The Battalion
Volume 60
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1962
Number 84
Big Military Weekend Starts Today
NSF Grant
To Finance
New Vessel
A grant of $875,000 has been
made by the National Science
Foundation to A&M to convert a
180-foot vessel for oceanographic
research.
The award, made to the Depart
ment of Oceanography and Meteor
ology through the A&M Research
Foundation, will enable scientific
cruises to be made throughout the
hemisphere.
Directing the conversion and
Bengali-English
Dictionary Now
Being Printed
The first dictionary of its kind
*-a Bengali-English, English-Ben-
gali Dictionary — is being pub
lished by the Department of Mod
ern Languages.
Author of the book, Dr. Jack
A. Dabbs, professor of modern
languages, said the dictionary is
the first one to show the Bengali
words in a phonetic transcription,
using the English alphabet as well
as the Bengali alphabet.
“Other dictionaries of the lang
uage have shown the Bengali
Words in the Bengali alphabet only,
and learning this Indian alphabet
has been a major obstacle to learn
ing the language,” Dabbs said.
Bengali is the language of East
ern India and of East Pakistan.
About 60 million people speak the
Related Picture on Page 3
language, which is approximately
the same as the number who speak
French.
A&M has an interest in the lang
uage because of the fairly large
number of faculty and staff mem
bers and their families whom the
school sends to East Pakistan und
er the U. S. Foreign Aid Program,
he said. Bengali has been taught
to specialized groups at A&M for
the past two years.
The dictionary began last year
when A&M received a grant from
the Department of Health, Edu
cation and Welfare. Words for the
book were collected by Dabbs dur
ing a stay in 1960 in East Pakis
tan. He was helped by Mrs. Sumi-
tra Banerjee, whose husband is a
graduate student here.
Mrs. Banerjee was born and edu
cated in Calcutta, the largest Ben
gali-speaking city.
One of the chief difficulties in
publishing the dictionary was
printing the words in phonetic
transcription and in the Bengali
alphabet, Dabbs said. Bengali type
face was not available.
Fortunately, Dabbs had brought
back a half-font of Bengali type
from Pakistan, and he had the
other specialized type needed for
the phonetic transcriptions.
Dabbs, with the help of Dr. Ed
ward C. Breitenkamp, associate
professor in the Department of
Modern Languages and Mrs. Ban
erjee, hand set the book. With the
limited supply of type available,
only one or two ; .pages a day could
be printed on a job press.
Sophomore Wins
Encyclopedia Set
Robbie L. Galaway, ‘64, account
ing major from Laredo, was the
winner of the 30 volumes of the
Encyclopedia Americana displayed
in the Memorial Student Center
since last week.
A drawing was held today, and
the presentation was made by
Russell M. Phillips, Director of
"University Promotions, Americana
Corporation.
out-fitting of the ‘FS” type ship
will be Dr. Hugh J. McLellan, pro
fessor of oceanography.
“We are delighted that under
McLellan’s direction the depart
ment will be able to extend our
oceanographic research capabilities
to greater areas not heretofore
possible,” said Dr. Frank W. R.
Hubert, dean of arts and sciences.
The vessel to be acquired will
supplement the present A&M Re
search Foundation ship, the “Hid
algo,” a 136-foot wood-hulled ves
sel that has been used since 1958.
The “Hidalgo’s” size has limited
the amount of equipment needed
for research, the number of sci
entists it would hold and its cruis
ing range, which was generally
limited to the Gulf of Mexico and
the Western Caribbean.
The FS-type ship will extend
A&M’s research capabilities to
cruises throughout the Gulf of
Mexico, the Caribbean and the
major oceans. Originally design
ed for use by the Army as a
freight carrier, it features two
large holds, a large expanse of
clear deck space and has no costly
superstructures to remove during
the converting project. It is now
docked at San Diego, Calif.
As a research ship, it will have
space on the main deck for 1,038-
square feet of laboratory and 1,-
280 square feet of lab space be
low the main deck. Hydrographic
and deep sea dredging and coring
equipment will be operated from
on deck.
It will have berths for 16 scient
ists, a scientific library, space for
a crew of 18 and a three bed
hospital.
The Department of Oceanogra
phy and Meteorology was estab
lished in 1949. Since 1955 it has
had one of the larger oceanogra
phy enrollments in the nation. It
has granted 60 graduate degrees
in oceanography in the past de
cade — 23 of which were Ph. D.
degrees and 37 master of science
degrees. Dr. Dale Leipper is head
of the department.
Current studies being conducted
by A&M scientists include re
search on seismic refraction, heat
budget, Yucatan current systems,
biochemistry of surface films, grav
ity measurements at sea, dynamics
of marine populations, air-sea in
teraction, development of oceano
graphic instruments and many
other projects.
