Vlassive Facelifting Proposed For Venerable Kyle Field
By LARRY UPSHAW
Battalion Sports Writer
A new Kyle Field is fast becoming a reality with the machinery
of a multimillion dollar expansion program standing poised for
its grand entrance.
Backed by the Board of Directors of the Texas A&M System,
the Former Students Association and the A&M Athletic Depart
ment, the project will eventually expand the ancient structure to
accommodate 65,000 fans, a far cry from the present 39,000
capacity.
First discussed in whispers back in December, the plans took on
an official air March 5, after the Board accepted the preliminary
report of Houston consulting engineer Robert Klotz and named
Board member L. F. Peterson of Fort Worth to head the project.
THE BUILDING COMMITTEE of the Board is in charge
of the construction in two phases. Phase one will raise the seating
capacity from 39,000 to 54,000 with the addition of cantilevered
high-rise sections above the regular seats. This type of construc
tion uses large beams rising from the back of the section, instead
of view-obstructing posts.
Also in the plan is the addition of unlimited parking facili
ties across the railroad tracks from the stadium and new access
roads which will make travel across the maze of one-way campus
streets unneeded.
Planned increases in the lighting system will triple the exist
ing 29-candle power setup, and improvements to the dressing rooms
are also included in this phase
But the greatest improvement in the mind of present Aggies
is the increase of good seats between the 20-yard lines from 17,000 to
33.000, making it possible to get the students out of the end zone.
A Board report on the subject stated that “As loyal ‘Twelfth
Men’ they deserve a better seat. More seats are needed NOW.”
THIS IS THE immediate program which should be completed
by the Fall of 1967. Cost estimates range from $1,050,000 to $1,-
500.000.
“Bids will be accepted in September,” said A&M System Comp
troller W. C. Freeman,” and construction will begin after the
final home game of the 1966 season.”
Phase two is a long-range, no time limit plan to raise seating
to 65,000 by enclosing the south end of the field to make a bowl.
The track around the field will also be moved and the field lowered.
No cost estimates have been presented, however, and construction
will probably not begin for seven or eight years.
So phase one is the big news, and the most pressing question is
financing. This question has a twofold answer.
THE BOARD IS preparing to issue bonds up to $750,000.
Formerly called Student Building Use Revenue Bonds, they are
the same type which financed the dining halls and dormitories on
campus. This will add a small amount, to be determined after the
bids are accepted in September, to the existing Building Use Fee.
But the bonds will be repaid over many years and the nominal cost
per student will be returned in the more choice seating.
While the bonds are an essential part of the program, the
mose dramatic feature is a $750,000 fund-raising drive by the
Former Students.
“We’ve never done anything like this before,” noted Robert
L. Hunt, Jr., executive secretary of the expansion program. “We
raised one to two hundred thousand for the MSC but nothing as
huge as this.”
APPEALING TO EXES, friends of the university, faculty mem
bers and corporations, Peterson and his men will offer tax-de
ductible donation seat options for $150-$250. These options guarantee
the owner a seat in a particular area for 10 years, although he
still must buy tickets for that area and his seat in that area may be
different at each game. This gives each person in an area an
opportunity to sit in the choicest seats at different games, instead
of one person getting 50-yard seats for every game and another
sitting on the twenty all season.
The options area sectioned into four areas. Option one con
sists of the front five rows of the high-rise on the west (pressibox)
side. These are the best seats in the house and will go for $250.
They are the big objective of the drive.
“We must sell most of these to get a good monetary return
on the drive,” Hunt said.
Option two seats are located in the front five rows under the
high-rise on the west side. These are lower than the option one
seats but are shaded from the weather and will also go for $250.
THE THIRD OPTION is located in two places — on the west
side high-rise behind the option one section and in front of the
same high-rise in old Kyle Field. A $150 offering secures this option.
Option four encompasses five rows on the east side high-rise and
requires a $200 donation.
A 25-man steering committee of former students will act as
advance agents for the drive. One thousand other exes will be
appointed to carry through the drive, which begins June 1. Plans
are to terminate the drive on July 31 unless the option sales are
light.
