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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1963)
. ■ •• BATTAll Che Battalion Band Receives $1,000 Gift.,. See Page 5 & Volume 60 COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1963 Number 130 AT MSC SEMINAR Needs For Navy Computers Heard Computer Seminar Leaders fommander Bill C. Moore, USNR, left; Capt. W. E. Berg, fenter, assistant chief of the Office of Naval Research ; and lapt. R. H. Ballinger, USNR, discuss activities of A&M’s jirst Research Reserve Seminar on Electronic Computers, lerg was a principal speaker. Moore and Ballinger are l&M faculty members. ndian Ag fake Ideas Officials Home Vhen three agricultural officials ve here Friday on the longr re- n trip to their native India, y’ll be carrying more than arm- ds of suitcases. [n their heads will be myriads of ension service ideas to try in ia’s farming areas. And ring- in their ears will be the best hes from hundreds of new-found nds, after a year’s stay in Texas nties. he agents from India have ob- ved American agriculture first- id and have talked and worked |h Texas fanners and their child- hey are Nirmal Bhushan Roy wdhury of District Nadia in Bengal, Lachhman Dass Shar- of Tehsil Hamirpur District }igra in Punjab, and Shesh Nara- Nandedkar of Nagpur. All district extension service a- ts. HEIR VISIT was sponsored by U. S. Agency for International relopment, with A&M Univer- f and its Agricultural Extension vice co-operating, ack Gray, co-ordinator of the eign Programs Office at A&M, the Indians spent the year extension staff members. They died extension organization and the county agents communi- and disseminate the latest re- rch information to the people. Ihowdhury worked with Agent hard Gary in Erath County, irma with Agent Wayne Gran in Fannin County, and Naded- with Agent John Henry in shur County. They also spent several weeks at extension service headquarters at College Station, where they talked and studied with administi’ators and specialists to learn how the state staff supports and assists county extension personnel. Further success of the U. S. Navy’s many computer operations will depend greatly upon micro electronic research in fabrication of extra small components for the machines. The outlook was made here Mon day at the First Research Reserve Seminar on Electronic Computers by Capt. W. E. Berg, assistant chief of the Office of Naval Re search in Washington, D. C. The seminar, which will be held through Sept. 7, is designed to help 56 Navy, Army and Air Force Reserve officers enhance their knowledge of electronic computers. Sponsors are A&M and Naval Re serve Research Company 8-3. BERG SAID almost every major weapon and piece of equipment in the Navy today needs a reliable electronic nervous system for its operation. “We must have electronic recon naissance systems capable of rapid and accurate determination at long range of the character, location, and identy of enemy targets,” he said. “We need surveillance sys tems that can shift rapidly from active' to. passive or semi-active modes of operation as well as ac tive systems capable of rapid fre quency shifts. In nearly all cases, a computer will serve as the brain of such systems.” As if these challenges were not enough, the systems must be in units small enoug-h to pack into aircraft or missiles, the captain emphasized. They must be com pact enough to fit into shipboard compartments. THIS IS WHY microminaturized components and microelectronics research are needed. Bei-g also outlined a project un derway for preparing computer programs to stimulate military sit uations. A special programming- language called Militran is oriented to military procedures and is un derstandable by the computer. Another project, he said, is the processing of non-numerical in formation, such as visual pattern recognition, speech recognition, mechanical translation of langu ages, and retrieval of stored in formation from large collections. THE BASIC objective is to dup licate the human-life function of problem solving-. The goal is not to model the human brain but to achieve some of the same abilities that have been restricted to hu mans. Still another Office of Naval Research project is development of machines capable of learning and which do not n'eed prog-ramming in the usual sense. Wildlife Management Team Back After Honduras Trip An A&M research team returned Friday from three months collect ing- of bats and other animals in the Central American country of Honduras. Jerry Mankins, graduate student in the Department of Wildlife Management, headed the three-man team working in conjunction with a three-year study of bats financ ed by the National Institute of Health. Jack Meyer, recent wildlife grad uate who will undertake advanced studies this fall, and Gordon Jar rell, high school student from West- point, Conn., rounded out the crew. According to Meyer, the trio spent all three months of the trip traveling dirt roads of Honduras in a Texas Agricultural Experi ment Station panel truck. He added that the collectors also flew into two areas inaccessible by auto. Members of the Department of Wildlife Management have been working on the long-range project since early 1962 in Texas, Mexico and several Central American coun tries. Next year the collecting will continue in South America. The scientists are trying to determine some of the relation ships of South, Central and North American bats and where those from the U. S. go in winter. Meyer said the threesome brought back about 1,000 bat specimens, as well as a number of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. He said the bats were taken from caves, buildings, hollow trees and