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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1946)
Page 2 THE BATTALION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1946 More Popular Reading!... “I’m an Irvin S. Cobb fan myself, but do you know that there isn’t a single book of his in the library?” This editorial is not directed at the library officials; nor is it directed at the selectors of books for the library. Instead, it is intended as food for thought for the adminis tration. First, a few facts about the Cushing Memorial Library, as given in a recent interview by Paul S. Ballance, librarian. There is a $15,000 Special Agricultural Book Fund, de rived from fees of the Agricultural Experiment Station. Veterinary medicine books have also been included in this field. Next is an Agricultural Experiment Station Book Fund, amounting to $10,000, to be used for this specific purpose. This amount consists of state appropriated funds. The General Book Fund totals $10,000, or two-fifths the amount of both agricultural funds. From this fund come fiction for several required English classes, books on archi tecture, engineering, liberal arts, chemistry, periodicals, and other various and sundry fields. As Mr. Ballance phrased it, “I bleed $500 from,this fund for popular reading books”. In addition, this General fund is supplemented with dona tions from several A. & M. Mothers’ Clubs throughout the state, amounting to $200-$250. Yearly periodical subscrip tions amount to about $4,500, deducted from this fund. All total, $10,250 minus $4500, equals $5750, to be used each year for fiction, popular reading and other non-agriculture fields. The librarian has asked the Former Students Associa tion for $10,000 as a special fiction and popular reading fimd to be spread out over a period of three or four years. This would ease up on the situation to a great extent. Wheth er or not such a scheme will result is not known. Reading broadens the mind—it broadens the all-round thinking ability of a person. Since many students enjoy reading as a pastime during the off-class hours, an increase in fictional books would be greatly appreciated. More Money for Vets?. .. The Veteran Collegiate Association of New York Uni versity, which corresponds to our Veteran Student Asso ciation here, has sent to this campus a petition which they are circulating in Gotham, asking the Congress of the United States to increase our monthly allottments from $65-90 to $90-125. Our first impuse is to yell “That’s for us!” and jump on the band wagon, starting such a petition here. Such an increase would help us catch up—^temporarily, any way—with the increased cost of living. But it is always easy to ask for more money. Somebody has to pay that money eventually—and it is apt as not to be us. As college men, we are supposedly those on whom the burden will rest most heavily in future years. So before adding our names to such a scroll we want to think the whole thing through carefully. The Batt is not saying at this time that we should or should not join in petitioning Congress for an increase. There is no simple answer. At its first January meeting the Veteran Student As sociation will probably discuss this petition, and decide whether or not to circulate a similar document on this cam pus. In the meantime, we believe that veteran students should study the matter and be prepared to treat the matter thoughtfully when it comes up in meeting. We don’t want anyone to be forced out of school by inadequacy of the subsistence allowance. Neither do we want to be “pigs at the public trough.” So we ask for expressions of opinion from all veterans on the campus. Write your thoughts as letters to the Batt, if you like, or prepare them for the January meeting. We agree with the N.Y.U. group that “we must Hot disarm ed ucationally.” Whether or not we agree with the rest of their program will have to be settled by the veterans here in the next month. Whatsis 201 and 3-cent Stamp We all are aware of the fact that progress and growth must go hand in hand. A. & M. has grown considerably in the past few years but one division has not planned pro gressively for this increase. We are referring to registra tion of the students for each successive semester. At the present time the University of Texas is experi menting with a new technique of signing for classes in ad vance by mail. While this activity is only in its trial stage, it nevertheless has a great number of possibilities of be coming a useful and advantageous procedure. One of the benificial accomplishments possible with a system of this type is the elimination of slow, tiresome lines during registra tion day when 8,500 students attempt to sign for their classes in seven hours. It would be well for the registrar’s office to make a study of the tactics used by T. u. this season, observing their mistakes and obstacles with the idea of incorporating the system here at A. & M. in the near future. Several other schools are employing this method of registration success fully and it was through a study of their actions that T. u. decided it would solve its registration problems brought about by an increased enrollment. There can be no doubt