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Band Leads Fighting Texas Aggies
THE BATTALION
Thursday, August 6, 1964
College Station, Texas
Page 7
BY DAVID S. JONES
COLLEGE STATION CP) —
Across Texas, high school and col
lege band directors are taking
closer and more critical looks at
their present marching techniques
and are apparently coming to the
realization that today’s audiences
are looking for a more stream
lined approach to performances.
During the past years the trend
has been to get away from “high-
stepping shows” which come com
plete with more regalia than a
circus sideshow.
A LEADER AND imitated
marching unit in this revolution
is one which a California sports
writer in a flight of imagination
described as ‘reminiscent of the
powerful Roman legions victorious
ly parading into the coliseum.”
It is the world’s largest mili
tary band, the Aggie Band.
Band directors all over the coun
try have been known to stop, stare
and say aloud, “How I wish my
band could do that.”
A glimpse at the many contests
held across the state this year re
veals that marching techniques at
variance with the Aggie styles are
out of date today.
THE CADETS’ formula for suc
cess is, however, anything but a
well-kept secret. The fact is that
complete mastery of the Aggie
technique is possible only in an
organization like the A&M Band.
Without previous warning, how
many bands could assemble their
entire marching contingent in for
mation with instruments and music
at any hour of the day or night?
Not many to be sure.
But a combination of obedience,
alertness and strict marching dis
cipline combined with the fact that
the Aggie Band lives together
makes this possible in the 250-
piece organization.
ONE OF THE remarkable facts
about the band is that it exists
at an institution where there is no
school of music. No scouting pro
gram is carried out by the band’s
director, Lt. Col. E. V. Adams.
Practice, obedience and desire
go into making the Cadets what
they are. The band lives, works
and plays together, enabling them
to strive that much harder for
those whom they know the best.
Adjoining the four-story dormi
tory which houses the band is an
actual-size football field used ex
clusively to work out the precision
drills.
SINCE ALL members of the
band must also be members of the
A&M Corps of Cadets, uniforms
are not among problems the band
encounters. Band members wear
the only distinctive unit insignia
on the campus, the band lyre.
The Band is divided into two
company-sized outfits for conveni
ence of Corps administration. The
Maroon Band and the White Band
take turns appearing at yell prac
tices, basketball games and other
affairs at which the entire band
would be too bulky.
ALWAYS ON HAND for most
major sports contests on campus,
the band also plays at many-out-of-
town football games. The longest
trip made to date by the cadets
was to Los Angeles, Calif., a few
years back when A&M met UCLA
in gridiron competition.
The band also travels to two
major cities in Texas each year to
lead the Corps Trip parades and
to Austin every two years for the
Governor’s Inauguration.
m ■
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:
11 II
THE SPIRIT OF AGGIELAND
. . . completing the block T formation.
Aggie Traditions Many, Proven, Sacred
For the past 85 years customs
.and traditions have come and gone
at A&M, some remaining only a
ew weeks while others have lasted
;hroughout the school’s history.
Probably the first tradition and
ne of the more important ones is
‘Once and Aggie always an Ag-
The class of 1880, first to
duate here, is said to have in-
mgurated it to promote school
ipirit.
As Aggies of today travel around
he country they often meet one of
he A&M men from older classes
ho inevitably greets them as long
ost brothers and goes all out to
make them feel at home.
THIS CUSTOM of sticking to
gether is now world known, and
vherever two Aggies meet, no mat-
r what their ages, there is sure
has sit'
• colleff
in Hi'
mgh M
joininj
to be much handshaking and back-
slapping.
Another well-known custom at
Aggieland is speaking to and meet
ing everyone you come in contact
with. This custom isn’t as old as
most may think. F. J. Mikeska,
’28, now an engineer in Shreve
port, La., says when he went to
school here nobody spoke as they
do now.
This has changed, however, and
the familiar “howdy” rings out all
day long across the campus.