Maritime Academy
Head Inspects Ship
Of Eastern School
Capt. B. M. Dodson, head of the
newly established Maritime Acad
emy, was in New Orleans Tuesday
to visit the training ship “Bay
State” of the Massachusetts Mari
time Academy.
He consulted with the command
ing officer of the ship toward de
veloping operations for the Texas
Maritime Academy similar to
those of Massachusetts. Dodson
said that curriculum, expenses and
modes of operation were reviewed
and compared. The Massachusetts
Maritime Academy, established in
1882, is one of the oldest, Dodson
said.
The “Bay State” had docked at
New Orleans on a return cruise
from South America. It carried
over 200 cadets who were given
the opportunity to attend the
Mardi Gras celebration.
At present, the department is
pi’eparing the budget for 1962-63.
The curriculum for the Maritime
Academy will be reviewed Friday
by the Curriculum Board, he added.
Eileen Martin
. . 3rd Battle group
Leah Rita Stephenson
. . . 5th Battle group
Anita Franklin
. . 2nd Battle group
ITS To Kick Off
Activities Tonight
Another activity-filled Military Weekend will get under
way here Friday afternoon with the arrival of many of the
special guests, and will continue through the annual Military
Ball Saturday night in Sbisa Hall.
Lt. Gen Paul L. Freeman Jr., deputy commanding gen
eral for reserve forces at the U. S. Continental Army Com
mand, will arrive FYiday afternoon.
He will inspect the Ross Volunteer Company in front
of the Systems Administration Building at 4:30 Friday after
noon.
At 6:30 Friday night the annual Intercollegiate Talent
Show will be staged in Guion Hall. Price of tickets is $1, and
may be bought at the door. 4 "
No seats have been reserved.
Claude Ann Riggs
. . . 6th Battle group
Lynn Moore
. . . 4th Battle group
Ellie Walter
. 1st Battle group
Civilians Question Methods
Of Graduate Record Exams
Alleged irregularities in A&M’s
participation in the Graduate Rec
ord Examination program were
brought out by members of the
Civilian Student Council in a reg
ular meeting Thursday night.
Graduating seniors are sched
uled to take two examinations, an
aptitude test and an advanced
test, during a full day of exams
Saturday, Mar. 24.
The alleged irregularities, heard
also in other quarters, involve pay
ment for taking the tests, whether
participation is a requirement for
graduation and whether all stu
dents will take the advanced tests.
A&M’s participation was ap
proved by the Student Senate Jan.
18 with the following proposals:
1. Aptitude tests will be given
all graduating seniors, while ad
vanced tests will be given seniors
in the specific fields covered by
the exams. Graduates in fields
other than those covered in the
advanced tests will take the tests
only if their department heads de
cide they should. The department
heads will also designate which
tests the seniors will take.
2. Results of the tests will not
be placed on permanent record.
3., The tests will be given free
of charge this year, and in follow
ing years if possible.
Wire Wrap-Up
By The Associated Press
World News
SAIGGN, South Viet Nam—Running battles between
government forces and Communist guerrillas flared over
much of the southern third of South Viet Nam yesterday.
Casualties mounted on both sides as Viet Cong guerrillas
began striking hard, sometimes in units of 1,000 men, and
the government struck back even harder in what was shaping
up as the biggest military struggle since South Viet Nam
became independent in 1954.
U. S. News
WASHINGTON—A low-yield nuclear blast was set off
underground yesterday at the Atomic Energy Commission’s
Nevada test site.
It was the 21st blast announced by the commission since
testing was started last fall. A low-yield blast has a force
equivalent to less than 20,000 tons of TNT.
tA" tAt
WASHINGTON—The Defense Department advised
Senate investigators yesterday that 227 U. S. military men
have fallen into Communist hands since 1954 and 29 of them
are listed as still under Sino-Soviet control.
The figures were given in a letter signed by Cyrus R.
Vance, Defense Department counsel.
The letter, placed in evidence in a Senate investigation
of anti-Communist indoctrination of troops, gave no ex
planation of how, when or where the military personnel had
been seized by Reds since the 1953 end of the Korean War.
Texas News
HOUSTON—Seven Yugoslavian engineers and archi
tects said yesterday opposition to their seven-day Houston
visit is embarrassing.
“We are not offended,” said Ahmed Hanic, spokesman
for the group. “Only embarrassed. We are sorry to learn
our presence here is resented.”
The group is to remain in Houston on a State Depart
ment sponsored tour until next Wednesday^
4. The tests shall not be a pre
requisite for graduation.
Initial questions arising from the
announcement of the Mar. 24 tests
concerned who will take the tests.
