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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 1964)
Che Battalion COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1964 Barricade Takes npi 1 1 nursday Price Five Cents Number 106 FOUNDATION COMPLETED . . . for world’s largest blaze. UPSEY-DAISY . . Spider-D puts beginning tou ches to the 1964 Aggie Bonfire. Present Aggie Bonfire Is World’s Largest First Blaze Like ‘Teasip Trash Fire’ By TOMMY DeFRANK When the largest Bonfire in the world is torched off Tuesday night, it quite likely will bear lit tle resemblance to the first Aggie Bonfire. For that first structure, probably erected in the fall of 1909, amount ed to a pile of scrap wood rising to a height of 12 feet. While no official records indi cate when the first bonfire was built, the 1909 figure is generally considered to be accurate. P. L. (Pinkie) Downs Jr. recalls that there were no bonfires during his undergraduate years (1902-1906), and Ernest Langford, director of the University Archives, recalls that there was a Bonfire in 1909, his freshman year. “We made the rounds of all the buildings and anything loose was deposited in a pile on the parade ground. We burned it the night before we went to Austin,” Lang ford said. He added that the 1912 Bonfire was larger because Leggett and Milner Halls were being built at the time, and much of the lumber intended for use in the construc tion was confiscated and added to the Bonfire. The early Bonfires were com posed of junk—scraps of lumber, crates, boxes, fences and gates. The first “log” Bonfire was built in 1942 and was approximately 25 feet high. A center pole was used for the first time in 1945, and the “tall” center pole—made by splic ing together two large poles — made its appearance the following year. The average height of the Bon fire since 1946 has been 75-80 feet, but the record was set in 1960 when the Class of ’64 built a 101- foot structure. The Bonfire was erected in the center of the drill field until the fall of 1955, when it was moved to its present location. Seniors Say Adios On Elephant Walk Annually, before the A&M-Tex- as game, the seniors gather in front of “Sully and wonder aim lessly about like old elephants about to die. This action is symbolic of the fact that the seniors are about to graduate and will be of no further use to the Twelfth Man the following year. Seniors have, in years passed, dressed themselves in various cos tumes ranging from the uniform of the day to long underwear and helmet liners. Head Yell Leader Frank W. Cox said the seniors would begin forming at noon Tuesday. The seniors will leave “Sully” for the Fish Pond and then go to Hender son Hall. They will continue to the Memor ial Student Center and go from there to the New Area. Although Aggies have set off Texas University’s, “bonfire” pre maturely several times, the Aggie Bonfire has always gone off on schedule, although several tries at arson have been attempted. One year Texas University stu dents attempted to drop an incendi ary bomb on the Bonfire from a plane. The bomb missed but Aggie guards got the plane’s serial num ber and notified university offi cials in Austin and the unsuccess ful saboteurs were expelled. Two other students also tried to de molish the Bonfire with a bomb attached to a detonator in their car, but the bomb missed the mark and the students were apprehend ed. The Bonfire has seen its share of tragedy as well as horseplay. James E. Sarran, an A&M sopho more, was killed in 1955 when he pushed two of his buddies to safety and was pinned under a truck which crashed into the students’ guard post. Last year the bonfire was can celed for respect for President John F. Kennedy. The center pole had been raised and some logs stacked when it was decided to cancel the Bonfire. But down through the years, re gardless of its size, the Aggie Bon fire has always symbolized the same thing—the love every Aggie holds for his school, and the burn ing desire to beat th’ hell outa TU. The World at a Glance By The Associated Press National WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defense .Robert S. McNamara ordered Thursday a $477-million-a- year belt-tightening that will close two big Navy shipyards and six bomber bases and retire 150 over-age, ocean-spanning missiles. ★ ★ ★ WASHINGTON—The pilot of an Air Force F100 jet fighter shot down by the Communists over Laos was picked up by a helicopter but was dead on arrival at a medical base, the Defense Department announced Thursday. ★ ★ ★ WASHINGTON—President Johnson asked the nation to observe the first anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination with a rededication “to the pursuit of those ideals of human diginity in which he believed.” ★ ★ ★ ATLANTIC CITY—Clay