THE TRADITION of class
distinction stems from the military
training at A&M. The adage “rank
hath its privileges,” is very true
here. The senior is top dog and
his word is law. The junior en
joys some prestige over the sopho-
mbre, and the “Fish” are low men
ruion Is One Main Source
)f Campus Entertainment
Entering freshmen will find
lUion Hall not only a place where
"neetings are held during New Stu-
ent Week, but also a main source
f enjoyment and relaxation here
n the campus.
Located between the Memorial
Student Center and the Military
icience Building, the theater, with
seating capacity of 1,925, is open
seeW- i’riday, Saturday and Sunday for
ector, in he convhnience of students,
ter Tickets are only 40 cents as the
heater is not set up to operate for
profit.
THE FILMS shown are the new-
st available and of the variety de-
ired most by the students. The
nly drawback is that the films
lay not be shown here for at
east 30 days after they have been
a Bryan or College Station movie
houses.
j Built in 1917 and put into use
in 1919, Guion Hall was originally
used only for meetings, speeches
and plays. Not until 1941 was it
converted to a theater for the stu
dents.
I Previous to World War II, pic
tures were shown on Wednesday
and Saturday nights in the old
Assembly Hall. This was located
on the site now occupied by the
All-Faiths Chapel. In 1941 all the
equipment and facilities were
moved to Guion and started opera
tion on a daily basis.
REMODELING has been recent
ly completed which included the
repairing and sand-blasting of the
outside of the building and the re
modeling and complete addition of
a new men’s rest room.
Wide screen viewing, sterophonic
sound and the use of new project
ors make the theater compare to
most movie houses. There is also
a concession stand.
Any profit from the operation
of Guion Hall goes into new equip
ment, improving the present facili
ties and back to the student in the
form of entertainment.
Guion Hall is still used for var
ious other presentations. The Ag
gie Players, a group consisting of
students and local amateur actors,
usually presents about three plays
each semester in the theater.
THE BUILDING is often used
for speeches and programs provid
ed by the Great Issues Committee
and the Town Hall Series.
Many important speeches and
presentations have taken place in
Guion Hall in the past. An exam
ple of these would be the presenta
tion of an Honorary Doctor of
Law degree to General Dwight
Eisenhower in April, 1946.
on the totem pole.
By the way, “Fish” is the name
given freshmen by one of the
classes of the 1880’s. The “Fish”
catches all the messy jobs and
lives only for the next year.
The Aggie has a language all
his own. A person eating in one
of cadet dining rooms would likely
starve unless initiated in Aggie
mess hall slang. For example,
meat is called “bullneck,” butter
is grease,” “desert is “cush,” and
syrup is “reg,” a term stemming
from “regulator” which early 20th
century Aggies used.
The syrup used to come in large,
100-pound barrels. By the time
cooks got to the bottom of a barrel,
fermentation had set in and made
the syrup a very effective laxative.
OTHER TERMS which are
familiar to the Aggies are “Bull,”
which refers to one of the Army
officers station here to teach
military science, and one of the
most important words to every
Aggie—“sack,” meaning his own
bunk where he catches as catch
can, 40 winks.
Corps Trips are another tradi
tion of long standing. Today the
trips are made by automobile to
watch football games, but in the
old days the school would rent a
train and the entire Corps would
pile in and chug away to the game.
One of the most widely known
traditions involving Corps Trips is
the Twelfth Man. It started in
1922 when the Aggies played a
football game against Centre Col
lege in Dallas.
Top opponents were tearing the
Aggies up and the reserves on
the A&M bench were fast dwind
ling away. When the coach was
down to his last reserve a young
sophomore named King Gill, who
had worked out with the team
several times, dashed out of the
stands and suited up.
GILL DIDN’T get to play but
his gesture gave the school its
famous tradition and today dur
ing a football game the entire
student body, dates and anyone
who happens to be in the Aggie
section stand while the team is on
the field, ready to go in as the
Twelfth Man.
Still another time-honored tra
dition at Aggieland is the Midnight
Yell Practice. In addition to the
two regular after-supper yell prac-
£
phere
WELCOME
FRESHMEN
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Berry Risinger ’42
tices held each week during foot
ball season, the band and student
body participate in midnight af
fairs before each home game.
