Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1962)
- Pag’e G College Station, Texas Tliurgday, August 23, 1962 TEAM’S ACTIVITIES VARIED RY’s Are An Elite Group Since 1887 the Ross Volunteers have stood as the elite group which represents the best A&M has to offer, as well as the oldest organ ized group on campus. Though the name and size have changed several times since the group was founded, the purposes and traditions of the group have remained much the same. The original company was called the Scott Volunteers, in honor of Col. T. M. Scott, who was business manager of the college at that time. The Volunteers described the purpose of their organization as to band tog*ether the most mili- tai-y men in the school into a crack drill company. In 1891, when ex-Governor Law rence Sullivan Ross became presi dent of the college, the name of the company was changed to Ross Volunteers in his honor. Following the death of Ross in 1898, the name was changed to Foster Guards, again honoring the new president of the college, L. L. Foster, who had succeeded Ross. The company marched under’ the name of the Houston Rifles during President Houston’s administra tion. The plan of the organization was to clrange its name in honor of each succeeding president of the college. In 1902, H. H. Harrington, son- in-law of Gov. Ross, became presi dent of the college. When the name of Harrington Rifles was proposed, Harrington requested that the company again assume the name of Ross Volunteers. It was then decided to make the name of Ross Volunteers perma nent, which it has remained. At the time of organization the membership was restricted to forty cadets chosen from the jun ior and senior classes. New mem bers were accepted into the com pany by an election held early each scholastic year. The basis of acceptance was military ability and popularity. After the World War I some non-military students were elected, but in 1923 the company decided to make non-military students and those not making a “B” in Military Science ineligible. At present, to be eligible for membership, one must be taking the advanced Military Science or Air Science course at the time of his appointment, must have a 2.0 overall grade point ratio in his Military or Air Science course and at no time have failed a Military WELCOME- Aggies- TO- YOUNGBLOOD'S GOOD FOOD AT MODERATE PRICES ENTIRELY REMODELED FOR YOUR COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE Rock Building Hiway 6 PHONE TA 2-4557 Midway Between Bryan and College or Air Science course. Also at this time, membership became limited to 133 members at a ratio of two juniors to one sen ior. This ratio insures a constant flow of candidates for special training and development in the company and for qualified poten tial leaders of the highest caliber. The company suffered a period of inactivity during World War IT when the advanced Reserve Offi cers Training Coips was disrupted. In September, 1948, however, the Volunteers were reactivated. Fol lowing is the preamble to the Con stitution of the Ross Volunteer Company which was adopted at the time of the reactivation and which has remained the same: “The Ross Volunteer Company of the Agricultural and Mechan ical College of Texas, as here under constituted, is a voluntary military organization for the Ross Volunteers In Action Three squads of Ross Volunteers are picked men who have died. This is only one otfcQj each year to give the final salute at the varied activities in which the VoluntC annual Aggie muster in the Spring to A&M participate during the year. purpose of representing to the staff. Faculty, and Corps of Ca dets of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, and to the citizens of the State of Texas, an organization of military distinction and example, made up of a membership of men selected from the Cadet Corps who will best accomplish the purpose and ideals of the organ ization. “In its social functions, as sponsored by the School of Mili tary Sciences of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, it is intended that the Ross Vol unteers make tangible contribu tions to the general social and cultural life of the Corps of Cadets of the college; that social distinction be combined with social enjoyment; and that the dress, general bearing, and con duct of the membership and their activities reflect credit upon the college at all times.” A&M Boasts A Proud Histoi Of Turning Out Military Mel Since 1876 when A&M first op ened its doors with six students it has had a military school. The college has shouldered wholeheartedly its responsibilities for teaching military training un der the National Land-Grant Edu cation System. For many years A&M has had the largest military school in the United States. It is now one of six military colleges. At least two years of military training are required of all stu dents, except veterans, physically handicapped, foreign nationals, men over 21 years of age and transfer students with more than 30 credit hours. Organized by military units and living under military supervision, the cadets wear their uniforms throughout the school year. In World War I 52 former