of his school. He would understand more definitely the closely knit organization of the institution. He would realize more fully opportunities are afforded here. Instead of a few designated guides, such as some Eastern schools provide, every Aggie would thus become an individ ual guide, ready to impart with a great deal of pride worth while information about his own Aggieland. A Time for Checking . . . At the close of next week a check-up will be made to determine what progress has been made by the student body. Quizzes, reports, outlines, and themes will all be included in the program. A few days later grades will leave the registrar's office. Some men will find that they have somehow not reach ed that certain mark which they had hoped to attain. Per haps they have allowed some assignments to pass without proper preparation. Perhaps they have spent too many weekends away from the campus. Or perhaps they have fallen victims of a lazy summer influence. Whatever the case might be, each Aggie should make an effort to check up on himself. It's not too late to adjust himself to the task before him and to make the last stretch of the way count for a great deal. After all, it is up to the individual himself. At this period there will be some men whose marks will show that they have accounted well for the time spent here. These men will be happy over the records they have made. At the same time, however, these students must not feel that the battle is won. They cannot afford to stop and hope to glide to a safe termination of the race. Instead, they must guard well that which they have already done. The checking period, therefore is a signal to all stu- • dents alike. For those who have not done well thus far, it is a signal to put forth greater efforts. To others, an approv al of the first period work, but also a challenge to hold up the record which these men have set. A BELL FOR ADANO John R. Hersey “Just as truly as Europe once invaded us, with wave after wave of immigrants, now we are invading Europe with wave after wave of sons of immigrants,” says the thirty year old author of A Bell for Adano, John R. Hersey. A Bell for Adano is the first book of fiction to be called “imperative ,, by the Council of Books in War time. * Major Victor Joppolo, Italian- American, son of an immigrant, goes to work in Italy as AMG^ representative in the village of Adano. Like many other products of our American melting pot, Vic tor Joppolo fortunately had a knowledge of the language spoken in his parent’s native land . . . not only a knowledge of the lan guage, but a knowledge of the people, their temperament, their religion, and their mode of living. These advantages made it possi ble for Major Joppolo to do a magnificent job in Adano, in spite of the opposition from some of AMG’s superior officers. In months to come, member of our American Army of Invasion may depend to a great extent on var ious Joppoloes for language, wis dom, and justice in dealing with European. In the long run, as Mr. Hersey declares in his preface and infers throughout his novel, it is the men who count. Their actions under pressure determine the na ture of our future world. John Hersey tells his story well, without an effusion of words or ideas; A cyclorama of excellent descriptions and smooth transitions sets the scene for the many inter esting characters who make the story. Scenes with Lojacono, the local artist, with Tomasino, head fisherman, and with Ribaudo Gui- seppe, self fashioned interpreter, strike the human note; the char acters are real. A Bell for Adano exemplifies the fact that an extremely serious story may have many humorous situa- tions* Army life, realistically por trayed, bespeaks the author’s inti mate association with fighting men. His frank presentation of bad army administration, based on a lack of understanding and impat ient dogmatism, makes the reader aware that if Americans are go ing to pour into Europe as leaders in establishing democratic life, the right men must be at the helm, or the entire purpose may be,sacrific ed. A Bell for Adano is a short book, a compact story, and a much need ed inspiration for those who want to live wisely, today, so that they will live comfortably, tomorrow. John Hersey was born in Tient- son, China, a son of American mis sionaries. He graduated from Yale, studied at Cambridge, was Time magazine’s correspondent in the Orient, and at one time was pri vate secretary to Sinclair Lewis; he is new as an author, but he has already attracted wide atten tion. His first bocrk, Into the Val ley, was also chosen by the Coun cil of Books \u Wartime. This Council of Books in War time represents every phase of (See Something To Read, Page 3) By Renyard W. Canis Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence."—Webster. In 1911, there appeared in the Wolverine, annual publication of the Michigan Agricultural College, a list of “People and Things That Make Us Worry:” Instructors who never fail to meet their classes. Amateur musicians and singers. Breakfast at 6:45. Twenty hour schedules. Hunk of bone in the hash. Studying. Drill. Although they failed to men tion summer heat and eventless weekends—which I should surely include—the seven listings are still in line with a lot of current thought. Thirty-three years ago students were having troubles that still exist. Nothing has been done about these matters, and probably won’t. The EMORY WHEEL, newspap er of Emory University, has de clared that “since the professors divide students into classes, it is safe to assume that all professors can also be divided into classes” and offers these groupings: 1. The Killer Type. He wants to kill off the lower third and thinks the best way is by overwork. 2. The Card Type. He is a card but not an ace. He’s a 3x5 card. Outstanding is his index appeal. 3. The Spicy Type. He has a lot of cheek and plenty of tongue to put in it. His lectures kick up intellectual sparks out of the academic flint. 4. The Skimmer Type. The sur facing in his course is fine, but the foundation is weak. 5. The Hard Rock Type. You have to be more than a good mus ician to hit more than a high “C” under this teacher. If he were a movie critic, he wouldn’t even give the United States 48 stars. 6. The Uh-Man Type. He whets (See BACKWASH, Page 3) <3 Man, Your Manners By I. Sherwood “Is there anything one can do to get out of a situation as when listening to a prejudiced person talking politics, religion, and so on, especially when the person is older or commands respect?” Try not to show that you are bored, and as soon as possible di rect the conversation to safer topics. Conversation in most soc ial circles turns, sooner or later to curret* events; it can afford a great deal of pleasure unless some garrulous or opinionated person gets out of control. “Is it proper to eat while carry ing on a conversation with another person who is doing most of the talking yet talking more or less to you?” There must be give and take in dinner-table conversation; but there must also be eating, so we try to alternate the two as pleasantly as possible. Occasionally, we find persons • who make delightful dinner com panions not because of what they have to say but because they are good listeners. Usually, a good con versationalist is never troubled for something to say when he needs to say something. PENNY’S SERENADE ■T i' .7 By W. L. Penberthy feome time ago 1 read an artier by a writer who contended tha Japan’s plan was to wage a lonj war in which thej would conque: certain territor; and then fight j defensive batth until we tired o trying to win ning back tha which they ha< taken. This done they would repea the process unti S eventually the; would dominate Penberthy the world. The; started out on this plan and di< pretty well until our pacific of fensive got under way after Pear Harbor. Since then they haven’ done such a good holding job an< we are getting pretty close t< their goal line—Tokyo. I noticec in the today’s paper that the Japi consider the situation as grav< and that Tojo and the entire Jaj cabinet resigned. Military strategy is often lik ened to that used in the various sports. If this be the case, the Jap high command could have profit ed by consulting some athletic - coaches who could have told them that they could have no success using a defensive strategy against American forces. In this day when - emphasis is placed oh scoring, there can be no success for the defen- 41 sive team. I have seen many ath letic contests, but I have seen fe\4 won by teams playing defensively especially when they are pitted against an aggressive opponent. Furthermore there is very little glory or satisfaction derived from the winning of a contest in this manner. We all love to see well coached performers but they fail to hold our interest if they are not ag gressive. I have seen many skill ed performers completely outclass ed by an opponent much less skill ed but much more aggressive. We cannot minimize the value or im- * portance of skill but pure skill in not sufficient. It must be com bined with real aggressiveness to* give the best results. *