Page Two ~ THE BATTALION, College Station (Aggieland), Texas, Tuesday, April 22, 1947
Open-Book Exams ...
(The following editorial is reprinted from the Daily
Northwestern of April 9. We feel that it is applicable
at many American colleges and universities during these
trying times.)
It was encouraging to note that at leasj; some professors
in the University last week voiced approval of open-book
exams.
Most professors interviewed in a Daily survey gave their
OK of such exams—for certain courses, anyway.
Open-book exams can be carried too far. But if they are
properly organized and administered, they can be extremely
valuable. They will give the student a chance to thoroughly
organize the material, draw his conclusions, interpret the
facts properly, and write the test in a more coherent man
ner.
With the open-book exam, facts are not just isolated
facts—they become part of a broader picture. The ability
to gather all the facts and construct them into a coherent
over-all summary is the most important thing the student
can get from his courses.
Such exams would eliminate exam week panic that often
results in much worry but little sound review or assimila
tion. Open-book exams would also do away with much of the
cheating problem.
Open-book exams do not make the test a snap. In fact,
open-book exams are usually more difficult and thorough
going than some of the final exams which are given now. It
might be necessary to make the exam period three hours
instead of two for open-book tests.
Although it is ftustomary for students to gripe about
exams in general, very few of them ever complain about
tests which actually contribute something to the student’s
knowledge. '1 ^1^1®
A good exam will teach a student more in two hours than
nine weeks of reading. Students will be for any exam which
really tests their powers of THINKING.
In other words, they want exams free of trivia, true-and-
false questions, and exasperating questions calling for ex
tremely unimportant details.
If properly handled the open-book exam can be a definite
step in the right direction. Students and faculty should give
it serious consideration.
Must We Wait Forever? ...
The A. & M. Press Shop will move to Goodwin Hall
soon. After many months of hammering, sawing, and ce
ment laying, one important task has been left undone. That
is the location and erection of a side for a Goss Press now
on order and due to arrive within the next few months.
In our attempt to go beyond the age of the Cro-Magnon
man, we felt it necessary to go city-fied and order a Goss,
a 12-hour deadline-saver. It will complete a now-8-hour job
in 2 hours, including cutting, printing, and folding.
The Goss people believe in big things, so they make big
machines. No ordinary room can withstand the tremor of
one Goss. Instead a separate, small room with a solid con
crete floor will have to be constructed, all of which will take
time.
Since the architect was furnished with a blueprint of
the requirements, the job could have been consolidated with
the other basement-construction work. But it wasn’t. . . .
We would like to see construction of the new pressroom
underway. Failure to begin such a building may well force
us to carry on printing operations from a freight car at the
Missouri-Pacific station.
Wake Up, Rip Van Winkle
The social season again has brought to light a need
that has existed on the campus throughout the years. This
need cannot be traced to one man or one administration. It
involves a lack of planning, caused either by a limited per
spective or by failure to think.
Every dormitory on this campus needs a combination
recreation and reception room, equipped with nice furniture,
a radio, coke-vending machine, and perhaps a piano and
record player.
In our Utopia such a room would provide a place for
guests to wait in comfort. Above all, it would be a “day
room” (to pluck phrase from military lingo) for use by dorm
occupants during the day or night. In the case of a student
trying to study whose roommate is trying to sleep, the rec
reation room would be the solution.
Overall, the reception-recreation room would be the
“phone room”, and in the case of ROTC dorms would be the
orderly room; a CQ on duty would have at his finger tips
a roster of every man in the dorm. In the case of non-mili
tary halls, there would be no need for a person on duty at
all times.
A coke machine in each dorm would lessen the steps to
the North Gate of George’s for that very purpose. And a
radio would be necessary for the comfort of guests. Might
we also suggest periodical subscriptions?
When we mentioned the possibilities of a piano in the
day room, we did not mean going to Bryan and purchasing
25 pianos COD. However, one piano for every, say four,
halls would help the cause.
In our opinion, here’s the easiest way to go about such
a not-too-difficult undertaking:
For Dormitories 1 through 17, walls would be knocked
out between four rooms—either four in a row or two across
from each other. This reception room would be at one end
of the hall on the first floor.
For the “ramp dorms”, the first floor of a centrally-
located ramp could be easily converted.
For all other dormitories, four rooms—near an entrance
and on the first floor—would serve the purpose.
On week-ends when you have a date on the campus, it
isn't very pleasant for the girl to sit on a bench outside while
you run upstairs to change clothes. Second, there aren’t
enough benches to go around—since there are only, on the
average, two benches per dorm. Third, it’s a might wet in
this neck of the woods.
