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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 27, 1965)
— Columns • Editorials • News Briefs Che Battalion Page 2 College Station, Texas Wednesday, October 27, 1965 • Opinions • Cartoons Features Fines For Cleanliness Cleanliness is supposedly next to godli ness, but it doesn’t find much support on this campus. Sure, the students try to keep the cam pus clean by stuffing waste paper in their pockets until they can find an empty de pository. Sure, they try to bathe and shave and brush their teeth at least twice daily to present clean personal appearances. Sure, they tidy their rooms, polish their shoes, clean their fingernails. And they try to wear clean clothes, too, but that’s not always possible. It is difficult, almost impossible, to maintain a neat, odor-free appearance on 23 pieces of laundry a week — the present allotment granted by the University Laun dry. The piece total was raised this year from 21 to 23, including four shirts instead of three. But even this increase is not suf ficient to handle the average student’s laundry needs during a normal week. A student who changes T-shirts, socks, underwear, and shirts every day finds he Super Conference Whatever happened to the super con ference ? As football teams trudge through an other season, one is reminded of the hap less struggle teams like Rice, Baylor, TCU, SMU and Texas Tech make against such powers as Texas, Texas A&M and Arkan sas. The University of Texas threatened to pull out of the Southwest Conference two years ago and form a super conference of their own. Although the cries have dimin ished somewhat the past two years, A&M stands ready to join this elite group. After all, what business do teams like Rice and Baylor have in the same league with Texas and Texas A&M? Yes, these latter schools should pull out altogether because their records indi cate they are far beyond even the dreams of other teams’ greatness. Perhaps they could persuade East Tex as Baptist College, Trinity and McMurry to join with them unless, of course, the TU and A&M officials wanted to completely separate church and state schools. If that be their reasoning, then Arling ton State, Angelo State, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston might provide equal com petition for the super conference. No Retaliation The 13 Baylor freshmen who admitted connection in last week’s painting of the A&M campus have been put on severe probation. Any minor misconduct will result in immediate suspension from school which is what it probably would have auto matically been if the offenders had been upperclassmen. The senseless destruction and deface ment of any campus can do no good—it only points out the immaturity of the stu dents involved. Unfortunately, these students had to learn the hard way. Fortunately, they have an opportunity to overcome this mis take and still continue in college. Aggies who might be contemplating re paying the Baylor campus for this incident should first read Page 19 of University Regulations. It says: Going to another college campus with the intent to paint or otherwise deface statues or buildings or commit other depre dation will result in immediate suspension for not less than the remainder of the semester. The Baylor freshmen will be suffering for the deed while in school this semester. Any revengeful action by A&M students will mean immediate suspension for the balance of this semester. A&M has had a clean slate in difficulties with other schools so far this year. Let’s keep it that way. 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 enter prise edited and operated by students as a university and community newspaper. Members of the Student Publications Board are: Joe Baser, chairman; Dr. David Bowers, College of Liberal Arts; Dr. Robert A. Clark, College of Geosciences; 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 The Associated Press, Texas Press Association Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, Inc., New York City, Chicago, Loa Angeles and San Francisco. News contributions may be made by telephoning 846-6618 or 846-4910 or at the editorial office. Room 4, YMCA Building. For advertising or delivery call 846-6416. Mail subscriptions are S3.60 per semester; $6 per school year; $6.60 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. 