J. Clairborne, a Re publican National Committee employee who allegedly ordered 1.4 million leaflets printed urging a write- in vote for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Nov. 3 election, was indicted Thursday by the Atlantic County grand jury for violating election laws. ★ ★ ★ CHICAGO—Hopes for settlement of a wage dispute that threatens to trigger a nation-wide rail strike Monday appeared to be dimming Thursday as no report of progress came from peacemaking efforts by federal mediators. ★ ★ ★ WASHINGTON—President Johnson told his Cabinet on Thursday that to build the great society they must be as bold in reforming existing programs as in proposing new ones. ★ ★ ★ DETROIT—A Ford Motor Co. spokesman said Thursday night all Ford car production is expected to cease Friday night if local-plant strikes remain unsettled. ★ ★ ★ MIAMI—U. S. authorities said Thursday that they believe Cuban exile estimates of large numbers of Fidel Castro agents in this country are exag gerated. Texas DALLAS—Gov. John Connally said here Thurs day he will call for “a considerable increase” in state spending during the next two years. ★ ★ ★ AUSTIN—The Travis County grand jury indicted Houston tobacco merchant Mair J. Schepps and six others Thursday on charges growing out of a Hous ton raid by state officers, who recovered a cigarette tax stamping machine they said was stolen. Commendable APO Collects Food For Needy Family Rodeo Group Aids Rehabilitation Center Alpha Phi Omega, sponsored by W. E. Eckles of the Division of Business Adminis tration, has the Christmas spirit for Thanks giving. The group checked with the YMCA and selected an under-privileged family to help have a happy Thanksgiving. The family of nine—husband and wife and seven children—are destitute, needing adequate food and clothing. The mother is in the hospi- Explorers Included tal and the father is rarely The Texas Aggie Rodeo Association kicked off a drive Friday to obtain contribu tions for the Texas Rehabilitation Center at Gonzales. The club has set a goal at $2,500 to be obtained at $1 per contribution for the center. A1 Berry, operator of ATs Steak House at Gonzales has raised over $60,000 for the cen ter, which almost closed for lack of funds in 1962. Berry, who talked with the Executive Committee of able to find work. Before buying goods for the family, the group will check with the mother and father to see what the children need most. Items such as shoes, socks, caps and sweaters are usually needed more than anything. Food such as beans and pota toes and rice and veal are usually furnished because they are tasty, nourishing and relatively inex pensive. A list of under-privileged fami lies is being compiled at the YMCA and should me completed by Dec. 1 for any organization wishing to help an unfortunate family have a merry Christmas. Anyone desiring additional in formation can contact Bennie Zinn at the Housing Office in the basement of the YMCA Build ing. In Disaster Relief Explorer Posts 409, 735 and 802 have been included in the Brazos County Disaster Relief Plan, W. H. Parsons Jr. said. Post 409 is on the medical and nursing aid subcommittee. They check disaster victims and the medical and nursing aid needed. This Post is sponsored by the St. Paul Methodist Church of Bryan and advised by Lawrence Amidei of the A&M Nuclear Science Cen ter. Post 735 is on the warning, res cue and evacuation subcommittee. It is sponsored by the Ridgecrest Merchants and Citizens Incor porated of Bryan. C. M. Loyd is advisor. He is National Science Foundation program coordinator. Post 802 has not yet decided on a subcommittee. They are sponsored by the A&M Methodist Church. Their advisor is James L. Boone Jr., assistant professor of industrial education. the Rodeo Club, told the var ious ways he has raised con tributions. First he gave a waffle break fast at his restaurant and raised $1,690, then he went across Texas auctioning a donated sheep named “Wando” but never selling him. Farmers and ranchers who “bought” Wando raised $57,000. Originally the Foundation’s founding fathers were primarily motivated by a desire to help crippled children, notably those afflicted by polio. The treatment program in recent years has been adapted to provide rehabilitation services for many types of dis abilities — for adults as well as children. Those at the center feel re habilitation is anything that can be done for a disabled person to put him on a par with his non disabled neighbor. Rodeo Club sponsor, Bill Jack- son said, “The Rodeo Club feels this is a very worthy cause and will appreciate all donations.” Donations can be made to any club member by purchasing con tribution tickets. Lyons Says Obstacle Dangerous By HAM McQUEEN James T. Berry, Squadron 17 freshman, received minor