SECTION TWO
Freshman
Edition
Number 1: Volume 51
The Battalion
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF A GREATER A&M COLLEGE
COLLEGE STATION (Aggieland), TEXAS, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1950
SECTION TWO
Freshman
Edition
Price: Five Cents
S *asic Division
Offers Counsel,
New Guidance
By L. 0. TIEDT
When the Class of 1952 first
entered A&M, its membership was
near 1,300. By the end of its fresh
man year, well over 100 had
dropped out. By the end of its
sophomore year, however, the class
had dwindled to slightly more
than 900.
These figures give much weight
to the argument that, although the
freshman year may have been
more or less successfully conquer
ed, during the second year—when
individualized courses are met—the
class’ number falls terrifically.
This loss of enrollment has been
attributed to a number of causes,
some qf which include lack of per
sonal application, perspective and
sound objectives.
Should Improve
School administrators believe
the Basic Division, beginning at
the college this fall, will solve
many, if not all, of these prob
lems. The Division was established
when school officials began to real
ize the necessity of aiding stu
dents who were unsure of their ob
jectives in college.
Too many students problems
went unobserved until the student’s
grades were such that his year had
been wasted and he lacked inita-
tive to re-attempt what had been
lost the previous year.
The Basic Division’s program has
been divided into two general
classifications for aiding- freshman
students. They are for individual
guidance and group guidance.
Of the two, group guidance
plans will be the more important
to the entire class, as more stu
dents will receive its benefits.
Three Counsellors
For individual guidance, three
counsellors and the dean of the
division, all professionally exper
ienced with helping students solve
their problems; Will be on hand.
Five dormitory counsellors will
also aid the more practiced coun
sellors in deciding which of the
students in their respective dormi-
lories need individual aid and guid-
).nce.
Other members of the faculty
will serve under the Division’s or
ganization jn presenting the pro
gram of Freshman Orientation to
the class. Those members of the
faculty selected to aid in the
Basic Division’s program will pre
sent the aspects of the different
schools, the college and its func
tions, and methods of operation.
According to John R. Bertrand,
dean of the Basic Division, weekly
classes will be set up for the dorm
itory counsellors and faculty ad
visers to give them added training-
in student psychology and gui
dance.
Orientation Class.es
Under the present set-up for
Freshman Orientation classes, stu
dents will attend classes in large
groups in the Assembly Hall.
Other sections, much smaller in
size and comprised of students who
have decided their choice of a
major will also be organized. In
these sections, faculty advisors
will explain the aspects of the
school which the student has se
lected.
If a student, after learning the
broad potentialities of one of the
four schools, Agriculture, Engin-1
eering, Arts and Sciences, andj
Veterinary Medicine, wishes to
change majors from one school to
another, he may do so. He may
immediately change to an orienta
tion section of the school of his I
new selection.
However, he must end the se
mester before changing courses. In |
the past, a student changing ma
jors from one school to another
would lose credit for certain cour
ses not required in his new curri
culum.
No Hours Lost
Under a plan worked out by of
ficials of the Basic Division, deans
of all schools will accept courses
taken in either of the other schools
as advanced electives in that par
ticular school. That way, students
need not be afraid that they will
lose valuable hours by changing-
majors.
A remedial reading program
headed by one of the Division’s
counsellors has been set up to aid
either slow readers or students
who are unable to interpret what
they read. Part of this training
will be given on the individual
basis, while other parts will em
phasize guidance on group levels.
The operation and function of
the Basic Division are ably com
bined in its aims:
® to give first year students
closer supervision than is ordin
arily given.
• to assist students who have
not definitely decided on a field
of study in making this decision
during their first year of college
work.
• to give beginning college
students the benefit of guidance
by people professionally trained to
operate a guidance program.
• to supply the various schools
of the college with a highly se
lected group of students fully pre
pared to carry on specialized train
ing necessary for a profession and
outstanding citizenship.
New Memorial Student Center
Begins Operations This Week
By BILL MEBANE
With the doors of the Memorial
Student Center opening for Fresh
man Week, the Class of 1954 will
be the first class to use the Cen
ter.
The modern completely air-
conditioned building represents
many long hours of planning and
construction. From the time
ground-breaking ceremonies were
held two years until now, the
Center has grown from a mass of
brick and steel to a beautiful piece
of architecture.
On September. 20, 1948, a dream
long on paper became an actuality.
President F. C. Bolton turned the
first spade of dirt and construction
began.
