Page 2
THE BATTALION
Wednesday, April 8, 1953
THE AGGIE-nizer
A&M Needs Top Students
In Addition to Top Athletes
By JOEL AUSTIN
Battalion Co-Editor
A&M’s fine organization of former
students is making great progress with
its development fund and other projects
for the betterment of
this college. But there
is an underlying motive
in the mind of many
former students that
should be checked be
fore it goes too far.
This motive, or objec
tive, can cause a great
deal of harm if allowed
in excess.
We are speaking of
over-empnasis on athletics. There are
former students who complain our ath
letic program is badly deteriorating and
all possible efforts must be made to fur
nish the college with top athletes. And if
this material they furnish doesn’t produce
winning teams, they say get coaches who can
win games.
Some former students opposed the ex
pansion to Kyle Field, which includes build
ing a new press box and 2,800 seats in the
center section. They contend the money could
best be spent on scholarships and fixing up
facilities for athletes. One former student be
lieves an “all-out” program should be under
taken to secure good athletes. “Buy them all
Cadillacs, if necessary!” he says.
Apparently many of these men are for
getting that something more basic, more
wholesome is set about in the purpose of an
institution of higher learning. This college
was established to teach and to educate.
One of the college requirements is that
students—including athletes — pass a pre
scribed amount of academic work to be en
rolled. The Southwest Conference has regula
tions which state how many hours must be
passed by an athlete in order for him to main
tain eligibility.
Students and exes of the University of
Texas are crying because their Olympic track
star Dean Smith is scholastically ineligible
for SWC competition this season. One re
marked recently “I understand the professor
that flunked him doesn’t like athletics.”
Academics, Then Athletics
We recognize the fact most athletes are
given special privileges for the time and ef
fort they put in training and practicing for
their sport. But they should not be given
grades just because they perform on Saturday
afternoon. We can name any number of these
men who are proficient scholastically as well
as athletically. The valedictorian of last year’s
graduating class, Jaro Netardus of El Campo,
was an end on the football team.
Academics come first, and then athletics.
A college should be great because of the rec
ords it establishes in the field of education and
in the quality of men it graduates—not because
of athletic victories.
We believe if these former students who
spend so much time trying to provide A&M
with top athletes would spend just one-fourth
of those efforts in securing top scholastic high
school graduates, our academic rating would
be upped several notches.
The Former Students Association has an
excellent program for providing scholarships
to needy high school graduates. This Oppor
tunity Award program has given boys a thor
ough education with a very low personal ex
penditure required.
Why not include a program to offer schol
arships to the top ranking students in Texas
high schools, and direct efforts toward gain
ing their enrollment at A&M ?
Yet many former students continually as
sociate nothing but athletics with the name
A&M. They talk about more money for ath
letic scholarships and getting better coaches.
A group is now talking of getting a higher
salary for a head football coach and giving
him a contract in excess of one year. We re
member how some members of the former stu
dents group bought up the last long term con
tract given a football coach.
Remember FSA Objectives
Many of the objectives of the Association
are being overlooked by our former students.
Including aid to the college athletic teams,
here are some of the FSA objectives furnished
us by their office on the campus:
© Increasing student enrollment and im
proving its quality through cooperation with
A&M men over the state.
• Encouraging and cooperating with all
A&M clubs and their activities.
© Aiding the legislative program of the
A&M College System.
® Extending every aid possible to the
athletic program of the college and helping
A&M men and clubs to do the same.
• Administration of student loan funds
(in the six figure bracket).
• Promoting, encouraging, and organizing
various A&M former student activities such as
class reunions, Muster Day programs, annual
meetings, etc.
® Cementing and keeping alive the deep
affection of A&M men for each other and for
their Alma Mater—and concentrating and ap
plying the influence of A&M men for the ad
vantage of their school and for themselves.
We believe a statement to ex-students of
the University of Kentucky by its former pres
ident Frank LeRond McVey has particular sig
nificance in this discussion.
“The great alumnus is the one who re
joices in the advancement of his Alma Mater
and does not mourn for the old days. He has
a kindly memory for those days and looks
back upon them as something to be cherished
and as a happy part of his life. If he is a
great alumnus, he knows his university cannot
stand still.
