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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1949)
LIFE DOES GET TEJUS B a ttalion EDITORIALS Page 2 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1949 "Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman” Lawrence Sullivan. Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions Gyp, Not Egyptian . . . The Pyramid Club has come to College Station. Just in case you may have been lock ed in your room the last two days and haven’t spoken to anyone or read a state paper, we will briefly identify this form of public entertainment. A Pyramid Club is another get-rich- quick scheme, closely related to the chain letter. Under a different title the Pyramid scheme flourished on the campus last year, but reached no such pretentious pro portions as it has gained here during the last two days. The basic scheme goes something like this. For a fixed sum of money; two bits, one, two, or five dollars, according to your economic group you buy a paper with six names on it. You then make two copies of the paper, leaving off the top name on the list, but placing your own name at the bottom. Then you sell the copies to two friends (?) and send the money received to the man whose name you have remov ed from the top of your list. Each of the two purchasers are supposed to follow the same procedure, with the letter spreading by multiples of two, until your name works its way to the top of the list. At this time you begin receiving money from all over the country with your gain varying with the price of the letter and number in the club, but always mathema tically tremendous. The fallacy, of course, is the theory that the letter will spread on ad infinitum. Eventually, you will run out of people for Ring Around the Rosey . The Ring Dance Committee has made a wise decision in letting Seniors vote on the manner they want this year’s Ring Dance to be held. Too many Seniors (nearly 2200) are concerned for the small committee (only 12 at Monday’s meeting) to decide upon this year’s dance without first consulting a large segment of those men planning to attend the dance. Before any further plans can be made, the Ring Dance Com mittee must know if one or two dances will be held. If two dances are to be held, then what would be the breakdown? There are an estimated 1600 non corps Seniors and 600 corps Seniors. A breakdown along these lines was unfair, the committee felt. Committee members believe that to arbitrarily divide the dances by alphabe tical means would go beyond the power of their committee. The whole Ring Dance question was more than the committee thought it should solve. So they have tossed this hot potato where it belongs—in the hands of the Sen- The Passing Parade . .. This little gem of Typo (printed er rors in news columns) came in recently over our AP wire: In case of bad weather the oath-tak ing will be held in the House of Repre- pure population reasons; but more likely the last people in an area to buy in will grow weary of trying unsuccessfully to sell the letters and accept their loss. It is these “bringing up the rear” le gions who get stuck for the profits the instigators make. That is the description of the Pyramid Club which is, with numerous variations, flooding the campus and most of the oth er cities in Texas. Here are the dangers of envolvment. Locally, there are college regulations a- gainst solociting in the dormitories. You can be stuck with varying degrees of punishment for the offense. Far more dangerous is the entangle ment that result if the mails are used in any way. The state Supreme Court has classified the various Pyramid forms as lotteries and, by mailing anything even pertaining to them through the mails you are subject to Federal prosecution. These are mostly distant possibilities. The probable evil of the local Pyramid Clubs is that you will get stuck for a buck. The pay-offs at the top are tre mendous. To support those pay-offs there must be several thousand suckers at the bottom of the list. Since the movement is now quite widespread, you have a very good chance of being left holding a letter and a sucker classification. Lose your money in a poker game, at the track, or spend it on women and watch it leave with a smile. But tread softly when someone says, “Pyramid Club.” • • iors themselves. Now few screams of in justice should be heard. Everything can be done democratically. In charge of distributing, collecting, and tabulating the ballots in dormitories will be the dormitories’ Student Senators. They should recruit several Seniors to as sist them in this important task. The po sition of Senator in a dormitory is a uni que one in that he was elected to serve that dormitory. This balloting is another of his thankless, but necessary duties. Seniors should cooperate to make their work as easy and