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Che Battalion
Page 2
College Station, Texas
Wednesday, March 2, 1966
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Poor Attitude^ Prevail^
Freshman Vs. English
By E. J. SMITH
Battalion Special Writer
“Take freshman English in
summer school or junior college
and you will be much better off,”
said a counselor to a high school
senior.
This statement points up a
nearly universal attitude toward
the course. It depicts the belief
that freshman English courses
are overly difficult or that they
are of little value or both.
But the faculty of the Depart
ment of English has a different
view of the subject and they have
percentages to back up their
opinions.
Texas A&M freshmen bring
from their respective high schools
varying impressions of what
their first college English course
will be like. And, in most cases,
these impressions are poor ones.
They look upon the course as
their first major stumbling block
in their pursuit of a college de
gree. As a result some students
actually fear the course. Some
see it as a punitive measure, that
is, the price they have to pay to
be allowed to take courses in
which they are interested.
Obviously there is a reason for
the way people feel about fresh
man English. But there is no
pat or clear cut reason; many
things contribute to this attitude.
Past experiences and examples
of freshman English have helped
to form this distasteful opinion.
A major complaint against the
course was that it was too ab
stract, that it was difficult for
the student to understand exactly
what was expected of him. Stu
dents felt lost from the beginning
and sometimes were never able
to realize what was happening in
the classroom.
Some students were unable to
see any purpose in the course.
purely
ersonal
By Dani Presswood
Radio and television business
may look like fun to the out
sider, but to a man who knows,
this is a field of work, work and
more work.
Texas A&M’s educational TV
program director Mel Chastain
says that during periods of “in
tense concentration,” such as in
preparation for the upcoming In
tercollegiate Talent Show broad
cast, he and his staff each work
about 80 hours per week.
“However, it’s not an even busi
ness,” he points out. “We’ll work
hard one week and slow down
the next.”
Chastain, 26, is a nine-year
veteran of the radio-TV field.
It all began at radio station
KBRN in Brighton, Colo., where
he spent his summers between
school terms at the University of
Denver.
He also mixed studies with
work at three university radio
and television stations and grad
uated in 1961, receiving his mas
ter’s the following year.
However, he admits, "I’ve been
acquainted with broadcasting
since junior high school.”
Before coming to A&M Chas
tain served as producer-director
of the closed circuit television
network at the University of
California in Berkeley for two
years, turning out some 300
shows during the span.
Preceding this position he was
production manager of “Science
in Action” for one year. This is
a weekly California Academy of
Sciences television program pro
duced at KRON-TV in San Fran
cisco and syndicated throughout
the nation. -
Chastain is optimistic about the
future of educational TV at
A&M.
“Although A&M started about
seven years late, the equipment
we have purchased since 1965
is equal to or better than any
body’s anywhere,” he commented.
“The support we’ve been given
is very encouraging.”
The A&M network broadcasts
from 28-65 programs per week,
contacting up to 850 students
each hour and is capable of reach
ing 10 classrooms and one lecture
hall simultaneously.
The broadcasts assist in the
teaching of psychology, freshman
English, biology and accounting.
Chastain is quick to both
praise and defend the importance
of educational television as an
aid to instruction.
“Educational TV is a supple
ment to, rather than a substitute
for, a live instructor,” he pointed
out. “We’re not trying to re
place any professors. This is
just something to aid him, like a
textbook.”
In addition to its normal edu
cational functions, A&M’s tele
vision hookup has tackled such
projects this year as “The Gene
Stallings Show,” vedeo tape re
cordings and “instant replay” of
the home basketball games for
Coach Shelby Metcalf.
The most immediate undertak
ing is the taping of the upcom
ing Intercollegiate Talent Show
Saturday. The broadcast will
present the highlights in a 30-
minute package and play in sev
eral cities.
Chastain, who is married and
has a daughter, terms such proj
ects “frosting on the cake.”
“Our first allegiance is to the
closed circuit duties,” he stresses.
“We spend most of our time mak
ing sure the network is O.K. for
the educational broadcasts.”
WELL, WE’RE BACK on the
road toward the Southwest Con
ference basketball championship
after relinquishing the lead to
SMU for one day ....
The Ponies gained a half-game
edge Monday night when they
downed TCU in overtime, but
the Aggies knotted it all back
up with Tuesday night’s win . . .
Ain’t those Mustangs lucky?
Four of their last five games
have been won either by one or
two points or in an overtime . . .
Their fifth one? Well, let’s try
to forget that one ....
THE TEAM LEFT for Arkan
sas today at 1 p.m. for the
BIG game If (or rather
when) we win and IF the Metho
dists beat Texas Tech Thursday
night, the playoff will be in the
Heart’ O’Texas Coliseum in Waco
Monday night That’s Big
John’s favorite gym
He put in 44 points in his only
visit to the Baylor home court
this year And last year he
had 43 there
The Aggies should be in fine
shape for the game tomorrow
night, despite only a two-day
rest, unless they have sore arms
from signing so many autographs
last night See Ya ’Round
—MORTIMER.
Many have been unable to justify
their being there by any other
reason than the fact that the
course was required. One fresh
man commented that he never
felt guilty about cutting English
class because when he was pres
ent nothing worthwhile happened.
Students thought that they
were to be taught how to handle
English prose in a passible way
but often this purpose was ob
scured by emphasis on stoic es
says and involved explanations.
Such things as these have con
tributed to freshmen English’s
poor reputation. But less obvi
ous factors have also had a bear
ing on the formation of opinions
of the course.
For those who do not enjoy
studying English the course can
become overly dull and boring.
