Battalion
Number 23: Volume 54
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1954
Price 5 Cents
MISS BLUEBONNET—Bonnie Richardson, pretty Mary
Hardin-Baylor coed, was chosen from 34 contestants recent
ly by a Student Senate delegation as Miss Bluebonnet of
1954-55. Judges for the contest were Bob Alcock, Tony
Specia, J. B. Lilley, Charlie Seeley, and Jerry Ramsey.
Bond Vote Set Tomorrow
Four Disciplined
l or Wine Drinking
Four A&M cadets have received
disciplinary action for drinking-
alcoholic beverages on the campus.
The cadets, three freshmen and
one sophomore, were convicted for
drinking wine Nov. 19, while the
cadets were at a guard fire for the
bonfire.
The sophomore was put o n
conduct probation and . campused
until Feb. 1. One of the freshmen,
who said he had bought the wine,
was put on conduct probation un
til Feb. 1 and given 12 hours of
extra duty.
The other two freshmen were
given eight hours extra duty.
All four were given official re
primands.
Lt. Col. Taylor Wilkins, asistant
commandant, said that the tactical
officer of the day and the cadet of
ficer of the day heard loud talk
ing around one of tije guard fires
and discovered these four cadets
Contracts Let
Three Buildings Planned
The A&M System board of dii'ec-
tors awarded contracts for im
provements on the campus and au
thorized plans for three new major
buildings at their meeting Thurs
day in Austin.
These were the major items of
business for the board, and neither
the general course military science,
the optional military plan, nor co
education was discussed, according
to Henderson Shuffler, system di
rector of information and publica
tions.
The board appropriated $225,000
for plans and preliminary costs on
new buildings and equipment for
several completed buildings.
Barron Addresses
Local Lions Club
*
W. S. Barron, 85th district judge,
talked on some of the amusing inci
dents in the history of pur judicial
system at the College Station
Lions club luncheon yesterday.
Judge Barron related this parti
cular happening:
Some years ago a man charged
with a misdemeanor was brought
into court. He proposed to prove
himself not guilty of the crime
with a poor lawyer, and without a
witness. When the judge called for
a witness and the man said his
only witness was Jesus Christ the
judge promptly recessed the ses
sion and replied, “court recessed
until we find a lawyer familiar
with the defendant’s witness.”
Dr. George Huebner of the
oceanography department was in
troduced at the meeting as a new
member.
Weather Today
PARTLY CLOUDY
The forecast for today is con
tinued cloudy with little change
in temperatures. A cold front is
expected at 7 a.m. tomorrow.
Yesterday’s high was 67, low 38.
The temperature at 10:15 this
morning was 66.
The new buildings are a biochem
istry and nutrition building, an
expansion of the college power
plant, and a horticulture pi'ocess-
ing laboratory.
They are both still in the plan
ning stage. The biochemistry
building will be paid for out of the
building fund and the power plant
expansion will probably be financ
ed by revenue bonds.
Campus Improvement
Campus improvement contracts
included $48,788 to R. B. Butler of
Bryan for remodeling Sbisa dining
hall, $13,700 to B-W Construction
company for remodeling the Ex
change store, $73,260 to the Weiler
Air Conditioning company for air
conditioning Cushing Library, and
$146,114 to the Dale Construction
company for three quonset build
ings' for a farm service center here.
The board also confirmed a con
tract for the construction of three
residences at the college planta
tion, and authorized $8,600 to in
crease the residences there to four
and make small additions to the
originSl plans for all four build
ings.
More Air Conditioning
The board appropriated $46,000
to air condition three lecture rooms
on the campus—the chemistry lec
ture room, the biology lecture
room, and one room in the Aca
demic building. Tentative plans
are to air condition three more
classrooms in the near future.
The board appropriated $30,000
for equipment for the G. Rollie
White coliseum, to include lockers,
locks, baskets, ’and six basketball
goals.
In keeping with the proposal to
issue gymnasium clothing to phy
sical education students instead of
having them buy their own, the
boai’d appropriated $24,000 for
gym clothing.
The board appropriated $5,000
for equipment for the Highway Re
search Center, now being construct
ed next to the old veterinary medi
cine hospital.
Franchise Extended
Chancellor M. T. Harrington was
authorized to extend the franchise
of the Southwestern Bell Telephone
company here from 1955 through
1964 and to lease the company a
Loan Fund Set
For Engineers
A new loan fund for electrical
engineering students has been set
up for A&M.
The $10,173.32 fund, from the es
tate of Sadie A. Mather, will be
used for electrical engineering stu
dents whose fathers are dead and
who are in need of money for edu
cation.
It will be called the Frank Col
lins Mather loan fund.
small building on the campus to
house the telephone exchange.
Grants-in-aid in support of agri
cultural research totalling $22,750
were accepted by the board. Also
accepted were gifts of $38,698.09,
of which $35,630 was for scholar
ships and fellowships, and $1,175
was in cash and equipment.