“Success depends on the sale of the seat options, explained
Hunt. “If enough aren’t sold during that time, the money will be
held in escrow until the rest can be raised.”
BUT EVEN THE most loyal Aggie would find reason to
scratch his head at this point. Why spend millions of dollars ex-
janding the Aggie playground when attendance last year averaged
just 25,000 per game.
Normand DuBeau of University Information is the man with
the answers, because he prepared the brochure that will be dis-
Damage Unknown
In Water Incident
There are no damage estimates
as yet on the water attack early
Saturday morning which left
Dormitory 20 under four inches
of water, Bennie Zinn, director of
student affairs, said Wednesday.
Zinn said it has not been de
termined who turned off the elec
tricity and water, uncapped the
plumbing and then flooded the
dormitory at 4:30 a.m. Saturday.
“We won’t know the exact esti
mate for damages for quite
awhile, since damages on the
tile will take several weeks to
determine,” he added.
“Building and Utilities will
send all bills and estimates on
damages to Dean Hannigan, but
there has been no decision as to
who might have to pay for re
pairs.”
Zinn termed the incident as
“kid stuff which is very destruc
tive.”
He said many of the students
Weren’t in the dormitory when it
was flooded and that there was
damage to walls, pipes, closets,
clothes, shoes, books and elec
tronic equipment.
“Whoever it was that went
down into the tunnels knew what
they were doing. There are a
thousand valves down there and
yau have to know which ones to
turn to cut off the water and
electricity,” he said.
The school is covered by in
surance for vandalism and in
surance investigators are pres
ently on campus to determine the
damage.
Zinn said he told the students
in the dormitory to write home
to find out if they were also cov
ered by insurance for destruction
to their personal effects.
Building and Utilities brought
pumps to take out the water as
soon as possible, but there was
water on the floors until 11 a.m.
The biggest damage will be to
the tile on the flors which will
buckle when it dries. Zinn said
costs could range from a few
hundred dollars into the thou
sands, depending on the amount
of floor damage.
Zinn said the housing depart
ment doesn’t like to charge a flat
fee to each student because he
realizes there are many studnts
who never participate in such
incidents.
Col. D. L. Baker, Zinn and Dean
of Students James P. Hannigan
will meet later in the week to dis
cuss ways to curb further water
fights, to determine the costs for
damages and decide on who will
make payments.
tributed to prospective donors. According to DuBeau:
—The projected enrollment for the fall of ’66 is 11,000, and
the estimated future rate of growth is 15 per cent annually.
—Seventy-five per cent of the degrees from A&M have been
earned since 1945. Only 25 per cent of the sheepskins were awarded
from 1876 to 1945. Consequently there are 32,000 living exes.
—The annual population growth in Texas is greater than the
national rate (9.1 per cent for Texas, 4.6 per cent for the nation).
—URBAN GROWTH experts claim that with the improved free
way systems today, the College Station-Bryan area will soon become
a satellite of Houston. This area will grow briskly because people
will commute to jobs in Houston.
—Because of the other reasons, attendance will double in 10
years and A&M can afford to play more games at home (the 19£6
team has only three home games). Statistics have proven that th^
home team gains a seven-point advantage. Therefore A&M should
win more games and draw even larger crowds.
—Larger and improved facilities drawing in the fans means
money in the athletic department bank account. And since football
revenues support the athletic program, a more well-rounded program
is in the offering.
WHILE THE NEW Kyle Field will never surpass the Astro
dome in grandeur, it will eclipse the Houston wonder capacity wise,
65,000 to 53,000.
In the Southwest Conference, the Aggie arena will exceed the
home fields of Baylor, Texas Christian, Texas Tech and Arkansas.
It will reach the capacity of Texas’ Memorial Stadium and will be
surmounted only by Rice Stadium (73,000) and the Cotton Bowl
(75,000), Southern Methodist’s home field.
“Equaled by some, but second to none” is the campaign slogan,
and the New Kyle Field Committee fully intends to realize their
Aggie dream.