This gets into the area of a per
son’s natural likes and dislikes.
Parental ideas and concepts
can have a bearing on how a stu
dent feels about English. In the
home the student can be taught
that English is a valuable tool
and that it is worth the effort to
master it. Or it can be ignored
and set aside as being something
sufficiently mastered in the third
grade.
A person’s proximity to the
English language often makes
him unaware that it is a subject
that can be studied and improved
upon. Day by day use of English
can put a person so at ease in
the language that he often cannot
recognize a need to polish and
perfect his speaking and writing.
The essence of the course itself
presents another obstacle to its
enjoyment. Many cannot easily
accept criticism. And freshman
English is a course where criti
cism is essential. People feel a
close personal association with
what they write and to have this
ripped up by a professor’s red
pencil is annoying and often
painful.
Another reason for freshman
English’s poor reputation is, in
fact, poor grades. Students have
come to regard a C in freshman
English as a pretty good mark.
All, part, or perhaps variations
of these factors have combined to
give freshman English courses
their poor reputation. Regard
less of the extent to which all of
these factors hold true they are
what many people use as a basis
for their opinion of the course.
Regardless of the way students
feel about the course there is a
definite need for it. Dr. H. E.
Hierth, chairman of freshman
English, said that business and
industry are continually calling
for people who are better equip
ped to handle the English lan
guage, both written and spoken.
He also pointed out that some
universities have omitted fresh
men English but that this is done
only when admission require
ments are set at a level so that
the students have no need for the
course.
The course in freshmen English
has been altered within the last
two years. This is in conjunc
tion with a nationwide plan to
provide a more distinct sense of
direction and central focus for
freshman English.
Statistics tend to disprove the
belief that freshman English is
an extremely difficult course to
pass. Figures show that fresh
men English has a lower percent
age of failures than freshmen
mathematics.
According to Dr. J. Q. Ander
son, head of the Department of
English, the failing percentages
over the last five years are as
follows: 1961—22%, 1962—19%
1963—17%, 1964—12.1%, and
1965—12%. These compare fav
orably to a reasonably fixed per
centage of about 25% failures in
freshmen mathematics.
THE BATTALION
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newspaper at Texas A&M Is
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MEMBER
The Associated Press, Texas Press Association
EDITOR - GLENN DROMGOOLE
Managing Editor Tommy DeFrank
Sports Editor Gerald Garcia
News Editor Dani Presswood
Associate Editor Larry Jerden
Dr. Anderson attributes this
drop in the per cent of failures to
a number of reasons. Among
these is the fact that students
are taking school more seriously
because of international conflicts.
He also believes that the increase
in selectivity in admission re
quirements has resulted in a bet
ter-prepared freshman student.
Another factor he points out is
that less is being demanded of
the students; the course no
longer includes as much material.
Freshmen English does not
seem to be the beast it is gen
erally made out to be. It’s chang
ing with the times and trying to
answer an apparent need.
CADET SLOUCH
by Jim Earle
“I need advice! With th’ Combat Ball, I.T.S., and the Mili
tary Ball this weekend should I study now and get ahead
or would it be better to rest up so I could get a good start
next week?”
Read Classifieds Rail;
Grandma paid
$20.70* for a
coasf-to-coasf call
Now it costs you
only $1.00*after 8 p.m.
and all day Sunday
In 1915 a coast-to-coast phone call cost $20.70*. By 1934 the
rate had been reduced to $9.00. Today the same call costs you
only $1.00* if you place your call station-to-station after
8 p.m. or anytime on Sunday. And, it costs even less for
shorter distances.
What’s more, if your area has been converted to Direct
Distance Dialing, you can use this fast, easy service to dial
directly, at no extra cost.
Today, there’s more reason than ever to use Long Distance
for all its worth.
*F\r»t 3 minutea, station to station, excluding tax.
SOUTHWESTERN STATES TELEPHONE CO:^
A Member of the GT&E Family of Companies
M.S. and Ph.D. Graduates
at TRW help man to...
build computer
highways to the
moon
R. J. GERBRACHT
Ph.D. Physics ’65
California Institute
of Technology
advance scientific
knowledge by
chemiluminescent
research
and development
JAMES L. DYER
Ph.D. Chemical
Engineering ’65
University of California
at Los Angeles
find the
best paths to the
outer planets
THOMAS J. MUCHA
Ph.D. Aeronautical
Engineering ’65
Purdue University
build nuclear
power systems for
deep space
exploration
KWAN-LOK SO
M.S. Mechanical
Engineering ’64
Massachusetts Institute
of Technology
Discuss
opportunities
with members
of TRW’s
technical
staff
on campus
MARCH 5th
If you are receiving your M.S. or Ph.D. during 1966, we invite you
to join this select group. At TRW you will work on major projects,
such as Pioneer interplanetary spacecraft, OGO satellites, Mars mis
sion studies, Apollo/LEM descent engine, LEM inertial guidance
system, underwater defense systems, communications satellites for
military and commercial use, advanced ballistic missile studies, Vela
nuclear detection satellites, advanced space probes, and Apollo mis
sion planning and analysis.
TRW will assist you in your career planning by encouraging you to
continue your development through the many educational oppor
tunities offered by major colleges and universities in the Los Angeles
area. You may participate in TRW’s Development Programs as you
assume greater responsibilities.
Please make arrangements with your Placement Office for an inter
view; or you may write College Relations at the address below. TRW
is an equal opportunity employer, male and female.
TRW
SYSTEMS
Formerly TRW Space Technology Laboratories
ONIE S RAC E PARK • REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA