Battalion Editorials
Page 2 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1952
Prof’s Best Lectures
Are Completed On Time
JT>HE POPULARITY of a professor and the
class he teaches is many times at stake
when ne fails to dismiss his class on time.
Classes are scheduled to begin every hour
on the hour and last 50 minutes. What
makes things difficult is that the same
teacher who may let the students out late,
is also the one who complains the most when
students stagger in a few minutes after the
hour.
Simple observance of the rule will help
both prof and student.
Fortunately the number of offenders on
this campus is small, but those few will nev
er see this, since they probably are preparing
now a 60-minute lecture.
Of course, we don’t expect a professor
to stop abruptly when the 10 minute per
iod arrives. But when the high point of the
lecture comes between 15 minutes of and the
end of the hour, students burn.
If any topic is so important that it must
be included in the current lecture, then a
logical suggestion is to begin the discussion
with it. Students probably retain much
more of what is said at the beginning of the
hour than in the closing seconds, when notes
are put away, thoughts are-aimed at making
the next class on time, others are waking
up. Profs should realize this.
A simple hint to the approaching D-hour
•
Impiety—your irreverance toward
my diety.—Ambrose Bierce.
MSC Creates
Better Relations
/^NE OF THE campus’ most used organiza-
^ tions, the Student Center, is operated by
an administrative staff which seems to be
progressing steadily each day in the right
direction: That direction: Operating in the
interest of a greater A&M College.
They are doing this by improving their
understanding with their employes, thus
having better trained personnel.
A recent move in this direction was the
issuance of a 10 page mimeographed book
let which explains the Center and the job
each person is expected to do in addition to
his regular duties.
The booklet says:
“Your selection for a job in the Student
Center is a selection for a job with the State
of Texas, for the Student Center is a depart
ment of a state owned institution. You rep
resent A&M College when you work at the
Center. You are the Center, as far as the
students and visitors are concerned. You
can make or lose friends for the Center and
for the school by your actions . . . it’s a re
sponsibility. Accept it.”
If more departments on the campus
stressed to its personnel to work in this same
direction, a greater A&M would be much
closer.
(dismissal) is the usual preparation with
lighting of cigarettes.
For both the students and prof’s benefit,
on-time-endings of classes will make for bet
ter learning. .
•
Editorials Stimulate
Individual Thought
l^DITORIALS must often serve a greater
purpose than explaining the stand of an
editor. They must show where the editor
is right with his ideas, and at the same time,
ignite into the mind of his readers a desire
to think.
Our editorials are written thusly a great
er part of the time. We present to you, not
only our thoughts, but what others think
to have you uncover your own ideas on the
subject.
H. W. Beecher explained ideas like this:
“When young men are beginning life, the
most important period, it is often said, is
that in which their habits are formed. That
is a very important period. But the period
in which the ideas of the young are formed
and adopted is more important still.
. “For the ideal with which you go forth
to measure things determines the nature, so
far as you are concerned, of everything you
meet.”
To form correct ideals, individuals must
think. Many times a tired brain, caused
either by laziness or lack of individual
thought exercise, will not function unless
spurred by an external force. We try to be
that force.
m
Christmas Seal
Sale Needs You
rrUiE 46TH ANNUAL Christmas Seal sale
to fight tuberculosis opened Monday.
In mail boxes here in College Station and
across the nation, the fight was started
against the disease which kills more persons
each year in this country than all other in
fectious and parasitic diseases combined.
This fight is made possible by the sale of
Christmas Seals.
College Station contributes $1,000 annual
ly from its Community Chest, yet there are
many of us who fail to give to either group.
The students are not expected to con
tribute as much as others, but each dona
tion will help someone else.
Christmas Seals can be used on mail and
gifts in making packages attractive. Money
given to the fight against TB is health insur
ance for you, your family, your friends.
Help fight TB in 1952. Answer the
Christmas seal greetings and assist in set
ting up a barrier against the disease.
The Battalion
Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions
“Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman”
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, is published
by students four times a week, during the regular school year. During the summer terms, and examina
tion and vacation periods. The Battalion is published twice a week. Days *of publication are Tuesday
through Friday for the regular school year, and Tuesday and Thursday during examination and va
cation periods and the summer terms. Subscription rates $6.00 per year or $.50 per month. Advertising
rates furnished on request.
Entered as second-class matter at
Post OfGce at College Station, Tex
as under the Act of Congress of
March 3, 1870.
Member of
The Associated Press
Represented nationally by National
Advertising Services, Inc., at New
York City, Chicago, Lbs Angeles,
and San Francisco.
. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all news dispatches cred
ited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein.
Rights of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved.
News contributions may be made by telephone (4-5444 or 4-7604) or at the editorial office room, 202
Goodwin Hall. Classified ads may be placed by telephone (4-5324) or at the Student Activities Office,
Room 209 Goodwin Hall.
FRANK N. MANITZAS, JOEL AUSTIN
Ed Holder
Harri Baker
Peggy Maddox
Co-Editors
Chuck Neighbors
Bob Hendry
Ed Holder
Today’s Issue
News Editor
Assistant News Editor
Sports News Editor
Jerry Bennett, Bob Hendry, Joe Hipp, Chuck
Neighbors, Bob Seileck News Editors
Gus Becker Associate Sports Editor
Vernon Anderson, Bob Boriskie, William Buckley,
Arnold Damon, Robert Domey, Allen Hays,
Joe Hladek, Bill Foley, Ed Fries, Raymond
Gossett, Carl Hale, Jon Kinslow, H. M.
Krauretz, Jim Larkin. Steve Lilly, Kenneth
Livingston. Clay McFarland, Dick Moore, Ro
land Reynolds, John Moody, Bob Palmer. Bill
Shepard, and Tommy Short Staff News Writers
Jfie B, Mattel..., Editorial Writer
Jerry Wizig. Jerry Neighbors, Hugh Philippus
Gerald Estes Sports News Writers
Jerry Bennett, Bob Hendry.
Jon Kinslow, Ed Fries
Willson Davis
Gene Ridell, Perry Shepard. .
Bob Godfrey
Bob Seileck, Leon Boettcher
Keith Nickle, Roddy Peeples.
Garder Collins
T belt on McCorcie
Amusements
City News Editors
Circulation Manager
Advertising Representatives
Photo Engraving Shop Manager
. . . 7 Photo-Engravers
Staff Photographers
File Clerk
Staff Cartoonist
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FRANKLY SPEAKING
Reader Disagrees
6 Why Ike Won’
College, Students
Share In Errors
Editors, The Battalion:
I am one of those several mil
lion voters who cast a ballot for
the first time (in a presidential
election, that is) on Nov. 4. There
is no doubt in my mind as to
whether or not I voted wrong as
there seems to be in yours. You
see, I voted for Stevenson!
I would like to point out several
facts which very likely had not
been called to your attention be
fore now. In' the first place you
said that “Eisenhower got the nod,
however, and they were faced with
a man who had clean political
record.” Eisenhower could not pos
sibly have anything but a clean
political record, since he has no
political record at all. That is,
unless you consider his ptfesidency
at Columbia political, and the en
tire world recognizes that he was
a failure at this.
Secondly, it is just possible that
you do not realize that the very
and only reason that the young
people of today have heard noth
ing but corruption in government
is the big business industries will
ed it that way. They would let the
newspaper and radio commentators
say nothing else. They could do
this because they control prac
tically every major newspaper and
radio commentator in the United
States, yet we speak of a free
press. I cite for example Henry
J. Taylor, sponsored by General
Motors on Monday night at 7 over
ABC. If you wish to hear a very
biased approach to the world news,
try that one!
Lastly, I would like to point out
to you that there are more dis
honest bankers today than govern
ment workers. The president of the
bank is not held responsible when
an employee, who works right un
der his nose, embezzles funds; yet
the Republicans have tried to make
Mr. Truman responsible for every
act of approximately two million
government workers.
When history is written in later
years, and people are able to look
at 'the Truman Administration
from the unbiased- point of view
concerning overall policy; I agree
with the many commentators who
are now saying that this adminis
tration will go down as the one in
history which did more for the
United States of America as a na
tion than any other.
