18,430
READERS
BATTALION
Bonfire Injuries
20
Number 197: Volume 55
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER S3, 1956
Price Five Cents
F ormer Premier Nagy
Feared Under Arrest
CIVILIAN SIGN—Clarence (Chuck) Bolner from Del Rio and Dwight Brown of Dallas,
left to right, admire the sign on the drill field designed by civilians in Dorm 16.
First One in 1912
Bonfire Record Set in ’54
By FRED MEURER
“We’ll build the biggest bonfire
ever this year!”
This traditional cry has echoed
clear across Aggieland—from the
Old Administration Building to the
creamery, bowicing to Anchor Hall
and vibrating back to North Gate
►—year after year, as long as the
Turkey Day bonfire has been in
existence.
This year is no exception.
But what kind of records are the
Aggies challenging?
According to Pinky Downs, the
first bonfire was built in 1912. “It
wasn’t anything like the one to
day,” he said, “It was built just
like any other bonfire. Today’s
bonfire is just out of this world.”
This year’s center pole towers
66 feet into the atmosphere. Last
year it was 60 feet high, plus an
additional 15 feet made up by the
familiar “tea house” and various
unit flags.
The ’54 mid-section boasted a
height greater than either of these,
however. The pole that year was
73 feet high.
The mass of wood collected each
year to symbolize the “burning de
sire of every Aggie to beat T.U.”
is tremendous and grows nearly
every year. The blaze of 1954 was
estimated to have consumed 30,150
SCONA Delegates
Selected at A&M
Delegates representing A&M at
SCONA II were named recently
following interviews by Dean
Walter H. Delaplane, of the School
of Arts and Sciences.
Regular delegates are Ivo M.
Ferreira, Herbert W. (Bud) ! Whit
ney, Robert N. Bacher, Gerald L.
Van Hoosier, Richard L. Howard,
Charles T. Tucker and John T.
Weatherford. Alternate is Gene L.
Johnson.
cubic feet of wood. The base cov- the second week, James A. Sarran
ered 11,810 square feet of Aggie
land. Its circumference was 150
feet! its diameter measured 48
feet.
The work necessary to collect
such an amount of timber surely
shows every Aggie’s desire to beat
Texas University.
Dry weather marked the 1955
fire. For the first time in 20 years
no rain fell during the bonfire
week. Aggies had no occasion that
year to utter the statement: “This
is typical bonfire weather.” For
the first time in history, civilian
students were given the opportun
ity to guard the fire.
But tragedy marred last year’s
construction. On Monday night of
Chest Misses Goal;
Formal Drive Ends
The 1956 A&M College-College
Station Community Chest—Red
Cross Drive closed its formal drive
this week with a total of $10,230.76
collected toward the $14,000 goal,
according to a tally at 4 p.m. yes
terday.
“We are getting more money all
the time, and of course the drive
never actually closes,” Dr. John
Milliff, co-chairman of the drive
said. “We are confident of bring
ing the . figure to $11,000 very
soon.”
Several campus zone chairmen
have not turned in their collections
yet and Bryan Air Force Base has
not yet said how much the con
tribution from its United Fund will
be, Dr. Milliff said. *
“There, will be no extension of
the formal drive now,” he said.
“The board of directors will meet
in the near future to decide the
reallocation of funds and some
other questions.”
New A&M Chapel
Nearly Completed
was critically injured in an acci
dent while standing guard at West
Gate. He died three days later.
Col. Joe E. Davis, commandant,
said to the best of his knowledge
this was the first death due to a
bonfire accident.
In 1954, things were all wet as
far as the weather was concern
ed. It rained and rained some
more. Working in the mud and
diizzle, the Aggies built a huge
fire. In that year, a disastrous
event almost occurred. One even
ing, just after the men had re
turned from the cutting area for
the evening meal, a T-28 trainer
crashed near the bonfire. Debris
scattered over the area, but luck
ily, no Aggies were hurt by the
crash.
A false report that 25 carloads
of “teasips” were headed for Ag
gieland to destroy the bonfire
highlighted the ’53 fire. Several
“incidents” between the two schools
did take place that year.
