Veterans Request Removal of Gilchrist
Two resolutions, one asking the
board of directors to remove Pres
ident Gibb Gilchrist from office,
and the other expressing a lack
of confidence in the college admin
istration, were passed 'by the Vet
eran Students Association in a
special mass meeting Thursday
night. The resolutions were or
dered to be placed before the board
of directors at their meeting yes
terday.
Meeting in the Assembly Hall,
crowded “to the rafters” by 3,000
veterans, the group heard a con
demnatory report, prepared by the
association officers and read by
W. S. (Bill) Andrews, president of
the association. Also read were
letters from the Fort Worth Moth
ers Club and the Winter Garden
A. & M. Club, expressing dissatis
faction with the present adminis
tration.
The meeting was conducted in
an orderly fashion, and though
there were frequent bursts of wild
cheering during the session, after it
was over the veterans returned
quietly to their dormitories and
apartments.
★
VS A Report
The report read by Andrews fol
lows in its entirety:
It is our intention to show the
former students, the people of Tex
as, and the State Legislature that
we have sufficient data to prove
that there has been a trespass upon
and an intimidation of the student
body, of the faculty and of the
employees of this college.
Lest we forget those principals
for which you and I so recently
fought World War II, and truly
those which exist in name only on
this campus, may I quote you a
section from the Constitution of
the State of Texas:
“Every person shall be at lib
erty to speak, write, or publish
his opinions on any subject, and
no law shall ever be passed cur
tailing the liberty of speech or
of the press.”
Continuing along this line of
thought, we bring to you our main
issue, which we feel violates every
principle of democracy. That being
the control of the faculty by Pres
ident Gibb Gilchrist through the
use of duress and intimidation. We
quote from a statement made by a
present member of the Faculty of
Texas A. & M.:
“To my certain knowledge such
intimidation has existed during the
last few years and there is reason
to believe that it still exists. In
the early stages of this intimida
tion it took the form of threats to
“fire certain individuals if they
did not refrain from doing that
which they would otherwise have
done, and which they had the le
gal right to do.”
We do not care to make public
at this time the name of this fac
ulty member. His signed state
ment, however, is in our files and
he stands ready to appear before
any legislative investigating coni*
mittee that will come down here.
Another quotation which is from
a Resolution passed by the Con
stitutional Convention, 1875, of our
State is especially directed to each
of you as you attempt to make
your $65 or $90 stretch from the
first to the last day of each month
—something that is almost an im
possibility on the campus under the
present administration.
“Whereas, from the earliest
period of Texas History the peo
ple have through their repre
sentatives, repeatedly expressed
a cherished purpose to establish
within the state, institutions of
learning of the highest order,
upon what is known as the ‘Uni
versity System’; and have from
time to time, illustrated a de
sire to provide for the ample
endowment of same. In order
to place within the reach of their
sons, whether rich or poor, an
opportunity of acquiring in Tex
as a thorough education in the
classics, and in all the branches
of the liberal arts and sciences.”
Can we say that the appropria
tions which the legislature obvious
ly believed were ample for this in
stitution, have been administered
in the best interest of your educa
tion during the last three years?
For two reasons we contend this
can not be, because expenses for
merly covered by appropriated or
budgeted funds have been shifted
in part to the student as a direct
expense.
Room Rent
First: the College is charging
each student $7 room rent per
month for rooms which were orig
inally scaled to rent for approxi
mately $5. This is based upon
the construction of dormitories 1-12
and Duncan Hall which was fi
nanced through a $2,000,000 issue
Texas A. & M. College
The Battalion
VOLUME 46
COLLEGE STATION (Aggieland), TEXAS, SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1947
Number 53
Legislative Investigation
Of A&M Approved by House
5-Man Committee to Be Named Monday
To Obtain First-Hand Information
The House of Representatives voted 90-31 Thursday to
investigate the “deplorable” situation at A. & M. College.
