The Battalion College Motion (Brazos Bounty), Texas PAGE 2 Friday, February 27, 1959 BATTALION EDITORIALS . . . Our Liberty Depends on the Freedom of the Press, And It Cannot Be Limited Without Being Lost . . . Thomas Jefferson Pinky Needs Us The grand-daddy of ’em all, P. L. (Pinky) Downs, is at home today at 301 East Dexter feeling a bit “under the weather.” OF Pinky is in need of some medicine but not the kind •available at a pharmacy. He needs something special—some thing only the Aggies he loves so well can give him. He needs to know that we’ve missed him while he was ill and we want him to get well as soon as possible. The cam pus just isn’t the same without him. It’s part of being an Aggie to rally ’round one of the number when he needs us. . . InDuncan,BoysBecom eMen The Corps’ continual cry of “We Need Discipline in the Messhall” has raised a question among the untutored—just what is this magic formula that transforms boys into men while they eat? Fundamentally, it is a calculated experience designed to make mealtime thoroughly unpleasant for freshmen. The amount of training one receives from this “discipline” is in direct proportion to the degree of unpleasantness that ac companies the meal. In some cases, training has reached a new high this week. It is in line with the basic concept on which a goodly part of A&M’s traditions are based: Freshmen are pawns of the school—do to them what you will, call it “good bull” and tell them you’re making them men—and a large percentage will be gullible enough to believe it. And gullible the fresh men are, else they would stop and question the treatment they get at the hands of upperclassmen. They’re not the only gullible ones, though. Sophomores, juniors and seniors, too, have been indoctrinated to the point that they too believe the thrice-daily ritual in Duncan is an essential part of Corps training. They must be gullible to believe these things are actually making boys into men: . • Front Two Inches—Throughout the Corps freshmen are required to sit on the front half of their chair at a maximum and in isolated areas, the very front two inches. The argu ments favoring this rather absurb-looking practice is that it serves as a constant reminder to the freshman that they’re still the second-class citizens on the campus. And it’s probab ly a good reminder. To demonstrate how effective this is, most of the freshmen seem to believe—and frankly admit— that it’s more “comfortable” to sit that way. . • “Cush” Questions—Once the means for allowing a “fish” to earn a reward for knowing the history of A&M, the “cush” question has degenerated to a recitation of the most obscure of facts. The questions vary with the cush—choice desserts merit questions like “Who was the registrar in 1894?”—less sought-after sweets draw questions from the Cadence. And, as if it were not enough to ask a foolish question during this “recitiation” period, the more “old Army” sopho mores may ask a dozen or more such qestions to evaluate the freshmen’s general knowledge. • Harrassment—Hazing per se no longer exists in the messhall. Today the method is more streamlined but it is directed toward the same goal—make it tough on the “fish.” If he goofs just a little, scream in his ear. If he goofs a lot, scream in his ear. If he doesn’t goof at all (this is very un likely judging from the many procedures he must keep in mind) well, scream at him anyway—he’s still a freshman and a little screaming is good for him. The weakness in this constant pressure—so-called ten sion—is that very soon one becomes numb to the remarks. After a few months most of the “fish” are able to tune them out—and merely wait patiently for the signal to return to a meal that has grown cold. These things and other like them are the fundamentals of the magical formula designed to make boys into men while they eat. » If you don’t think it works, look at the men in the Corps today. They got their basic training in being an Aggie in the messhall. It was here they first learned the meaning of being an Aggie, by their definition: Take It—and Dish It Out. But, unfortunately, this credo isn’t what made A&M great. . . (Next Week: What Makes A&M Great?) THE BATTALION Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the stu dent writers only. The Battalion is a non-tax-supported, non profit, self-supporting educational enterprise edited and op erated by students as a community newspaper and is under the supervision of the director of Student Publications at Texas A&M College. Members of the Student Publications Board are L. A. Duewall, director of Student Puh’ications, chairman ; J. W. Amyx, School of Engineering; Harry Lee Kidd, School of Arts and Sciences; Otto R. Kunze, School of Agriculture; and Dr. E. D. McMurry, School of Veterinary Medicine. The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A.