Stark Began MSC
Work 3 Years Ago
Oceanography Course
ins on Full-Scale
Begi
By FRANK DAVIS
Offering a complete curriculum
for the first time, the newly-estab
lished Oceanography Department
marked a year of preparatory work
and planning yesterday as Dr. Dale
F. Leipper’s appointment as head
of the department became effec
tive.
When the idea for an Oceanog
raphy Department was realized in
September of 1949, the problem
of organizing the department fell
upon the shoulders of Dr. Leipper,
then acting head of the depart-
nient.
After spending the Fall semes
ter surveying the field, Dr. Leip
per began releasing plans for the
complete curricula as early as Jan
uary 16. The curricula which puts
oceanography on its feet at A&M,
is now in effect.
The department had been auth
orized by the Board of Directors
January 14, when the group met
in regular session on the campus.
Although the complete curricula
had not been readied, two com-ses
for graduate and advanced under
graduate students were offered
during the Spring semester.
They were Introduction to
Oceanography 401 and Geological
Oceanography 431.
Several years ago when swarms
of oysters were dying on the Texas
const, A&M’s Research Foundation,
Dr. John R. Bertrand
Dean of the Basic Division
Hello there! It is good to know that you have joined us
here at the A&M College of Texas. This year promises
to be an eventful one in our lives. It is essential that you and
the rest of us use every opportunity in making the year one
during which we live fully, happily and soundly.
Several years ago, printed on the back of our college
catalogue here, were these words by Milton, “I call therefore
a complete and generous education that which fits a man to
perform justly, skillfully and magnanimously all of the offi
ces, both private and public, of peace and war.” When I was
your age these words had a deep meaning for me, even
though conditions existing then made it impossible for me
to become a Texas Aggie. These words have remained with
me and, since these continue to b^ troubled times, I want to
pass them on to you at the beginning of your college train
ing in an institution made famous by its citizen-soldiers.
What the future holds, no one can say with surety. It is
known, however, that independence of thought, independence
of person and independence of economy are three elements
precious to our national heritage. These are also elements
v/hich you need to develop and maintain in your own person.
Students, former students and faculty of the A&M Col
lege of Texas are anxious to help you do this.
You are a member of the first entering class in four
years to be on the main campus. All of us are happy that
you are here. Yours is the first class to enroll in the Basic
Division which was established to serve you. Well trained
and understanding men are available to you for counseling
and guidance purposes. However, this great school and
these men, while they are sincerely anxious to serve you, can
not think, make decisions or act for you. Only you can do
these things for yourself. Use all of us at the A&M
College of Texas as you think and act for and by yourself.
Use us to help you prepare yourself to “perform justly,
skillfully and magnanimously all the offices, both private
and public, of peace and war.”
I hope that you will let me be your good friend.
Sincerely yours,
John R. Bertrand
Dean, The Basic Division
By FRANK DAVIS
“For his consistently conscien
tious work and visionary planning
on the Memorial Student Center,”
J. Wayne Stark, director of the
MSC, received one of the five an
nual Battalion Awards given for
1950.
Stark came to A&M as director
of the Student Center in October
of 1947. At that time the ground
had not been broken for the new
building.
His job at that time was to work
with the A&M System architect
on plans for the Center, and to
plan the business and social de
partments of this center.
In December of 1947 he nego
tiated for the school the purchase
of the equipment of Casey’s and
George’s and r'enovated the stores
during the Christmas Holidays.
Opened Confectioneries
On Jan. 4 the stores opened un
der the management of the Mem
orial Student Center.
The purpose of these transactions
was to use these businesses as
“pilot plants” for the services that
would be important in the Mem
orial Student Center.
Also, it was aimed to hire a
nucleus of managerial personnel
for the future Center, to establish
bookkeeping and accounting pro
cedure, to establish purchasing
channels and selling policies, and
to gain knowledge of Student Cen
ter operations.
Studied Other Centers
During April of 1948, Stark
made a comprehensive study of
associate editor of The Battalion
for two years, club editor of the
Longhorn for one year, president of
the Glee Club, and president of the
Biology Club.
Following his graduation from
A&M, Stark entered the University
of Texas where he attended law
school for two years.
While at the University he was
elected editor of the yearbook “The
Cactus”, but held office only a
few weeks before he was inducted
into the Army.
He was the first independent edi
tor (belonging to no fraternity)
at the University of Texas in 21
years. Better yet, he was the first
Aggie to ever have held a major
office on the Texas University
campus.