In a resolution submitted by Representative Searcy
Bracewell, a five-man committee would be sent to A. & M.
to obtain first-hand information-*
from all parts concerned and to
report its findings to the House.
Speaker of the House W. O.
Reed stated that he would appoint
the committee Monday, and that
he would offer Representative W.
T. Moore of Bryan a place on the
committee. Moore, an ex-Aggie
and Representative from the col
lege district, took no part in the
discussion of Bracewell’s resolu
tion. .
Representative Bracewell, in
proposing the resolution, said that
the controversy at A. & M. had
been in progress for six weeks,
causing great distress and con
sternation to the people of Texas.
“The school has been in a state of
confusion. The ex-students are
confused and the public is con
fused. Where there is so much
smoke, there is bound to be a little
fire.”
F. G. Swanson of Tyler, who op
posed Bracewell’s resolution, said,
“There’s no more occasion to inves
tigate A.&M. College than there
is to investigate this Legislature.
If some people had their way, they
would investigate us.” Swanson’s
attempt was defeated by substan
tial votes.
Bracewell, Class of ’38, reported
that there had been two incidents
of disorder during the last month,
and stated, “This great institution
deserves to continue its education
program uninterrupted by such
disorders.”
In the Thursday session of the
House, an appropriation of $250
for the investigation was approved.
Before this proposal, Bracewell
had suggested: “If we put ex-
Aggies on the committee, they’ll
be glad to pay their own expenses.”
After House adjournment Brace
well left Austin to attend the Vet
eran Students Association meet
ing held in the Assembly Hall
Thursday night. He received a
real Aggie “wildcat” from the vet
erans when W. S. “Bill” Andrews,
group president, introduced kim
as “the man who introduced the
resolution calling for a legislative
investigation of the school”. When
called upon to speak, he said:
“I don’t know what’s wrong.
And the people of Texas don’t
know what’s wrong. But there
has been a disruption of the nor
mal order on this campus, and
the people of Texas want to
know why.
“The most important power
that can help you is the good
opinion of the public.”
He emphasized that he was tak
ing “no stand” on the issue, and
could not do so, as he wished to
keep an open mind.
Text of Letters, Telegrams
The text of several telegrams received by the VSA prior to the
Thursday night meeting was released by W. S. Andrews. They follow:
TEXAS A. & M. STUDENTS CAN ACCOMPLISH ANY JUST
AND HONEST UNDERTAKING PROVIDED THEY DO IT BY JUST
AND HONEST MEANS. PRESENT EPISODE AT A. & M. CAUSED
MUCH UNFAVORABLE PUBLICITY IN THIS PART OF THE
COUNTRY. I URGE THAT WHATEVER YOU ARE TRYING TO
ACCOMPLISH THAT YOU DO IT IN A WAY WHICH DOES NOT
BRING DISCREDIT ON THE FINEST SCHOOL IN THE WORLD.
OUR SCHOOL IS MUCH GREATER AND MORE IMPORTANT
THAN YOU OR ANY GROUP.
Congressman Olin E. Teague, ’32
MORE POWER TO YOU BOYS. HANG IN THERE. YOU ARE
DOING A GREAT JOB IN TRYING TO REMEDY THE INCIDENTS.
The Cokinos Bros, and Friends
YOUR ACTION TO DISCLOSE THE TACTICS OF YOUR
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IS ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE
AGE-OLD PERSECUTION OF THE AMERICAN STUDENT. UN
TIL WE CAN IMPRESS UPON THE REACTIONARY REGIME OF
OUR TEXAS SCHOOLS THAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF GOVERN
ING OUR AFFAIRS, WE WILL BE FORCED TO GO TO THE PEO
PLE. WE APPLAUD YOUR ACTION.
Leo Steikoenig, President
Veterans Association
West Texas State College
Letters from the Fort Worth A. & M. Mothers’ Club and the Win
ter Garden A. & M. were read by Ray Sanders and Buddy Brennan,
respectively. They follow:
Mr. R. M. Harrison, 4-
Board of Directors, A&M College,
South Bend, Texas.