Finally, 1951—the year Aggies
last beat the Longhorns—the bon
fire stood 65 feet tall. It had rain
ed all week, and determination to
build the fire in spite of the weath
er must have spai'ked the team,
for they emerged victorious—22-
21.
Texas Sports Fans
For Probation Lift
Sports followers across the state
apparently are in sympathy with
A&M regarding the NCAA’s re
fusal to lift the probation.
A letter to the editor published
in the Dallas Morning News from
four Dallas men suggests that the
Texas A&M Band “be sought to
perform during the half-time of
the so-called ‘Cotton Bowl Classic’
so as to insure each ticket holder
Bonfire Burns
To Symbolize
Aggie Spirit
“The bonfire that burns
next Tuesday will symbolize
just what its definition says
and the feeling that the Ag
gies have the best team in the
nation,” said Dick Bernard, yell
leader.
Bill Dorsey assumed a sour look
when asked how work was pro
gressing* on stacking and replied,
“Behind.”
Bernard says a bottle-neck at
the loading area is slowing work.
Because of manpower shortage
trucks stack up, he said.
Steps are being taken in stack
ing to insure that the stack will
not spiral when it burns. A core
of short logs were stacked first,
upon which succeeding logs were
leaned. Besides insuring uniform
stacking, this method prevents un
due stress being placed on the cen
ter pole.
Heretofore, a small hollow space
left at the bottom of the pole cre
ated a draft of hot air on the pole
where the first logs rested against
it.
The tops of these logs and the
pole burned out, causing the stack
to collapse prematurely.
of getting his money’s worth of
entertainment on Jan. 1, 1957.”
In a Houston Press editorial,
editor George Carmac dramati
cally defended A&M in its
deal”.
Writing of “inspiration the come-
up-off-the-floor Aggie footballers
have shown this area and the na
tion” and using the 1955 A&M-
Rice game as an example, he said
“sports have never had a moment
to surpass that.”
Carmac concluded by saying
“there’s something fundamentally
fine about a group of men who
can come back from the depths
of the preceding years the way the
1955 and 1956 Aggie teams have
done.
“And there’s bound to be some
thing special about a man who can
inspire these men to do this the
way Bear Bryant has done.”
L eft Yugos la v
Embassy by Bus
BELGRADE—UP)—Yugoslavia protested to Hungary
today that Imre Nagy and his associates who left the Yugo
slav Embassy in Budapest yesterday under guarantees of
safety have not returned to their homes. The Yugoslav an
nouncement said nothing about their fate but the protest
raw indicates this country fears they are under arrest.
Nagy is the moderate “independent” Communist leader
whose brief premiership during early stages of the Hungar
ian revolution was ended by Soviet guns. He and his asso
ciates took refuge in the Yugoslav Embassy in an effort to
avoid arrest.
Dobrivoje Vidic, Yugoslav undersecretary for foreign
Baylor Coed
Testimonial
On Aggies
Apparently Aggies haven’t
lost any of their acclaimed
ability to attract the opposite
sex, judging by the reaction
of a Baylor coed.
Talking to some of her
friends last week, she made a
statement designed to boost
the morale of all Aggies. With
all the innocence of the very
young she remarked that
“some very cute Aggies were
present at the Baylor pep rally
and bonfire before the A&M-
Baylor game” several weeks
ago.
She added that she thought
“one of them was wearing the
cutest riding outfit. v Some
senior made points anyway.
Texas Bankers Gather Here
For Annual Short Course
Finishing touches are now be
ing added to the A&M Chapel, and
final work should be completed
about the last of March or the first
of April, Howard Badgett, Physi
cal plants manager said yesterday.
Sidewalks and landscaping work
remain to be done. Aisles will be
installed as soon as possible, one
of the workers said.
Floors then will be complete.
Power utilities now are installed
in the chapel but lights and other-
fixtures are still missing.
Nearing completion are the
plumbing and air conditioning.
Plumbing appliances are still cra
ted but the water lines are in,
leaving only the appliances to be
installed. An air conditioning
workman said the work is well
along but “it will be a while” be
fore his work is completed.
The ceiling and marble floors
inside the chapel are finished.
The windows are in the main
chapel and all the interior walls
look almost complete.
The Biochemistry and Dairy
Building should be ready for the
departments to move into this sum
mer and will be ready for classes
next September according to plans.
The creamery is only waiting for
the processing and laboratory
equipment to arrive which will be
January or February. Marble floors
are being finished and the exterior
is almost completed, Badgett said.
Weather Today
Forecast calls for partly cloudy
skies in the area. The high yes
terday was a cool 66 degrees, and
the low last night, 41. At 10:30
this morning the thermometer
stood at 62 degrees.
An estimated 175 Texas bank
ers will be on the A&M campus
fx’om Sunday until Tuesday as stu
dents at the annual Texas Farm
and Ranch School for Commercial
Bankers.
Assistant Under Secretary of
Agriculture Don Paarlberg o f
Washington, D. C. will be the fea
tured speaker. Paarlberg is to talk
at the first session Monday morn
ing about “The Future of Ameri
can Agriculture.”
The school organizers had first
arranged with Agriculture Under
Secretary True D. Morse to tell
delegates what lies ahead for farm
ers. Conflicting plans ai-ose and
the privileged fell to Morse’s as
sistant.
The program this year is offer
ing a practically complete guide
Bonfire Injuries
Seven students have report
ed to the College Hospital
since yesterday morning to re
ceive treatment for minor in
juries received while working
on the bonfire. This brings
the total to 20.
Of these seven, there were
three cases of poison ivy, one
sprained ankle, two sprained
finger and one boy with a cut
foot.
Kept in the hospital over
night, the boy with the cut
foot was the only case so far
requiring hospitalization.
for the banker who deals with ag
riculture, according to Dr. Tyrus
R. Timm, of the Department of
Agricultural Economics and Rural
Sociology. Timm is general chair
man of the school, sponsored by
the Ag. Eco. and R. S. Depart
ment.
The sessions of the short course
will get under way Monday morn
ing but other meetings are sche
duled for Sunday.
Members of the banker’s advis
ory board will meet in the Memor
ial Student Center Birch room at
4 p. m. Sunday. A smorgasbord
for the school delegates will be in
the Ballroom starting at 7 p. m.
Following the supper, both Pres
ident David H. Morgan and Chan
cellor M. T. Harrington will ex
tend a welcome to the group. Roy
Selby of the Citizens’ State Bank
of Ganado and vice president of
the Texas Bankers’ Association is
to respond.
Discussions to be given by var
ious authorities include production
and price programs in 1957, soil
bank, commodity loans and price
supports, acreage allotments, pro
fit and loss budgets for soil bank
decisions.
Produce inspection laws in Tex
as, future of U. S. Cotton, beef
cattle production and industry out
look, trends in farm and ranch fi
nancing, irrigation.
Legal aspects of irrigation,
what’s new in agriculture, Farm
ers Home Administration pro
grams in action, making fertilizer
pay and the banker’s role in com
munity improvement.
The short course’s banquet is to
be in the MSC Birchroom at 7 p.m.
Monday.
Charles N. Shepardson, agricul
tural member of the Federal Re
serve System’s Board of Gover
nors, will be the principal speaker.
It was Shepardson who origi
nated the school while he was dean
of A&M’s School of Agriculture.
The Singing Cadets are slated to
provide musical entertainment dur
ing the banquet.
BULLETIN
Jan Orman Means, business
administration sophomore o f
Brownwood was treated for leg,
back and forehead cuts at St.
Joseph’s Hospital early this
morning following an accident
near Bryan.
Officials at the hospital say
his condition is “fair”. They
say he was admitted to the hos
pital at 4:20 a.m. today.
Means, a member of C Armor,
was found in a 1956 Chevrolet
near Ferguson Crossing on the
Navasota River. Brazos County
Sheriffs notified the A&M Cam
pus Security at 4:30 a.m. today,
according to the Chief of Cam
pus Security Fred Hickman.
The Sheriff would release no
further information at press
time.
affairs, called in the Hungar
ian charge d’affaires this
morning and told him the Na
gy party, which left asylum
in the Yugoslav Embassy in
Budapest voluntarily under an
agreement that none of them
would be persecuted, were not in
their homes.