Mrs. J. B. Goss
Beeville, Texas
EDITOR’S NOTE: Eisenhower’s
clean political record was attribut
ed to-the fact he had not been en
gaged in politics before this elec
tion. His term at Columbia Uni
versity could not be called a poli
tical venture, and he was there for
such a short time no one could
really say he was a failure. In our
estimation he was tendered the job
strictly as a means of giving the
institution prestige, and did not
actually get into the real tasks of
president before being called to
Europe.
Republicans and big business are
usually regarded as one and the
same, we believe you are wrong
that big business controls all news
papers and keeps us from having
a free press. Few papers would
survive if they did not present the
news in a fair, unbiased manner.!
They, do, however, reserve the
editorial page for the paper’s own:
views.
But to say we no longer have aj
free press because of big business]
control is a vast overstatement.
As for the dishonest bankers!
and dishonest government workers*
we can not say which is most ex-!
cessive. The banker is not held re-)
sponsible by the people for hir-j
ing a dishonest employee, but he
is not considered the leader of all
people who bank there. President
Truman is considered the leader of
his party, the number one Demo
crat. If men he has appointed to
office take paid; in corrupt activ
ities, he and his party are blamed.
And since when can we compare
a public office with a private of-,
fice, especially when most of the
appointments to public jobs are
through political ties.
You say when history is written
in later years, you wT^ agree with
the commentators who feel the
Truman Administration will go
down as one of the greatest. Are
you not picking out something one
commentator has said that you
like, while at the same time you
scorn men like Taylor for being
biased ? Certainly we heard no
commentators who sided with big
business claiming that Truman
would someday be known as a
great man.
Writer Out of Job
Seeks Work Here
Editors, The Battalion:
I’m an unemployed editorial
writer and I would like to apply
for a position on your paper. I’ve
been reading a lot of your editor
ials and I think I can write the
same kind of material that you
do. Here’s an example.
Ah, there’s good news tonight.
It looks as if we’ll pull through
the crisis. But, if you stop and
think, you’ll see that good always
wins over bad and evil. And that’s
the way it should he. This old
world would be a bad place to live
in if things weren’t that way.
Heaven knows, things get pretty
bad anyway.
But we must keep our moral
up, our spirits high, and do the
things that those who know best
tell us to do. And who knows best ?
A personal word please.
Do you ever feel like doing
something that’s not in the book,
the economy-sized, blue one? Well.
We ask you, for your sake and the
sake of others, don’t. Don’t do it.
Thank you, thank you very much,
and now back to our editorial
please.
Here’s a ^prediction. We predict
that if any quizzes are given to
morrow some of the students will
fail these quizzes. Why do' things
like this have to happen? There
can be only one logical answer—
the students are not well rounded.
They cling to their old attitude
and mannerisms and are thereby
held from progressing faster. Your
editors humbly believe that we
should be progressive and we shall
try bravely to uphold our beliefs.
J. W. Davis ’52
EDITOR’S NOTE: See “Edito
rials Stimulate Indivi dual
Thought.” The Battalion is a stu
dent newspaper, by and for stu
dents. We welcome you and oth
ers who wish to join our staff.
The Battalion’s door is never clos
ed.
Harrington Attends
New Orleans Meet
President Harrington left Sat-
urday for the meeting of the
Southern Regional Education
Board, held in Neu r Orleans this
[week.
The three-day meeting, which
|began Sunday, is being held in the
'International House in New Or
leans.
J Harrington is expected to return
today.
Who are they that would have all mankind look, backward
instead of forward, and regulate their conduct by things that
have been done? Those who are the most ignorant as to all
things that are doing.—Colton.
By FRANK N. MANITZAS
Battalion Co-Editor
|T WAS UNUSUAL to say the least, but the new professor
would not be stopped. We tried to reason with him, but he
would not stay.
“No sir. You can’t keep me here,” he said, holding- both
bags under his arms. We tried to explain that the corps wai
not as mad as he thought, and that they were only starting
one of their annual traditions—the TU bonfire.
“No sir. You can’t kid me. I know why they are building
that bonfire.” And with two shakes he was aboard the train
and gone.