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 Good Work, Band The Fig-htin’ Texas Ag-gie Band is due a special round of applause for its past two performances. Its maneuvers Saturday not only kept everyone in the stadium ghastly awake during the intermission of a sedative-like football game, they also demonstrated the band’s precision and ability that have gain ed the group national fame as a halftime performer. The intricate drill at midfield was astonishing, almost unbelievable, and each member can rightly share the recognition for such an honorable performance. Drum major Ellis Gill and his assist ants, Ronnie Winn and Charles McGinnis, have done a tremendous job preparing the band for the halftime shows, but each in dividual member has done his share. If one person fails to carry out his spe cific assignment in some of the more com plex patterns, the drill is not successful. Lt. Col. E. V. Adams is certainly to be commended for his direction of the band this season and for planning the drills that make each halftime performance interest ing. The Battalion tips its hat to the Aggie Band in appreciation of the entertainment provided the students, the recognition be stowed the university and the influence it has had in the field of precision drill. It hasn’t lost a halftime yet. State Capitol Roundup By VERN SANFORD Texas Press Association AUSTIN — State attorneys are set to make a hard-nosed defense of the Texas poll tax law now under federal court attack. Pre-trial conferences in the suit were held quietly here and in San Antonio last week. Trial date has been postponed from mid-November to Dec. 1 in order to allow both sides more time for preparation. Assistant Atty. Gen. Hawthorne Phillips sched uled a flight to Washington this week to take a deposition from U.S. Atty. Gen. Nicholas Katzen- bach in an effort to show that Katzenbach once testified before Senate Judiciary Committee that Texas’ poll tax is not discriminatory toward Ne groes. In view of late trial date and certain appeals to U.S. Supreme Coure regardless of initial ruling here, the three-judge trial court issued a state ment in affect advising Texans who want to be sure they qualify to vote in state and local elec tions next year to pay their poll taxes. Leaders of massive poll tax drives just now getting under way already had concluded there was no other safe course. Outlook now is that if repeal is ordered, first major state and national elections affected will be those of 1968. College Board Meets During its second meeting the new Coordinat ing Board, Texas College and University System, unanimously endorsed proposed constitutional amendments to create $85,000,000 student loan fund and to boost state property tax five cents for building purposes at 17 institutions. Board also heard report that public junior col leges face potential financial crisis due to a 35 per cent jump in enrollments and fixed level of appropriations. Members certified adequate financing is in sight for new higher education programs approved by Board’s predecessor agency and gave clearance to a million dollar repair program for 1966. They further agreed to participate in the new federal program to establish regional technical services and accepted job of administering the higher education facilities (building aid) act. Board will meet again on November 15. Compensation Bate State Insurance Board staff has recommended revised workmen's compensation rates that will result in average reduction of 2.9 per cent for Texas employers. Rates for some 600 categories will advance, others will be substantially slashed. Overall effect is a decrease. Same rating formula produced a 2.3 per cent increase last year. Board Chairman Wm. Hunter McLean concluded that the industrial safe ty record of Texas businesses has improved. Board Thursday (Oct. 21) held public hearing on the recommended slash, which would reduce premiums about $4,500,000 next year. CADET SLOUCH by Jim Earle Gerald Garcia has already surpassed the limit by five pieces even if he doesn’t send in any pants, sheets, pillowslips, towels, bath rags, pa jamas, handkerchiefs or overalls. Fees for this excess range from five cents to $1.50, depending on just how clean a student wants to be or how indigent he has been in meeting his weekly deadline. These fees, let’s call them “Fines for Cleanliness,” are in addition to the $17 he pays each semester for laundry service. A more realistic total would allow be tween 25-30 objects to be submitted week ly, with at least five or six shirts among the allotment. Services at the University Laundry have been improved greatly during recent years, but students cannot reap full bene fits of the improvements because of these “Fines for Cleanliness.” The so-called “wierdies,” beatniks and slouches can exist on two sweatshirts and a pair of torn slacks, but A&M students can not. If civilian dress is to be enforced and Corps neatness made mandatory, then these “Fines for Cleanliness” must be put on a more practical scale. Lettermen Had No Good Reason Complaining For “This oughta stop those Aggie jokes for awhile! Th’ biggest joke of all was TU posing as national champions!” The Lettermen had just com pleted the second Town Hall per formance of the year and were sitting in the dressing room. Two-thirds of