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)