We did not have time to explain the reason for the tra
ditional bonfire, but he had slipped a note in the palm of our
hand before he left, This is part of what he said:
“ . . . I often wonder who is at fault with the running
of the Corps of Cadets at A&M. It seems a dual mistake, yet
neither side seems to have any intention of admitting its
error. I speak of both the administration and the students.
Administration’s Fault—Lack of Clarity .
“The administration must be
blamed for not having in print
what they mean by hazing—physi
cal or mental. How do they ex
pect underclassmen to know when
they are being hazed, and conse
quently, upperclassmen who are
hazing? Of course, one always
knows when he is being hazed phy
sically.
“However, there is not any form
of punishment in the college regu
lations being used correctly. Even
one of the cadet officers at a class
meeting recently said the seniors
were responsible for the laxity of
discipline through failure to use
the methods provided.
“Everyone will admit they don’t
want A&M to be similar to West
Point in military standards or
techniques, but surely, no A&M ca
det should be treated as a child
wiien discipline is being enforced.
The military academy has in a 28-
page booklet what the upperclass
men expect of the underclassman.
This is adhered to by the students
and the institution, for everyone
knows where they stand.
“Concerning bracing, the manual
says:
‘The position of attention known
as bracing is corrective, not purfi-
tive, in nature. Upperclassmen will
see that it is in accordance with
current instructions issued by the
director of physical education. Up
perclassmen will touch a fourth
classman (freshman) only with the
specific permission of the fourth
classmen concerned. Fourth class-
men will never be braced individ
ually in public.”
“A&M has no such rule. How
does it expect its cadet officers
or underclassmen to know what is
meant by a brace or hazing w T heu
no one has bothered to tell them ?
They have told them, of course,
that it is illegal or that it no long
er exists at A&M. That’s told to
you before you attend A&M.”
We turned to the second page
the letter.
First Conversation Misunderstood
“It’s a shame our conversation
was misunderstood by so many
persons. Many thought I was com
plaining about the speaking being
poor.
“It wasn’t that. I was concern-'
ed, with the inability of men to do
what they say, follow and issue or
ders. But most important, they lack
the adaptability to a changing way
of life, to a changing military ser
vice which for its very existence
must adapt itself rapidlly to new
situations.
“Respect will not be gained for
the seniors, nor will better discip
line be found at A&M using physi
cal exei-cise as punishment, or
19 New Alpha Zeta
Members Selected
Nineteen new members were se
lected by the Texas Alpha Chapter
of Alpha Zeta Monday night in
Room 2C of the MSC.
The new Alpha Zeta members
w r ere selected on the basis of char
acter, scholarship, and optential
leadership qualities in the agricul
ture field. •
For membership in Alpha Zeta,
an applicant needs a scholastic
average in the upper two-fifths of
the School of Agriculture. A can
didate’s extra-curricular activities
are considered in addition to his
scholastic work.
The names of new members will
be released after initiation cere
monies to be held soon.
having an open freshman area, *r
no senior companies, of allowing
non-reg privileges for seniors after
5 p. m. and Sunday, or midnight
yell practice off the campus.
“It is immature of students to
think they should be respected be
cause of two or three years senior
ity in college.
“Respect will be shown to those
who prove themselves worthy.
They will be those individuals who
are men of integrity, on whom one
can thoroughly depend. They will
be the friends, faithful and true;
the advisers, honest and fearless;
the adversary, just and chivalrous.
These men will be respected.
“Why the students and the ad
ministration cannot work together
in formulating differences between
tradition, custom, duties and staf‘
bull, is beyond my comprehension,
“I only wish that I could stay
around and get part of my bug
fare to another college. But th^t
bonfire. See you at the University
of Vienna ...”
Award Scholarships
Explained to Kiwanis
Opportunity Award Scholarships
were explained to the Kiwanis
Club yesterday by E. E. McQuil-
len, director of the development
fund.
Next week’s Kiwanis program
will be a Thanksgiving message
by the Rev. Clyde S. Sherman, pas
tor of Central Christian. Church,
Waco.
P O G O
By Walt Kelly f
LI’L ABNER Oh, Happy Sadie Hawkins Day
By A1 Capp