Dear Sir:
We are greatly concerned over
existing conditions at the college.
Many of our sons are members of
the Corps; many more of them are
enrolled as returned servicemen,
so we feel that we have a clear,
unbiased view of the present col
lege life.
The current state of affairs at
the college is not a healthy con
dition, and it is not of sudden de
velopment. The causes are many.
We do not confuse hazing with
class distinction—class distinction
exists in all institutions of higher
learning. We do not confuse haz
ing with the principle of student
government. Texas A&M College
was founded on the principle of
student government—why should
it prove unsatisfactory? For years
it has been the basic policy of a
Vets Refuse Board Interview;
Seniors Questioned on Ideas
school that has produced leaders
in many fields. During our re
cent national crisis, Texas A&M
graudates were called to fill vital
needs in the service of their coun
try, and important posts in govern
ment and commerce. Our United
States of America will always need
men with such training. Why
should the policy of Texas A&M
College be changed?
As parents of the students, and
as citizens of the State of Texas,
we feel free to express our views
to you. We are not satisfied with
the present administration of Tex
as A&M College. We believe that
the head of Texas A&M should
have great capacity for leadership.
We believe he should inspire the
respect and regard of the student
body—not force it. He should be
willing to cooperate and counsel
with the students. His interest in
See TEXT, Page 2
Bill McCormick, senior class prexy, tes
tified before the Board of Directors Friday
afternoon regarding the recent flareup of
anti-administration feeling, but the board
took no action on the ten-day-old controversy
between the military department^-'
and seniors.
Action taken by Col. Meloy af
ter a meeting of the class March
19, which provoked the resigna
tions of Cadet Col. Ed Brandt and
Cadet Lt. Col. Jack Nelson after
a vote of “no confidence”, received
little attention from the board as
they fired questions at McCormick
concerning an open letter from the
Class of 1948. This letter, adopted
by the class on March 12, charged
political corruption in the A. & M.
administration and called upon
friends and supporters of the col
lege to investigate the causes of
the differences between students
and administration.
Prexy Gibb Gilchrist led the
questioning as he specifically ask
ed McCormick who printed the let
ter, who wrote it, and how many
were printed.
McCormick refused to reply to
any of the questions except the
one regarding the number, setting
it at 5000.
Gilchrist, after reading a phrase
from the letter charging corrup
tion in the college, queried, “Who
is corrupt?” McCormick answered
with no specific names or incidents.
“Is the effort of the adminis
tration to stop hazing the only
corruptness you charge?” asked
Rufus Peeples of Tehuacana.
McCormick denied this, stating
it is the destruction of traditions
which the class decries. As an
example, McCormick mentioned the
fact that humping is no longer re
quired of freshmen according to
the Articles of the Cadet Corps.
Gilchrist answered a charge of
speaking to the Dallas A. & M.
Mothers Club on far-fetched sub
jects by saying he had been invited
to speak on any subject he liked.
“I spoke on the construction pro
gram at A. & M.—the chapel, the
union building, and other proposed
buildings.”
Roy. Potts, board member,
queried McCormick about the
source of funds used to pay for
5000 copies of the open letter.
“Were outside funds used?” he
asked.
“The senior class fund was
used to pay for the printing bill,”
replied McCormick.
Board members then initiated a
lengthy discussion of the hazing
problem, questioning McCormick
repeatedly about its prevalence in
the cadet corps.
“You have given no specific in
stances of the general charges
which you bring up in the open let
ter,” stated Newton, who spoke for
the board a majority of the time.
“When you get out into business,
don’t ever put anything in a letter
when you don’t have facts to back
it up.”
McCormick was dismissed, after
which two cadet seniors, Dick
Jones and Bob Sanders, were in
troduced.
Major Wayne Long, tactical of
ficer of Dormitory 6, explained
that Jones and Sanders were quite
outspoken against the administra
tion in interviews he conducted
with them.
Sanders charged Maj. Long with
violating a promise to keep his
criticisms in strict confidence.