that a need has arisen for some new method to carry out the enrolling of students. We can not be absolutely sure that this registration by mail can be successfully carried out, but either that system or some other must soon be used to handle the ^situation. The suggestion of a study of the university’s idea is not so much a support of that method but is made to help fur ther progress in facilitating the registration procedure. AAH—THESE WOMEN COLLEGES The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph, in an item from Saratoga Springs, N. Y., stated that a group of war veterans, studying at Skidmore College (for women) under the “emergency SEDUCTION PROGRAM”, would play football. The Battalion The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas and the City of College Station, is published semi-weekly and circulated on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. Member Pbsocioted Gr>Ue6icite Press Entered as second-class matter at Post Office at College Station, Texas, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1870. Subscription rate $4.00 per school year. Advertising rates on request. Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Allen Self : Vick Lindley David M. Seligman Charles E. Murray U. V. Johnston Paul Martin Larry Goodwyn Ike Ashburn, Jr. Wendell McClure, Peyton Me Knight Gerald Manson Ferd English, Arthur Matula, Claude Buntyn, Wm. Colville, Dudley Burris, Clyde H. Patterson, Jr., J. M. Nelson A1 Hudeck, Jack Herrington Corps Editor Veteran Editor ..Tuesday Associate Editor —Friday Associate Editor Sports Editor Assistant Sports Editor Sports Writer Annex Editor Advertising Managers Circulation Manager — .Reporters Photographen Letters (Editor’s Note: The following letter was sent to C. W. Craw ford of the Athletic Council, a copy of which was brought to The Battalion office). TO THE ATHLETIC COUNCIL Mr. C. W. Crawford, Chairman Athletic Council Campus Dear Mr. Crawford: We, the undersigned, have heard numerous rumors and reports per taining to Coach Homer Norton and his staff. We would like to take this means of expressing our confidence in Mr. Norton. For the best interest and betterment of athletics in general at Texas A. & M., we would like the Council to stop these rumors. In pur judg ment, Mr. Norton has been unjust ly criticized. We are proud of having had the privilege of playing under his leadership and point with pride to his achievements and re cords. Signed by the following: Monte Moncrief Tom Murnane Marion D. Flanagan Stanley Hollmig Robert Gary Herb Turley Robert F. Tulis Odell Stautzenberger James L. Hallmark Cotton Howell Henry L. Hook Bill L. Johnson Charles R. Overly Bert Powell R. J. Anderson, Jr.„ Jim Flowers Charles E. Wright Willie F. Zapalac Bob Goode Jesse Burditt, Jr. Merl Prokop Ralph Daniel Arthur Burch Leo Daniels A. J. Mercer, Jr. Barney Welch John Ballentine Scooter Yeargain Joseph Scott Joe Leguenec J. R. Sacra George S. Kadera Frank V. Torno Norton Higgins $500,000 CHAPEL Dear Editor: A $500,000 chapel! Ever since I read that article in the Batt, my blood pressure has been hit ting a new high. In every class room and on all parts of the cam pus, we see an inadequacy of equipment, buildings, and teachers that is appalling. Into this ter rific shortage comes an announce ment of the proposed half-million dollar chapel, when about the only thing A. & M. has enough of is church space, and the one church that is really lacking is making space now. In fact College Station can well be proud of the beautiful churches built and being built to accommo date students and residents. They say the chapel will be non-denom- inational . That means it will be everybody’s chapel—and nobody’s in particular. Now Fm religious myself, and drive from Bryan to College every Sunday to attend the fine preach ing at our church, but being relig ious cannot make me believe there is any excuse for blowing a half million dollars on something en tirely unnecessary when every de partment in the school makes ex cuses for not having this or that piece of essential equipment. Only today we were told it was neces sary to omit a lab exercise because the equipment to perform it was not available. We need a new gym, more dorm space, more and better instruc tors, livestock for the AH depart ment, a science building together with equipment and specimens for it, engineering, chemistry, and vet erinary equipment, research funds for other fields, air condition ing and so on far into the night. A lengthy list, eh? But we need a $500,000 chapel like I need a $500,000 wart on my nose! SlTlGPTPl V Hugh M.’Wallace, Jr., ’46 Special to The Battalion — Far North Correspondent Rather than face Santa and the cold winds of the North Pole yes terday, our Far North Correspondent decided to enjoy the tropical weather of the southland, and filching a few pfennigs from the Student Publications treasury, placed a long distance call to old Kris Kringle. After having the long distance operator in Bryan tell him there was no North Pole in Brazos County, an explanation to the switchboard supervisor, whose illusions about Santa had not been shattered by street corner conversations, finally brought connections. Santa