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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1954)
Circulated Daily To 90 Per Cent Of Local Residents The on Published By A&M Students For 75 Years PUBLISHED DAILY IN THE INTEREST OF A GREATER A&M COLLEGE Number 235: Volume 53 COLLEGE STATION (Aggieland), TEXAS, THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1954 Price 5 Cent» GOING, GOING—Ross hall, long-standing home of A&M’s bats, bulls, and students, is being demolished. Wrecking crews start on the roof. 62 Years Old Ross Hail Being Razed By BILL HOLLOWAY Battalion Staff Writer Last year’s cry of “Down with Ross Hall” has at last been answer- id. Thursday morning the first board was ripped from the wall of the 62-year-old landmark as de struction began by the Newton and Lucky Construction company. Ross hall was erected in 1892 in honor of Lawrence Sullivan Ross, seventh president of the college and founder of Aggie traditions. When Ross became president in 1891, a serious housing shortage was the main problem. Parents from all over the state were send ing their sons to A&M largely be cause of Ross’s outstanding mili tary and legislative records. Completion of the new dormitory at a cost of $20,000 somewhat curbed the housing problem and reduced the number of temporary tents on the campus. At this time the Ross Volunteers were the sadets housed in the new dormitory. ‘Bats and Polecats’ In 1927 the cadets living in the led brick building became troubled with bats and polecats trying to tnove in on them. Driving the bats off seemed no task at all com pared to the removal of polecats from under the floor. After cadets sprayed gallons of creasote under the building, they emerged victors over the unwanted guests. As age reduced the strength of the materials of Ross Hall to, (or near) its falling point in 1929, Dr. Thomas O. Walton, the president of the college, asked the college ai’chitect to draw up plans for a new building to replace Ross hall. At that time the ceilings wei’e fall ing, walls were cracking, and the president thought the aging dormi tory had served its purpose. Work on the new building was to begin. Members of an artillery unit moved to Pfeuffer and Good win halls in case Ross hall didn’t wait for the destruction crew. At the following meeting of the board of directors, it was decided not to destroy the historic land mark, but to condemn it as a dormitory and use it as a storage building. In 1941 Ross hall was recon ditioned and put to an even better use as home of the military depart ment. Because of the expansion of personnel and the need for class room space, the military depart ment moved from the Academic building into Ross. In 1950 the military department sowed lawns around Ross and moved two model 1902, 3 - inch artillery guns on to them. And now 61 years pf history will fall as Ross falls. A&M’s “Poor Man’s Pentagon”, au it has been referred to in recent years, will change from campus reality to “archival material.” Commissioning Set For White Coliseum Ground Broken For Wa reh o u se Bulldozers broke ground Wednes day for the firemens training school warehouse, said W. H. Bad- get, manager of the physical plants. The 40 by 100 feet quonset ware house wil house offices, shops, fire trucks and class rooms, Badgett said. The board of directors in their May meeting passed on the con struction of the $20,000 building. The warehouse should be com pleted by July 11 in time for the firemens school this summer, Bad gett said. Engineer To Send Add ress Blanks All students suscribed to The Engineer will receive forwarding address blanks today so they may I'eceive the next issue to be out about May 27, said Carl Jobe, as sistant manager of student publi cations. The Agriculturist and The Com mentator have already been sent out. The summer issue of The Veteri narian will be sent out in July, said Jobe. Four hundred and thirty-two ROTC graduates will be commis sioned or given certificates of com pletion at 1 p. m. Friday in the G. Rollie White coliseum. Maj. Gen. Charles E. Hart will award 208 army commissions and Maj. Gen. Babriel P. Disosway will present 224 air force commissions or certificates of completion. Army commissions are broken down mto infantry, 37; armor, 20; artillery, 19; corps of engineers, 10; ordnance, 24; quartermaster corps, 19; signal corps, 5; ti’an- sportation corps, 19; chemical corps, 7; and army security agency, 8. AFROTC graduates will take the oath of office at 4 p. m. Thui-sday in the Chemistry building’s lecture I’oom. Army students will repeat the oath at 7:15 a. m. Friday in the Pyhsics building’s lecture room. Air force students will wear for this ceremony class B uniform with those not currently enrolled in air science wearing “acceptable” civilian clothes. Army uniform is optional. All ROTC graduates, including those not enrolled in military or air science, will wear class A uni form for commissioning and is suance of ceitificates of completion exercises. Cotton khaki shirt and trousers, shade 51, green tie, brown or tan low quarter shoes and branch in signia less second lieutenant bars has been designated class A uni form. Cadets will be seated in the coliseum alphabetically by branch for the army, and alphabetically for the air force. The distinguished party will enter the stage at 1 p. m. nnd J. Frank Ford, corps sergeant major, will call the entire gathering to attention. Ide Trotter, corpg chap- lin, then will give the invocation. Upon completion of the invo cation, the congregation will sing “The Spirit of Aggieland” and then be seated. Maj. Gen. Hart is the principle speaker. He will be intro duced by Col Shelly P. Myers jr., PMS&T. Maj. W. J. Winder will ad minister the oath of office, follow ed by the presentation of the com missions and certificates of com pletion. After the awards have been made, the benediction will be given. The ceremony will close with