Page 2
THE BATTALION
College Station, Texas
Thursday, May 26, 1966
Sound Off
Students Administer
Their Parting Shots
Editor, In effect, the ruling states that the students
The Battalion: are not intelligent enough to know what is good
I look forward each day to receiving The Bat- for them. How can anyone question why so few
talion and enjoy reading it very much, but I can’t people file for government positions, and some-
say that I’m pleased with some of the “news.” times even fewer vote, when they fully realize
You probably have seen “Dear Abby’s definition there is absolutely nothing that the Student Senate
of maturity—maybe a reprint would help the Ag- can do if the administration won’t let them, 6t
gi es . work with them ? Why have a Senate ? The little
“Maturity is the ability to do a job whether housekeeping jobs that the Senate now takes care
you’re supervised or not; finish a job once it’s of could just as well be farmed out to secretaries
started; carry money without spending it, and last, or appointed members of the Memorial Student
but not least, the ability to bear an injustice with- Center.
out wanting to get even.” The administration of this school is in for a
An interested Aggie Mom rude awakening if they think they can continue
★★★ to tell students what to think or not think, do or not
Editor, do, wear or not wear. This university has long
The Battalion: been a military bastion of student and faculty
According to an editorial in the Friday (May conservatism, but if it is to play any large part
20) edition of The Battalion, “for moral classroom a t all in the governor’s plan for acadmeic excel-
and laboratory activities women will wear dress lence in the state of Texas, the opinions, wishes
which are in good taste and suitable for the class an d thoughts of the students, will, of necessity,
” I’m certain that many Aggies besides my- need to be fully reckoned with in future days.
self are wondering what dress the University pre- The utter contempt of the adminstration
scribes for immoral activities. I think that the governing ability burst forth in the water fights
solution to the dress regulation problem is to be ^. wo a g<>, and any civilian that was there
found in the last sentence of the same editorial, can gp^^ 0 f lack of control within the student
which states either enforce the regulations of this body. If no one has authority, no one has control,
university, or do away with them.” The latter al- There is too lar&e a g&p bet ween the dean and
ternative is a very commendable suggestmn. Our the individual man in his dorm . H e has no place
academic excellence would be far better off If g. 0 dorm officers are a joke. There au-
the administration would spend less time attempt- thority is a joke. So he takes matters into his
ing to impose their provincial attitudes on the own hands
student body. k. ** I'l 1 ® administration has two choices. It can
. . eyer ’ tighten the restrictions upon the individual student
a j o £ more officials to control them or
The Battalion* they can begin to respect what the student govern-
^ .... , , , ment has to say and at least attempt to work with
Do you know that the attitude expressed by .. u- jr -a u *
^ ^ • , . , , - . . it. The smashing of its best attempt at self-
most English professors is one which defeats stu- . . . j ^
j x. • f x ■, xx-x j v. u v government in many a year was not a good start,
dent s interests when these attitudes should be ones
of encouragement and anticipation? Michael S. Reynolds
To illustrate my point: AAA
A sincere and earnest effort on my part to Editor,
overcome personal and family obstacles in order The Battalion:
to acquire a better interest and understanding of The Battalion has done it again as in so many
the subject matter of English has been met with times past—delivered the flat of its rapier in
cold and unsympathetic rejection by the English blind fury upon a student body numb from the
faculty. unwarranted frequency and severity of the attacks
Neither the purpose of the course, the instruc- upon them by a questionable newspaper staff. I
tor, nor the department, has as yet been made clear of course am referring to the most recent group
to me. If in fact it were, there is no evidence to of articles on student apathy at the polls,
show that it would be practiced. The concensus of The Battalion seems to be
Being a conscientious and aspiring student, I that students should have an interest in student
have been very negatively motivated by the exam- government. That in fact there should be a stu-
ples of instructors in the A&M English Depart- dent government.
ment. Lethargy, apathy, and even distaste for The truth of the matter is that even though the
the subject being taught are often the predominant student government does have some routine func-
characteristics of the professors. tions, these are not tasks which could not, or would
Admittedly, this is an engineering school with not, bt performed by any Tom, Dick or Harry,
little evidence of the academic balance sought by The student body seems to me to be very percep-
many students and administrators. This is no ex- tive in realizing this by not showing up at the
cuse for the department to follow this policy of polls. Can you not see how ludicrous it would be
dogmatic and hard-headed neglect of all student for a group of young adults to rally en masse when
interests and wishes, as is testified by more than they lack an issue? Contrary to the opinion of
three-fourths of the student body. The “Batt” we students are not a “flock of sheep”
Efforts to improve the courses, department, who can be herded to the polls in the crusade
and the entire University are being made by the against apathy, but are instead “wise” to that
administration. Desires are mutual throughout Establishment that would seek to be our shepherd
the student body to see these improvements ac- —The Battalion.
complished. Efforts and action, in order to be By not voting ,the students have indeed been
truly effective, should come from within the stu- saying, “We are not interested in student govern-
dent body for whom the entire program is being ment.” And why should we be?
conducted. Such innovations as the student faculty The answer is to be found in that little word
evaluation program contain grandiose and sweet- power. The more fervor and organization behind
sounding promises, but as yet are unused by the the power the more effective that power will be.
department heads where the actual evaluation Student government is the best potential instru-
must take effect. ment of student power on this campus.