Vidic said Nagy and his party
left ,the embassy in a bus which
was put at their disposition by
the Hungarian government.
Among those departing was Ju
lia Rajk, widow of Laszlo Rajk,
the. Hungarian foreign minister
who was executed as a Titoist in
October 1949. In addition, Vidic
said, there were 15 women and 17
children.
Vidic asked specifically why
they had not yet returned to
their homes and stressed that
the Hungarian government had
given guarantees not to perse
cute them.
The action taken by the Yugo
slavs will no doubt complicate re
lations between the Tito regime
and the present Hungarian gov
ernment, informed sources said.
But they added that Yugoslavia
will make every effort to see that
the Hungarian government abides
by its promise.
Morgan Praises
Civilian Council
Dr. David H. Morgan, president
of the college, praised the Civilian
Student Council for work they have
done in a talk last night at the
body’s regular meeting in the Sen
ate Chamber of the Memorial Stu
dent Center.
He said that when he came here,
civilian students had little part in
activities of the college and now
they are making rapid strides.
“The original purpose of the
council was to develop leadership
training among civilian students,”
he said.
He also said that though civilian
life is progressing, more tradition
is needed.
Boys Flee Girls
As CHS Holds
Annual Dance
The male population at
A&M Consolidated High
School will flee for their free
dom today, when the girls at
CHS take advantage of the
annual Sadie Hawkins Day race
to bag dates for the dance tonight.
The day will officially open at
3 p.m. today when a gunshot sig
nals the start of the race at Tiger
Field. Activities will end tonight
with the annual dance from 8 to
11:30.
“We plan to line the boys up on
the 10 yard line and the girls on
the goal line,” said Jim Johnston,
president of the junior class which
sponsors the event, “At the sound
of the gun both groups will start
running. The boy that each girl
catches will be married to her at
the dance tonight.”
Persons attending the dance will
wear costumes inspired by car
toonist A1 Capp’s characters who
originated the idea of Sadie Haw
kins Day held each year in Dog-
patch, locale of Capp’s “Lil’ Ab
ner” comic strip.
“The best costumes will win
prizes,” Johnston said. “The judg
ing will be held while ‘Judge’ Ed
ward Logan marries the couples.”
Carolyn Landiss
Joins TSCW Club
DENTON, (Spl.)—Miss Carolyn
Landiss, daughter of Dr. and Mrs.
Carl W. Landiss of 803 Dexter,
College Station, has been initiated
into Pi Lambda Theta, national
fraternity for women in education
at Texas State College for Women.
Requirements include earning a
‘B’ average in all work and a
given number of education and
other courses.
Rescue Crew Frees
Two From Cave-In
DALLAS, (A 5 ) — Rescue pai*ties,
wox-king carefully for fear of set
ting off dynamite, last night freed
two men buried almost nine hours
in a sewer line cave-in.
Walter Hubbard, about 50, was
freed at 6 p.m., seven hours after
the sides of the 25-foot ditch cav
ed in.
Arzetta Conger, about 30, who
had been completely covered by
dirt and shale was freed at 8:30
p. m.
Oba Cox, a third man working
in the ditch at the time of the ac
cident jumped free. He then join
ed in rescue efforts.
“They were boring holes to put
in dynamite and the whole thing
gave way,” said Capt. Raymond
Burres of the Dallas Fire Depart
ment. Hubbard, who apparently
was standing up at the time of
the cave-in was buried to the face.
Conger, who was apparently bend
ing over, was completely buried.
Rescue teams, hampered b y
cramped quarters and fearful of
setting off dynamite sticks in place
with electric caps, first had to free
Hubbard before they could reach
Conger.
After the rescuei's had worked
for an hour, they heard moans
from Conger and worker frantic
ally with their hands to uncover
his head.
“Evidently there was an air poc
ket among the rocks,” said Bur-
res.
At one time it was feared it
would be necessary to amputate
one of Hubbard’s feet, pinned un
der a rock.
However, all the shale and dirt
were removed and he was raised
from the ditch at 6 p.m. with a
derrick and hoist by a harness
placed under his armpits.
Workmen then devoted their ef
forts to free Conger.