(Of course it’s understood that students living on the
floor with the recreation-reception room would have to be
careful about running to the shower in a towel.)
Day dreaming is easy, but we advocate taking imme
diate steps to bring about such a lounge in each dormitory.
BETWEEN THE BOOKENDS . . .
Masquerading Journalist
Sees Anti-Semitism Right
By WILNORA BARTON ♦
Readers’ Adviser
GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT,
by Laura Z. Hobson
The story of Miss Hobson’s
novel is built around the exper
iences of a journalist, Philip
Schuyler Green, who goes to New
York to do a series of articles on
anti-Semitism. Groping for the
“right” angle which will raise the
series above the routine, he hits
upon the scheme of assuming Jew
ish identity. No one knows him in
New York; his name and physique
make the masquerade possible.
Green decides to discover if poss
ible from the inside just what
anti-Semitism means. What his
role means to him socially, and
in his business and family life;
what it does to his small son and
to the woman he hopes to marry,
makes an intensely absorbing
story.
To quote Christopher Morley,
“Perhaps Mrs. Hobson’s treat
ment of this sombre theme is
brisk rather than profound, but
it is stirringly readable.
TOGETHER, Annals of an
Army Wife,
by Katherine Tupper Marshall
In 1930 the author married a
Leiutenant Colonel who was des
tined to become one of the great
est military leaders in history
and the top ranking officer of the
U. S. Army in World War II.
How did he attain this position?
How did he discipline his body
and mind to perform the most ex
acting military task of all times ?
And what part did she play ? What
were the dominant characters of
of the people she met—the great
and the near great? What amus
ing mistakes did she make? And
above all, what were the human
qualities, the moods, likes and dis
likes, the real character of the
man about whose life so little is
known that he seems almost a
legendary figure ?
With delightful friendliness,
humor and charm Katherine..
Tupper Marshall, wife of our
war-time Chief of Staff, an
swers these and countless other
absorbing questions. Into an
unforgettable tapestry she
weaves world shaping events
and everyday incidents of the
home wherein humor contrasts
with deep emotions.
“Together” is one of the most
heartening books of a dark decade.
Also, as General Marshall will not
write his own memoirs, it is a
most important book.
THIS REALM, THIS ENGLAND,
edited by Samuel Chamberlain.
England possesses few more el
oquent spokesmen than her etch
ers who, in these pages, have
drawn an unforgettable and heart
rending picture of this staunch
citadel of a valiant race. Before
the war had scarred the land or
destroyed the ancient landmarks
this project was begun to collect
the famous prints and drawings of
the English countryside to pre
serve for future generations the
essence of Old England.
Here are the British Isles, in
etching, lithograph and drawing,
as the greatest graphic artists
have seen them. This composite
picture has been drawn by many
generations of print makers. Hav-
ell, Cotman, Lucas, and Turner
give a revealing glimpse of earl
ier and more peaceful' days.
Whistler, Haden, Pennell, and
Griggs represent the great age
of etching at the turn of the cen
tury. Bone, Cameron, McBey,
and Short, the masters of today,
make perhaps the most conspicu
ous contributions. And the young
er generations of British etchers,
many of whom have been in the
services, bring the picture up to
date, aided by a few prints by
American etchers.
More than 220 illustrations tell
this moving pictorial story. These
have been grouped to provide
graphic portraits of London, the
towns and cities of England, Scot
land, England’s villages, her coun
tryside, coast, farms, rivers, cast
les, churches, and cathedrals. This
is the England her people fought
to preserve. It was worth the
fight.
Cemetery Extension
Planned by Council
AtomSmasher
Three Times
As Powerful
The General Electric Company,
builder of the world’s most power
ful atom-smashing betatron .mom
than three years ago, is prepared
to build a new type of machine
three times as powerful.
The new device, latest among
the tools for nuclear research, is
the synchro-cyclotron, which stems
from work done at the University
of California Radiation Labora
tory. This machine accelerates
heavy ions, such as protons, in
stead of electrons, which are the
particles used in the betatron.
Specifications have been completed
for a 140-inch size, capable of
energies of 100,000,000 electron
volts.
Development of plans for a pow
erful synchro-cyclotron reflects the
trend toward higher energies with
which to pound the secrets from
the atom, according to Dr. G. W.
Dunlop, who directed the engin
eering work on these new atomic
research tools.
“The chief value of the synchro
cyclotron,” Dr- Dunlap said, “lies
in its increased efficiency. The
principle of synchronous acceler
ation which it employs essentially
removes the limit on energies
which existed in earlier designs.
