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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1950)
i Page 1 College Station, Texas, Friday, Sept. 22, 1950 J * i *- In operation for a week, A&M’s new Memorial Student Center stands out beautifully as the highlight of campus structures. Designed and constructed to give an “invitational” look, the building does just that with its wide entrances and modern appearances. Inside are - numerous lounges, hotel rooms, gift shop, barber shop, bowling lanes, a dining room, coffee shop and fountain room, and other conveniences for A&M students, former students, and faculty and staff members. Stark’s Work Now Begins— After 3 Years of Planning MSC to Begin New Era of Student Life “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 renovated 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. During April of 1948, Stark made a comprehensive study of the business and social aspects of college centers, by visiting some of the nation’s best Student Centers. Studied Other 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 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 Cbrps. 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 Gulf Atlantic Warehouse Com 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 jvere 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. Barber Shop Will Move from YMCA The MSC Barber Shop now in the YMCA basement, will remain there until the barber shop located in the lower level of the Memorial Student Center building is ready for operation. The opening of this shop has been delayed because of late deliveries of new furniture and fixtures. W. H. Freiberger, who worked in the Varsity Barber Shop until it closed, is manager; and working along with him are J. R. Schoppe, Eddie Novosad, and E. D. Cunning ham. The day was Sept. 20, 1948. The first spadefull of earth was placed in a dragline bucket which trans ferred it to a dump truck. The band played, the audience cheered, and work began on the Memorial Student Center. / Now it is finished. The period of planning and construction is ended, while the operation just be gins. The Center is a combination of the dreams of thousands of ex-stu dents, students, and faculty and staff members of the college. Stu dents began this dream over 25 years ago. The Classes of ’35 and ’36 left their funds to be given to the pro posed Student Center, when and if it ever opened. They had enough belief in such a building and its purpose. Their gifts of money have been used to purchase buffet silver, which is appropriately marked, “Classes of ’35 and ’36.” • Open to All The Student Center’s life will be centered around the students and for them. If any group wishes to have a chess club, book review club, or any other kind of organi zation, all they have to do is to see the social and educational di rector, Mrs. Ann Hilliard, or her assistant, Miss Betty Bolander, and they will gladly aid in organizing it. The MSC will be a favorite place for the Aggies to bring their week end dates for with its adequate lounges, and eating and recrea tional facilities, it offers a place for every kind of campus event. New Era Begins With the opening of the doors of the Memorial Student Center to the student body and public last Friday, a new era in the life at A&M College began. For now the students have a home on the cam pus and a place to lounge, partici pate in games, attend club meet ings, and become acquainted with the newest and best Student Cen ter in the Southwest. The modern air-conditioned building represents many long hours of planning and construc tion. A Student Center for A&M was first conceived as far back as 1920. It was a dream of all the exes, staff, and faculty members of the college. In 1948, this dream, long on pa per, became an actuality. President F. C. Bolton turned the first spade of dirt and construction began. $51,000 Raised At this groundbreaking ceremo ny W. J. Lawson, president of the Former Students Association in 1942-43, told of the history of the plans for the construction. He traced the beginning of the fund raising campaign to a Dallas meet ing of special committee members. Lawson recalled that $51,000 was gathered during the first year. President Bolton expressed his belief that the beginning of the Memorial Student Center would also begin the foundation of a closer union for those connected with A&M. Its opening is a highlight in this 75th Anniversary Year, for those who have long dreamed of it and wanted it, for the present student body, and for the future students, who will wonder how A&M ever got along without such excellent facilities. - ' Robert McKee Co. Completes MSC General Contract General contractor for the Me morial Student Center was Robert E. McKee General Contractor Inc., headquarters in El Paso with branch offices at Dallas, Los An geles, and Santa Fe. Robert E. McKee Sr., is its president. This corporation constructed part of the atomic bomb project at Los Alamos, several large Veterans Administration Hospitals, at Wa co, Kerrville, Los Angeles, Spo kane, and Big Spring. At present they are constructing a $7,750,000 hospital at New Or leans and one to cost $7,024,000 at Oklahoma City. They are build ing the new Hotel Statler at Los Angeles, which will cost approxi mately $20 million. Large Staff Robert E. McKee Inc. has a large number of key personnel, whose average employment period is oyer ten years. Some of them have been with the organization for over thirty years. Kenneth R. Simmons, who was construction superintendent for the Memorial Student Center, has con structed several large projects. He attended the University of Arkan sas, and A&M College at Los Cruces, N.M. Harold P. Carney Jr., field engineer on the project, is a graduate of Texas A&M. Heading the Dallas office, in charge of MSC construction are J. Gimarc and Robert E. McKee Jr., vice-presidents. Many A&M graduates are in their employment. This company has made the practice of taking several of them year to year and has usually started them in the es timating department or on field projects. J. Wayne Stark Top man on the Memorial Student Center staff is director Stark, An A&M graduate of 1939. His duties are to coordinate all depart ments of the MSC for the smooth functioning necessary in operation •f « building of this type. Nerve center of the Memorial Student Center is the purchasing de partment, with its job of purchasing items, both big and little, for successful operation of the MSC. Portion of the staff are, left to right, Mrs. Marilyn Gower, Mrs. Suzie Blume, and Mrs. Jennie Spray. All three are wives of A&M students.