painless as possible. Non-resident students must come to Student Activities Office to cast their bal lot. Due to the numerous places of resi dence of off-the-campus Seniors, this is the best way for them to vote. Balloting will close at noon Friday. Think over the way you wish this year’s Senior Ring Dance to be held. Then vote! The Ring Dance Committee wants your opinion. They will act as the ma jority wishes. sentatives, which seats only 3,000 perons. We admit that at times we have had our suspicions about the House, but things never have gotten that bad. The Battalion The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agi-icultuval and Mechanical College of Texas and the City of College Station, Texas, is published five times a week and circulated every Monday through Fi'iday afternoon, except during holidays and examination periods. During the summer The Bat talion is published tri-weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.. Subscription rate $4.30 per school year. Advertising rates furnished on request. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin publish ed herein. Rights of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. KENNETH BOND, TOM CARTER ^ Co-Editors Entered as second-class matter at Post Office at College Station, Texas, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1870. Member of The Associated Press Represented nationally by National Ad vertising Service Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. News contributions may be made by telephone (4-5444) or at the editorial office, Room 2<)1, Goodwin Hall. Classified ads may be placed by telephone (4-5324) or at the Student Activities Office, Room 209, Goodwin Hall. Louis Morgan Associate Editor Bill Billingsley Wire Editor Harvey Cherry. Art Howard, Otto Kunze, John Singletary Managing Editors Chuck Cabaniss, Charles Kirkham, Mack Nolen Editorial Assistants Emil Bunjes, H. C. Gollob, R. C. Kolbye. Henry Lacour, Carley Puckitt, Clyton Selph. Marvin Brown Staff Reporters Joe Trevino, Hardy Ross Photo Engravers Clark Munroe Feature Editor Carl Thrift Circulation Manager Dave Coslett, Frank Cushing, George Charlton, Buddy Luce, Chuck Maisel, H. C. Michalak, Marvin Rice, Carroll! Trail Feature Writers Bob “Sack” Spoede, Bill Potts Sports Editors Leon Somer, Frank Simmen, Andy Matula, Scotty Swinney, Travis Brock, Ben Lampkin, Frank Manitzas Sports Reporters Mrs. Nancy Lytle Women's Page Editor Alfred Johnston Religious Editor Andy Davis Movie Editor Kenneth Marak, Sam Lanford, R. Morales, Frank Welch, C. W. Jennings Staff Cartoonists Sticking My Neck Out . . . “What, that report is two hours late?!” “Oh those quiz papers; I’ll get to them next week sometime.” Letters To The Editor HE HAS NO GRIPES???? Editor, The Battalion: Just for fun. Just for a little variety. A letter to the editor from someone who isn’t sore at any body. I just believe that there are more good things at A&M than there are things to gripe about, so I want to see one letter in this column from someone who isn’t mad, or fed up, or stepped on. 1. I have received a few traffic tickets the last year or so, but I much prefer to think of Fred Hick man as the man who last summer walked into a shack and disarmed a well-armed and trigger happy man who had gone berserk, and who had been shooting at every moving person or car in the area. Fred could have shot the man in self defense, but he very quietly went in, disarmed him, and locked him up. I don’t recall any letters in The Battalion about that side of Hickman though. Sure, that was his job, but it is also his job to maintain some semblance of order out of the chaos that would exist on the campus if everyone drove his car to class and on errands. “When I was a Fish”, I owned a T Model Pickup, but the rules were so stiff that it was stored from September to June in a barn at Midway, and I was so worried about someone finding it that it was covered with hay and didn’t turn a wheel all year. 2. Maybe the fact that I have been here at A&M only 17 years doesn’t qualify me, but none the less I much prefer to think about the hundreds of improvements I have seen on the campus in that time rather than the alleged fact that Proxy’s Fountain once got dirty, or that the weeds grew at the traffic circle (which doesn’t belong to the college anyway). I had rather think about Fritz Hensel as the man who very far sightedly planted most of the live oaks which are now arching over all of our streets, or of the dozens of flower beds which are always blooming with pansies or better. The East Gate Esplanade which is one of the most beau tiful sights in Texas, is also a monument to him. 3. I have bought a few items at the Exchange Store and' never ac tually thought of it as a cut-rate store, but it is much more pleas ant to think about the tennis courts, band stand, boxing ring, musical instruments, dormitory athletic equipment, rodeo arena (being designed), fiction books, lighted softball field (now being used almost nightly by the RV’s), and the preliminary work on the golf course which Exchange Store profits go for. I also enjoy think ing of the $11,000.00 Exchange Store profits available this year for student welfare and recreation. 