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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1964)
»v.• x-<. Page 2 THE BATTALION College Station, Texas Thursday, December 17, 1964 CADET SLOUCH by Jim Earle . *•* « Modern Driver’s Philosophy Has 2 Fallack By JIMMY JONES Special Writer Two fallacies characterize the modem driver’s philosiphy of driving. One is to think that he can drive endless miles with out sufficient rest every time he takes a trip. The other is to think that he can cruise at 75 to 95 miles an hour and not en danger the lives of others. This writer has learned the hard way, though not as hard as some, that crime doesn’t pay. TSA Gives Safety Tips For Holidays “We’re havin’ Silver Taps before th’ holidays this year so those of you who’re determined to kill yourself can say goodby!” BATTALION EDITORIALS Keep It Spotless GET PARKED VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY Not all accidents happen while vehicles are being driven. A parked or stalled vehicle on the roadway also may cause an accident. If you have car trouble on the road, get your automobile as far off the highway as possible. And, before leaving it for assistance, be sure to set the hand brake. Texas A&M has a perfect record in something this year: student deaths by traffic accident. The Aggies put this mark on the line Friday as they journey to various parts of the state and nation for the Christmas holidays. No one wants the string broken. No one wants to be the first Aggie fatality of the school year. But someone may splatter blood on this spotless record. Silver Taps, that most solemn and meaningful ceremony, may be held Jan. 6. The bell might toll, the bugle might blow, the squad might fire for you. The Battalion with this edition seeks to make students more keenly aware of the dangers in holiday travel, hopes to provide tips that could save a life, and in general, desires to remind students to take all safety precautions en route home. The Department of Public Safety predicts 105 deaths on Texas highways during the holiday period. Statistics are rather dry, until you are one. Your life is worth more than just a little stick figure on a fatality chart.—GAD. PROTECT YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE Your driving license gives you the privilege of driving a motor vehicle on streets and highways, but only as long as you do so safely. If you break the traffic laws of the state or its cities, your driving license may be taken away. Drive by the rules. Protect your driving privilege and your LIFE! LEAVE ALCOHOL AT HOME Motorists and pedestrians are advised to leave alcoholic beverages at home during the holidays. In the pandemonium of holiday traffic, you need all your senses for driving or walking. Holiday Tragedy Christmas is a wondrous time when the miraculous becomes commonplace. A time for petty differences to be put aside and one and all extend their hands and hearts in a sincere wish of “Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Men.” It is a time for family reunions, a time when our thoughts and feelings focus on our loved ones and our friends. But the festive season is tinged increasingly each year with the sadness of death and injury on our streets and highways. Modern progress has brought with it not only comfort and luxury hitherto undreamed of, but a regrettable disregard for our fellowman. GET CAR ‘WINTERIZED’ FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL If you’re planning a trip during the holidays, get your car “winter- izer” to avoid getting into trouble on the road. This includes putting tire chains in the trunk and having all winter safety features on your automobile in first class shape. The Commandment, “Thou Shalt Not Kill,” seems to have little moral influence on drivers of automobiles, whether the warning comes from God or traffic authorities. The privilege to operate a car is bestowed by the state. The manner in which a car is driven is prescribed by law. But transcending the legal law is the moral law, “Thou Shalt Not Kill.” It imposes a moral responsibility on all drivers to operate their vehicles without maiming or killing themselves or others. Hundreds of men, women and children will die and thousands will end up in hospitals this holiday season unless we, as drivers, assume our legal and moral responsibilities to drive with care. The Texas Safety Association urges drivers to give thought to the purpose and spirit of Christmas in making holiday travel plans. Be constantly alert when behind the wheel. Think of the tragedy and unhappiness that a moment’s carelessness can bring about. Remember that your loved ones are relying on you. And give a thought also for the other driver and his family. Let the moral law, “Thou Shalt Not Kill,” govern your actions. In this way you can play your part in making this great holiday season a safe and happy one!