Long stated it was true that he
had made such a promise.
Saunders launched his violent
criticism of the “political cor
ruptness of Gibb Gilchrist and
the administration” only after
an assurance from the board that
no action would be taken against
him.
Smiles frequently wreathed the
faces of board members, Gilchrist,
(See CADETS on Page 4)
Queried by Board
BILL ANDREWS
President VSA
Officers of the Veteran Students Asso
ciation, in an appearance before the Board
of Directors yesterday, refused to amplify
charges made by the association Thursday
night. “We wish to withhold further state-
■fments until the state legislative
investigating committee comes
here,” stated W. S. Andrews, pres
ident of the association and spokes
man for the group.
“This board is the only body
that can dismiss President Gil
christ—if that is your object,” said
John Newton, board member.
The resolution calling for Pres
ident Gilchrist’s ouster and anoth
er expressing lack of confidence in
the administration were orally pre
sented by Andrews, who also is
sued copies of the speech he read
Thursday night, and of letters from
the Fort Worth Mothers Club and
the Winter Garden District A. &
M. Club.
The board, referring to charges
that a faculty member had been
intimidated, offered immunity to
the teacher if he would come for
ward and state his case. Andrews
insisted, however, that the instruc
tor would appear only before an
investigating committee. “I am
here, not personally, but as repre
sentative of the members of the
association,” said Andrews. “I
have no authority to say more than
is said in the resolutions passed
last night.”
Andrews indicated that the reso
lution expressing lack of confi
dence in the administration includ
ed the board of directors.
BILL McCORMICK
President, Senior Class
Dance Slated
Tonight at 9
An All-College dance will
be held tonight in Sbisa Hall.
Continuing the practice of
following each organizational
dance of Friday with a dance
for all students, the Student Acti
vities Office announced that the
Aggieland Orchestra will furnish
music for the occasion.
Beginning at 9 p. m. the dance
will last until midnight. Tickets
will be on sale at the door at the
cost of $1.50 stag or drag.
Cigar Smoke-Filled Assembly
Hall Shakes Under4000-Strong
By Mack T. Nolen
Expecting to get a ring side seat, four bosom buddies
trekked toward the Assembly Hall at 6:45 p.m., Thursday
night for the big meeting. They had their throats sprayed,
the better to emit shrill, fanatic screams of approval, and
their teeth newly brushed for* "
whistling. In their pockets fat,
black cigars bulged' in ominous
portent. Cigar smoke and mass
meetings go hand in hand.
Dumb luck led them to four seats
in the back. They gargled a last
mouthful of Listerine, and fired
up the stogies.
Soft music came out over the
loudspeaker system to give the ap
pearance of a quiet, refined, in
tellectual discussion. When the
“Aggie War Hymn” record was put
on, however, pandemonium almost
broke loose in the building as an
approximate 4,000 true-blue Ag
gies felt the old spirit surging
again in their veins.
The Assembly Hall, the age and
condition of which was not dis
cussed, had people hanging from
every available rafter. The aisles
were filled with chairs, and all
around the back and sides veterans
stood as anxious as if in a hospital
waiting room. As the fatal hour
neared, the pitch of frenzy increas
ed. Photographers from many
state papers kept the crowd half
blind with flash bulbs.
In the orchestra pit or where an
orchestra would play more and
more students crowded up to be
near the center of things. And
even the lawn behind the Assem
bly Hall was filling, since loud
speakers had been installed out
there.
The program came apd went with
only one catch. One speaker, feel
ing the fullest impact of his own
See ASSEMBLY HALL
on Page 4
of 30 year non-callable, 6% bonds.
To amortize these bonds and pay
the interest charges, the Board of
Directors guaranteed payments on
the basis of two students per room
at $3.50 per student per month for
nine months out of each calendar
year.
At the same time rooms in the
older dormitories are renting at
the same rate ($7 per man) and
the students at the Bryan Field
Annex are charged $6 per man to
live 14 men in an army barracks.