This is so from the standpoint of
both the theoretical considerations
and the practicability of construc
ting.”
Energies may be doubled or
tripled with only moderate increas
es in size, weight and cost, he said.
The 300,000-volt synchro-cyclo
tron magnet will be approximately
24 feet high, 14 feet deep, 35
feet wide, and have an overall
weight of approximately 725 tons,
and have as approximate dimen
sions a height of 14 feet, depth of
9 and one-half feet, and a width
of 22 feet.
The General Engineering and
Consulting Laboratory recently an
nounced that it has started ship
ment of components of a 100-
million-volt betatron, being built
for the Clinton Laboratories at
Oak Ridge, Tenn., to supplement
its researchers with chain-reaction
piles. Another, to be used in nuc
lear research, is being built for
the University of Chicago.
Plans for the extension of the
College Station Cemetery were pre
sented and discussed at the last
meeting of the City Council of
College Station.
The new poi’tion of the cemetery
"will be divided into 900 lots, but
the details for the size, price, and
maintenance of these lots still has
to be worked out. Duplicate blue
prints are to be drawn up and dis
tributed aniaa§y;he .townspeople at
the next publicmeeting held at Col
lege Station.
G. W. Black, F. B. Brown, Jr.,
and W. H. Badgett were sworn in
as new council members, and as
sumed their duties at the last meet
ing.
Opens 1:00 p.m. Ph. 4-1181
TUESDAY ONLY
StROLE LANDIS • AUYNJOSLYH
ALSO COMEDY
WEDNESDAY and
THURSDAY
A HEART-WARMING 7
✓VJMENCE! /
( Walt —r 4
visners\ U
SONG
OF TH6 SOUTH
UNCLE HEMPS
ond whistle
\first live action
|Y MUSICAL
Bhfc. DRAMA'
INCLUDING ANN
MATED TALES OF
Distributed be BX0 RADIO PICTURES, lac
— Plus
M-G-M Cartoon—Short
The Battalion
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of
Texas and the City of College Station, is published tri-weekly and circulated on
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons.
Member
PTssoaotod Gn!te6iate Press
Entered as second-class matter at Post Office at College Station, (Aggieland),
Texas, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1870.
WE’LL TAKE TWO!
Under “Articles for Sale” in the Boston Post appeared a displav
ad reading: “LAWN SWIMMING POOL HOLDS 9,000 GALS.”
DON’T PUT OFF TILL TOMORROW
The brand new Dixie Cream Do-Nut Shop, Kansas City, Kansas,
ran a local newspaper ad last week which was headlined “Open To
morrow. Then, unable to put off getting started, the advertiser used
this punch-line: “Take home a dozen tonight!”
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
Charles E. Murray
J. K. B. Nelson
David M. Seligm&n
Paul Martin
Corps Editor
Veteran Editor
—Tuesday Associate Editor
..Thursday Associate Editor
..Saturday Associate Editor
Sports Editor
Larry Goodwyn, Andy Matula, Jack Goodloe, Dick Baker, Earl Grant. Sports Writers
Wendell McClure Advertising Manager
D. W. Springer Circulation Manager
Ferd B. English, Franklin Cleland, William Miller, Doyle Duncan,
Ben Schrader, Wm. K. Colville, Walter Lowe, Jr., Lester
B. Gray, Jr., Carl C. Krueger, Jr„ Mack T. Nolen
-Reporters
In the Future . . .
Ram-Jet Plane
Faster Than
Sun Predicted
Science Service Wire Report
A ram-jet airplane that will beat
the sun by traveling double the
speed of sound, taking only fifteen
minutes to go from New York to
Pittsburg, was predicted last week
by Dr. F. W. Schumacher, asso
ciate director of Esso Laboratories
at Bay way, New Jersey.
The pilot would be able to
see the sun set in New York,
rise over the horizon and then
set again in Pittsburg.
Flying in the stratosphere, the
ram-jet motor will require only a
tenth the fuel needed just above
sea-level. This aircraft propulsion
unit was proved practical by the
Navy’s Bumblebee supersonic anti
aircraft weapon designed to coun
ter Japanese suicide planes-
Much simpler in construction
than conventional reciprocating
engines, the ram-jet in its 1400
miles per hour form develops one
horsepower for each half ounce
in weight compared with about
a pound for ordinary engines. A
ram-jet developing 2000 horsepow
er will be so light that one man
can lift it.
New fuels are being re-
search-made for ram-jet use,
and military developments un
derway promise superspeedy
mail, express and passenger
transport for the future.
Refrigerated as well as pres
surized cabins will be needed.
