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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 25, 1944)
VOLUME 44 COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, TUESDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 25, 1944 NUMBER 15 No Mid-Semester Holidays For Aggies More Layoffs Would Impair College Rating Contrary to a popular rumor which has been circulating over the campus the past few weeks, there will be no mid-semester holidays for students during the summer term. According to the statement issued by Dean F. C. Bolton yes terday, the college cannot allow any further suspension of classes this semester without jeopardizing the rating of the college by the College Accrediting Agencies. In explaining the reasons for this necessary action, Bolton stated that the present plan calls for six teen weeks in a semester and as the students have already had two holidays, any further layoffs would keep the students from gaining their necessary amount of class- work. At the beginning of the war, in order to give the students a chance to get as much of their college education as possible be fore being called to military serv ice, the college inaugurated the three-semester plan, consisting of sixteen weeks rather than the nor mal peacetime period of four and one-half months. “When this ac- Officer Coming Here; To Accept Applicants “G. I. Bill Of Rights” * D. G. Lahr, who is a training officer for the Veteran’s Adminis tration, is to be on the campus Thursday, July 27, at two o’clock in the afternoon and will remain here until ten o’clock the following morning. He will be here to accept applications for training under the “G. I. Joe Bill of Rights”, and will meet all applicants in the Student Personnel Ofice, which is on the first floor of the Academic building. Anyone interested in this train ing for ex-service men is required to present his discharge certifi cate at the time of his conference in order to verify his application. All provisions regarding this bill will be clarified and it is possible to complete arrangements to take this training at the time of the interview. Mortimer Woodson, Rehabilita tion Officer of the Veteran’s Ad ministration at Waco, Texas, call ed G. B. Wilcox, director of stu dent) personnel to advise him that Lahr would arrive here Thursday. “Any man on the campus or this (See MID-SEMESTER, Page 4) (See GI, Page 4) McQuillen Discusses Aggie Customs, Traditions, At Freshman Orientation Giving the same talk that has been given to many previous fresh man classes, E. E. McQuillen spoke to the freshmen on Saturday’s orientation program. Traditions of A. & M. were dis cussed by Mr. McQuillen. He first defined what a tradition was and then gave some examples of cus toms which failed to become tradi tions. Among them was the Junior Banquet which became a riot after a few years because the sopho mores would try to “kidnap” the toastmaster and the Juniors tried to prevent it. Consequently, a riot ensued. April Fool’s day. College night “Air-Out”, and Fish day were other customs to fall by the way- side. The reason given by Mr. McQuillen for similar customs failing to become traditions was that they had no real reason for becoming traditions and there was nothing to them which would make them stay through the years. “Humping it” at yell practice is a custom which, according to Mr. McQuillen, if it makes the fresh men yell better, should also make the upperclassmen yell better. The three great traditions of Tex as A. & M. are military train ing and service, democracy and equality, and loyalty. Since its founding, A. & M. has been a mil itary school and the two other great traditions also started with the first class. Other traditions of the school are the senior ring, which was started in 1894 and has kept a design similar to the first through out the years, the twelfth man which originated iri 1922 during the first bowl game in this part of the nation when a former fourth string half-back w r as called from the stands to play when the team ran out of players, the senior ring dance, final revue, silver taps, and campus hospitality and cour tesy. These are some of the traditions which have lived through many trying years. Ernie Fields To Play For First Regimental Ball August Eleven “Crown Prince of Swing” Features “Symphonic Swing”, “Boogie Woogie” All Practice Drills Must Be Approved In a recent order issued by Col onel Welty, all drills or marches other than those on the usual scheduled drill periods will be re frained from. When a need or cause for the desiring of additional drill practice arises, the person or persons so desiring must first obtain the ap proval of the commandant and also the sanctioning of the respective Tactical Officer. Ticket Sales For Staff Dinner Close Tuesday Afternoon Ticket sale for the dinner hon oring President Gibb Gilchrist of Texas A. & M. College will close Tuesday afternoon and none will be available at the doors of Sbisa hall on Thursday evening when the banquet begins at 8 p.m., it was announced Monday by Dr. Ralph W. Steen, chairman. The dinner is being sponsored by the faculty of the college and the staffs of the Extension Service, the Experiment Stations and the Forest Service. The general public is invited and tickets are 85 cents each. The following have tickets for sale: J. P. Abbott, J. F. Rocborough, C. H. McDowell, C. W. Crawford, Dr. P. W. Burns, S. L. Frost, C. B. Godbey, L. P. Gabbard, Fred Hale, E B. Reynolds, A. A. Jak- kula, W. R. Horsley, Mrs. Eliza beth Cook and the Bryan Chamber of Commerce. The dinner definitely will be held at Sbisa hall, despite the fact that students no longer are being served meals there, Dr. Steen pointed out. The principal speaker will be President Gilchrist, and the dinner will begin promptly at 8 o’clock. Fees Payable Now Third installment of mainten ance fees of $59.80 due August 1-10 inclusive can be paid now. These fees include board $38.70, room $7.70 and laundry $3.40 t o September 22, 1944. The Cashier of the Fiscal De partment will accept these fees from 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Naval Representative To Be Here Thursday “A representative of the U. S. Navy will be at the College on Thursday, July 27th, for the purpose of informing interested students about current enlist ment procedure with the Navy. He will also have current infor mation pertaining to the Radio Technician program. Those in terested will please meet at the Assembly Hall at 11 a.m. on Thursday. The Navy represen tative will also be available at the Placement Office for furth er conferences for the remainder of that day.” ■ One of the most amazing ascents to stardom in the musical world has been made by Ernie Fields, who brings his orchestra to Ag- gieland for the First Regimental Ball on Friday, August 11, from 9:00 to 12:00 p.m. He will also play for the All-Service dance the following evening, August 12. Having had his own band for only a little less than a year, Fields has risen rapidly and been ac claimed the “Crown Prince of Swing” by all who have heard the torrid tempos of sweet swing dis pensed by his orchestra. Since its beginning, the band has played in thirty-five states, and it has sel dom had a night off. Also, it has been featured on many Coast-to- Coast networks of the three major radio chains and made many re cordings for a popular recording company. Fields received his top honors to date when the Harlemites from Coast-to-Coast got together and voted to select the ten best bands of the country. Along with favor ites like Calloway, Ellington, Lunceford, and Hampton was Er nie Fields. (See FIELDS, Page 4) Aggie Of The Week... 'Humping At First Yell Practice Was Strange Sight, ’ Says Senior Class President, Tom K. Alley By Dick Goad Although born in Conroe, Tom Alley is another Aggie from the wilds of “cajun-land” who has made an outstanding and distin guished record while at A. & M., having moved to Louisiana in his early teens. Now a first lieutenant in “B” Battery, Tom has been a distin guished student every semester he has been a student here, and now holds the high honor of President of the Senior class. But his college achievements are only a continuation of his splendid high school record. Red headed, likeable Tom was president of his Sophomore, Junior, and Senior class while attending Minden, La., high school where he moved after completing grammar school in Con roe. Tom was also an outstanding athlete while in high school^ hav ing lettered one year in basketball and baseball, three years in track as a dash man, and four years as quarterback on the football squad. Tom came to A. & M. in June of ’42, as a fish in “B” Infantry. J. R. Adams was company com- (See AGGIE, Page 4)