Mess Hall
The second reason for this con
tention is that part of the normal
operating expense of the dining
halls have been shifted from the
college’s budget to the student
through higher food prices.
Normal overhead expenses, in
volving such items as ice, steam,
water, light, heat and normal de
preciation, were formerly allowed
for in the budget because the Pow
er Plant was constructed and
equipped through a direct appro
priation of State Funds. Also the
Power Plant normally showed a
substantial profit from other op
erations. Furthermore, the whole
building of Sbisa was constructed
from direct appropriation of state
funds.
Our Mess Hall Committee has
been told repeatedly by the mess
hall manager that the price of
food could be lowered if it were
not for this overhead. Upon what
basis does the administration jus
tify this?
Publicity
We charge that President Gil
christ, through controlled and dir
ected publicity, has kept the true
status of this institution from the
people of the state. We cite as
evidence of this, the statement re
leased to the press in April 1944
that Gibb Gilchrist was unani
mously elected as president of A.
& M. College. “Eight of nine dir
ectors for Mr. Gilchrist. The
ninth is overseas.” REFERENCE:
Dallas Morning News—May 26,
1944. Actually, there were three
votes cast against him and the
ninth member of the board was
absent. Col. E. J. Buchanan was
on active duty with the army and
Mr. F. M. Law, Mr. John Byrnes,
and General Breese cast negative
votes.
Further, we present for your
consideration the following ques
tions for you to decide for your
self whether or not the adminis
tration has adequately accounted
for its act-ions to the people of the
state. We demand the adminis
tration make public statements in
answer to our questions.
1. What has happened to a
fund established prior to 1943
for a new classroom and labor
atory building to augment the
Science Hall (and we need it).
Why hasn’t construction started
on the building? This fund was
in the amount of approximately
$200,000.
2. What was the basis of the
purchase of a Brazos River Bottom
farm at approximately $78 per
acre when adjacent farm land was,
and still is, selling at approximate
ly $60 per acre?
3. Why should the College Ex
change Store, located here on
state-owned property be permit
ted to make a net profit last
year of $54,000 at the expense
of the individual student and the
Federal Government?
4: Why is the $100,000 wind-
tunnel located at Easterbrook not
in operation? Why was the sur
vey and subsequent recommenda
tion by Dr. A. A. Potter, of Purdue
University, to spend not more than
$25,000 on a wind-tunnel ignored?
5. Why did President Gilchrist
refuse to accept the outright
gift of Bryan Army Air Field
from the Federal Government
for the use of the Aeronautical
Engineering Department?
6. Why doesn’t Texas A. & M.
have a definite tenure system for
right of appeal for its faculty
members ?
As older men, who returned to
the campus as veterans, we found
that many changes had been made
in the policies of the institutions
and its directing personnel, while
many of us did not perhaps agree
that the directing head of the in
stitution had neither the training
nor the qualities of mind and heart
that would enable him to provide
the dynamic leadership essential
to the fullest development of our
institution. We did believe that
he was entitled to a fair and im
partial opportunity to demonstrate
his capacity and ability to direct
the college. Therefore, regardless
of our personal opinions we offer
ed our cooperation and support to
those in authority with the great
est hope that they would succeed.
But, in conclusion I would like to
say that after three long years of
conscientious effort upon the stu
dents part we believe that the ad
ministration has completely failed
to measure up to its responsi
bilities.
★
Hot Discussion
After Bill Andrews finished
reading his report, the meeting
was thrown open for general dis
cussion. Many veterans came up
to the microphone and stated their
names and grievances. Among
them, with their main points of is
sue, were:
Dan Kuykendall
We want our sons and grand
sons to have the same opportuni
ties at A.&M. that we had. I
could not now recommend to any
one in whom I am sincerely in
terested that he go to A.&M.
Bob Faulk
The administration is trying to
do away with the Cadet Corps.
Brantley Myer
We are not spoiling for a fight.
We are not rabble rousers.