It appears that the student body has no voice, Some may ask, “What good will this power do
no right, nor hope for the good education they me?” But this is a sham question, because every-
hear of and pay for. <> ne wants something. Perhaps some would like
Unless our desires are co-ordinated, delivered, a coed dorm on campus in the very near future,
and accounted for with action or acceptable reason Student pressure on the Administration might at
for rejection, this institute has no right to call least speed up the issue. Some civilians would
itself a University. undoubtedly like for the Corps to take their whis-
Ed Salisbury tie jocks and clear out for the other dorm area
+++ next fall. Maybe there are some students who
Editor would like to have more, if not all, civilian yell
The Battalion: leaders. What civilian would not want his mother
When my committee authored the present Sen- to be Aggie Mother of the Year. Undoubtedly
ate recommendation to the Executive Committee some Aggies are disappointed with the slow prog-
on Political Clubs five months ago, I was told that ress of the political-clubs-on-campus issue. Who
this was doing things the way the administration wouldn’t like to subject The Battalion to pressure
wanted it done. We were bound to receive approv- °I predominant student groups? These are but
al if such an august assembly of students such examples of what some Aggies may indeed wish,
as the Student Senate were to petition the admin- There is no limit.
istration concerning our feelings. So, the Issues I have no doubt that Aggies would rally round
Committee worked many hours with Dean of the polls if issues which had some meaning were
Students James P. Hannigan to arrive at a com- to be decided by elections. But we shy away from
promise that the administration would not find the power to change things because of that sacred
offensive. We weighed each objection that the word, tradition. Tradition has become religion
administration brought forth concerning adequate an( I dissidence is heresy. Nowhere can this be
control of the groups and proposed adequate ad- seen better than in the comical efforts of The
ditions to the University Regulations which would Battalion to ice over the differences of the two
bind the clubs much tighter than any other organ- potential political camps with the Aggies stick
ization now on campus. together” appeal. But all Aggies are not the same
What did we get for our work ? The adminis- and have no reason to pretend to be.
tration has finally stopped giving reasons for I s there not one Aggie, or group of Aggies who
rejecting the political clubs. They have finally would not commit the ultimate sacrilege and run
given what must have been their reason the whole on an i ssue that would fire the spirit of one group
time—we just don’t want you to have them. In of students and offend the sensibilities of another?
thus rejecting the action of the Student Senate, I f not > we are Pursuing the correct course. We
the Executive Committee has rejected any type are a unique example of the dignity of apathy,
of self-rule by the students. Bruce Cochran
THE BATTALION
Opinions expressed in The Battalion ‘t.’Yt T !.?,
are those of the student writers only. The otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous
, , _ j origin published herein. Rights of repubheation of all other
Battalion IS a non taoc-suyportea non- matter herein are also reserved.
profit, self-supporting educational enter- Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas,
prise edited and operated, by students as News contributions may be made by telephoning 846-6618
a university and community newspaper. or 846-4910 or at the editorial office. Room 4, YMCA Building.
For advertising: or delivery call 846-6415.
Members of the Student Publications Board are: Joe BuM(
chairman; Dr. David f° we / a * of = Me' Mail subscriptions are $3.60 per semester; $6 per school
A. Clark. College of Geosciences . Dr. Frank A. Mc : year . ?6 . 60 per fu ll year. All subscriptions subject to 2%
sales tax. Advertising rate furnished on request. Address:
The Battalion, Room 4, YMCA Building, College Station, Texas.
The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M 1s TTniT'OT? 'TOMMV TWPT? A NIC
published in College Station, Texas daily except Saturday, i I uar rwA.i'* xv
Sunday, and Monday, and holiday periods, September through Managing Editor Dani PrCSSWOOd
May, and once a week during summer school. Associate Editor - Larry Jerden
MEMBER Sports Editor Gerald Garcia
The Associated Press Texas Press Association Amusements Editor - John Hotard
ine Associated i-ress, iexas ^ress Association gtaff Writers John pujig^ Robert Solovey,
Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, T . ' ‘‘ ’ 5 ~ •SJ' James Sizemore, Judy Franklin
Inc.. New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Photographer Herky KillingSWOrth
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