Army Officer
In June of 1941 he entered the
Army and served in an anti-air
craft unit for approximately three
years.
The next two and a half years
he spent in the general staff as
assistant G'-3 in the V-ll Corps
which made plans for and landed
with the assault forces in Nor
mandy.
Stark was released from active
duty as a major on Dec. 31, 1945
and presently holds the rank of
lieutenant colonel in the Reserve
Corps.
During the action in Normandy,
he served under the command of
Lt. General “Lightnin’ Joe” J.
Lawton Collins, now Army Chief
of Staff.
After Stark was discharged from
the Army he was employed with
the business and social aspects of the Gulf Atlantic Warehouse Corn-
college centers, by visiting some of
the nation’s best Student Centers.
Student Centers at Purdue, Uni
versity of Wisconsin, University of
Minnesota, and University of Ill
inois were visited.
After returning from the trip,
Stark continued to work with the
architect before the building was
started, making suggestions for
possible changes.
In the past two years, Stark and
members of his staff have made
similar trips to other schools,
hotels, cafes, and department
stores throughout the nation.
Stark was graduated from A&M
with a degree in liberal arts in
1939. His birth place was Lamesa,
Tex. He attended public schools,
and graduated from .high school,
however, at Winters, Tex.
While a student at A&M he was
beginning a study of marine life in
the Gulf Coast area, realized that
trained oceanographers were need
ed for this work.
At that time, Scripps Institute
at La Jolla, Calif., and Woodshole
on the Atlantic coast were the only
maor oceanography units operat
ing.
Letters from Dr. A. A. Jakkula,
head of the Research Foundation,
to high college and system officials
pointed out the need for estab-
(See OCEANOGRAPHY, Page 3)
Three New Staff Members
Named for Basic Division
By LOUISE JONES j Chairman Seminar Committee
Three guidance experts have; Ur. Jacobs is chairman of the
been appointed to the basic divis-1 seminar committee of the New
ion for the coming year. They i York Vocational Guidance Associa-
are Dr. Robert Jacobs, Dr. Albert tion. He is a member of the Amer-
J. Kingston, and Clifford H. Rans- j lean Psychological Association, Na-
dell. Their appointment was an
nounced by Dr. John R. Bertrand,
dean of the new division.
Dr. Jacobs will be administra
tive assistant to Dr. Arthur E.
Traxler, director of the Education
Records Bureau, as director of
counseling for the Basic Division.
From Murphysboro, Ill., he was
graduated with an Education de
gree from Southern Illinois Uni
versity.
He received his master’s from
the University of Illinois and his
doctor’s degree from Wayne Uni
versity. At present Dr. Jacobs is
teaching at the University of Ar
kansas. He has taught at Wayne
University, Rutgers University,
and the University of Alabama.
tional Vocational Guidance Asso
ciation, American Educational Re
search Association, American As
sociation for the Advancement of
bachelor of science degree.
Airforce Veteran
Dr. Kingston, an air force vet
eran, has served as training officer
for the Veterans Administration
assistant in the Remedial Reading
Clinic at Cornell and vocational ap
praiser of the Cornell Guidance
Center. A native of Kenmore,
Science, the National Council on I NY., he spent four years with
Measurement, and Phi Delta Kap-! q'" tis-Wr.ght Aircraft Corpora-
pa, education fraternity. He served | tl0 T r J - . , j, 4.1. xr 4.- i
as a clinical psychologist in the Q He f is * me ™ be , r °f the National
Army for three years and did re- Soc A i( *l { ° r u St ^ of Education,
eonvN m nvnhm™ fnv ^ phl Uelta Kappa. He is mar-
search in personnel problems for
the Ford Motor Company.
Dr. Jacobs, is married and has a
boy, 8, and a girl, 3.
Dr. Albert Kingston was named
director of remedial reading for
the Basic Division. He recently re
ceived his PhD in applied psychol
ogy from Cornell University and
also received his master’s there.
He was graduated from Buffalo
State Teacher’s College with a
ried.
Mr. Ransdell has been appointed
assistant to the dean of the Basic
Division. He is an associate pro
fessor of engineering drawing at
A&M, and was formerly assistant
to the dean of the college while
heading the A&M Annex at Bry
an Air Field this year.
He has been on the staff of A
&M since graduating from Texas
Technological College in 1937.
pany, subsidiary of the Anderson,
Clayton and Company of Houston,
until coming to A&M.