with special nets across streams or in banana plantations. Meyer said he and Jarrell were al most washed away by a flash flood one time while hanging a net. The trio kept a parrot, a howler monkey and a porcupine as pets. The porcupine was of the Central American variety that has a pre hensile tail for grasping limbs. Near diaster came once, said Meyer, when Mankins sat on the spiny animal while driving and the ti-uck almost swerved off the road. Info On European Study Fellowships Is Now Available Details of the 1963-64 program of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Sci ence Fellowships for study in Euro pean countries or Canada have been received on the A&M campus. Information is available at the office of the Dean of Graduate Studies Wayne C. Hall. The program administered in this country by the National Science Foundation is planned to assist in- stiutions to incorporate more quick ly into their own advanced train ing and research programs the most recent developments. Approximately 20 fellowships for professionally-established faculty members tenable for a period of eight weeks to six months will be awarded. The program covers most fields of science and technology. Application materials must be filed not later than Oct. 18. Staff Car Stickers Need $7.50 Fee In announcing the new plan for faculty-staff car registration last week some copies of The Bat talion incorrectly listed the fee as $3. Campus Security officials ex plained the charge is $7.50 as last year. Under the new plan the Fiscal Office has been accept ing payment for automobile stickers since Monday. Pwo Employes’ Efforts Cited The A&M campus for years come will continue to show * results of efforts by two flunds maintenance workers 'nored last week by fellow Nployes. Mike J. Renghofer, and William J. Vavra, retire iturday. Renghofer, whose only job in country has been his more a n 40-years of service at A&M, specially proud of his role in ^ting live oaks on the campus, toting his first tasks was plant- £ the trees honoring the mem- J of A&M’s dead of World a f I. Later, he planted several °tosand of the trees. Gvra joined the grounds 18 years ago, but it was 72 tors ago when his father ia ?ht a farm on land within £ht of the Texas A&M campus. Sv ra was 3 years old then. “Both of these individuals are fry valuable people to this de- 'rtment for many years,” Rieh- Thornton, head of the ftounds maintenance depart- *nt, said. He especially praised the men for their conscientious ness and initiative. Renghofer served as foreman of the grounds maintenance crew from 1930 through 1949. Re cently he has operated the de partment’s nursery which pro vides plants and young ti*ees to be set out on the campus. A native Austrian, he com pleted landscape architecture schooling there and also fought in the Austrian Army in World War I. “I fought the Russians for 12 months, till they shot me all to pieces,” Renghofer said of his war experiences. He came here and went to work for A&M through the ef forts of a half-brother who now lives in Rockford, 111. He arrived early in 1923 with 40-eents in his pocket and com pletely lacking a knowledge of the English language. For the first six months after going to work, Rengkofer concentrated upon learning English. Coming here also allowed him to renew his acquaintance with the young lady who became Mrs. Renghofer on thanksgiving Day, 1924. The couple were school mates in Austria, but she and her family immigrated to Bryan in 1912. The Renghofers have two sons and two daughters, and are proud that the boys graduated from A&M. Renghofer has spent his life working with plants, and at the nursery he refers to them as “little fellows.” “They’ve got a life just like you and me,” he said. But he also likes people and is especially px-oud of the number of former students who look him up when visiting the campus. Both Renghofer and Varvra are membei’s of St. Joseph Cath olic Chux-ch and third degree knights of the Knights of Col umbus. A&M’s curricula were extended from two to four years at about the time the Vavra family moved onto their farm near the campus with its small cluster of build ings. Lawrence Sullivan Ross, who became one of the well- known presidents of A&M, as sumed the pi-esidency while then young’ Vavra played and did boy hood chores. “About 50 years ago I heal'd the old folks say Bryan and Col lege Station would meet someday . . . and now they have,,” Vavra said. He admits he was dubious that streets, houses and buildings ever would fill in the fields which senai’ated Bryan and the campus until relatively recently. “In 1944,” Vavra said, “I hung farming on the fence and came out here.” His first work included push ing handmowers aci’oss campus lawns, but more x*ecently he has kept the grounds around the Me morial Student Center. The Vavras have three sons, including two who graduated fxom A&M, and a daughter. One son, Fx-ank, works on the campus as a technician in the floriculture section. The other children live in other states. The Vavras’ 50th wedding an niversary will be Nov. 4. DR. M. E. BLOOD WORTH . . . new department head Bloodworth Is Head Of Soil, Crop Sciences The new head of the Department of Soil and Ci’op Sciences will be Di\ Moms E. Bloodworth, pi’o- fessor of soil physics. Dr. R. E. Pattei’son, dean of agri culture, said Bloodworth will re place Dr. William O. Trogdon, who has headed the department since 1958. Trogdon, whose resignation is effective Sept. 1, will join a Texas fertilizer company as an executive vice president. BLOODWORTH IS known for his teaching and research in imga- tion and soil-plant-water interrela tionships. He is the author and co-author of 42 publications in these