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Page 2 College Station, Texas Tuesday, October 19, 1965
Tuesday, October 19, 1965
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Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Unfavorable conduct by a very minor
segment of the TCU student body may cost
the Fort Worth school several votes when
the Southwest Conference Sportsmanship
Committee meets this winter in Dallas.
At least the A&M delegates will cast
their ballots for another member following
an undesirable incident at Saturday night’s
A&M-TCU football game.
A group of TCU students apparently
thought it was in good taste to display a
sign ridiculing the new Aggie Sweetheart,
Cheri Holland, both before the game and
during halftime ceremonies.
The students’ sign read “New Aggie
Sweetheart” and was accompanied by a
goat. They paraded around the field just
before gametime, hoping to draw a few
laughs, but very few were heard. Then,
just as Cheri was to enjoy the spotlight
for her coronation and presentation to the
A&M student body, the students made
their second entrance. They walked di
rectly in front of her, with the goat trail
ing behind. Several Aggie fish made a
gallant effort to suppress the ridicule, only
to distract from the ceremony. Again,
very little laughter was heard.
The new Aggie Sweetheart’s big moment
was partially ruined, although both the
A&M and TCU student bodies rallied to
give her a pleasing ovation as she left the
field.
Certainly the TCU student body could
not condone the actions by this minority,
nor should they be blamed for the group’s
conduct.
But the incident left a very sour taste
in Aggie mouths, and it is remarkable that
a major outburst did not develop.
When a few Aggies get out of line,
opposing schools blame this university for
not controlling their action. So let it be
with TCU.
A&M does not seek retaliation, but it
does deserve and demand an apology from
the TCU student body, although only a
few of its members were responsible for
this outrageous action.
Future relations between the two
schools may depend upon it.
The Sex Question
The future of coeducation at Texas
A&M will most likely be decided this year.
Attorney General Waggoner Carr told
Board Chairman H. C. Heldenfels last week
that A&M’s present policy of limited co
education would probably not be upheld if
ever challenged in court.
The attorney general’s opinion was that
A&M could be either all male or full co
education, in accordance with the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, but that limited co
education is discriminatory.
A&M’s Directors now face three al
ternatives in deciding the issue:
1. Return the school to its all-male
status.
2. Open the doors of Texas A&M to
all females.
3. Let a court decision determine
whether the limited coeducation policy is
actually discriminatory.
The board asked for Carr’s opinion, and
they got it. He did not, however, give
them a clear-cut route to take in settling
the long-fought, time-worn issue.
Heldenfels will appoint a committee to
study the question, on whch the board
itself is divided.
This committee will report in February,
and then the directors will make the de
cision.
The Battalion urges these men to
examine all advantages and disadvantages
of each alternative as they chart the
course of Texas A&M’s future.
THE BATTALION
Opinions expressed in The Battalion
are those of the student irriters only. The
Battalion is a non tax-supported non
profit, self-supporting educational enter
prise edited and operated by students as
a university and community newspaper.
Members of the Student Publications Board are: Joe Buser,
. David Bowers. College of Liber*
of Geosciences ; Dr. Frank A.
Dr. J. G. McGuire, Col leg
chairman ; Dr.
Robert A. Clark, Collegi
laid. College of Scie
lege of JLinerai Arts ;
iences ; Dr. Frank A. Mc
Donald. College of Science ; Dr. J. G. McGuire, College of
Engineering ; Dr. Robert S. Titus. College of Veterinary
Medicine; and Dr. A. B. Wooten, College of Agriculture.
The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M is
published in College Station, Texas daily except Saturday,
Sunday, and Monday, and holiday periods. September through
May, and once a week during summer school.
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 herein are also reserved.
Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas.
MEMBER ”
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EDITOR GLENN DROMGOOLE
Managing Editor Gerald Garcia
Sports Editor Larry Jerden
News Editor Tommy DeFrank
Photographers Ham McQueen,
Herky Killingsworth, Gus De La Garza
Amusements Writer Lani Presswood
I Mortimer's Notes
FOR THE RECORD: This was the weekend
that wasn’t. . . .
In College Station, Fort Worth, Denton and
— yes — even Austin, these mumblings were
heard. . . .
Mighty Texas fell to Arkansas and the Austin
fellows wept; surprising A&M didn’t surprise
TCU and it was the Aggies’ turn for sadness. . . .
The Maroon and White A-Go-Go is now went-
went, the first Corps Trip this year is history
and the Aggies have been virtually eliminated
from the Southwest Conference championship. . . .
So we must turn our thoughts to home and
coming events, leaving behind either a mediocre
or poor weekend depending on the individual evalu
ation of the situation. . . .