the trio sat calm ly and changed clothes getting ready for their jaunt to Louisi ana. Jimmy Pike, the other member of the entertaining group, wasn’t very calm. He was busy criticiz ing the audieence. “The audience reaction was just terrible. I have never seen anything like it. I just wanted to walk off the stage right during the middle of the act,” Pike com plained. Maybe the trio brought the “bad” reception on themselves. Well, they thought it was bad. I thought the reception was one of the best I’ve seen since I have been at A&M. Most of the 6,000 plus who at tended the show had never seen The Lettermen and when three young men walked on stage and played the “In Crowd,” 99 per cent of audience thought they were The Lettermen, but no the trio was still in the dressing Sound-Off Silver Taps Irreverance Criticized By Students Editor, The Battalion: Monday night at lOi'SO we, the Fighting Texas Aggies, paid our last and final tribute to two de parted comrades. Or at least most of us did. I did see several people in front of me standing with their hands in their pockets or looking around as if they’d lost something and I even saw one person smoking. To me this is not showing much respect for two fellow Aggies who fought for a week in a gallant attempt to live and perhaps return to A&M someday. Silver Taps is the greatest sin gle tribute this student body can pay to a fellow student who has passed from us, but some of us seem to take it too lightly. Per haps it should be explained to those who are ignorant on the subject that it is proper to come to some semblance of attention after the firing squad arrives — which doesn’t mean with your hands in your pockets or looking around at everyone else or up at the sky. It was not that cool and one’s hands wouldn’t have become numb during the four or so min utes that it takes to fire a 21 gun salute and play Taps three times. And as for smoking, that should be done in your room be fore or after the service — not while it is in progress. I did not know personally eith er Werdung or Wilson, but their loss was as grievous to me as it was to those who knew them. I suggest that if we intend to re tain Silver Taps as the great final tribute that it is, that we show a little more common cour tesy and respect for those of whom it is held. Don Bagby, ’66 ★ ★ ★ Editor, The Battalion: For the last three years, I have lived in a dormitory, and in the Cadet Corps. Now that I am a day-student, I had the oppor tunity to drive directly off of the campus immediately after the Silver Taps that was held to night. I was shocked to find that most of the lights on the campus were still burning. Is the night staff of the buildings just not in formed, or do they not care? It is a “serious offense” for a cadet to leave his lights burning dur ing Silver Taps, and there is us ually a derogatory remark or two concerning some “Non-reg” who has left his lights on. (To night I did not observe any lights in civilian students’ rooms, and I am glad to be able to say that.) Just as there is no acceptable excuse for an individual leaving the lights on in his dormitory room, there is surely no excuse for the lights on all floors of the Architecture Building, or the Chemistry Building, or Francis Hall, or the Agriculture Build ing, or any other building to be on. Perhaps safety and security reasons will be given for the outdoor lights of the campus not being extinguished, but if we are going to hold a Silver Taps Cere mony and turn out the lights, let’s turn out ALL of the lights. Rick Melcer, ’66 Editor, The Battalion: The first Silver Taps we had this year upset me terribly. I know two of the boys who died personally, and I took it person ally as every Aggie should have, when two front lights were left on in the Academic Building dur ing the whole ceremony! And they were lights from professors’ offices. Alright, I said, maybe the profs didn’t care enough about A&M to honor our most serious and sacred tradi tion, or maybe someone just goofed and didn’t know he was supposed to turn the lights out. That was the first Silver Taps. But there was no excuse for the Silver Taps held last Mon day night! Lights were on in practically all the major build ings on campus, including all the lights in the Chemistry Building, the Architecture Building and the Exchange Store. Whose re sponsibility is this anyway? Don't people know the solemness of the occasion? The lights are off on campus for this short per iod of time as a symbol of our mourning and sorrow for our fellow Aggies — our classmates! If the tradition cannot be tak en in a serious and solemn atti tude, we should not have Silver Taps at all! Is this campus “pro gressing” so fast we cannot take time out to honor our dead? Sil ver Taps is such a short cere mony. And yet it is the only manner in which we can show in our