areas. His environment control cham ber, which he designed and built, has attracted much attention among soil scientists. “Dr. Bloodworth is an outstand ing research scientist and stimulat ing teacher. He can be expected to pi’ovide capable guidance and leadership in this important agri cultural ai’ea,” Patterson said. Bloodworth was born at Axtell, Texas. His BS degree in agricul tural engineering came in 1941, and his MS and PhD in soil physics in 1953 and 1958 at A&M. FOLLOWING GRADUATION. Bloodworth was agi’icultural engi neer at Seguin for the U. S. De- pai'tment of Agriculture, 1941-42 and 1946-48; agricultural research engineer with the Texas Agricul tural Experiment Station at Wes- alco, 1948-51; graduate assistant, A&M agronomy depai'tment, 1951- 54; associate soil physicist, Agri cultural Experiment Station, Wes laco, 1954-56; associate professor of soil physics, A&M soil and crop sciences depai’tment, 1956-60; and professor of soil physics at A&M, 1960 to date. The scientist is a member of the Soil Science Society of America, International Soil Science Society, Western! Soil Science Society, A- mei’ican Society of Agi’onomy, A- mei’ican Society of Agricultural Engineers, Texas Agi’icultural Workers Association, American As sociation for the Advancement of Science, and Sigma Xi. Family Begins Sad Journey From Houston A sad journey began shortly before noon yesterday as Mrs. Molly Woodcock, accompanied by her husband, David Woodcock, and their 5-month-old son, left Houston by jet for their home in England. It will be the last trip home for Mrs. Woodcock, who suffers from an incurable brain tumor. She wanted to return to England to face death with friends and relatives. The couple has been living in College Station since last September when the 26-year-old Woodcock joined the School of Architecture as one of the youngest Fulbright professors to receive a grant under the international teaching program. Shortly after the birth of Jonathan Alfred Woodcock April 3, Mrs. Woodcock devel oped severe headaches. Twelve days later she was rushed to the Texas Medical Center in Houston for major surgery to remove a brain tumor. FOR A SHORT TIME the 27- year-old woman appeared to be recovering, but the headaches re turned. A second operation re vealed the tumor was malignant. Doctors told her and her husband she hadn’t long to live. Mrs. Woodcock’s condition be came worse last weekend and the physicians urged that she be taken home as soon as possible. The jet took the couple to Chica go and they then flew directly to England where she will be able to see her parents in Stockport. BEFORE THEY LEFT Wood cock told Houston reporters, “Our College Station friends couldn’t have done more for us. We don’t know how to express our thanks to them.” Local people recently started a fund to help pay for the expensive operations and the flight to Eng land. The Molly Woodcock Fund at the College Station State Bank held $625 late Wednesday. A bank spokesman said anyone wishing to contribute to the fund may do so either by mail or by bringing a donation in person. Donors should indicate that the money is to be deposited to the Molly Woodcock Fund. The spokesman said the goal of the drive is $3,000. The Aggie Players staged “The Best of the Players” May 22 as a benefit performance for the Eng lish couple. Many other groups and individuals had helped before the fund was started. Friends have also helped in caring for Jonathan. WOODCOCK AND his wife both volunteered to help the Aggie Players during the last school year 19 Summer Grads Receive Commissions Nineteen summer graduates of A&M last week received second lieutenant commissions in the Army and Air Force after completion of their undergraduate studies here. Fourteen of the students met re quirements through the Army Re serve Officer Training Corps pro gram. Except for those who have received deferments, the new of ficers are expected to be called to active duty shortly, according to the Department of Military Sci ences. Col. Denzil L. Baker, professor of military science and tactics, spoke briefly to the new officers on the challenges- and satisfaction gained through service as officers. The commissioning oath was ad ministered by Maj. John R. Vilas of the Army ROTC staff. THE FIVE NEW Air Force of ficers are now awaiting orders to active duty, an AFROTC spokes man announced Monday. The men qualified for commis sions by receiving bachelor’s de grees from A&M and meeting other Air Force requirements. The new Army second lieuten ants are: Richard G. Hoppers and Gary D. Williams of Dallas; Mich ael B. Reveley, El Paso; George Gutierrez, Harlingen; Lyndon P. McDaniel, Hemphill; Carl H. Ai ken III, Ronald D. Hunter, Harold R. Otto, and Dennis W. Sander of Houston; Charles R. King, Livingston; John E. Blackburn, Marshall; Tom- He designed stage settings and 1T >y J- Schulze, Meridian; Francis Mrs. Woodcock designed and made | M. Pate, Duncan, Okla.; and San- costumes for major productions ford D. Cothren, Heber Springs, last fall. Under the terms of his Fulbright fellowship, Woodcock was to have | D. Sloan, Amarillo; ended his work here this August. | Villareal, Falfurrias; Ark. The Air Force officers: William Delfino E. Thomas J. But the contract was extended by | Enney, Harlingen; Calvin W. special permission and the couple | Smith, Houston; and Paul M. was going to stay another year. Smith, Uvalde. Two Lifetimes Around A&M Mike J. Renghofer Sr., left, and William years ago, while Vavra grew up near the J Vavra retire Saturday to end long careers campus but not did not go to work for the in the grounds maintenance department, university until 18 years ago. Renghofer joined the staff more thap 40