4. Sure, The Battalion has lots of advertisements, but I can remem ber when it was only published once a week, then twice, then three times, finally daily, and now two issues a week have 6 pages each. Can you remember that far back? If you can, you will recall that the cost to each student for a years subscription to The Battalion has always been $4.30 and still is. In cidentally, Li’l Abner was only ad ded last year. 5. Okay, so Ben Ferguson didn’t show all of a football game as allegedly advertised at the Cam pus. Tell him about it, not the world. When you do, also thank him for leading the fight several years ago to get first run shows for College Station. Did you know he did just that? 6. Now we hear that Guion Hall . stinks. We have often heard that its shows do. Did anyone take the trouble to find out that the alleged stink was probably the result of a hairline crack in a urinal that was damaged during the “big freeze” this month, or that the ladies room was spotless and “smell-less,” but alas, didn’t have a mirror. Inci dentally, on the “stinky” occasion Guion was packed by 1800 happy folks who saw a top two hour show for one half to one quarter what the show would have cost in Dallas. Did anyone write a letter Only Three More Days Left to Shop Bargains At — Kraft Furniture Co. FEBRUARY SALE KRAFT FURNITURE CO. 28th and Main Bryan Change the walls of your apartments from dull and uninteresting to smart and relaxing colors. Use BENJAMIN MOORE’S SANI FLAT (100# Oil Paint) $3.85 per gallon and matching wood trim in 100# oil Semi-Gloss, per quart—$1.40. Next to the Post Office in Bryan 210 W. 26th S. PHONE 2-1318 TU Basketball Audiences Have Spirit, Little Else By BILL BILLINGSLEY This piece will concern sports manship displayed during a Uni versity of Texas basketball game. Of necessity, the story will be a negative one, since the same may be said for TU sportsmanship as for College Station Co-Eds . . . there ain’t none. Anyone who doubts this state ment has only to go, as I have just done, to a roundball contest in the seat of Longhorn hos pitality, Greg ory Gymnasium for the proof positive. There in their 8,000 capacity sports cathedral, just a rotten grape fruit’s throw from downtown Austin, the stu dents of our largest state university demonstrate Orange and White sportsmanship as she is practiced. The night we shall use for an example, the February 16 game between the University and A&M, the crowd was short of capacity but long of the gay spirit. Occu pying a third of the temporary bleachers on one side of the court were members of the University football squad. Whiling away their time btefore the beginning of the game, the Steer squadmen amused themselves by sending their fresh men out for cold drinks and pop corn and directing them in sing ing the school songs. After six renditions of “Texas about that ? 7. Tom Buddy is much maligned because Guion Hall is a second run show. That isn’t his choosing. Where else can an adult see good second run shows for 30 Granted, that is only lOr 1 under the aver age price, but that 20 per cent is the difference between making and breaking. I prefer to think of Tom as the man who built the beauti ful Senior Ring used at the Senior Ring Dance, or as the individual who has kept a twenty year old movie sound system going, or as many students think of him, as the agreeable fellow who will fix your camera, paint your signs, light your dances, paint scenery, and' be always available and happy 12 to 14 hours a day, 7 days a week. Do any of you letter writers operate on such a principle 8. (Now please don’t take this item personally, just consider the principle involved) I can re member two or three occasions in the last 17 years when the cam pus was “invaded” by several “women of negotiable affections” from Dallas, Houston, or some other city. How else could the resultant danger of disease and disgrace* be stopped except by Campus Security vigi lance against night time visits by such women. Again I am not getting personal or implying anything. I am just trying to explain the reason behind the rule against unescorted ladies waiting around the dormitory at night. The lounges were provided to serve as a place for your wife or date to wait in the proper surround ings. Now, do I imply I am satisfied with Aggieland, think it is perfect want to sit back, smile, pat every body on the back? Absolutely not. I love this place too much and have too many years invested here to see it stand still. There are many