While stationed in Hartford,
Conn., in 1942 Stark married the
former Miss Jean Stinson of Con
roe, Tex.
Mrs. Stark is a graduate in geo
logy from the University of Texas.
She received her degree in 1940,
and was employed by the Humble
Oil and Refining Company as eval
uation engineer when they were
married.
Mr. and Mrs. Stark, living at
229 Milner, College Station, have
two children. Their boy, John, is
six years old, and they have a
daughter, Sallie, seven months old.
J. Wayne Stark
This man receives our nomination for a free supply of headache
powders. As director of the Memorial Student Center, Stark will
coordinate work on both the “pay” and the “play” sides of the
building’s operations. The 1939 A&M graduate has been working
for the past three years to ready one of the country’s largest and
most modern student centers. After winding up four successful
years at A&M, Stark studied law for two years at the University
of Texas.
Criminal Capone
Isn’t Only One
Monterrey Park, Calif.—UP)—
Citizens did a double take when
the local paper informed them:
“A1 Capone in gun business here.”
But upon reading further they
were reassured. A1 Capone, the
item continued, is not related to
the late notorious gangster; and
merely opened, with peaceful in
tent, a gun repair shop.
W. J. Lawson, president of the
Former Students Association in
1942-43, told of the history of
plans for the building. He traced
the plans back to a meeting in Dal
las which began the raising of
the required money. He recalled
that $51,000 was gathered during
the first year.
President Bolton expressed his
belief that the beginning of the
foundations of the Memorial Stu
dent Center would also begin the
foundation of a closer union of
those connected with A&M.
The first spade-full of earth was
placed in a dragline bucket which
transferred it to a dump truck. The
band played, the audience cheered,
and the work began. Now it is fin
ished. The physical portion is end
ed, that is, while the operation of
the MSC just begins.
The Center is a combination of
the dreams of thousands of ex-stu
dents, students, faculty and staff
members of the college. Students
began this dream over a decade
ago. The Classes of ’36 and ’37
left their funds to be given to the
Center whenever it opened. They
had enough belief in such a building
and its purpose. Their gifts of
money have been used to purchase
buffet silver, which will be marked
“Classes of ’36 and ’37.”
Although there have been forms
of “student centers” on the campus
for years, the MSC will be the first
building to meet the entire needs of
the A&M student body. The YMCA
and its staff have served the col
lege faithfully for many years in
its limited capacity, but as the
size of the college increased, it be
came unable to function sufficient
ly for all the students.
Director of the Center is J.
Wayne Stark, who graduated from
A&M in 1939. Stemming from his
office, the Center’s activities are
divided into two main divisions.
One is a business department,
which handles services such as the
66 air-conditioned guest rooms, the
32 rooms in the Aggieland Inn, a
deluxe dining room serving 160,
coffee shop seating 85, and a foun
tain room for 200.
This department also handles
banquet rooms, the gift shop, bowl
ing alley, barber shop, post office,
and telephone center. This divi
sion is headed by assistant director
and business manager Chris F.
Gent.
The other division is the social
and education department, lead by
Mrs. Ann Hilliard, former Center
director at the Annex.
The social and cultural recrea
tional program includes the brows
ing library, and art program, craft
shop, dark rooms for photography,
record room, dance areas, and
housing for the bulk of the meet
ings for campus groups.
Center to Organize
Recreation Groups
By BILL MEBANE
A&M’s new Memorial Student
Center will be a laboratory of
government and citizenship, if
plans made by the entire staff come
true.
At the Center, for example, a
student may be exposed to art ex
hibits, hobby studies, and many
other forms of recreation—both
mental and physical. He may be in
spired by one of these activities,
thus blending together cultural
interests and daily living.
Operation and maintenance costs
of the center will come from mem
bership fees, profits from its ser
vices, and appropriations. The ap
propriations, however, must come
locally, since no state money is
available for the operation and
maintenance of the Center.
Offices Planned
Most of the planning work of
the directorate will be performed
in its offices in the west wing
of the Center, in the Council Cham
ber. The committees and clubs
which will be a part of the MSC
program include the art gallery,
games committee, house committee,
browsing library, crafts, photo-
grapy, music, and dance commit
tees.
The house committee will be a
group of students to organize re
ceptions, coffee hours, and wel
coming parties. They will be given
a budget by the council. One scope
of their activities will be to give
receptions in which the students
and faculty of a department can
get together and get acquainted on
a social basis.
