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.