At 11:30 p.m. the band leaves its
dorm and marches up and down the
streets of the campus, gathering
members of the student body and
dates in its wake.
THE MARCHERS arrive at Kyle
Field at midnight and a lengthy
yell practice begins.
Another of the much-publicized
customs at A&M is the tradition of
kissing one’s date when the Aggies
score in a football game. According
to the code, any touchdown, extra
point or field goal warrants a
“movie love scene” type kiss.
When A&M wins a football clash
on Kyle Field students converge
on the yell leaders, hoist them up
on shoulders, and carry them to
the fish pond across campus near
Sbisa Hall for a dunking.
The incoming freshman will soon
discover that the customs mention
ed here are but a few of the many
he’ll adhere to during the next four
years.
Former Student’s
Aid Shows Loyalty
The loyalty of A&M’s former
students is known the world over
and each year they prove just
how much they believe in their
alma mater by providing financial
and other support.
In the last report of the Amer
ican Alumni Council for 1962-63,
A&M was third in the nation in
number of donors to the annual
fund. Ohio State and Michigan
State were first and second re
spectively.
This year, the Development
Fund of the Association of Form
er Students has set a goal which
is the largest in 22 years.
The Association is shooting for
a goal of $400,000 and J. B. Her-
vey, executive secretary of the
group, said he is confident the
goal will be reached.
Richard Weirus, director of the
Development Fund for the As
sociation of Former Students, said,
at this point the Fund has re
ceived 10,441 contributions totaling
$141,500.
The Development Fund has al
ready given A&M such landmarks
as the Memorial Student Center,
the All-Faiths Chapel and the
olympic-size swimming pool.
Weirus outlined the 1964 Fund
program as follows:
1. $140,000 for academic ex
cellence. This includes $50,000
for salary supplementation, $20,-
000 for graduate fellowships,
$30,000 for faculty research pro
jects, $35,000 for the depart
mental, university and college
improvement, and $5,000 for a
university emergency fund.
2. $8,000 for eight $1,000 fa
culty achievement awards.
3. $10,000 for ten $1,000 Op
portunity Award Scholarships.
4. $10,000 for the second in
stallment on the 1967 Directory
of Former Students.
5. $75,000 for the operation
of the Former Students’ which
includes class reunions and the
maintenance of the Former Stu
dent files, the monthly Texas
Aggie and operation of the De
velopment Fund.
Former Students have given ap
proximately $3,000,000 to the De
velopment Fund since it was initi
ated in 1943.
According to the association’s
by-laws, any man who has enrolled
in a regular university course is
automatically an association mem
ber. There are approximately 40,-
000 member in the association.
WELCOME
to
AGGIELAND
and
Cade Motor Co.
Bryan, Texas
Your Friendly Ford Dealer
48th Anniversary With Ford
1309 Texas Ave.
TA 2-1333
1700 Texas Ave.
TA 2-7136
Repairs on All make cars
JUST SAY, “CHARGE IT”.
W00LW0RTHS
SCHOOL NEEDS
GOOD LIGHTING:
Important for study time
DOUBLE GOOSENECK
4.95
SWIVEL PIN-UP
1.98
Stunning hanging lamp.
Ideal for desk or night table—
has single switch.
DOUBLE SWIVEL PIN-UP
3.98
Sends light where you need it.
ALL IN BRASS-ALUMINUM FINISH
SINGLE GOOSENECK
2.98
11" cable adjusts to
most convenient angle.
extension rods
for your curtains
keys cut to pattern
while you wait
Single 25^ double 49^
35^ Each 2 for 65^
Strong steel flat rods ... each
projects 2Vi " from the wood
work. White fixtures and
screws. Single extends 28" to
48" double 28" to 45".
Every one can have his own
key and a spare comes in
handy too. Woolworth’s cuts
them quickly while you shop.
Available at most stores.
■ ■■ :
Plastic Curtains
A. EXTRA WIDE DRAPES
SAVE 43c C
Regularly 1.00 J
For problem windows. 108" wide in
cluding valance. 87" long. Textured
plastic in lace, floral and modem
designs.
Monday and
Thursday
till 8:30 p.m.
Your Money’s
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