This committee will go to the
head of a department, for example
and invite all the members and
their wives to the reception. Then
through an open letter, all of the
majors of that department would
be invited.
Mrs. Ann Hilliard, social direct
or, will put badges on the com
mittee members and the house
committee will introduce the stu
dents and professors and help
create a common bond.
The browsing library committee
will have a budget to buy books
each month for the browsing
library. The library will be for,
pleasure, not for study.
Noted personalities will be in
vited to give book reviews, to
which the public will be invited.
Expenses of the reviewer while in
College Station will be taken care
of by the committee.
Art Lovers, Too
The art gallery committee will
be for those who wish to appreciate
art. Mrs. Ralph Terry wlil be the
advisor and will offer illustra
tions several times a week. The
committee plans exhibits of both
their work and outside work.
The games committee will be
composed of sub-committees of
majors of that department would
be invited.
the different games offered. For
example last year the Bridge Com
mittee won the regional finals
of the Intercollegiate Bridge Tpuj-
nament and were given a paid trip
to enter the national finals in Chi-
(See CLUBS, Page 6)
Quit Reserve, Called
To Navy Just the Same
Temple, Tex.,—<fP) — Bill D.
Gary, 23, of Temple, thought he
had resigned from the Naval Re
serve a year and a half ago.
A fireman in the Navy in World
War II, he wrote his letter of res
ignation, and the literature and
material from the Navy Reserve
stopped coming. He was married
and thought everything was fine.
But today—today came orders to
report Sept. 1 and a one-way trav
el voucher to a physical exam in
Dallas.
“Little did I know,” was his
comment.
Bertrand Will Head Division
By B. F. ROLAND
One of the many and various
duties of the A&M System Board
of Directors is to select the men to
head the administrative positions
of the college. In its May meet
ing, the Board was faced with the
problem of selecting a Dean of the
Basic Division.
The future of the Division was
in the hands of the Board. Were
the members to select a man who
had insufficient abilities and char
acter to fulfill the obligations of
his position, the Basic Division
would ultimately fail in its purpose
to aid new students.
The achievement record of the
man they selected, John R. Ber
trand, speaks for itself.
A Native Texan
Born on a North Texas farm,
Bertrand graduated from high
school in 1932. While in high
school, Bertrand took an active
part in school activities, particular
ly the Future Farmers of America.
He was awarded the American
Farmer degree, and has served as
state vice president of the associa
tion.
Soon after graduation, he, with
the help of his mother, a brother
and two sisters, was forced to take
over the operation of their farm
following the death of his father.
In 1937, Bertrand entered Texas
Technological College where he
majors in agricultural education.
He received his Master’s Degree
from the same college in Rural
Sociology and Economics. From
Tech., the Basic Division’s new
dean attended the University of
Missouri where he worked toward
his doctorate in Rural Sociology.
Called Into Service
The Navy then stepped in to
change any of Bertrand’s plans for
the immediate future. Entering
the service in 1942, he received his
indoctrination training at Notre
Dame, and mid-shipman’s training
at Columbia. He was commission
ed in October, 1942.
Because of lack of rank equality
in the other services of the Navy,
Bertrand entered the Submarine
Services of the Navy, Bertrand en
tered the Submarine Service where
all men were on an equal basis as
a team. As construction and re
pair officer, he helped to construct
the “Bowfin” on which he later
served 18 months as Torpedo Gun
nery officer in the Southwest Pa
cific. The “Bowfin” was com
mended for meritorius action, and
Bertrand, then a Lieutenant re
ceived the Silver Star and Gold
Star.
He was then ordered to return
to port to aid in constructing an
other submarine but was dis
charged soon afterward.
His next stop was Sam Houston
State College where he served as
professor of sociology and veteran
advisor. He first arrived on this
campus in September 1946 when
he took a position in the Depart
ment of Rural Sociology. After a
year in that position, he was named
assistant to the Dean of Agricul
ture.
To Receive Ph.D.
In 1948, Bertrand was given a
leave of absence to attend Cornell
University on a General Education
Board Fellowship. There he com
pleted Student Personnel work for
his Ph.D. tHcsis. The degree will
be conferred Sept. 6
He is the father of four children,
three girls and a boy. Mrs. Ber-
trand is a graduate of TSCW.
He is a member of Phi Delta
Kappa, the National Society for
Study of Education, the American
Sociological Society, and the Rar-
al Sociology Society, as well a»
several others.