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COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1964
Barricade Takes
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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.