&M.. is published in College Sta tion, Texas, daily except Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and holiday periods, Septem ber through May, and once a week during summer school. Entered as second - class matter at the Post Office In College Station, Texas, under the Act of Con gress of March 8, 1870. MEMBER: The Associated Press Texas Press Ass’n. Represented nationally by N a t i o n a 1 Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago, Loe An geles, and San Francisco' Mall subscriptions are $3.50 per semester, $6 per school year, $6.50 per full year. Advertising rate furnished on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 4, YMCA, Col- leg* Station, Texas. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of •pontaneous origin published herein. Mights of republication of all other matter here in are also reserved. f News contributions may be made by telephcTaing VI 6-6618 or VI 6-4910 or at the tutorial office. Room 4, YMCA. For advertising or delivery call VI 6-6415. ..EDITOR JOE BUSER Fred Meurer Managing Editor Gayle McNutt Executive News Editor Bob Weekley Sports Editor Bill Reed, Johnny Johnson, David Stoker, Lewis Reddell....News Editors Bill Hicklin Assistant Sports Editor Robbie Godwin, Ken Coppage, Jack Teague, Bob Edge, Jack Hartsfield Staff Writers Laney McMath, Dave Mueller Photographers Ray Hudson Circulation Manager LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Messhall Conditions Draw More Reader Contents AAA Describes Their System Editor, The Battalion: In the Wednesday Battalion a statement was made concerning the change the AAA battalion had made in the dining hall. We feel that not enough was said to describe our new system. . . Freshmen are asked only a single “cush” question. How ever, when a freshman needs cor recting, he gets it, short and con cise. He still comes to attention when spoken to by an underclass man and retains all other “privi leges” (meal service, front half of chair, etc.) agreed upon earlier this year. To make up for the campuso- logy questions that would other wise be asked at the table, we have decided to give a prear ranged campusology quiz every other week—stating what will be covered on it beforehand. We feel that this policy goes a long way toward easing tension in the dining hall and still keeps the freshmen “pooped up” on campusology. Grady W T . Barr ’59 Commanding Officer 2nd Bn., 2nd Reg. Remaining ‘Fish ? Have No Gripe Editor, The Battalion: With all respects to Mr. Rud der and his efforts to maintain a large enrollment, we believe since the controversy seems to be about freshmen, we should have an op portunity to voice our opinion. . . In the first place, we knew what to expect when we enrolled in September. This new tension reliever seems to have been in troduced for the benefit of the freshmen who have left; for we remaining “fish” are voicing no gripe about existing conditions. Is this a military institution try ing to develop army and air force officers by feeding us pablum in the messhall ? Give us a Suitable plan next year and we will endeavor to maintain the enrollment. We want a man’s school—not a frat- house. Milton Hoff ’62 ‘ (for B Engineer freshmen) Military Schools Need Discipline Editor, The Battalion: After reading your editorial on Feb. 24, I decided to sleep on it and write a letter that would not be under the influence of sudden and impulsive emotions. It is inconceivable how one who has spent four years in the Corps cannot . see and understand the reason for discipline in the mess hall. Discipline goes much fur ther than tradition. A&M is now an accredited military school. If you knew anything about other service schools you would recog nize that discipline in their mess halls is just as strict (if not more so) than our own and it is not the result of time honored tra dition. As a military school we have certain obligations and a family type atmosphere is not one of them. To raise enrollment concessions were made about “whipping out,” speaking and discipline on the campus. Now you wish to do away with discipline on the cam pus. The only possible next step is to do away with it in the dorms. Remember this school is a school that turns out men who are mentally tough. You don’t make men out of boys by pamper ing them. Your attack on