The announcement said May grad
uates would take both tests, but
made no mention of summer or
January, 1963, graduates.
Students have also charged that
no choice was given in the depart
ments covered by the advanced
tests. Fields covei’ed by the tests
are biology, chemistry, economics,
education, engineering, French,
geology, goveniment, history, lit
erature, mathematics, music, phil
osophy, psychology, scholastic
philosophy, sociology, Spanish and
speech. '
It was initially announced that
the $15 costs of the two tests
would be covered by the college.
Two engineering graduates, how
ever, told council members they
had to pay $4.50 before being al
lowed to take the exams.
In other business CSC Presi
dent Doug Schwenk appointed a
committee to investigate ^the pos
sibility of creating a Civilian Stu
dent Achievement Award.
Thursday’s proposal suggested
giving such awards to one civilian
in each of the four college degree
granting schools. The committee
will probably render a report of
its findings at the next CSC meet
ing.
Economics Prof
To UN Members
To Speak Tonight
Tonight at 7:30 Dr. Irving O.
Linger, associate professor of eco
nomics, will speak at the YMCA
Building on the “Economic Prob
lems in Developing Countries.”
Alauddin Ahmad, president of
the United Nations Club, said,
“This program will offer an op
portunity td become better in
formed about problems in new
countries.” Ahmad also announced
plans for the Mar. 23 meeting of
the club.
At this meeting Hamdi A. El
Banbi, president of the United
Arab Republic Association, will
speak. His topic will be “Egypt
Today.”
Eleven acts from schools
throughout the Southwest will
be presented, and the Apache
Belles will open and close the show
with a dance routine.
Then two dances follow the ITS.
Army units will deck out in fa
tigues and combat gear for the
Combat Ball, in Sbisa Hall. "Leo
Baxter’s band from Houston will
provide the music, and a Combat
Cutie will be selected. Theme for'
this year’s dance is somewhere in
West Berlin.
In the Memorial Student Cen-
f er, at the same time, a “Midnight
in New Orleans” dance will be
underway in the Ballroom. This
dance lasts until 1 a.m., and fea
tures the Jokers, a combo from
Louisiana State University. Other
ITS acts are also slated to make
appearances.
Tickets for the dance are $2 per
couple, and will be on sale at the
dance.
Saturday morning Gen. Free
man and other weekend guests
will be taken on a tour of the cam
pus, and will inspect the Corps
Staff headquarters in Dorm 2.
Gen. Freeman will take the un
its’ salutes Saturday afternoon in
a review on the Main Drill Field,
beginning at 1:30. A precision
marching demonstration by the
Freshman Drill Team will be a
feature of the afternoon. After
the review, President Earl Rudder
will hold a reception for guests in
the Ballroom of the Memorial Stu
dent Center.
That evening at 9, the annual
Military Ball will be held in Sbisa
Hall, with all Corps units in at
tendance. The Military Ball plan
ners have invited the weekend
guests to the ball, as well as other
college personnel.
Speaker Tells
Phenomenon Of
Magneto-Gas
When the nation’s millions heard
and witnessed the failure of radio
contact with Lt. Col. John Glenn
as his spacecraft re-entered the
earth’s atmosphere, they became
aware of a new phenomena in sci
ence — magneto-gas dynamics.
Dr. Ali B. Cambel of Northwest
ern University described this new
science as guest lecturer before the
chapter of Sigma Xi, national so
ciety for the encouragement of sci
entific research.
“For a period of seven minutes,
Glenn was without communication
because of the generation of ioniz
ed gas around his space vehicle.
Radio signals couldn’t penetrate
it,” Cambel said.
Magneto-hydrodynamics is be
coming increasingly important in
the attempt to control the expand
ing energy of hydrogen bombs
for peaceful purposes.
Both scientists and engineers in
terested in controlled nuclear fu
sion find magneto-hydrodynamics
of “extreme interest,” he said.
It is only during the last de
cade that magneto-hydrodynamics
has made itself felt as a new
science, Cambel said. Scientists and
engineers concerned with develop
ment of re-entry vehicles hope to
make use of magneto-aero-dynamic
drag to help slow down a vehicle
returning to the earth's surface.
In this instance, a magnetic field
inside the vehicle woruld have to
displace the ionized gas develop
ing around the craft, thus in-
ci'easing the drag on the vehicle, he
explained.
‘Jokers’ Return For ITS
Perennial ITS favorite, ‘The Jokers/ from Louisiana State
University, will return for the fourth time for tonight’s
performance of the Intercollegiate Talent Show at 6:30 in
G. Rollie White Coliseum. They will also be featured at
“Midnight in New Orleans” entertainment in the Memorial
Student Center after ITS.