Louis B. Cole
We need nationally - f a m o u s
teachers, well-paid ones. Some of
those now here have ideas they
haven’t changed in thirty years.
I believe teachers should go to
“school”, too.
AI Hudeck
Student Activities hired me to
take pictures. I didn’t get paid.
C. W. Nesom (from the floor)
I didn’t either!
Hudeck (Continuing)
Some one in that office (now in
the Attorney General’s office in
Austin) gave me $5 out of his
pocket as gas money to get to the
LSU football game. He didn’t
make me give a receipt. I call
that bad bookkeeping.
Joe F. Benson
We are losing many teachers be
cause of low salaries.
Jim Kelly
I am glad the legislature is
sending an investigating commit
tee. Maybe we’d better watch
them too. I suggest we ask the
Ex-student’s Association to see
that we have a clean-cut investi
gation.
Tom Dietz
Have you looked this over care-
fuHy? Do we have sufficient
facts? Don’t forget Gilchrist
knows President Truman. . . .
Joe T. Sample
Maybe Truman knows Gilchrist,
but how many Aggies know him ?
Charley Bernard
Let’s show everybody that this
is not a kid grudge, but serious
business.
Bob Poison
We believe certain members of
the Board of Directors are in the
dark as to certain conditions here.
We believe the board will give us
a fair deal.
Chester Conway
The government pays $500 a
year for us, but we work in tum-
bled-down buildings.
Jimmy LaHaye
I think we ought to have a Fed
eral investigation, not just a state
one, including conditions at Easter-
wood Field.
David Trent
I couldn’t get an apartment! . . .
Henry Crew
I got one, by raising cain when
they jumped the man behind me
25 names. President Gilchrist ob
jects to my keeping fish and snake
specimens in a barrel outside my
apartment. That’s because there
isn’t space in the laboratory.
Cadet Capt. “Red” Miller (Vet)
We don’t want the rest of you
veterans to forget that some of us
are also in the cadet corps.
Bill Matthews
The housing policy works like
this: (shouted down)
Bill Andrews
Let him speak. That’s what we
are fighting for, free speech.
Joe Cullinan (from the floor)
Who can we get to take Gil
christ’s place?
Bill Andrews
It’s not for us to pick the next-
president. Only the Board of Dir
ectors can do that, and only the
board can force Gilchrist’s resig
nation.
★
John Laufenberg, president of
the Veterans Association at the
Bryan Air Field Annex, a separ-
A telegram from the Veterans
Administration at Waco was read,
stating that as far as the VA is
concerned, they will take no part
on either side.
“Veteran students have the
same right to openly express
their opinions as any other
American citizens.” However,
the telegram pointed out, any
disciplinary action of the col
lege, such as expulsion, is ac
cepted at face value by the VA,
and subsistence is cut off. If a
student, so expelled, is reaccep
ted by the college, or is accepted
by another college, his subsis
tence allowance is resumed with
out question.
ate organization from the campus
VSA, pledged the support of his
group.
Andrews read the results of a
poll, taken among 2200 veterans
in the dormitories Wednesday
night. The findings were:
Yes
No
Are you receiving
your monthly VA
subsistance checks
promptly?
Are you fully sat
isfied with the pres-
e n t administration
.95.9
4.1
and its policies?
Do you believe the
Veteran Students As
sociation should take
steps to remedy the
...7.9
92.1
situation?
Will you support
any stand taken by
the Veterans Asso-
.98.2
1.8
ciation ?
Do you think the
A. & M. faculty is
.98.2
1.8
adequately paid?
Do you think the
scholastic standards
of A. & M. have been
lowered during the
present administra-
. 4.1
95.9
tion?
.79.0
21.0
During the discussion. Col. Frank
Anderson, track coach and former
commandant, asked permission to
address the meeting. He was re
fused the floor, on the ground that
only veterans could speak during
the meeting. However, he made a
statement to the press that Gil
christ was carrying out orders
of the Board of Directors.
After the meeting had been for
mally adjourned, several outside
See VETERANS, Page 4