Cbc Bdttalion
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1966
3* ? I ? ^
Cadet Concert Slated Friday
CADET CROONERS SCHEDULE SPRING CONCERT
. . free public performance set for Guion Hall Friday.
Awards Program
Honors Architects
- GUEST EDITORIAL
The Aggie Choke
Texas A&M, currently caught up in the rigors
of its annual Spring choke, appears to have come
through again in that familiar, heart-warming Aggie
fashion.
Quite frankly, some of us were a bit worried there
for awhile. After all, the Aggie baseballers had to
blow the league lead and a second place national rank
ing to get where they are today — third in the SWC
standings.
Nevertheless, A&M surmounted all obstacles and
really showed up experts like Bibb Falk. Imagine the
UT baseball coach’s chagrin. He, along with count
less others, had predicted a championship for the
Aggies, saying, “They’ll win it (the SWC title).
They’re loaded.”
Everybody knows that the Ags aren’t ones to
take that sort of talk lying down. So they promptly
went out and managed to lose games to the like of
SMU, an outfit which perennially has only two chances
of winning whenever they run onto the baseball dia
mond ; slim and none.
So, eat your words, Bibb, BaPy. Nobody makes
cracks like that about A&M. Not as long as there
is a mathematical chance for the Farmers to blow up,
which is exactly what they appear bent on doing.
—The Dailv Texan
April 29, 1966
Former Students To Honor
Graduating Seniors Tuesday
Volume 61
Singing
The Singing Cadets will pre
sent a two-hour free public spring
concert at 8 p.m. Friday in Guion
Hall.
Robert L. (Bob) Boone, direc
tor of the 55-voice glee club, said
the concert will feature songs of
inspiration, spirituals and hits
from Broadway shows.
Mrs. June Biering of Harvey is
pianist-accompanist.
Seating will be on a first come,
first seated basis.
The opening portion of the con
cert will feature “Spirit of Aggie-
land,” “Heavenly Light,” “Oh, Be
Joyful,” “Alleluia,” “Bourree for
Bach,” “Prayer From Hanzel and
Gretal,” “She Walks in Beauty,”
“Where in the World,” “Paul
Revere,” “Give Me Your Tired”
and “Sometimes I Feel Like a
Motherless Child.”
Boone will sing a medley : “No
body Knows,” “Were You There”
and “Glory Road.”
After intermission the Cadets
will sing “Drink, Drink, Drink”
from “Student Prince”; “Girl
From Ipanema” from “Get Your
self a College Girl”; “Pass Me
By” from “Father Goose”; “Rain
bow” from “Wizard of Oz,” and
the title song from “Exodus.”
Soloists include:
Jim Cain of Brownsville,
“More” from “Mondo Cane.”
Mark Luther of College Station,
“Ballad of the Alamo.”
Corky Stone of McAllen,
“Somewhere” from “West Side
Story.”
A1 Meyer of Bryan, title song
from “High Noon.”
Jerry DeHay of Brownwood,
title song from “Shenandoah.”
Gordon Hill of Bryan and Jerry
Holbert will team for “Draft
Dodger Blues” as will Jim Hatton
of Woodville and Holbert for
“Amen” from “Lilies of the
Field.”
“Whale of a Tale” from “20,000
Leagues Under the Sea” will spot
light Alan Barnes of Abilene,
Tommy Taylor of College Station
and John Westmoreland of
Houston.
Aggie Shot Down
Over Viet Nam
First Lt. James E. Ray of Con
roe, a 1963 Texas A&M English
graduate, is reported missing in
action in Viet Nam.
Frank Ray, brother of James, a
senior pre-medical student, was
advised this week that James’
Air Force F-105 jet was shot
down in a mission over North
Viet Nam last Friday.
Other pilots on the mission re
ported Ray ejected from his crip
pled craft and his parachute
opened fully. Further details are
unavailable.
He had been in Viet Nam five
weeks.
The downed pilot’s parents are
Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Ray Sr., of
Conroe.
Ray was president of the
Memorial Student Center Council
and Directorate in 1962-63 and
received that organization’s Dis
tinguished Service Award. He
visited Uganda in the summer of
1963 in conjunction with the Op
eration Crossroads Africa Pro
gram.
