By L. 0. TEIDT
For the first time since the Fall of 1946, the entire
Freshman Class will be housed on the campus. During the
intervening time, freshmen were housed on the Bryan Army
Air Field because of lack of dormitory and classroom space
on the main campus.
The Class os ’54 also will be the first in the history of
A&M to receive the benefits of the Basic Division—a system
whereby new students are aided in solving problems arising
during their first year of college.
The idea of setting up personnel to aid new college stu-
Harrington Begins First
Regular Year as President
dents in finding their prospective goals is not new. However,
in the South, the practice has not been followed to any degree
of completeness.
A&M’s Basic Division was first conceived by Dr. F. C.
Bolton, president emeritus of the college. He felt that the
success and accomplishments of the Annex should not be
lost when the freshmen returned to the campus. A committee
of faculty members was appointed to study the problem
fully and give recommendations for adaption of a guidance
program at A&M.
Recommendations were made by the committee, and
after passing through the Acade
mic Council’s Executive Committee
and the council itself, they were
| brought before the Board of Di
rectors. The Board approved the
plan, and administrative wheels
began to function. Further plans
had to be made, and men had to
be selected to fill the various posts
on the Division’s staff.
With three months of experience
as the “chief” now behind him,
President M. T. Harrington begins
his first regular session in his
new office this week.
Now holding an office no other
A&M graduate has ever held, Dr.
Harrington js the first A&M pres
ident to be selected from the ranks
of former students.
On June 3, Dr. F. C. Bolton,
completing 41 years of service to
this college, handed over the reins
to his younger assistant and re
tired to modified service as presi
dent emeritus. Dr. Harrington’s in
auguration on Nov. 9 will be a
major highlight of the 75th anni
versary observances..
Class of ’22
A 1922 graduate of this college,
Harrington joined the staff of
A&M in 1925 as an instructor in
chemistry. Establishing an early
reputation for his ability to make
clear to beginners the complexities
of college chemistry, and being a
sympathetic and capable teacher,
he has long been popular with his
students.
Since 1946 his rise on the aca
demic ladder has been an almost
year-to-year affair. It was then
that he took the duties of assist
ant dean of the college, in organ
izing and directing the A&M An
nex. A year later he came back to
the main campus as dean of arts
and sciences.
Becomes Dean
In Sept. 1948 when Dr. Bolton
was elevated to the presidency of
A&M, Dr. Harrington became act
ing dean of the college, filling Bol
ton’s former office. And in Sept.
1949 he was elected Dr. Bolton’s
successor by the Board of Direct
ors after being recommended by
Chancellor Gibb Gilchrist.
Harrington first came to the
A&M Campus in 1918. Four years
later he graduated with a bach
elor of science degree in chemical
engineering. In 1925, he began
working on his master’s and com
pleted it in 1927.
Taking leave of absence, he stud
ied at MIT, the University of
Michigan and the University of
Southern California before receiv
ing his Ph. D at Iowa State Col
lege.
He is a member of the American
Chemical Society, Sigma Xi, hon
orary < research society, and Phi.
Lambda Epsilon, honor society for
chemists and chemical engineers.
Parents of Son
Dr. and Mrs. Harrington are
parents of a 10-year-old son, John.
Commenting on his successor,
Dr. Bolton said, “Dr. Harrington
and I have worked together for
A&M for almost a quarter of a
century and I am pleased that I
will be able to relinquish the lead
ership of the college to such cap
able and experienced hands.
In its May meeting, the Board of
Directors appointed John R. Ber
trand to fill the position of Dean
of the Basic Division. Then assist
ant to Dean of Agriculture Charles
N. Shepardson, Bertrand immedi
ately began contacting men to
complete his staff.
Three Men Chosen
Since that time, three men have
been chosen to serve with him as
Basic Division administrators. Dr.
Robert Jacobs, administrative as
sistant to the director of Educa"
tion Records Bureau, has been
named director of counseling. He
is chairman of the New York Vo
cational Guidance Association and
has taught at Wayne University,
(See BASIC, Page 4)
Welcome . . .
As the lethargy of Summer drops away and thoughts
oncfl more turn to Fall and the manifold activities of the
college season A&M students may look to the prospect
of a more than active program throughout the year as
the college enters its seventy-fifth anniversary as a state
institution. Through the year a co-ordinated celebra
tion program coupled with the opening of the Memorial
Student Center will intensify i campus activity and spot
light student life more than ever before in the history
of the college.
Seventy-Five Years of Progress . . .
Anniversary Day Is October 4
By FRANK DAY1S
A&M’s 75th anniversary obser
vance will be opened officially Oct.
4 with a cefebration similar to the
\opening exercises at the college
Oct. 4, 1876, 74 years ago, accord
ing to J. J| Woolket, director of
the anniversary committee.
On the steps of Old Main, one
of the college’s two buildings then,
the first ceremony was held before
the faculty of six, the student body
of less than 50 and some 300 vis
itors.
Gov. Richard Coke was the prin
cipal speaker, and President Tho
mas Gathright responded to the
governor’s talk.
State Affair
The celebration this year will be
held in Kyle Field and ( is planned
as a state affair. A large re
presentation of state officials and
members of the legislature are ex
pected to respond to the 25,000
special invitations sent out, Wool
ket said, as well as former students
and friends of the college.
This year Gov. Allan Shivers
will be the principal speaker at
the ceremony. The program will
began at 10 a. m. with a parade
by the cadet corps.
That afternoon an open house is
planned at the Memorial Student
Center. Also planned are tours of
the college for visitors, and a re
ception by President M. T. Har
rington.
Anniversary Ball
In the evening there will be an
Anniversary Ball with a name band
furnishing the music at the Grove.
Nov. 9, the date of the inaugu
ration of President Harrington, is
the next major highlight of the
observance.
There will be a review of the
cadet corps on the drill field in the
morning, followed by an inaugural
luncheon at Sbisa Hall for dele
gates from leading colleges, uni
versities, and junior colleges in the
nation and guests, honoring Pres
ident Harrington.
Hannah is Speaker
Dr. John A. Hannah, president
of Michigan State College and one
of the outstanding land grant col
lege presidents, will be the prin
cipal speaker at the luncheon.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, presi
dent of Columbia University, will
be the main speaker at the inaugu
ration ceremony which takes place
at 3 p. m. in Kyle Field.
Following the ceremony, there
(See CELEBRATION, Page 4)
#111
■
Dr. M. T. Harrington
President of the College
On behalf of the faculty and staff of the A&M Col
lege of Texas, I am happy to extend a cordial welcome
to all students of the College—those who a T “ enrolling
for the first time and those returning frord( a vacation.
May this prove to be the happiest and most successful
year of your school career. May you receive the training
you desire in preparation for your life ahead, both in the
field of your chosen profession and also for outstanding
citizenship.
We face a critical period in our history. All that we
hold dear and all that has made us strong, both as a
nation and as individuals, are being put to a very severe
and critical test by'ppposing forces. How important it is
to gain, in addition' to your technical training, an un
derstanding and an appreciation of the American form
of democracy. I hope this will be one of the objectives
of your college education.
Those of you who are starting your college educa
tion will be registered in the newly created Basic Divi
sion. The objectives of this new plan are to give the
beginning college student the benefit of counseling and
guidance in regard to his program of study and, if neces
sary, to permit a student to change his course of study
while registered in the Basic Division. A student will
make his greatest academic achievement when he is
pursuing a course of study for which he has aptitude and
in which he is interested. We feel that the plan of the
Basic Division is a forward step.
This school year will be the 75th year of the Col
lege, and the committee in charge is planning several
outstanding programs during the year. These should
prove to be both entertaining and educational. I hope you
will take advantage of every opportunity to participate
in the events celebrating the 75th anniversary of the
oldest state supported school of higher education in
Texas.
We are glad that it is now possible to have all of our
students on the main campus. Also, we are rejoicing
over the completion of our Memorial Student Center.
It will fill an important place in our campus life.
We are anticipating* a great school year in 1950-51,
and this can be realized by the help and cooperation of
students, faculty and staff. Let’s make this the greatest
year of all seventy-five in the history of A&M.
M. T. Harrington
President
Bait Increases
In an effort to more completely fulfill its dual role as both the
campus student newspaper and the news medium of the City of College
"* Station, The Battalion will increase in size this year from 4 pages
daily to 6 pages Tuesday through Friday. Monday’s edition will con
tinue to be a 4 page edition unless news breaks and advertising war
rant more pages.
Heading the editorial staff of the 6 page, 1950-51 Battalion will
be Co-Editors Dave Coslett and Clayton Selph, senior journalism ma^
jors.
What's Inside . . .
FRESHMEN EDITION Volume 51: No. 1
College Station, Texas, Thursday, September 7, 1950
Section One
Current. News 3
Col. Napier 3
Halt Editors 3
Truman 3
Editorials 3
Student Government 5
Clubs 6
Editors 6
Caudill 6
Library 7
Housing 7
Dr. French 7
Singing Cadets 8
Ernest Langford 8
Basic Division
Bertrand
Memorial Center.