—Texas Safety Association. DRUG SIDE EFFECTS MAY CAUSE ACCIDENTS Some drugs impair driving abil ity and should never be used when driving. Report any side effects from using antihistamines, pain re lievers, tranquilizers, nerve stimu lants or other drugs to your physi cian. He can advise you if it is safe for you to drive. YOUR FIRST DRINK MAY BE YOUR LAST The more alcohol there is in the blood, the longer you must wait until you can drive safely. On the average, it takes one hour for each bottle of beer or each ounce of whiskey to be absorbed by the body. Even if you seem to be able to hold your own with alcohol, your driving ability is impaired during this period. Stay on the safe side—don’t drink if you plan to drive. Your first drink could be your last! THE BATTALION Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the student writers only. The Battalion is a non tax-supported, non-profit, self-supporting educational enterprise edited and operated by students as a university and community news paper and is under the supervision of the director of Stu dent Publications at Texas A&M University. Members of the Student Publications Board are James L. Lindsey, chairman ; Delbert McGuire, College of Arts and Sciences ; J. A. Orr, College of Engineering; J. M. Holcome, College of Agriculture ; and Dr. R. S. Titus, College of Veterinary Medicine. The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M is tion, Texas daily except Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, ant ber through May, and once a week during summer school. published in College Sta- holiday periods, Septem- The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein. Rights of republication of all other matter here in are also reserved. Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas. MEMBER: The Associated Press Texas Press Assn. Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, Inc., New York City, Chicago, Los An geles and San Francisco. Mail subscriptions are $3.50 per semester; $6 per school year, $6.50 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 2% sales tax. Advertising rate furnished on request Address: The Battalion, Room 4, YMCA Building; College ’Station, Texas. News contributions m editorial office. Room 4, ay be made by telephoning VI 6-6618. or VI 6-4910 or at the YMCA Building. For advertising or delivery call VI 6-6415. EDITOR RONALD L. FANN Managing Editor Glenn Dromgoole Sports Editor Lani Presswood Day News Editor Mike Reynolds APPLY GOODWILL IN DRIVING The spirit of goodwill during the holiday season should be just as evident on our roads as it is in our homes. The application of such spirit by both drivers and pedestrians will help to make the Christmas season a happy time for all. PALACE Brcjan 2‘8879 To all the Students & Personnel of Texas A&M University A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR Management and Staff Palace & Queen Theatres Only recently I went to Ten nessee to make preparations for starting by career in Journalism. Circumstances compelled me to leave Bryan at 9 on Sunday night. Everything went smoothly un til I reached- Texarkana. It was about then that I began to get sleepy; who wouldn’t at 2 a.m. after five hours of driving and 300 miles! (I detoured via Cart hage to deliver a package.) By The Texas Safety Association KNOW AND OBSERVE. DRIVING RULES Our state’s highways are among the best in the nation. It can and should be a pleasure to drive on them, but the efforts of our state highway department to make trav eling a pleasure are wasted if drivers disregard safe driving prac tices. If you’re planning a trip for the holidays, make sure you know and observe all safe driving rules. I got miserably sleeply; driv ing had become montonous. My half-opened eyes became fixed in a glare and I fell into a trance, practically asleep. For miles I drove; nothing could wake me out of the stuper. How I stayed on the road is a puzzle to me. By the time I had driven 100 miles in that state of nightmare, I just couldn’t go any more with out going completely to sleep; in fact I did just that one time, but it lasted only long enough for me to run off the pavement and jar me into my senses. So re luctantly I stopped at a gas sta tion and slept about 20 minutes. After continuing the journey I felt somewhat better. Little Rock was still asleep as I passed through the big city. Dawn broke and everything was covered in frost. It was beauti ful — an endless expanse of white. over the horizon shined bright ly in my eyes. Again I began to feel like Rip Van Winkle at an all-night party. I grew sleepy. Suddenly a car in front slowed to turn; I seemed to automati cally hit the brake. “That one was close,” I thought as I resumed normal speed. But I couldn’t help remembering just then that others weren’t that fortunate. They had not hit the brake in time. But I refused to stop for cof fee to get