And just what are some of these coming
events ? . . .
Well, the Baylor game this weekend for one,
bringing with it enough activity to compensate
for the rough week that professors are already
making unbearable. . . .
And the football game again brings up the
question of where the Aggies and their dates will
sit . . . er, stand. . . .
FACTS AND FIGURES: The first A&M-
Baylor. game was played in 1899. . . .
The Aggies won it, 33-0. . . .
OFF THE RECORD: That snowfall in Den
ton this past weekend wasn’t very heavy in some
corners. . . . See Ya ’Round—Mortimer.
Sound - Off
Editor,
The Battalion: ,
The editorial, “What Hath Rank Wrought?”,
is timely and upbuilding for those who have ears
to hear. If senior indifference is being “tooted”
as “old army,” it must be one of those - “new”
“old traditions” unknown to the classes of ’55,
’50, ’40, 30, 20, or even ’03.
This “new” tradition is not exclusively
“army.” It infects graduating seniors all across
the land. Here is an illustration of the aftermath
in the lives of those ravaged by this attitude
disease. When being interviewed for a job, too
many seemed to be “bugged” by these three
burning issues: (1) How much do you pay?
(2) What are your fringe benefits—vacation in
particular? (3) When do I retire? Would you
hire and accelerate the career of one interested
more in retiring than in producing?
“Old army” asked: (1) What’s the future
in this business? (2) How do I succeed in this
vocation? (3) When can I go to work? This
is the kind of Aggie tradition—American tradi
tion that tamed the frontier, won two world
wars, made us the most powerful people in history
and caused employers to seek Aggies.
A senior, or any student for that matter,
who thinks seniority is a passport to indiffer
ence, laziness and abduction of responsibility and
leadership is in for a rude shock in either military
or private life. When one becomes a senior, he
may think of himself as a big man on campus,
but he is a “fish” when he hits the waters of
competition nine months later!
Consciousness of this pregnant nine-month
reality should cause a thinking man to embrace
and to apply the true A&M senior tradition of
“follow me,” not “carry me.” That tradition calls
for one to move to the front of the formation
(whatever student actvity it might be), support
those of the student body given rank or position,
and lead the cheer and charge into whatever is
constructive.
Coach Stallings very well knows the real “old”
Aggie tradition. He has expressed it to his team
as, “Get out there and make things happen!”
Gene and his fighting team are motivated by this
“old Army” winning tradition, how about the rest
of the student body?
Aggies, seniors in particular, have the greatest
opportunity of this century to be someone, to do
something great.
None will make the grade, however, who put
their trust in the phoney philosophy infecting too
many described in the editorial “What Hath Rank
W rought ?”
Former students, your best friends, assure
you that if you want to be a winner in life, don’t
let up in self-discipline, leadership, application
and dedication for a minute, much less a year.
That editorial is meat and not molasses!
Heed it, don’t heckle it.
R. L. Hunt Jr., ’50
Civilian Criticism
Stirs Wide Comment
Editor,
The Battalion:
The Non-Reg article of Wed
nesday, Oct. 13, has raised a few
questions in my mind.
The first question is who are
these Non-Reg’s? Non-Reg is a
rather inclusive term. Does it
cover graduate students, foreign
students, ex - Corps members,
and girl students? Some of my
confusion might be cleared up if
someone would give me a stand
ard definition of Non Reg.
My other question is what
percentage of the A&M Non-
Regs are the type as decribed in
the DeFrank article? I was left
with the impression that most of
us are that way. Is this true ?
If so, then effort must be ex
tended by both sides to help
remedy the situation, but if not
— well, no group likes to be
generally condemned for the ac
tions of a specific minority.
However, please understand
that in no way do I condone the
behavior of the disrespectful,
Corps - baiting civilian students
here at A&M. Majority or min
ority, these juveniles should be
disciplined. The Corps, though,
can get satisfaction from the
fact that boys who have time to
pester the military generally
flunk out. (What usually hap
pens to such boys nowadays ? )
Finally, I had a feeling or
horror about that riot predicted
by the DeFrank article. Think
how terrible and ironic it would
be to have Silver Taps blown for
both civilian and military stu
dents killed in a campus riot.
This may happen, but I certain
ly hope that it doesn’t.
Sam H. (Hal) Coleman, Jr., ’69
★ ★ *r
Editor,
The Battalion:
It would be easy to dive off
the deep end and run Tommy
DeFrank into the ground; but
what for? He’s not the only
“Corps Fanatic” around. The
real culprit behind Mr. De-
Frank’s article is you, Mr. Edi
tor. It’s the editor’s job to deter
mine what is fit for consump
tion and what is best left un
said. You goofed!
Russ E. May, ’66
★ ★ ★
Editor,
The Battalion:
I read with interest Mr. De-
Frank’s column about the groady
Non-Regs, and I am looking for
ward to the upcoming articles in
this series: “Maggies Are Ruin
ing Our School,” “Academic Ex
cellence Is a Communist Plot”
and “Back When I Was A
Fish ...”
Edward Hannigan, ’67
★ ★ ★
Editor,
The Battalion:
In regard to Mr. DeFrank’s
article in Wednesday’s Battalion,
I feel a few comments are need
ed in rebuttal.
Though he may be enjoying
the limelight of being a crusader
for his style of Corps, I feel the
ramifications of his very gener
alized accusations are forthcom
ing from many factions of the
majority of the student body —
the civilians.
If his article had been in any
way constructive as praise for
the Corps or certain individuals
accomplishments, his cause
might have been just. But the
destructive idea of alienating
part of the student body against
another part is neither uniting
the school or aiding the coopera
tion needed between the two fac
tions.
As a point of fact concerning
the result of such an article, no
tice the “groady” jodies yelled
by Corps members of the north
area as they marched to dinner,
and the displeasure evidenced by
civilian bystanders.
Alan Maples, ’66
★ ★ ★
Editor,
The Battalion:
I am sure this will be just one
of many letters you have receiv
ed on the question of a Non-Reg
being a non-Aggie.
I put in some time in the
Corps and enjoyed it very much
but am I no longer an Aggie be
cause I am a “groady” Non-
Reg ? I have had fish tell me to
shut up, they don’t speak nor do
the majority of them whip out. I
asked one why he didn’t whip
out and he said he was, in effect,
better than me because he was
in the Corps. At this time he had
been in the Corps a week as
compared to the year I put in.
There, of course, are a few
fish who whip out without being
told to, and these I generally
drop handles with it surprises
me so.
As far as seeing Non-Regs on
the grass, I myself have never
seen one on the MSC grass and
one on the All Faiths Chapel
grass. There are some Non-Reg
freshmen who don’t know that
some grass just doesn’t get
tread upon. We other Non-Regs
are catching them one by one
and informing them of their er
ror. We Non-Regs are not too
pleased of some fellow Non-Regs
with beatle hair cuts and other
indiscript items which make
them look stupid. There is also
no earthly excuse for not show
ing respect for our flag and
desecrating taps.
As for Non-Regs not whipping
out, when I was a fish some jun
iors and seniors couldn’t take
the time to meet me.
There are good Non-Regs and
there are bad Non-Regs, but I
believe the former outnumber
the latter. The approximately 6,-
000 of us are Aggies contrary to
the opinion of 3,000 Corps boys.
A Non-Reg and an Aggie,
Van A. Kent
Mr. Kent, please do not con
fuse the opinion of one member
of the Corps with the opinion of
the entire group. That is the
same thing you are protesting.
—Editor.
★ ★ ★
Editor,
The Battalion:
After supper each evening, I
eagerly await the arrival of The
Battalion. But Wednesday I was
met by an article that sunk this
infant Aggie heart.
Yes, I am a Non-Reg. Since I
am no scholar, I decided it would
be to my advantage to sit back
and give the Corps a good look
as far as study time was con
cerned before I joined. I went
through three years of high
school R.O.T.C., and even that
took some amount of daily prep
aration.
So far my treatment from the
Corps has been great. The
“Howdy” tradition is really a
great one, and taking part has
been no chore. I love going to the
school functions. The Town Hall
presentation was terrific. There
is only one reason why I would
ever miss a yell practice, and
that is studies. I will never for
get my first midnight yell prac
tice where I stayed right behind
the band. I made it all the way,
but I also lost a shoe and watch
in the process. Not many non-
Aggies would be proud of that.
And how could I forget the U of
H game?
When I first walked into my
room three weeks ago, most of
the upperclassmen in my dorm
took it upon themselves to make
me a full-fledged Ag. They al
ways corrected me if I made a
mistake contrary to tradition.
Very little was said about this
kind of civilian student.
Mr. DeFrank states that the
school does not choose to enforce
the rules. I don’t think it should.
In an honor system the school
can do only so much. The rest
is the responsibility of the stu
dent. Until the Corps and the
civilian students make a con
certed effort, articles like Wed
nesday’s will only further bad
relations. Let us see some on
how the Corps and civilians can
get along instead of those that
instigate more rivalry.
It hurt me to have someone
even ask me if I was a true Ag
gie. Why else would I come ?
Ray J. Evans, ’69
★ ★ ★
Editor,
The Battalion:
The article of Wednesday, 13
Oct. 1965, “Non-Regs: True Ag
gies?” infuriated me as I am
sure it did many other readers of
The Battalion. It is my opinion
that Thomas DeFrank believe he
is attending a private military
school where all are under mili
tary rule — or should be lest
they be ridiculed, shunned, and
ignored. Texas A&M University
is a state supported school where
all have equal rights. The Corps
is a part of the university, not
the university a part of the
Corps.
I, myself, come from a mili
tary family, and am now mar
ried to an officer in the USAF,
so I am not (as you may be
thinking) one who scorns the
war in Viet Nam, nor favors the
protection of the draft dodgers.
I am only defending the rights of
the students of Texas A&M who
do not belong to your “group.”
The civilians are, and should be
recognized as, Aggies. Sure,
they’re attending Texas A&M!
And that gives them the right to
be referred to as “Aggies.” Just
because they do not belong to
the Corps does not mean they
should forfeit that right!
Since A&M is a state support
ed school, the students have a
right to wear clothes as they feel
fit. Who has the right to say
what a person should wear? Just
because it does not appeal to one
person does not mean that every
one should dress uniformly (un
less, of course, one belongs to a
group that requires such dress;
but then that is voluntary
whether a person belongs or
not.) The way a person dresses
does not reflect, necessarily, how
he thinks or the degree of intel
ligence . . . look at Albert Ein
stein. He was not known for be
ing the neatest dresser!
I disagree with you when you
insinuate that the civilian group
is composed mainly of lemons,
although there are a “few who
are definite assets to the uni
versity.” I believe there are a
few lemons, but on the whole,
the civilians are only students
trying to obtain a college educa
tion. I have seen some “Non-
Regs” who are no credit to any
institution, but I do not think it
fair to condemn all non-Corps
members as “draft dodgers.” (It
might be of some interest to
point out that about 280 Noi'
Regs are AFIT students; me!)>
hers of the armed forces workin;
on graduate and undergraduati
degrees for the welfare of thei:
country . . . but we suffer akf
with the other “draft dodgers.")
Also other Non-Regs may kt
physically disqualified, througl
no fault of their own, for mi
tary service. Still others arc
planning their education an)
lives in such a way as they want,
and I am sure their duty to thei!
country is included in their plans.
(Who are we to judge?)
But whatever the situation,
these boys are civilians, whidi
lately seems to have the sami
connotation as “draft dodger"!
feel there is an apology due ths
civilians of Texas A&M.
The other problems; i.e. abuss
to the Corps on the part of thi
civilians at football games, skip
ping yell practices (whicl
strongly resembles a mob) oi
walking on the grounds of thi
MSC (which appear to be in re
markable condition for the abuse
they take) are not what I am
defending although I do not
think those are things a college-
minded student should be fret
ting about. I am only defending
the rights of the American stu
dent, in a free country to atteni
a state supported university ani
enjoy his rights of freedom from
“discrimination or segregate
on the ground of race, color, re
ligion, or national origin” (or
sex).
When Texas A&M has an ele
ment within its walls that agrees
with your article it is not a cred
it to the school, nor to the state
of Texas, much less to our coun
try.
But, from the sound of your
article, you are probably against
women attending your school,
and would therefore never let a
letter written by a member o!
the opposite sex appear in your
newspaper.
I do like to believe that we still
do have certain rights such as
freedom of speech, etc. But then
what are rights anyway as long
as we have someone to decide
for us what we are to read,
dress, who we are to speak to
and who is the patriot.
Thank you! Mr. DeFrank,
Mrs. Diane H. Owens
★ ★ ★
Editor,
The Battalion:
After careful thought and de
liberation, and after testing the
consensus of civilians I know,!
would like to direct this letter to
Tommy DeFrank as a rebuttal
to his hasty generalization print
ed in The Battalion for Oct. 13-
I believe that I am as well
qualified as anyone to present
this rebuttal since I am probably
as groady and spiritless as any
two-percenter on campus.
Since it is this type of person,
as you describe all civilians as
being, who is suffering from the
fury of your wrath, I challenge
your reasoning.
My personal feeling about
A&M ranges from a violent, ac
tive hate to a proud, possessive
love, depending upon my mood,
location and circumstances. I be
lieve I am not alone in this re
spect.
To answer your letter, yes,
there may be civilians who wear
blue jeans and T-shirts to class.
I have not seen many since the
summer term, but I won’t argue
the point. I ask you to take a
cross-section of the civilian stu-
(Cont. On Page 3)
PEANUTS
By Charles M. Schulz
PEANUTS
THE TIME
OF YEAR
vUJHEN.. >
PEANUTS