Without cooling, passengers would
be heated to 300 degrees Fahren
heit at 1400 miles per hour speeds,
while the thermometer would rise
to 650 degrees at 2000 miles per
hour.
Before ram-jet power plants are
used, there will be commercial use
of the combination of propeller and
jet propulsion powered by gas tur
bine engines.
Three to ten years or longer will
be needed to apply turbine power
to commercial flying, depending
upon the amount of research ex-
Tl DEVOE /
FLOOR & DECK
Per Quart $1.66
“People Who Know
Use DEVOE ,,
That has long been the chant
throughout the nation . . . for
193 years.
This material is the perfect
surfacer for linoleum, metal,
wood, concrete and canvas . . .
works equally efficient on all.
The most versatile of materials
in the DEVOE line. High gloss
and contains plastic pigment.
Gallon $5.76
Quarts $1.66
Also TEXOLITE for wallpaper
and sheetrock . . . the ideal wall
paint Gal. $3, Qt. $1
150 beautiful patterns of new
wallpaper from $3.80 per room
to $25.00.
CHAPMAN’S
Next to the Postoffice
in Bryan
—Is carrying the banner for
DEVOE in Aggieland & Bryan
Opens 1:00 p.m. Daily
TUESDAY - WEDNESDAY
DICK HAYMES
JEANNE CRAIN
“STATE FAIR”
THURSDAY ONLY
DANA ANDREWS
RICHARD CONTE
“A WALK IN
THE SUN”
pended, in the opinion of Dr. Phil-
etus H. Holt, Esso’s assistant re
search director. Gas turbine and
jet are combined now on the fa
mous P-80 fighter planes-
Long flights of 3000 miles will
take tix to seven hours instead
of 12 to 14 as at present, Dr. Holt
predicted.
Poetry, Prose
Contests for Young
Writers Opened
The Stephen Vincent Benet Me
morial Poetry and the Theodore
Drieser Memorial Prose Awards
World Youth Cultural Festival to
be held in Prague this summer.
Mrs. Stephen Vincent Benet and
Mrs. Theodore Dreiser will be a-
mong the judges for the determin
ing of the awards winners. All
entries should be sent to Stephen
Vincent and Theodore Dreiser Me
morial Awards of the New Writ
ing Foundation, 316 E. 61st Street,
New York City 21, New York.
Over 200,000 disabled veterans
of World War II were in educa
tional institutions or job training
on January 31 under the Vocation
al Rehabilitation Act administered
by Veterans Administration.
for Young Writers have officially
opened offering cash prizes up to
$25 for the best poems and prose
pieces.
All applicants must be under
the age of thirty and the work sub
mitted by them must not have been
published commercially; that is
for money. Such publication in
non-paying school and literary
magazines is permissible.
No limitations on either the
theme selected or the form in which
the works are written is set. These
awards are presented semi-annual
ly by the Memorial Award Com
mittee of the New Writing Foun
dation, the National Federation of
Colleges High School writing
Clubs.
The awards are dedicated to the
encouragement and development of
young American writers whose
work furthers the democratic lit
erary tradition to which Stephen
Benet and Theodore Dreiser devot
ed their lives.
The winning poems and prose
pieces will be published in a spe
cial Awards Edition of the New
Writing Quarterly and sent to the
AUTHORIZED DEALERS
— FOR —
FORD SERVICE
Let us help you keep your
Ford in top-flight condition.
Drive in soon! When you drive
out, you’ll be more than satis
fied!
★GENERAL SERVICE
★GENUINE FORD PARTS
★BRAKE RELINIING
★ELECTRICAL SERVICE
★GENERAL ENGINE
TUNEUP
★WASHING & LUBRICATION
★FAST WRECKER SERVICE
★EXPERT PAINTING
★BODY & FENDER WORK
★FRIENDLY SERVICE
Your Friendly Ford Dealer
Bryan Motor Co.
N. Main St. Ph. 2-1333
i
■1
New Blend! New Taste!
New Freshness!
Made by the revolutionary new
“903” moisturizing process.
Beneficial moisture penetrates
every tobacco leaf—gives you
a smoother, milder, better
smoke! Get new Raleigh “903”
Cigarettes today.
DIXIE WALKER
Pride of the
Brooklyn Dodgers
SAYS:
f fco " ,w '^ S ci Jore) . . -
less mi*
-4> v -v*$c$. h
with
HOLEPROOF
P#*' SOCKS
New Socks
for Spring
No wonder they’re
walked about . . and
talked about ... so
much. Elastic Tops,
Assorted Colors 65c
(XJaldrqpeg
“Two Convenient Stores”
College Station—Bryan