at first refused to speak to our correspondent, but the promise of a one-month pass to Guion Hall persuaded him to give out a little more information. “But I’ll accept that pass only if Tom Puddy orders first-run movies for 1947. I can’t stand the heat, so Guion will have to be air-conditioned, too,” declared Santa. “To Claude Buntyn, the Batt reporter, who is reduced to the deg- radiation of working for the publicity office, I’ll give tolerance and un derstanding to bear up under the strain of his burden. “And here’s a gift I give willingly, for I’ve detected the need for it with my own ears. Prof. A1 B. Nelson gets a sound proof classroom for his tirades against the Roosevelt administration. “Friends of Joe Putegnat, Town Hall manager, wants me to pre sent to Joe in recognition of his past performance a medallion with these words inscribed, ‘They also serve who only stand and wait.’ ” “For Grady Elms, club advisor and expert on national affairs, a year’s subscription to all the daily newspapers in the state.” At this point, the operator interrupted saying that the three min utes were up. Our correspondent slushed her with “Money means nothing to the Battalion!” Santa continued, “No doubt Col. Meloy would prefer a silver star, but I’m sending him the Blue Star. “For George, advice. ‘Keep your eye upon the doughnut, and not upon the price.’ ” “And to another preparer of gastronomic delicacies, Jay Peniston, I’m sending this poem: In this dull world, there’s nothing drearia Than eating In a cafeteria.” With this bit of poesy, Santa closed the conversation. The Batt’s correspondent, after trying vainly to wheedle more gift previews from the old gent, gave up in disgust. “Reverse the charges, operator,” he said, as he slammed the re ceiver down. Lewis Appeals for Research Workers An appeal for more students to take post graduate work and part time research jobs was made to the agriculture seniors by Dr. John Lewis of the Experiment Station, Thursday afternoon i n the Chemistry lecture room. Dr. Lewis stated .that at least thirty positions were now open for well-qualified scientific re search workers and that due to the present shortage of well-trained men many of these positions will be broken down to part-time jobs and offered to men who have a basic interest in research and who plan to do post graduate work. Dr. Ide P. Trotter, of the Ex tension Service, also made a talk on the need of more men as coun ty agents to disseminate the in formation from the experiment BETWEEN THE BOOKENDS . Another Esquire Sports Reader And a Story of Old Amarillo ESQUIRE’S SECOND SPORT’S READER: Edited and with an introduction by Arnold Gingrish. Not so long ago we reviewed Esquire’s First Sport’s Reader; It was such a hit with the students that I can not resist telling you about the Second Sports Reader which has all the ear marks of a very popular book indeed among the sports-minded public. Reader’s of the First Sports Reader will find a treat in store for them. While it contained only miscellaneous non-fiction sports articles, this book presents a col lection of fifty stories of Esquires most outfkanding sports fiction. Such nitable authors as Irwin Shaw, CJmrad Aiken, F. Scott Fitzgerall, and Paul Gallic© have contribute stories. The table of contents t boasts one of Ernest Hemingways stories, a bullring story in his best Spanish manner; also a tale by Charles Grayson about Mexican cock fighting. To the reader who thinks Esquire is a periodical devoted to the “well- dressed man and the undressed woman” this will be a pleasant and enlightening surprise. * * ** MAVERICK TOWN: A story of old Tascosa. By John L ; Mc Carty. Norman, University of Okla. Press. One of the most recent and val uable contributions to Southwes tern History, Mr. McCarty’s book about gun-roaring, whiskey-drink ing old Tascosa, is a model of workmanship and factual report ing. Mr. McCarty is an Amarillo newspaper man who has long been interested in the colorful and leg end packed history of the Texas pan-handle, and his book reveals the painstaking research which he has done in this field. Tascosa is situated on Canadian River in Oldham County, Texas, Aggieland Orchestra to Play at Inaugural Ball Bill Turner’s Aggieland Orches tra will add another feather in their cap when they play for Gov ernor-elect Beauford Jester’s In augural Ball on next January 17. This will undoubtedly be the big Moment on the social calendar at Austin, so what could be more na tural than an Aggie aggregation playing in Gregory Gymnasium! station direct to the farmers. Advantages of extension and re search work were pointed out by J. L. Matthews and any one in terested was asked to see Dr. Lew is or Dean Shepardson. pear the New Mexico line. For a time Tascosa was the leading trad ing center of ten counties. In its prime the town was a hangout for the roughest and toughest racket eers, the Comancheros. Here, too, Billy the Kid and his men swag gered about their shady business, and here the setting of the ro mance of Frenchy, a girl from Louisiana and a little Irish gam bler, Micky McCormick—“a love affair that is still remembered in the Panhandle country as a clas sic of lasting affection”. The cattle trails and