“New faces must appear in the faculties,
new buildings must be built on the campus, and
changes must take place in the curriculum and
its procedure of his college. • His university
must be a contributor to the life of his time
as it was in previous generations.
YOU and Mediocrity
Educators Should Cor^
HarmfulEffects of'Eq ^
eball t
From the Purdue Exponent: but here the idea starts to break wouldn’t >rce Bit
“Are we placing a premium on down. stock ol noon a~®i
mediocrity?” This question is well Just as it is commonly obser- and then;n Hou ss-
worth consideration, and it should vable that all men are not created possible .
“. . . 1 have often thought the reason for especially considered by the equal in physical stature, it is only possess! itai-ted
alumni’s being so enthusiastic about athletics field of education. naive to believe that all men are Wouldrs last
is that they do not know much elese of what q u1 . coun try is founded on the created with equal abilities. On top take prijhe Be»_
their Alma Mater is doing. Perhaps institu- principle of equality, but contrary of this inequality of ability, there complisk wildne =r-
tions have been neglectful in not giving to -^3^ SO me would have us be- is also an inequality of those fact- let some picked
lieve, there are several limiting ors which enable men to exploit can’t do! the sec^r
factors to this concept. We can and make use of talents and abili- Isn’t t zed
guarantee equality before the law ties. criminati walks
by the protection of certain rights Instead of feeling sorry for our- Why r. tches ^
and we can provide, in as much as selves and others when we find that mes
alumni the plans and difficulties of the insti
tution.”
A&M’s Distinctive Qualifications
A&M has many things to be proud of.
r sib1 *- •O'-"* «"**<» »» '«<*«« - ■ aft
this land-grant college has established itself
in an important place in the educational sys
tem of the country.
Dr. David H. Morgan, dean of the college,
has compiled a partial list of particular dis-
JUST TOO DARNED BUSY
Included in this list
tinctions A&M enjoys
are the following:
® Basic Division—A&M is one of the few
colleges in the country with a Basic Division in
which all freshmen enroll for administrative
purposes in an effort to see the new student
will be adequately supervised to assist in his
adjustment to college life.
® Agriculture—Sixth largest in the US;
one of the most modern and best equipped col
lege dairy, poultry, and livestock plants in the
country.
• Arts and Sciences—Graduates about 20
pre-medical and pi'e-dental students every
year and their record at dental and medical
schols is among the best in Texas; one of five
top colleges in US offering instruction in
oceanography.
© Engineering—Largest engineering en
rollment in state; the various departments are
gaining national fame for research on techni
cal projects; only school in this section of the
country that offers a degree in geophysics;
Personal Aircraft Research Center is the only
agency of its kind in the world.
© Military Science—A&M has one of the
most comprehensive programs of training in
military and air science in the nation; it en
rolls the largest corps of cadets in the country
and is the nation’s greatest source of trained
officer reserves for the Army and Air Force.
® Veterinary Medicine—One of the 17 ac
credited vet schools in the US; has graduated
1,045 DVMs.
® Graduate School—A Masters degree
program in more than 40 fields; PhD degree
programs in more than 15 fields.
We suggest that members of the Former
Students Association consider these fine quali- Funeral services have been set
fications — and hundreds more — which have for Dr. Thomas H. Haltom Sr. and
been gathered to show reasons why A&M is Dr. Royce H. Leroy, A&M chemis-
outstanding, in addition to the athletic pro- try professors, who were killed
gram. Saturday in a boat explosion on
not admit
sad wor; 1
equal? ■
We retgjtf
ment, for L
be no ikm
i nmc If
terns. If 1
students q g AT ft
on the StafL :
penalty -24 - 7 : ^
for six ni
that this5
There
place the.;
and to ti/tfi
dividual
that h u"
educators-!
cognize th
not equal-"“h SHER?
they be-
pulate six CAB I '
Funeral Services Set
For Haltom and LeRoy
College benedict
ply has:
state IxiajStYW
ManhjES't
supply got], u
100 rating
Mayor £■]
tified efbj
(ieorge W. I
ceiv
Making: <
engineer Ch|
trict engit i
Perhaps these men would be interested in the Neches River near Beaumont.
obtaining a complete list of Dean Morgan’s
findings to help in securing academically out
standing high school graduates.
A&M needs athletes, but it also needs stu
dents with a high academic potential. Why
can’t a little of the work directed toward get
ting athletes be shifted to getting boys with
high school marks ?
A college proves its worth in the men it
educates, not in the number of athletic con
tests won and lost.
The funeral of Dr. Thomas H.
Haltom Sr., 505 Bryan Ave. of
Bryan, will be held at 2 p. m. to-
Mary LeRoy; a son, William Leroy,
and one grandchild.
Family Requests
The family requests that flowers —-
not be sent to the service but that and city sn) 1 — ° n ■■ - ed -
contributions to the Heart Fund or L. P. Dula.- ,
to other charitable organizations "I \varA caf erii
be made.
Leroy joined the
A AM teach ,
day in the chapel of the Hillier ing staff five years ago and he 1'igh sanit L
officials f itUret 1 <
BF
Home in Bryan. Dr. W. H. Andrew, was active in chemical
pastor of the First Baptist Church
of Bryan whei*e Halton was a
research.
His body is being taken over
land to Houston from Beaumont by
The lat mev, T
put signs pney- i
the city sat 1/1
member, will officiate. Interment the Williams Funeral Home of ply Appro' ^y & ]
will be in the Bryan City Cemetery.
Born in Benchlcy, May 12, 189(i,
Haltom was 56 years of age. He
Beaumont for cremation.
The two were accompanied at
the time of the accident by Elmo
NEWS BRIEFS
Pageant Ticket Sales Start
Honor Code Vote
Results Unkown
was a member of the teaching Daunie, a Texas Gull Sulfur Coin-
staff of the A&M chemistry de- P an y employe, He was also killed.
nicnt of Hi
Ran Bosw
be ready it
College
from the c
partment. He was involved in
chemical research. Haltom was a
35 years resident of Bryan.
Haltom’s Survivors
A GOODWILL TRAIN contain- p.m., will be greeted by representa-
ing 160 Shreveport businessmen tives of the Bryan-College Station
and manufacturers will make a two Chambers of Commerce and Col-
hour stop here Thursday, said Less- lege Station Development Associa-
lei Kelly, of the Bryan Chamber tion. They will have lunch with
of Commerce. the College Station Kiwanis in the
The visitors, arriving at 12:05 MSC, they leave for Houston.
The Battalion
MOTHER’S DAY activities will
be discussed in the Student Senate
meeting to be held Thursday, ac
cording to Robert (Bob) Travis,
president.
Other topics of discussion are
student-professor relations, Aggie
Muster, Senate banquet, and a
writing of constitutional amend
ments on elections, Travis said.
Results of yesterday’s vot
ing on the honor code have
not been reported to deans of
the schools.
The trio was conducting chemical
research in the Neches River. The
bodies were found near the re
mains of a 23-foot fire-razed cruis
er which the men had rented for
Stale PIS 1
Set for
Survivors are his widow, Mrs. their work.
Sybil Johnson Haltom of Bryan;
The Texa;
Show will k
nwiL Observers from Beaumont said
three sons, Bart Haltom of Cleve- an explosion ripped the boat. The ^May, Ma;
hull was found burned to the wat- Science uc
Ballots were distributed in
some of the classes but the re
sults have not been tabulated.
Many classes have not yet
voted.
land, Lt. Col. Charles Haltom of
the United States Air Force stat- erline near an island in the river,
ioned in Germany, and T. H. Hal
tom, Jr. of Bemchley; two sisters,
Mrs. L. E. Sikes of Bryan and Mrs.
Roger McGee of Navasota. Also
Wives Club Holds
. Three electrical engineering surviving are five grandchildren.
Bridge Tourney
Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions
“Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman”
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechan
ical College of Texas, is published by students four times a week, during
the regular school year. During the summer terms, and examination
and vacation periods. The Battalion is published twice a week. Days of
publications are Tuesday through Friday for the regular school year,
and Tuesday and Thursday during examination and vacation periods desk,
and the summer terms. Subscription rates $6.00 per year or $.50 per
month. Advertising rates furnished on request.
COTTON PAGEANT and Ball
ticket sales started today, said
Fritz Welsch, head of the arrange
ments committee.
Tickets can be purchased at the
Student Activities Office, Room 201
Agronomy building, MSC main
Lipscombs Pharmacy and
sections have been working un
der the code for a week, said
H. W. Barlow, dean of engi
neering.
“I have no idea how many
classes will vote for the code,
but I don’t think it should be
pushed too fast,” Bai'low said.
Memorial services for Dr. Royce
H. LeRoy, 53, of 1010 Foster Dr.
at College Station will be held
Friday at 4 p. m. in the A&M
Methodist Church. Ferris Baker,
It is an 1
show in *
judged ap iru s.\
rather than
other. Tropt Jl
Grand Chn: ''
three divinkl
During th rfel/P;
bership in
The Aggie Wives Bridge Club
will sponsor Saturday a bridge
tournament in the MSC Assembly
Room at 8 p. m.
The contest is open to everyone, general mantis
director of the Wesley Foundation The admission fee will be $1 a cheries and -'
at Denton will conduct the service, couple. The tickets can be bought on, owner
at the door. Ideal Haleb
Science CM ^
Joe Fechtel: Jmfei
Entered as second - class
matter at Post Office at
College Station, Texas
under the Act of Con
gress of March 3, 1870.
Member of
The Associated Press
Represented nationally by
National Advertising
WSD Clothiers in Bryan. Reserve
tickets ai-e $1.50 and general ad
mission $1.
Services, Inc.,
York City, Chicago, Eos
Angeles, and San Fran
cisco.
TWO GRADUATES of A&M
received advanced degrees recent
ly from Harvard University.
of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. leceived his bacheloi of aichitec-
ture from Harvard and John B.
News contributions may be made by telephone (4-5444 or 4-7604) or p a xson of Houston, BS in agri-
at the editorial office room, 202 Goodwin Hall. Classified ads may be cu ]ture, 1948, has received his
placed by telephone (4-5324) or at the Student Activities Office, Room
209 Goodwin Hall.
Master of Arts degree from Har
vard.
FRANK N. MANITZAS, JOEL AUSTIN Co-Editors
Ed Holder, Jerry Bennett Managing Editors
Harri Baker 1 City Editor
Peggy Maddox Women’s News Editor
Today’s Issue
Ed Holder
Bob Hendry
Gus Becker..
Managing Editor
News Editor
.Sports News Editor
Bob Hendry, Joe Hipp, Chuck Neighbors .News Editors
:ry
es,
Guy Dawson, W. P. Franklin,
ipp.
Gus Becker, Bob Boriskie, Jerry Estes
Bob Alderdice.AI Leroy Bruton,
R. D. Gossett, Carl Hale, Donald
ter. Bob Boriskie,
Vernon Anderson, Frank Hinei
. Franklin, x^. n,. vn,.,.,.„,<„m
Kemp, Alfred McAfee, Bill Rogers, Ray Smith, Jerry Sonnier.
Edward Stern, Roy Sullivan, Jon Kinslow, Dick Moore, Lionel
oody, Bob Palmer, Bill She
/.
. Sports
News Editors
COST AND PROFIT CONTROL
will be discussed at the sixth an
nual accounting conference here
April 17-18. The main speaker will
be Fred V. Gardner of Fred V.
Gardner and Associates of Mil
waukee. Ivan Oden, auditor, Texas
division, Dow Chemical Co. in
Freeport, will preside at the ses
sion. which will begin on the after
noon of April 17.
Garcia, John Moody, Bob Palmer, Bill Shepard
Jerry Wizig, Jerry Neighbors, Hugh Philippus, Bill
iry.
ter.
rry
Jerry Bennett, Bob Hend
Dick Por
rd Staff News Writers
Thomas Sports News Writers
Amusements
Calvin Pigg City News Writers
Manager
Jewell Raymond, J. R. Shepard, Fred Her-
Staff
John Kinslow,
Conrad Strain Circulation
Lawrence Casheer,
Charles F. Chick Circulation
Bob Godfrey, Davey Davidson, Roy Wells, Keith Nickle, Melvin
HBI ngra
Gene Rydell, Perry Shepard, John Merrill Advertising Representatives
Herman Meiners Photo Engravers
Dean Kennedy File Clerk
SECOND LIEUTENANT David
O. Cravey ’51, A&M industrial
engineering graduate from Hous
ton, was awarded April 2 his pilots
wings at Reese AFB. He entered
the Air Force immediately after
graduation and received primary
flight training at Bainbridge AFB,
Ga.