The board also approved the dis
tribution of the Exchange store
profits for last year.
and a group of civilian students
around the fire.
He said that the civilian students
denied participating in the drink
ing, but that the four cadets ad
mitted they had been drinking. The
empty wine bottle was in their
possession.
There were no other serious in
cidents during the bonfire guard
ing, Wilkins said. “Everything
went fine,” he said.
“Our greatest improvement was
in the lack of profanity, both in the
cutting area and at the stacking,”
he said.
Three units—the band, squardon
12, and squardon 22—stole signs
to put around the bonfire and had
to pay for them, in addition to
being prohibited from placing a
sign on the field.
“That was less sign stealing
than we’ve had in the past,” Wil
kins said.
Phi Eta Sigma
Initiation Set
Phi Eta Sigma, freshman honor
society, will initiate new members
tonight with ceremony at 7:30 p.m.
in the M.S.C. assembly room.
Those eligible are students who
were freshmen last spring, and
made a 2.5 or better grade-point
ratio.
After the initiation, an informal
smoker sponsored by the old
members will be held for all fresh
men who made a 2.0 grade-point
ratio or better at mid-semester.
Freshmen are asked to assemble
in the Birch room if they arrive
before 7:45.
Reviewer Says
Kidd’s Story Gets
Top Notch Rating
By HARRI BAKER
Battalion Co-Editor
A quiet little English professor
at A&M is being acclaimed over
the state as one of the really good
Texas authors.
It all started when a story by
Harry L. Kidd jr., associate pro
fessor of English, was selected to
be included in “21 Texas Short
Stories,” a just-published collection
of the best stories ever written
about Texas by Texas authors.
This was quite an honor in itself,
since it put Kidd in the company
of such famous authors as J.
Frank Dobie, O. Henry, Dillon An
derson, Katherine Anne Porter,
and George Sessions Perry, who
wrote “The Story of Texas A&M.”
Reviewer Praises
But Sunday, a book reviewer for
the Houston Post singled out
Kidd’s story as “one of the best
pieces of writing ever done by any
Texan.”
The reviewer says Kidd’s story
is one of the two finest in the book.
The story is part of an unpub
lished novel, and is a story about
white and Negro relationships in
East Texas.
The main character is a 14-year-
old boy, and the story tells of the
first time the boy is brought face-
to-face with the race issue.
Kidd says he discarded the idea
of getting the novel published long
ago, because “the subject matter
wasn’t commercial.”
Kidd’s Other Work
In addition to the story published
in this book, Kidd has had stories
and articles published in such mag
azines as Argosy, Rotarian, New
Republic, Southwest Review, Field
and Stream, and various other mag
azines.
He has also written and pro
duced several radio series dealing
with A&M, for broadcast over the
Texas State network. He wrote the
continuity for the film “We Are
The Aggies.”
He says he is now devoting all
his time to radio writing.
Kidd began teaching at A&M in
1939. One of the courses he teaches
is “creative writing,” designed to
teach the student how to widte and
sell fiction stories and articles. He
has a BA and a MA *in English
from the University of Texas.
Kidd isn’t a native Texan; his
family moved to Mexia from Vir
ginia when he was 12 years old.
A biogi’aphical sketch of him in
the new book says that “there Kidd
learned to know rural East Texas,
with its white farmers and Negro
hands.”
Before Kidd cam© to A&M, he
taught in and was principal of the
high school at Anderson.
Community Chest
To Discuss Drive
The Community Chest will hold a
meeting at 5 p.m. today in the
System Administration building to
discuss progress of the drive.
More than 27 per cent of the
$14,707 was reported collected at
a meeting Nov. 17. The drive was
scheduled to end Nov. 22, but will
probably be extented, according to
C. W. Price, chairman.
Christmas Seals
Bring In $1,200
More than $1,200 has been col
lected in the annual Tuberculosis
Christmas seal sale.
Envelopes for corps students
wei'e delayed but are expected to
be handed out by tonight, accord
ing to Miss Malcolm Mclnnis, this
year’s chaix-man.
“Letters mailed to civilian stu
dents have brought good results,”
she said, “and it is expected corps
students will do the same.”
Proposed Plan
Ends Long Study
A new sewerage system, described by City Manager Ran
Boswell as “one of the finest for any town this size”, will be
voted upon tomorrow by the people of College Station.
The plan is the result of eight years of discussion and
planning by the City Council, and was recommended by a
Citizens Advisory committee appointed by Mayor Ernest
Langford. The plan, if approved, will cost $365,000, includ
ing a disposal plant. There is no disposal plant owned by
the city now.
“The council was^talking about a sewerage plan when
I came here in 1946,” Boswell said. “A committee studied
and discussed it for two years before the advisory committee
was appointed last year to
j j? FirSt ma ke definite recommenda-
You Don't
Succeed. . .
A merchant in Bryan re
ported last week that someone
had stolen his sign, so he came
out to the bonfire area to see
if he could identify it.
He found a sign on the drill
field that he said was his, and
the military department man
with him stopped a member of
the unit whose emblem was on
the sign.
“Son, this sign was stolen,”
the military man said.
“You’re darn right it was
stolen,” said the cadet.
“We stole it last year
had to pay $100 for it.
ours now,” he said.
The Bryan merchant admit
ted that he was mistaken, and
this sign was indeed last
year’s stolen sign.
P.S.—The merchant went
further around the field and
found the sign that had been
stolen from him this year.
and
It’s
Austin Police Say
Holiday Was Quiet
There were no serious traffic
accidents involving A&M students
reported over the weekend, and the
Austin police reported no fights or
other incidents involving’ A&M stu
dents.
The Austin police, who had been
expecting trouble, told college of
ficials that Wednesday night was
“just another night—maybe quiet
er than usual” for them.
There was a brief fight imme
diately after the game, but police
said University of Texas students
caused it.
No traffic accidents were re
ported to college officials, and the
Associated Press had no record of
A&M students involved in serious
accidents.
tions.”
He emphasized that any
bonds approved in the election
would not be paid for from taxes.
Instead, an increase in utility rates
would take care of the cost, he
said.
The issue in the election tomor
row will be “the issuance of $300,-
000 sewer improvement revenue
bonds.” Polls will be open from
8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will be in the
following locations: •
Ward I, A&M Consolidated
school;
Ward II, J. C. Culpepper’s
office;
Ward III, City Hall.
Boswell cited three main reasons
for the need of the new sewerage
plan. These were that (1) the
system of individual septic tanks
is breaking down, (2) raw sewer
age is being emptied into several
drainage areas in the city limits,
and (3) parts of the city are not
now serviced by sewers of any
type* particularly in the Negro
sections.
In a letter sent to College Sta
tion residents, Langford said, “The
proposal simply is to construct ad
equate sewers and disposal plant
so that every lot within the city
limits will be accessible to a sewer
line. Further, any expansion gen
erally south can be serviced by
the proposed lines and planf.”
He also described the 18-member
advisory committee as represent
ing- “every nook and corner of the
city.”
In the committee’s report was
the conclusion that they felt “the
need for these improvements is
urgent” and they recommend “a
favorable vote on this bond issue.”
Those eligible to vote in the elec
tion are residents of College Sta
tion who have paid their poll tax
or have an exemption; own taxable
property which is rendered on the
city tax rolls; and have lived in
the state for 12 months and in
their voting precinct for six
months.
Honor Cadets
In Air Science
Include 36 1
Thirty-six cadets have been
designated as distinguished
air force ROTC students, an
nounced Col. John A. Way,
professor of air science.
Selected for outstanding aca
demic records and demonstrated
leadership, the cadets will be el
igible for regular air force com
missions upon completion of flight
or technical training on active du
ty, Way said.
The students are Daniel P.
Wheat jr., Fehrlin Tutt, Thomas
H. Baker, James E. Caffey, Fran
cis B. O’Donnell jr., Travis G.
Wunderlich, James R. Henderson.
Thomas M. Campbell, William E.
Coppage, Lindsay J. Crawford, Joe
E. Crenwelge, Buck O. Isbell, Bill
W. Kimmey, Jack E. Spell.
Grover L. Alexander, George W.
Munns, Joe B. Walker, Glen E.
Wise, L. M. Braziel, John C. Bur-
chard, Edward B. Field, Perry G.
Hector, James E. Mitchell.
Robert C. Sawyer, John M.
Starke III, James R. Todd, Richard
F. Weick, Taylor H. Greene, Law
rence G. Francis, John L. Harlan,
Harold W. Gale, Robert L. Wil
liams, Stanley W. Angrist, Jerry
A. Pyle, and Floyd H. Sanders jr.
Two A&M Cadets
Leave For Debate
J. Frank Ford, corps commander,
and C. W. (Bud) Whitney, vice-
president of the MSC Council, are
leaving today for West Point to
attend a student conference on
U. S. affairs.
The purpose of the conference,
sponsored by West Point and the
Carnegie Foundation, is to discuss
the United States’ foreign policy
and ways to improve it.
The meeting- is scheduled for
December 1-4 with 130 students,
representing 65 colleges and uni
versities attending. Texas A&M
is the only school west of the Mis-
sippi that will send delegates.
Ford and Whitney were chosen
by a faculty committee from a list
of juniors and seniors who wanted
to go. Expenses are being paid by
the Carnegie Foundation.
One of the several men scheduled
to speak to the group is Major Gen
eral James M. Gavin, army chief
of staff for operations, who visited
here at the Fall Militai’y Day Re
view.
Leland Elected
Thomas W. Leland, head of the
business and accounting depart
ment, has been elected to the board
of examiners committee of the
American Institute of Accountants.
WHERE WAS MOSES—The Memorial Student Center got into the Christmas spirit
early yesterday afternoon, with candle serving as illumination. It was unintentional,
though; a power supply caused all the lights in the building to go out about 5:15 p.m.