the rail roads passed the town by, and it dwindled to a mere nothing. Now it is the headquarters of a boy’s ranch supported by heading citi zens of Amarillo. * * * JOSHUA BEENE and GOD: By Jewel Gibson. New York, Ran dom House, 1946. Joshua is a latter day prophet who spends his days exhorting the degenerate Texas cotton farmers to return to righteousness. Josh thinks he’s the greatest prophet of all times—even outshining those of ancient Palestine. He’s not sure God can handle everything by himself and that with a minimum of cooperation, he can repair the matters that God has overlooked. The way Josh manages to keep his village in awe is not so unique. He’s very old, and has an excellent memory, especially where local scandals are concerned. These facts not only make his prophesy business seem authentic, but as a blackmailer he does all right, too. * * * WHERE ARE WE HEADING? By Sumner Wells. New York, Harper Bros. 1946. Mr. Well’s new book brings up to date his survey of our foreign policy and what has happened since he wrote “Time for Decis ion”. This has been called an evaluation of our foreign policy since Roosevelt. In his character istically clear, analytical style, Mr. Wells discusses a long list of fail ures of our State Department. His accusations leave one wondering whether anything at all has been accomplished since the termination of the war. He believes that in the summer 1944 the United States passed up the greatest opportun ity to “lead the world in peace and decency” and that our foreign pol icy has lost its guiding principals set down by the late President Roosevelt. Mr. Wells discusses some inter esting phases of “what’s been go ing on” and all of them are causes for anxiety to every American cit izen. WHAT'S COOKING? ^*f$ 0 h Db !**s highpr/ Ce ^ mm t r 25*SHAVES YOU FOR 3 MONTHS! Y GUARANTUD BY THE MARLIN FIREARMS COMPANY Fine Guns Since 1870 THE EXCHANGE STORE ‘Serving Texas Aggies” (Ed. Note: All organizations who wish their Christmas dan ces listed must submit name, time, and place by Wednesday noon, December 18th.) TUESDAY, December 17 6:00 p. m. Spanish Club picnic. Members meet on steps of YMCA. 7:00 p. m. East Texas Club, YMCA. 7:00 Engineers Magazine staff, Room 109, ME Bldg. 7:00 p. m. Brawn County A&M Club, Room 123, Acad. Bldg. 7:00 p. m. Panhandle A&M Club, Room 228, Acad. Bldg. 7:15 p. m. SAE, ASME, and I Ae S, Physics Lecture Room. D. H. Levin, Consolidated Aircraft, Speaks on “Influence of Jets and Turbins in Aircraft Design”. 7:15 p. m. Houston A&M Club, Room 129, Acad. Bldg. 7:30 p. m. Kream & Kow Klub, Creamery Lecture Room. 8:00 p. m. Palestine A&M Club, Room 303, Acad. Bldg. WEDNESDAY, December 18 7:00 p. m. El Paso A&M Club, Room 128, Acad. Bldg. 7:30 p. m. AIEE, EE Lecture Room. “Sign of Reactive Power”. 7:30 p. m. United Science Clubs, Room 32, Science Bldg. Reports from Texas Academy of Science- convention. THURSDAY, December 19 7:00 p. m. Ellis County Club, Room 225, Acad. Bldg. Christmas dance tickets for Ellis County Ag gies, Room 426, No. 16. 7:00 p. m. Houston County A & M Club, Room 305, Acad. Bldg. 7:00 p. m. Johnson County A&M Club, Room 303, Acad. Bldg. 7:00 p. m. Kaufman County A & M Club, Room 205, Acad. Bldg. 7:00 p. m. Eastland and Steph ens County students invited to organizational meeting of club. Christmas dance plans. 7:00 p. m. Young County A&M Club, Room 125, Acad. Bldg. 7:00 p. m. Galveston A&M Club, Room 32, Science Bldg. 7:00 p. m. Land of the Lakes Club, Room 324, Acad. Bldg. 7:00 p. m. Victoria County A & M Club, Room 107, Acad. Bldg. - 'Tfiemy %meu SUlEETfil the OCCASlOn 1 Chocolates i, mapHi cAmerican MMeens Madeley Pharmacy South Gate—College THE MUSIC YOU LOVE TO HEAR We have your favorite musical selection on TAP. Complete albums of the records you want are avail able now. Special Christ mas wrapping and mailing service. — AT — HASWELL’S IN BRYAN An Announcement to STATE FARM POLICYHOLDERS New cars will soon be here. Many of you will be buying cars out of income on a de ferred payment plan. Old style, costly financing methods are “out”. Arrangements have been made with local banks in this territory to finance cars for State Farm policyholders at reasonable rates. And you can continue to enjoy the benefits of your State Farm Mutual protection. This service is also available to careful drivers, not now in sured with State Farm. In most cases it saves the buyers many dollars. See or call me now. I’ll be glad to give you the details oi this money saving plan. U. M. Alexander, Jr., ’40 Rm. 5 Casey-Sparks Bldg. North Gate — Pho. 4-7269 MMUBHaasiifgl 4 DAY CLEANING 1 DAY CROWNAND CRYSTAL SERVICE Opens 1:00p.m. — 4-1181 3 DAYS Tues., Wed., & Thurs. OifKted b, LEWIS SEILER • Pioduced by BRYAN F0Y — Also — Mickey Mouse News DALACE ■ P H O M E 2-837 9.1' BRYAN, TEXAS Wed., Thur., and Sat. “NO LEAVE NO LOVE” — With — Van Johnson WE RECOMMEND TRU-ART DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT AND DIAMOND-SET WEDDING RINGS When you purchase a Tru-Art Diamond Rinc you get superlative diamond quality — stun lung mounting — PLUS a Free Service anc Trade-In Guarantee Certificate! On ever] count, Tru-Art Quality Is Higher Than Price SANKEY PARK JEWELER 111 N. Main, Bryan