tradition also shows your ignorance of what traditions stand for and what they mean. No nation, no branch of the service or no school has been first class without tradi tions. Tradition builds esprit de corps and by destroying them one destroys what A&M means and stands for. Hazing is not the principal reason for the drop in enrollment. It is merely the straw that broke the camel’s back. Give us decent living quarters, respectable looking uniforms, top flight lab equipment, etc., and put out the straight poop regarding A&M—and it will be worth while to stay here and pay the price of being an Aggies. Anything easily accessible is of no value and it is most cer tainly true at A&M. Robert S, Dunn ’60 Changes Will Make A&M‘ROTC’School Editor, The Battalion: . . .Who wants conditions in the messhall changed? All this talk Social Whirl 3Ionday Aero Wives Club will meet at 7:45 p.m. at Kraft’s downtown store. * * * Ag Economics and Rural Socio logy Wives Club will hold a busi ness meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Social Room of the Memorial Stu dent Center. # Ag Engineering Wives Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Marjorie Person, 311 Highland. * * * Electrical Engineering Wives Club will hold their regular meet ing at 8 p.m. in the Brooks Room of the YMCA. 5|: sj: * Petroleum Engineering Wives Club will meet at 7:45 p.m. in Room 113 of the Petroleum En gineering Building. Eva Lynn Chapman will be the club’s repre sentative at the Cotton Ball. * * * Business Administration Wives Club will meet at 8 p.m. Monday in the Cashion Lounge of the YMCA. Dr. Dale Leipper, head of the Department of Oceanog raphy and Meteorology, will speak on Russian education and show slides on Russia. Tuesday Mechanical Engineering Wives Club will meet at the Lady Fair Beauty Salon at 7:30 p.m. KAISER IS PILOT IN ROOKIE LEAGUE LEXINGTON, Neb. OP) — The college baseball season is over for Jack Kaiser, coach of the St. John’s Redmen of Brooklyn, but he’s in for a long summer anyway. He is managing the Lexington Red Sox in the all-rookie Nebras ka State League. Last season his team finished second. f Get WILDR00T CREAM-OIL Charlie! J.Jp Bach, songwriter, says: "Wild- rbot makes your hair look cool, man!” Just a little bit of Wildrcot { K '*>{• ('SJ/'") and... WO W about “poor little fish not being able to eat is a bunch of “bull.” We came here to be “fightin’ Texas Aggies,” not a bunch of mothers’ babies. . . To us, the Corps is the main reason we are here—do anything to make it easier and we are one squadron of “fish” that won’t register in the fall of ’59. We feel proud to tell anyone that we are Aggies because most people know the going is rough here. Does this pride have to be eliminated just because school of ficials wish to make the going easier on us ? If messhall con ditions are changed, we will be just another ROTC unit at an other ordinary college. . . Ben D. Allison (for Sqdn. 7 freshmen) Fish Have Chance To Live Decently Editor, The Battalion: . . .The food in the messhall is some of the highest quality food enrolment. It is merely the straw in the state. When you begin to argue about the taste, please keep in mind that this is mess-hall feeding, and nowhere will you find food prepared by two and three persons at a time of su perb taste. Students eating ih the messhall pay $1.50 a day for three full meals containing many times the required daily amount of vitamins and mineral neces sary for good health. Another misconception is that so many freshmen go home com plaining of empty stomachs and over-wrought nerves. If the Class of ’62 would look at the facts they would see that their “empty stomachs and over wrought nerves” are not due to poor food—rather to little oppor tunity to eat the food placed be fore them. . . Wake up, freshman. You’re getting a chance to live decently now, at least in the messhall. Why mess it up ? Seymour Bauer ’61 SALE STILL IN PROGRESS! ★ LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS ★ SLACKS & IVY LEAGUE PANTS loupot's IT PAYS TO TRADE WITH LOU ATTENTION FRESHMEN! CORSAGES Phone Your Order In And We Will Have It Ready At Your Convenience J. COULTER SMITH FLORIST 1800 S. College Ave. TA 2-3727 Free Delivery F' (AND CONVENIENCE) is a joy {o/tei/e/t An additional telephone in color can mean so much to any home or apartment. It adds a sparkling touch of high fashion plus down-to-earth step saving convenience. And the cost is surprisingly low! Why not call our business office today for full information on beautiful color telephones. Jhe Southwestern States Telephone_Company