myself awake. Time was valuable. Time after time for the next 100 miles I almost went complete ly to sleep; traffic became heav ier and school buses slowed the cars as they stopped to pick up children. Finally I reached Memphis. As I crossed the Mississippi river I breathed a sigh of relief. Nash ville wasn’t far. The trip took 18 hours. Nor mally it takes 16, but my tired- Correction Traffic increased and my at tention turned to my driving. The miles passed slowly by, even at 70 miles an hour. Memphis still lay 100 miles away, and Nash ville 340. The sun creeping up In a column headed “Reynolds’ Rap” in Tuesday’s Battalion the statement was made that the Civilian Student Council adopted a resolution favoring the chang ing of the site of the Aggie Sweetheart presentation. This was incorrect. The council adopted a resolu tion asking their traditions com mittee to study the change. An informal poll of the members of the council favored the change with only two dissenting votes. Bulletin Board THURSDAY Bay Area Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Room 108 of the Academic Building. El Paso Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Social Room of the Memorial Student Center. Jackson County Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the MSC. San Angelo-West Texas Home town Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Art Room of the MSC. Fort Worth Hometown Club Will meet at 7:15 p.m. in Room 105 of the Academic Building. Mid-County Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Room 206 of the Academic Building. Laredo Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the MSC lounge. Wichita Falls Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Lecture Room of the Biological Sciences Building. Dallas Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the YMCA Building. Matagorda County Hometown Club will meet at 7 p.m. in the MSC lobby. Corpus Christi Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Room 125 of the Academic Building. Temple Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Room 205 of the Academic Building. Bell County Hometown Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Room '205 of the Academic Building. A&M Band Wives Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Apt. B-13-W of College View. ness slowed me down even though I had driven 60 to 75 miles an hour. I was determined to get back home in less time. One week later on Saturday as I pulled out of the Grand Ole’ Opry city that is famous for its crime and its churches, I pushed the ’59 Ford up to 75 mph. Sometimes on a good stretch of road I drove 85 to 90. Memphis rolled by in less than four hours. The Arkansas highway was level and smooth. I picked up speed until I was doing 85 to 95 mph. In about seven hours I entered Little Rock, turned left onto the interstate, and resumed the much-to-fast speed. At 5 p.m. Texarkana people looked busier than Nashvillians did at 7:30 that morning. Texas looked beautiful as I drove down the four-lane high way. The sun was setting and the hills appeared to be something of a never-never land. There was hardly any traffic, the air was fresh and cool; I felt like fly ing ... so I did. One by one the small East Texas towns dotting the big high way at regular intervals whizzed by. The speedometer registered 95 and sometimes 110 mph. The little Ford was running quietly. The land became less hilly and the road straighter. I moved it up to 115 mph at one point t few miles. I wanted to getfc Tyler loomed up out of tktj suddenly, and I turned Idt the last stretch before home The small community of M falo was quiet for a Salt night as I drove through it, “Ah! No highway patnl round here,” I thought. F« next few miles I drove 75 ti mph. I wanted to maker; didn’t get a ticket this clos home. Suddenly, just off the under a tree a radar clocltt at 70. A little red light hi behind me and all of my disappeared. I was really fortunate it having a wreck, during tkf mile trip, which took 13 fe But it was nevertheless is that I had to learn in a t way that crime doesn’t pay, | Dr. cation of Ind follow their Stuc long ti about should person Stop cause able b of da are n there them It’s or slei Nig Season’s Greeting From Bait Stajj This is the last issue of 1 Battalion for 1964. Oar k publication date is Jan. 6, Iff The staff wishes you a 5lti Christmas and a Happy hi Year, and urges you to it carefully to and from home, See you in 1965. CAMPU THE MANAGEMENT & STAFF OF THE CAMPUS & CIRCLE DRIVE IN THEATRES WISH TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH ALL STUDENTS & PERSONNEL OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSI! A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR PEi* ‘PLEASE DRIVE CAREFUL ON YOUR WAY HOME 'V t • •• U >;*V •?. ty SRsP; 1 i, *: PLAY FUNNY MONEY TODAY! This is Monkey Week at Piggly Wiggly SAT. JACK POT $100.00 CASH. m