stu dents died in military service. Following the war the New York Sun, in an anaysis of war partici pation by American colleges and universities, declared that A&M had furnished a greater proportion of its alumni as commissioned offi cers than any other school. ROTC Started In 1920 The Reserve Officers Training Cushing, Other Libraries Hold Much Knowledge For Students A building on the campus locat ed directly east of the Academic Building should be one of the most used buildings on the campus, but many students struggle through four years at A&M without taking- advantage of the services of Cush ing Memorial Library. Staffed by professional libra rians and headed by Robert A. Houze, the air conditioned library has over 300,000 books at the stu dent’s disposal. As you enter the first floor of the library you enter the news paper lounge where the library has over 50 newspapers from over the state and nation for your up- to-date study of world events. The periodical reading room is on the left, and almost all the na tional magazines are represented here. On the right is the reserve and required reading room. As an entering freshman will soon dis cover, a great many assignments are given that are referred to as required reading. For Outside Reading The professors intend for the students to do yeading above and beyond the text in order to sup plement and further their under standing of the material being- studied. The required reading room con tains volumes which have been placed on reserve so that they can be easily obtained. This room is full of grade points; all the fresh men have to do is find them and use them. Going up the stairs to the sec ond floor, on the left is the main loan desk. There is where books from the general collection are located. In the lobby on the floor are located card catalogs to aid in locating books. On the right at the top of the stairs is the reference room. Here are located periodical indexes, en cyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, bibliographies, year books, and. certain issues of the New York Times and other newspapers in cluding The Battalion on mi crofilm for your reference. ‘Closed Stack’ Program Cushing Library is operated on a “closed stack” program which means that a check slip has to be filled out and presented to the librarian at the main loan desk in order to obtain a book from the general collection. Library hours during the long session are from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is open from 8 until 12 noon on Saturday. On Sundays the library opens at 2 p.m. and remains open until 10 p.m. Books are checked out for two weeks and are subject to re newal for another two weeks. Other Libraries, Too Other libraries are located on the campus under the supervision of the various departments and divisions of the college. The largest of these is the Tex as Engineers’ Library. This is lo cated directly east of the Cushing Library. It was established in 1943 as a cooperative project be tween A&M and the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. „ Jgn outstanding illustrato^^. the group were the 46. yoiiEMi ( ans, A&M-trained reserve on duty at Corregidor and :|n Their epic of fighting abi the face of insurmountable J military history. More Began Here In addition to some 7,000» I 1 Officers trained and commis | USI at A&M,- the college takes® u in at least another 7,0001 of World War II. They received from tbet varying degrees of military!! ing that enabled them to 4 enter officer candidate sclii to better play their parti great emergency program eifce t ing a victorious military f#Bnrs Six former students of fehedr have been awarded the MeBplic Honor for exceptional brat® to World War II—all but two®ndi awards being posthumous, j A&M trains citizen trained men to be availa military service in a warj That it has well met jective is evidenced bythes|l performance of its sons ■ these overall figures of itsl ing program in round nmiifcn | Corps was inaugurated atm, in 1920. Since that yearn j e military training and undei* 0se ing has been given to moreF 41,000 young men. At this time training is« in both the Army and Air! Advanced ROTC training,I ing to commissions in tli(| Army Reserve, was given! proximately 7,000 men bet: ■ ^ program was discontinued 11 ^ the emergencies of World ft By December 7, 1941, sonit |_ reserve officers, trained at: I were already on active duty ing to weld the army that s ■ » win World War II. - The present building was 1 pleted in 1953 and boasts! I sion of some 30,000 technical! L —■ and periodicals. The cated in the VeterinaryjB91 west of the main campus 11 the tracks. It is a special!! 1$ brary for the students of < I nary medicine. I:-:: The Architect’s Library i I c’ated on the fourth - floor l |:$ Academic Building. I, beii( other specialized library, is |-:j: primarily by the students of. I FRESHMAN ANNUAL PORTRAITS for the “Aggieland ’63” are scheduled to begin with the first week of classes! Watch for the schedule and PLAN NOW to have your portrait in the yearbook. We’ll be looking for you! you save b y ordering portraits from yearbook proofs North Gate College Station