Stark
Oceanography
Cadet Officers
Stiteler
"Man-Under”
Cross Country
Texas Prospects
Bones Irvin
Nevada Prospects
Baylor Prospects
Athletic Council..
.Section Two
1 City Government 3
1 A&M Consolidated 3
.... 1 Churches 4 & 5
1 YMCA 5
1 Town Hall 6 & 7
2 Night Owl 7
Section Three
1 VMI Prospects 2
1 Oklahoma 3
1 Texas Tech 3
1 TCU Prospects 6
1 SMU Prospects 6
1 Consolidated 7
2 Rice Prospects 8
2 Arkansas - 8
to Six-Page Daily This Fall
The history of the two editors on The Battalion closely parallel
one another in their four year climb to the top student editorial posts
on the campus.
As freshmen the two headed The Little Batt published at the
A&M Annex, Selph serving as editor and Coslett as associate editor.
Coming to the campus the following year, Coslett became a member
of the feature staff and was named feature editor during his junior
year. Selph moved into the post of copy editor his sophomore year
and served as co-editor of the 1949 Summer Battalion. Following the
summer editorship, he was named managing editor last year.
Managing Editors Named
Top appointive posts on The Battalion this year will go to John
Whitmore, Dean Reed, and L. O. Ti'edt, who have been named manag
ing editors. Whitmore and Reed will head the production end of the
paper and serve jointly as feature editors, a modification of last years
staff organization.
Tiedt will head the editorial department and serve as editor of
the editorial page, which will be developed along the lines of other
daily papers this year.
Whitmore is a senior journalism major from Houston and began
his Battalion career at the Annex with Selph and Coslett. He served
as a news editor on last years Battalion and spent the summer as an
“intern” on The San Antonio Light.
Summer Co-Editors
Reed is a junior journalism, major from Pasadena, who served as
an editorial writer, sports writer and news editor last year. He was
editor of the Freshman page in 1948-49, and served as : 1950 Summer
co-editor.
Tiedt, a junior ag journalism major, from La Grange began his
Battalion experience as Managing Editor of The Freshman Page and
last year was a copy editor, and news editor. He was co-editor of the
Summer Batt during the first semester.
Top News Editors Appointed
Heading the Battalion’s three news departments this year will be
Sid Abernathy, campus news editor; Frank N. Manitzas, sports editor,
and Joel Austin, city news editor.
Abernathy is a junior ag journalism major from Rusk and was a
Battalion copy editor last year. lie served as second semester co
editor of the 1950 Summer Battalion.
Manitzas is a junior biology major from San Angelo and began his
Batt work in the sports department as sports editor of the Freshman
Page. Last year he was a sports news editor.
Austin to Replace Edwards
Austin will replace Curtis Edwards as city editor of the Batt this
year. Edwards has been named corps chaplain and chose' not to con
tinue in a full-time position on The Battalion, this year. Austin is a
sophomore business major from Alice, and was editor of The Freshman
Page last year. He was named to fill the city editor post because of
his outstanding work in that position on the Summer Battalion.
Organizational plans for this year call for dual heads of each one
of the above news posts, but appointment of staff members to fill
those jobs will be delayed until about October 1.
Editorial Assistants
Assisting Tiedt with editorial duties besides the co-editors will be
Carter Phillips summer editorial assistant and Tommy Fontaine, sen
ior ManE major.
Sports- coverage for the Fall semester will be handled by Harold
Gann, Ray Holbrook, It. G. DeBerry, Dick Peyton, John Gottlob and
Joe Blanchette and Pat LeBlanc, Annex sports writers.
Sam Molinary, last year’s Batt photographer, will serve as chief
photographer this year assisted by Bill Hites and James Barnard.
Amusements will be covered part-time by both Herman Gollob,
now Commentator co-editor and Fred Walker, summer amusements
editor.
Returning Staff Writers
Backing up the city news editor will b<1 returning staff members
Emil Bunjes, Jr., Bill Mcbane, and Dudley Hughes.
Other returning news writers this year are Bob Boyd, Bob Hugh-
son, Marvin Matusek, Frank Davis, Jim Anderson, Tom Rountree,
Raymond Rushing, Kenneth Wiggins, B. F. Roland, Walter Tahamachi,
John Tapley, and Bert Hardaway.
Returning Feature Writers are Ray Williams, Wayne Davis, Ches
ter Critchfield and Bill Thompson.
L. O. Tie(13 Dean Reed John Whitmore
Managing Editors