injuries when he tried to jump a chain bar rier at the south end of Henderson Street at noon Thursday. Several hours later he was in satisfactory condition at the Uni versity Hospital, but had bruises and strained muscles. X-rays showed no fractures or internal in juries, Dr. Charles Lyons, director of student health services said. Berry was carried to the Univer sity Hospital by a Callaway-Jones ambulance. The chains were erected to keep traffic off Henderson Street, pri marily to protect students living in the new dormitories. A secon dary reason for the barriers is to reduce noise in the dorm area, said Bennie Zinn, director of student affairs. A committee composed of Col. D. L. Baker; E. E. Powell, Campus Security Chief and Zinn recom mended to Dean of Students James P. Hannigan that the street be closed. After Hannigan’s approval, Zinn wrote a letter to the Department of Buildings and Utilities asking that poles, similar to the ones in front of Walton Hall, or a suitable barrier be erected on the street. Zinn said he did not know who made the final decision to install the chains. Neither would he re lease a copy of the letter he wrote to B&U for use in the press. Another problem brought to light by Thursday’s accident was the blocking of traffic by cadets march ing to Sbisa Dining Hall. Dr. Lyons said we have had lots of trouble with the Corps blocking the hospital entrance on Houston Street. The entrance is blocked three times each day. The Houston Street entrance is the only entrance to the hospital since barriers have been erected at both ends of Henderson Street, Dr. Lyons said. During a telephone conversation Thursday night, Col. Baker assured Dr. Lyons that the road guards, posted while cadets are in the street, will be notified to clear the street and allow emergency ve hicles to pass at anytime. Baker also said he and Dr. Lyons would meet Friday to discuss other problems concerning the hospital entrance. To persons waiting in cars, it may seem to take the Cadets a long time to move off the street. How ever, the movement has been clocked several times said Col. Baker. From the time the students step into the street until the last is in Sbisa, about six minutes elapse, Baker added. The maximum time has been 7 minutes. It’s Money Time Students paying their fees on the installment plan have until Nov. 30 to pay their final por tion for the semester. The $61 fee may be paid at the Fiscal Department in the Richard Coke Building. Fees should be paid before the Thanksgiving break. Arts, Sciences Plan Educational TV By TOMMY DeFRANK A program of educational tele vision is tentatively scheduled to go into operation in the College of Arts and Sciences next fall, Dr. William J. Graff, dean of instruction, announced. Either closed-circuit television or ultra-high frequency (UHF) broadcasting will be utilized in the program, to be installed at an initial cost of about $250,000. The new program will be the first in a series of steps aimed at freeing the teacher from the routine problems of teaching and allowing him more time for the creative aspect of teaching, Graff said. Dr. Frank W. R. Hubert, Dean of the College of Arts and Sci ences, noted that the Departments of English, Education and Psy chology, Biology and the School of Business Administration will be among the first to develop courses for the program. Hubert added that a study of educational television is being conducted to determine which of the two proposed plans will be more effective. He pointed out that matching federal funds are available in certain circumstances if the UHF method is used, but that these funds are not availa ble if the closed-circuit method is chosen. He also explained that there are certain technical problems that must be considered if UHF broadcasting is used, whereas closed-circuit operation would be much less complicated. “We’re presently trying to find out which system can be used most effectively and will give us the longest returns on the money we invest,” he said. Hubert emphasized that the September, 1965, target date is only tentative and that failure to find a person qualified to head the program might lead to an in definite delay. UHF transmission would in volve broadcasting over the air on an assigned frequency, while closed-circuit television would not. Graff said that the program will gradually be expanded to include other student-teacher aids. Proposed expansions include an audio laboratory, where students could listen to recorded lectures and discussions and view short, single-concept films; a graphic arts department; a teaching aids service department, and possibly an FM radio station. These will be housed in an un dergraduate learning center, which will occupy the present Cushing library when the new library is built.