things to do. Much is need ed. If you have an idea, and who hasn’t, take it to the person con cerned, rather than scream to everyone in general and no one in particular. Maybe yours is a good idea, maybe not. Perhaps no one has thought of it, or it may have been tried last year. Thanks for bearing with me so long if you have. This may not be the best letter to the editor, but it is certainly the longest. C. G. White Director Student Activities Fight,” by the TU frosh the Aggie basketball team arrived on the floor and the University pigskin men set up a gleeful howl of boos and hisses to show their pleasure at the arrival of fresh whipping boys. The multitude was quick to single out Jewel McDowell. During his final High School days, while he was deciding which college he wanted to attend, McDowell spent quite some time at the University looking over their facilities. Evi dently, during this period, the Austin people went to a great deal of trouble and no little expense to impress Mac that TU was the place for him. When he decided to enroll at A&M, many cries of an guish and pain were heard from TU. Still smarting from their spurn ing at the hands of The Jewel, the ploying sort of a Junior Aggie yell Austin athletes were out for his scalp in no uncertain terms. Em- system, the squad ringleaders ori ginated clever little phrases and passed them back to their cohorts, Who were in a very Kyle Field like hump. On the count, they would shout out their little gems of wit, much to the delight of the remainder of the Gregory Gym audience. As an interesting sidelight the chief instigator and leader in the group was TU’s head yell leader, Bob Bearden. Bearden will be remembered as the lad who attended all the inter-con ference sportsmanship meetings and extolled the virtues of be ing thoughtful of opposing teams and student bodies. Prior to the game, and during its early stages, the gist of yells from the self-elected cheering sec tion Was “Where is that money you owe us, McDowell?” Why they assume McDowell owes them mon ey we would like to know. We ima gine the Conference Purity Code administrators would like to know too. As the game progressed, Mc Dowell stuck to the Longhorn star Slater Martin (one of the best and cleanest playing men on the TU team) like an adhesive plaster. The Orange and White block plays failed to screen The Jewel out, and he held Martin, customarily a near 20 point man, down to a game total of eight points. Martin returned changed from inconsiderate need- TODAY thru FRIDAY —Features Start— 1:25 - 3:10 - 4:50 - 6:35 8:20 - 10:00 WARNER BAXTER INGRID BERGMAN SUSAN HAYWARD —in— Love knows no mercy when two women fight for the love of five men! “ADAM HAD FOUR SONS” A Re-release —Plus— CARTOON — LATEST NEWS Friday Prevue 11:00 p.m. FIRST RUN PLUS CARTOON Special Fri. Prevue 11:00 P.M. a Dore Schary plantation < Cary Grant in DON HARTMAN S production Every Girl Should Be Married co-starring HONE N The hide-and- N seek, tongue- ^ in-cheek tale > of a marriage- shy baby- doctor, .and a misbehavin,’ man-huntin’ Babe: A •M V SM MOMMY ** nrrnu niMi/r / PrOdBMd. OifKl#! Sltd introducing BE1S1 DRAKE „ ** t.-—» « .««« ond Steen Play CoHabOTlisr by Sltpliait Manfeom km ling to just plain out-and - out malicious boorishness. From Mc Dowell they turned their attention to Coach Marty Karow. When Vilbry White, doing some beautiful side-court and far-out shooting, pushed the Longhorns, far enough ahead to apparently ice the game, the unison yell squad took it up again. This time their yell was, “Don’t worry about it,, Karow, you won’t be around next year anyway.” This theme was varied slightly and repeated throughout the last quarter of the game. In the last few minutes of the Game, Billy Turnbow, who had played a creditable game and was high point man for the Aggies, fouled out. None of his fouls had appeared intentional or premedita ted and, while he had outhustled and outjumped some of the Long horns on occasions, he played what for the night, was a clean game. Yet, when he left the floor, he. was booed and hissed as if he had stolen the top three stories from the University Tower. On the other hand, “Elbows” Madsen, TU’s imported contribu tion to legalized slugging on the hardwoods, seized every opportun ity to get in a concealed lick at his opponents. When The officials caught him in the act three times and penalized him (the lad should more justly be tossed out of the game as a detriment to sport), the assembled university support ers screamed at the officials as if they had been accessories after the fact when Turnbow stole the tower. These were the main, features (See TU BASKETBALL, Page G) CATHOLIC MASS Friday 6:45 a.m. ST. MARY’S CHAPEL rrrwTOT ofKUWAfW t PICTURE m with SABV Wendell COREY Ioann* PAGE SATURDAY “Of Mice and Men” Bryan 2'SS79 TODAY thru SAT. Jane James WYATT • CLEAS0N