everyone present singing the Na tional Anthem. Graduation Activities Begin With Baccalaurate Tomorrow Four More Students Given Punishment for TT Action A reviewing board yesterday and this morning assessed penalties for four more students charged with being members of the TT’s, a secret fraternity. This brings to 18 the number of students punished for being mem bers of the group. Five are mem bers of the football team. The college will not release the names of the 18. Punished this morning and yes terday were two graduating sen iors and two graduate students. The graduating seniors will have to take all their final examina tions, then will have their degrees retained indefinitely. Same Penalty This is the same penalty given four other graduating seniors who were interviewed by the board ear lier in the week. The two graduate students will finish the semester’s work, then be suspended indefinitely. This is the same penalty given two non-graduating seniors, six juniors and two sophomores who were interviewed earlier in the week. Dean of Men W. L. Penberthy, chairman of the reviewing board, said the students interviewed this morning and yesterday were “too much involved to be inactive.” The reviewing board was com posed of Penberthy, Col. Joe Davis, Ritchey, Olds Recovering From Accident Two A&M seniors are “do ing all right” following their accident Tuesday night, said Dr. J. E. Marsh of the college hospital. The 1951 Plymouth in which Ted Ritchey and Fred Olds were riding rolled one and a half times on old highway 6 south of College Station. X-rays revealed that Ritchey has a fractured skull, Marsh said. Ritchey also suffered lacerations of the body, especially the left arm and shoulder. Olds’ x-ray showed only a slight elbow fracture. Marsh said he ex pected Olds to be released from the hospital “in a day or so.” He has lacerations on the right elbow. Ritchey and Olds were returning to a senior “function” at the clay pits when the accident occurred. Ritchey had cut his leg and had gone to the college hospital to have it treated. Olds was asleep on the front seat beside Ritchey. Olds awoke sud denly when the car hit the shoul der on the right side of the road. He grabbed the wheel causing the car to swerve to the left and roll. Highway Patrolman L. V. Dun- agan, who investigated the acci dent, said that County Commission er Raymond Nolan saw some boys take a case of beer out of the car and hide it in a pasture. Dunagan said he would not know whether any charges would be filed until he completed his investiga tion. commandant, and one faculty mem ber from each undergraduate school. Records Given Up The 14 students charged earlier turned over the organization’s rec ords to college officials yesterday. The 14 told the reviewing board Tuesday that they would disband the organization. They said then that they were the only active members. The 14 signed a sworn statement yesterday that they would not par ticipate in the TT’s or any similar organization while a student at A&M, and would not encourage any other student to participate. President David H. Morgan said earlier that local persons who were supplying meeting facilities for the organization were “cooperating in clearing up the organization.” He also said the records would be de stroyed. “I am confident,” Morgan said, “That the TT organization will not reorganize.” Students Present Petition About TT’s Eighty-five A&M students re quested by petition yesterday to President David H. Morgan that the administration dismiss all stu dents involved in the TT’s, effec tive at the end of semester. In presenting the petition, Frank Ford, corps sergeant major, said “There is strong feeling on the part of quite a few boys about this, and we wanted to present our views in this orderly manner.” Morgan said he “appreciated” the action and would transmit the petition to the reviewing board re sponsible for disciplinary action in the case. Reasons for dismissal listed on the petition were: 1. There are no strongly miti gating circumstances. Soefje Elected Pre-Law President Alan Soefje, senior business ad ministration major from New Braunfels, was elected president of the Pre-Law society Tuesday night. Other officers elected were vice president, Sam Rowland; secre tary-treasurer, Larry Kennedy; so cial secretary, Ogden Bass; junior member of the Aits and Sciences council, Ogden Bass. These of ficers will serve during the fall semester. A plan for statewide organi zation of Pre-Law societies was discussed. The plan will go into effect next year if approved by all schools concerned. Southwest con ference schools, Texas Tech and the University of Houston have been asked to join the organization. Final Ball Planned For Friday Night The Final ball will be held Fri day from 10 p. m. until 1 a. m., said W. D. (Pete) Hardesty, bus iness manager of student activities. The ball will be held in the Grove with music by Bill Turner and the Aggieland orchestra. Music will stop during Silver Taps and will continue at the end of the ceremony, Hardesty said. Admission price is $1 stag or couple. 2. “Many or all of the men in volved were in A&M in 1952 when the TT’s were supposedly eliminat ed .. . and have already been given a ‘second chance’.” 3. Such organizations are against the principles of life at A&M. 4. Dismissal would not deny them the right to continue their educa tion, at some other school. 