THE BATTALION
Page 4 College Station, Texas Thursday, August 6, 1964
Ross Volunteers
Are Recognized
As 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.
Thoutrh 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 orignial 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 together the most mili
tary men in the school into a
crack drill company.
IN 1891, when ex-Governor
Lawrence Sullivan Ross became
president 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
succeeded Ross. The company
marched under the name of the
Houston Rifles during President
Houston’s administration. The plan
of the organization was to change
its name in honor of each succeed
ing 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 per
manent, which it has remained.
At the time of organization the
membership was restricted to forty
cadets chosen from the junior and
senior classes. New members were
accepted into the company by an
election held early each scholastic
year. The basis of acceptance was
military ability and popularity.
After 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
or Air Science course.
ALSO AT THIS time, member
ship became limited to 133 mem
bers at a ratio of two juniors to
one senior. This ratio insures a
constant flow of candidates for
special training and development
in the company and for qualified
potential leaders of the highest
caliber.
THE ROSS VOLUNTEERS
. . . elite group of A&M cadets perform all over the country.
Senate Runs Student Body,
Acts As Its Official Voice
The central governing body of
students on the A&M campus is
the Student Senate.
The company suffered a period
of inactivity during World War II
when the advanced Reserve Of
ficers Training Corps was disrupt
ed. In September, 1948, however,
the Volunteers were reactivated.
The Senate is set up to deter
mine and conduct matters of gener
al student concern that arise at
various times during the year.
Objectives of the Senate are to
act as the official voice of the stu
dent body, to promote the student
body’s general welfare and to pro
vide a liaison between the adminis
tration of the university and the
students.
THE SENATE also provides op
portunity to train students in the
responsibilities and mechancis of
Aggies 9 Dates Enjoy Many
Dances Held During Year
Several weekends during the
year, Aggies bring their dates to
the campus, dress in their finest,
and attend the various balls held in
Sbisa Dining Hall.
Each class has its own ball dur
ing the year. The Fish Ball is
usually held just after the begin
ning of the spring semester. It
is an occasion when the freshman
dons his best Class A uniform and
prepares for the brightest week
end of his fish year.
Other dances which freshmen
may attend are the Cotton Ball
and all dances held for the stu
dent body in the Memorial Student
Center basement and Ballroom.
Army cadets of all classes don
their best fatigues for the Combat
Ball, another annual dance feat
ure. The setting for this dance is
usually some historic combat zone,
as well as faculty and staff attend
ing dress accordingly.
Air Science cadets have their
individual ball in a little more
splendor, with the Air Force Ball
being a formal affair.
The two factions of the Corps
combine each spring on the night
following the Army’s Combat Ball
for another highlight, the Military
Ball. This is a formal affair.
Bands are usually imported from
large cities for these dances, al
though on some occasions a local
group known as the Aggieland
Orchestra plays for the '
democratic government and citi
zenship.
Officers of the Senate are elect
ed by the student body in a general
election held at the end of each
school year.
A senior, junior and sophomore
representative is elected from each
major college of the university at
the time officers are elected.
Four freshmen representative
will be elected immediately follow
ing the mid-semester grade reports
and they will take office at that
time.
The Senate is divided into four
standing committees:
THE STUDENT LIFE Commit
tee strives to develop healthy stu
dents attitudes on such campus
problems as an honor system and
the purposes of a college education.
The Student Welfare Commit
tee recommends policies or changes
concerning the university hospital,
dining halls, dormitories and land
scaping. It also regulates all stu
dent welfare fund drives.
The Issues Committee proposes
to the Senate resolutions on state
national and international issues
which effect and interests college
students. It also voices opinions
on current questions of importance,
dancers, such as continued foreign aid and
Health Services Provided
Accrediting Agencies Give
A&M’s Curricula Approval
A&M’s curricula in many fields
meet the requirements of some of
the nation’s well-known accredit
ing agencies.
The university itself is accredit
ed by the Southern Association of
Colleges and Secondary Schools,
the Association of Texas Colleges
and Universities and the Texas
Education Agency.
The curricula in architecture are
accredited by the National Archi
tectural Accrediting Board, and
the veterinary medicine degree pro
gram is accredited by the Ameri
can Veterinary Medical Association
Council on Education.
Other agencies have accredited
the engineering curricula, the
chemistry program and the jour
nalism program.
By University Hospital
The A&M University Hospital,
which provides all the health serv
ice for students, is one of the
best equipped college hospitals in
the Southwest.
Facilities available include phy
sical therapy, state approved labor
atory and a X-ray department.
These are only part of the
various services provided for the
Aggies who pay the health fee at
registration time.
Students desiring immunization,
desensitization injections, or cer
tain other special treatments, will
not be charged for the service but
will be required to supply the medi
cation needed.
The medical staff under the di
rection of Dr. C. R. Lyons, includes
specialists in the field of medi
cine; surgery; eye,, ear, nose and
throat; and mental hygiene.
The hospital also has a staff
of registered nurses on duty at
all times when the college is in
session.
Office hours in the Clinic are
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 12
noon on Saturdays. Emergency
cases and those needing hospital
ization will be seen at any hour.
Ambulance service may be ob
tained for emergency cases by call
ing the hospital.
academic freedom.
MAIN PURPOSE of this com
mittee is to demonstrate that stu
dents, as future leaders, can and
should think about the society of
which they are a part.
The Public Relations Committee
serves to improve relationships
with other student bodies and other
outside groups through publicity,
welcoming and other activities.
An annual Campus Chest Drive
is sponsored by the Student Senate.
Money collected from this drive
goes to various welfare organiza
tions. A substantial portion of
the money collected remains on the
campus for aid to Aggies.
Fish Drill Team Almost
As Busy As RV Compmi
Another activity freshmen will
be interested in if they are mem
bers of the Corps of Cadets is the
Fish Drill Team.
Made up exclusively of members
of the freshman class, the Fish
Drill Team is almost as busy dur
ing the year as the Ross Volun
teers.
The team is picked by tryouts
from among the freshmen and
practices just like other drill teams
to get intricate maneuvers down to
perfection.
Upperclassmen who are fou
members of the Fish Drill Isj
act as supervisors for the
Campus activities of the team
elude presentations of skill
marching after various revituP
held for visiting groups or %
taries.
The team attends several i
contests during the year, and [
drill teams have brought
trophies from almost every
they have entered.
WELCOME FRESHMEN
Don’s Barber Shop
Individual Hair Styling
Trade Where
Slouch Does
Don’s Barber Shop
North Gate
Across from the campus
(under the picture of slouch)
UNIVERSITY
NATIONAL BANK
Ab' hitD ; • ikia'.U»oe* $btw s '*"
A HOME OWNED BANK, SERVING
THE COLLEGE STATION AREA—
OFFERING COMPLETE BANKING FACILITIES
Xv-'.
It’s no trick at all to start a Checking
Account or Saving Account - We
Are In Easy Walking Distance
of the Campus
MEMBER-
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
North Gate
VI-6-8751
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