small way that we cared. But do we care? It’s obvious some one doesn’t. Barry Mosesman ’66 ★ ★ ★ Editor, The Battalion: Is Silver Taps like many other Aggie traditions that have been forgotten over the years ? Tradi tions have come and gone here at A&M; some were not desir able, others were of no import ance — however, traditions did make this school what it is to day. This is one of the most tra dition bound schools in the south west. Compare us to the other schools that you are acquainted with — are they as closely knit, do they work together, do they know any of their fellow stu dents? I believe that Texas A&M has something to be proud of. We need to keep our traditions, continue working together, and remain the best damned school in the southwest. How are we to carry on tra dition? It seems that the easiest way is to have the upperclass men pass the word down to all new freshmen. The Corps does this; what about the civilians? Many Aggie traditions center around the freshman class: they speak first, meet others on cam pus, they are the largest class and provide the most spirit for the Twelfth Man, they carry the team off the field after home games, bonfire is “built by the freshman class”, and I could name many others — these are not Corps responsibilities, the entire school must help to pre serve its traditions. As I remember. Silver Taps has always been something spe cial — everyone quiet and rever ent. Something has changed! It seems as if no one is interested in the death of a fellow Aggie — they gather in front of the Academic building but where did the reverence go? Many people seemed to have an impatient cough and scuffle at our last Silver Taps. The silence wasn’t there. After the ceremony, everyone seemed to “race” back home — I remember when cars drove slowly and quietly away, I guess no one can spare 45 minutes of their busy life for a departed Ag gie. Louis K. Obdyke, ’67 shorj room preparing for the s] The three persons on stage the back-up group — the Wil Brown Trio. The Lettermen made a take here. They should have somebody introduce the group. The audience have been prepared. Pike also claimed that mi] be Aggies resented their g( looks and long wavy hair wlit was smoothly combed back, “I noticed that all (well, mi of the people) who attend college wear their hair This could have been the rei for the coolness we receive!] Pike remarked. I just don’t believe this the reason Mr. Pike. The biggest mistake The termen made was not what kind of audience to e: from the Aggies. During the termission, they wanted to km something about A&M. should have found this fore the show. Pike, the one who got the gest ovation when he sang “Pi pie,” said that they had receh standing ovations at their four college performances. “Why didn’t we get one here he asked. I have one question to ask Pike: “Why aren’t the other members complaining?” By this time, Tony Butala, short blonde singer, was outsii the dressing room signing aul graphs and seemed to be enjoj ing himself. Bob Engemann, the good li ing tall one, was listening to show tape very calmly. Then why was Jimmy 1 striking at the audience? By the reaction I heard, I s«i no reason why. out! Mortimer's! Notes FOR THE RECORD: Couldi be true that some varsity ath letes (I won’t mention what sports) are not abiding by strict training rules . . . Usually reliable sources have reported observing several » fractions . . . And what about the Hydiv space Fiesta scheduled here Fft 6-13 . . . The committee seems to i* having a hard time findin! speakers for the week - k® meet . . . Even getting ONE has prov® a problem . . . And the topic of controversia speakers comes up again The Bryan - College Station Knife and Fork Club, not a un' 1 versity organization, hosted H® bert Philbrick Monday night If ever there was a controv® sial speaker, Philbrick is one And although the club loudly claim no affiliation wit® Texas A&M, the meeting ^ held in the Memorial Studet Center . . . This controversial speaker hi : may reach a head before long Some people are raising not* than a little hell about the strictions the higher-ups pht' on campus speakers . . . FACTS AND FIGURES: Th first A&M basketball game tli* year will be Dec. 2 against Trin' ity of San Antonio . . . It will be a home game, ^ will all the first four dates o‘ the cage schedule . . . OFF THE RECORD: One oi the funniest stories ever was th* one told the Class of ’66 durin! their fish year: “You will be en joying a new library before ft graduate.” Now they’re tellW that old joke to the Classes oi $ and ’69 . . . See Ya ’Round. —M0RTIME& PEANUTS By Charles M. Schii PEANUTS DONTTALXTOME Anymore aboitt TH6 6T0PID 'GREAT PUMPKIN'BUSINESS f; STUPID, IS IT? THAT S AN INSULT! I OUGHTA , HIT VOV, CHARLIE BROWN! All RIGHT, CH.eoF?MS? T WILL" 1 SHOULDER. 1 / 1 WILL... UlHAOC/ C ti P c