Edward Scott Werth, a fifth
year student from Dallas, won the
most coveted prize at the School
of Architecture’s Awards Convo
cation Wednesday.
Werth captured the American
Institute of Architects’ Medal in
recognition of scholastic achieve
ment, character and promise of
professional ability.
Randolph L. Waligura of Gar
wood, also a fifth year student,
was runnerup.
Houston Associated General
Contractors of America Scholar
ships went to Don Sam Parr of
Amarillo, $400, and Thomas Carl
Stone of Donna and Caesar Alva
rado of Houston, $300 each.
Fifth Year Progress Award
was won by James Needham
Groom Jr. of Borger.
Fourth Year Featherlite award
winners and cash prizes include:
first, Robert J. Billington of Bele-
vue, Neb., $175; second, Robert
B. Hunter of Floresville, $125
and Andrew C. Cronk of Bryan,
$100.
Franklin H. Roberts Jr. of Dal
las won the $500 Koppers Com
pany Award. The School of Arch
itecture also received $500 from
Koppers.
Fourth Year Progress Award
winner was Earl G. Landreth of
Brownsville.
Arnold Irving Wall of Bryan
won the $150 Nuener Scholarship
as an outstanding third year stu
dent.
Edward David Chauviere of
Waco received the Kenneth D.
Williams Memorial Award as an
outstanding junior in scholastic
achievement, character and prom
ise of professional ability. Chau
viere has a straight “A” average.
Robert J. Billington of Omaha,
Neb., was chosen to represent
A&M in a foreign student ex
change program sponsored by the
Association of Collegiate Schools
of Architecture.
Thomas Clifton Gruber of San
Antonio was named the most out
standing sophomore. Roger D.
Manny of Fort Worth and John
E. Short of Lufkin were cited as
outstanding freshmen.
Terrence Roy Gene of Richard
son in architecture and John Earl
Cutler of Houston in landscape
architecture won J. Rodney Tabor
Awards of $200 each for out
standing performance.
Donald H. Holick Jr. of Hous
ton and Jerry Arthur Howard of
Clifton won Davidson Fellowships
in construction work through
photography. Holick received
$150, Howard $100.
Howard also won the Langford
award for work in design and
construction.
Morris F. Hamilton Jr. of
Bryan was presented the AGC
award for most consistent prog
ress in architectural construction.
A Langford Award also went
to Howard Boyd Lathrop of Fort
Worth.
Richard Vanderburg of Dallas
received a Davidson Fellowship of
$250.
James Milton Carpenter of San
Antonio won the Alpha Rho Chi
Medal as a graduating student
with high ability in leadership
and promise of professional merit.
Alpha Rho Chi is a national so
cial - professional fraternity of
architecture.
Speaker for the ceremonies was
Dr. M. T. Harrington, coordinator
of A&M’s international programs.
Edward Romieniec, chairman of
A&M’s School of Architecture,
and Associate Professor David
Woodcock also spoke briefly.
First Bank & Trust now pays
4%% per annum on savings cer
tificates. —Adv.
Graduating seniors will attend
their first function as former
students of Texas A&M Tuesday.
The Association of Former
Students hosts the Class of 1966
at a banquet in Duncan Dining
Hall at 6:30 p.m., announced
Richard (Buck) Weirus, associa
tion executive secretary.
C. C. Krueger, past association
president and former Board of
Directors member, will sketch the
group’s history in the principal
address. Krueger, president of
the San Antonio Machine and
Supply Company, is a 1912 grad
uate in civil engineering.
Donor of Krueger family paint
ings to Cushing Library, the ban
quet speaker also served as San
Antonio A&M Club president and
director of the Texas A&M Re
search Foundation.
Welcoming graduates at the
stag function will be Royce Wis-
enbaker, association president and
engineer from Tyler.
Seniors may pick up compli
mentary banquet tickets at Asso
ciation offices in the Memorial
Student Center west wing. Wei
rus requested tickets be claimed
by May 16 for an accurate count
for the steak dinner. An Associa
tion questionnaire is also to be
filled out by graduates, he noted.