5. “The only way to get rid of such an organization for good is to get rid of the present roots per manently.” The petition ended by saying that it was not “an act of jealousy or revenge” since many of the stu dents involved “were good friends of many of us.” Most of the names on the peti tion were juniors and seniors, with a few sophomores. All were corps students. Maybe He Assumes Too Much? This is the week of last minute quizzes and reviewing for finals. In one undergraduate class yesterday the instructor was talking about the type of ques tions that would be on the ex amination. He said, “Now this examination will be compli mentary to you.” Puzzled glances went around the room, and then he added, “By that, I mean I am assum ing you know something be fore you take the exam.” Seniors To Hear Dr. Foote Graduation activities begin at 10 a.m. Friday with bac calaureate ceremonies in the G. Rollie White coliseum. Dr. Gaston Foote, pastor of the First Methodist church, Fort Worth, will be the principal speak er. The procession will form at 9:30 a.m. and roll call will be at 9:45 a.m. All advanced, veterinary med icine, and engineering degree can didates will form on the lawn south of the Memorial Student Center bowling area. Agriculture and Arts and Sci ences degrees candidates will form on the lawn along Flouston street west of Guion Hall. In case of rain, the procession will form along the corridors inside the coliseum. Clothing for both the baccalau reate and commencement exercises! is as follows: All civilian candidates for a Doc tor of Veterinary Medicine degree will wear the doctor’s cap and gown. Hoods will not be worn in the procession because the Ph.D.’s will be hooded on stage. Candidates for master and pro fessional degrees will wear the master’s cap and gown. Bachelor degree candidates, except military students, will wear the bachelor’s cap and gown. All military can didates will wear the uniform. Commencement will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the coliseum. Proces sion forms at 7 p.m. and roll will be called at 7:15 p.m. The pro cession will form in the same areas used for the baccalaureate sermon. W. W. Lynch, president of Texas Power and Light Co. of Dallas, will be the principal speaker. (See GRADUATION, Page 2) Dean Will Speak At Dairy Center C. N. Shepardson, dean of the School of Agriculture, will be the principal speaker at the dedication ceremonies May 27 of the new $400,000 dairy center. Dairymen from throughout the state will be present to see the formal dedication to be held on the 800-acre dairy farm. The new cen ter incorporates the best dairy practices and equipment adapted to Texas. The center consists of seven ma jor buildings including a shelter barn, milking parlor, calf barn, maternity barn, feed storage areas and a breeding center. Schedule of Events The schedule of events Friday and Saturday are as follows: Friday 10 a.m—Baccalaureate sermon, G. White coliseum l .p.m Presentation of commissions and certificates of completion, G. Rollie White coli seum 3 -5 p.m—President’s reception, president’s home 7:30 p.m Commencement exercises, G. Rollie White coliseum 9:30 a.m Final Ball, The Grove Saturday 9 :30 a.m Final Review Inauguration Speech Morgan Makes Gall for Money Weather Today President David H. Morgan made a strong call for more money for A&M and increased development of all pai’ts of the college in his inaugural address today. Speaking in the White coliseum to more than 6,000 students, faculty members, visitors and guests, Mor gan said “limited financing strangles the growth of the college or university, saps its vitality—its teaching—its scholarly output.” Progress slows until the univer sity becomes static and inevitably slides down hill since life does not stand still, he said. “A&M is now at that stage. We are stalled—tem porarily or otherwise—on the steep hill of advancing civilization.” He said that educational systems are expensive but society receives in return many dividends far ex ceeding the original investment. “Our hope for the future lies in the present Texas Commission on Higher Education now study ing this problem,” he said. Morgan said that another con cern to the college is its survival as a military college. He said the answer is increased development of advanced programs in the School of Military Science. “Discipline will be stressed,” he said. “Since discipline is designed to strengthen and perfect, the School of Military Science must be organized and directed by men who are competant in training and experience, who have an interest in, and confidence in, the young men of today.” He also said the school “must continue to press” the cause of the military colleges, since A&M was “overlooked and hurt in the rush of rapidly expanding ROTC units.” “Military colleges must receive recognition if they are to survive,” he said. Morgan said A&M must make student life attractive for students who do not wish to be in the corps of cadets, calling these students the “forgotten” students. In speaking of A&M’s academic development, he said the school’s technical courses must “remain sensitive to the needs of business and industry, including agriculture, so that we continue to give a practical education.” “Marked changes in our academic curricula should be made only when the probability of an improved pro duct is relatively high,” he said. He said the responsibilities of A&M’s president center around one broad objective: “the best education possible in our fields of specialty at the lowest possible cost to the sons of Texas.” He closed by asking that “we rededicate ourselves to our pro fession and to the college, that we set our objectives with a clearly charted course and that we unite our efforts to achieve their suc cess.” The inaugural ceremony was pre ceded by an academic procession to the coliseum. Chancellor M. T. Har rington formally installed Morgan, and Dean of the College J. P. Abbott presided. Dr. Oliver C. Carmichael, presi dent of the University of Alabama, spoke at the inauguration on “Higher Education and the Land Grant College.” The inauguration day will close with a corps review this afternoon at 2:30 and a reception in honor of the president from 4 to 5:30 p. m. in the Memorial Student Center. PARTLY CLOUDY Partly cloudy with few thunder showers this afternoon, diminish ing by midnight. The high tem perature yesterday was 88 degrees; the low this morning was 64.