The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, October 13, 1966, Image 2
THE BATTALION Page 2 College Station, Texas Thursday, October 13, 1966 CADET SLOUCH by Jim Earle CrA/Ltc- CC- “It developed since school started you see, I carry my books with this arm and you oughta see that physics book ...” About the time that you realize being an upperclassman in the Corps isn’t a free ticket to Cloud Nine, and when you sense all those legends about the first semester sophomore courses might actually be true, a third seemingly-insurmountable obsta cle manifests itself. This is known, in the verna cular of the column writer — which is to say, I made this up myself — as the Great Mail Ex tinction. This is not to say that the mail was previously great, or that there’s anything great about extinction; it just sounds impres sive. Enough has been said about the spider webs in the mailbox. Most of the printable comments have even made their way into these pages from time to time. My pet peeve is the shiny bottoms of the slots, and it’s a problem that seems to offer no hope of solu tion because it’s so hard to ex plain in the first place. It’s like this: you walk into the post office, secure in the knowledge that, regardless of what weird turn of events has kept a certain person from writ ing for the past twelve days, today is the Big Day. Today, if there is any justice in the uni verse, if the United States Mail can be trusted even in the slight est, if human nature represents any potential for greatness, that glare off the bottom of your mail box will be broken by a letter. 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- prisc edited and operated by students as a university and community newspaper. 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. Members of the Student Publications Board are: Jim I.indsey. chairman ; Ur. David Bowers, College of Liberal Arts ; Dr. Robert A. Clark, College of Geosciences : Dr. Frank A. McDonald. College of Science; Dr. J. G. McGuire, College of Engineering; Dr. Robert S. Titus, College of Vet erinary Medicine; and Dr. A. B. Wooten, College of Agricul ture. News contributions may be made by telephoning 846-6618 846-4910 or at the editorial office, Roo; For advertising or delivery call 846-6416. or 846-4910 or at the Room 4, YMCA Building. ng ;a The Battalion, published in Coll Sunday, and Mon lege day newspaper at dail; Texas A&M Is Mail subscriptions are 63.60 per semester; #6 per school .r; 66.50 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 yes sal ar; $6.50 to 2% student Station, Texas daily except Saturday, and holiday periods, September through except Saturd May, and once a week during summer school. MEMBER The Associated Press, Texas Press Association Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Publisher Student Editor Managing Editor News Editor Texas A&M University . Winston Green Jr. Robert J. Solovey . John Fuller Sports Editor Bob Jones "r liiilil ! i Just one of the 449 different Arrow button-down sport shirts designed for the Bold New Breed. This handsome one is fashioned of 100% cotton... “Sanforized” labeled, of course. With shoulder to waist taper and back pleat. But this is only one Arrow Shirts are available at Conway & Co. 103 N. Main Bryan You even go so far as to hum a little tune. The world is really a great place, and things are never as bad as they seem. And then you look in that window, and the light glints off the bot tom. Scientists tell us we could not exist without light; it provides the energy for all those process es you learned about in Biology 115, and it’s also essential to the transmission of, say, “Batman.” But that light that glints off the bottom of your mailbox is a full-fledged Foe of Mankind. It can ruin a whole day in a split second, in much the same way as a glance at a math quiz as it’s dropped unceremoniously on your desk. It has been known to pro duce uncontrollable screaming and stamping, which almost always brings Mr. Stark running. What can be done about this ? Well, we could distribute a peti tion, asking that the mailboxes be painted flat-black or covered on the inside with velvet. But campus construction products are already holding up transportation to a certain extent, and any fur ther delays along those general lines might be poorly timed right now. Let’s face it — there’s no solu tion. All I can do is gripe about my situation, and take my prob lems to an unfeeling world. And that’s where my original point comes in: the newness of writing to The Kid Away at School has apparently worn off, and so it looks like I’m doomed to see that glinting light even more often than last year. That’s the Great Mail Extinction. Let’s not be hypocritical; Pm interested in anything that falls in Box 7008, including Box Rent Due slips, ransom notes, and let ters beginning “Dear College Stu dent: As one of tomorrow’s lead ers, you . . . .” Even junk mail diffuses that glint. But this year I’m not getting my share of that, either, and it’s about to drive me crazy. Part of the problem may be that new number. Last year, I was given 5921, and I used to tell people they could remember it as $12.95 backwards, reason ing that that represents a nice, round, average price tag. (Pre dictably, I once got a long-over due letter which had been post marked the week before and had caused somebody no end of frus tration before it was delivered to the right address. It was ad dress to Box 1295.) In constrast, 7008 is neither fish nor foul; it’s not quite 007, or even 007 revers ed, or 7007. It even lacks the numerical order of 7008. It's a loser, and so am I. (Box 5921, by the way, is full pretty often. I know; I’ve checked.) And so the light glints, the Great Mail Extinction goes in exorably on, and another column bites the dust. GLASS COMPANY AUTO — HOME — COMMERCIAL “Our 20th Year” Downtown Bryan 28th & Main 822-1577 tours . . . travel w Located in the lobby of the Memorial Student Center, offers to the student body and to all members of the Texas A&M University staff the following services: 1. AIRLINE RESERVATIONS AND TICKETING 2. WORLD-WIDE HOTEL RESERVATIONS 3. CAR RENTAL AND PURCHASES, DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL 4. INDEPENDENT AND GROUP TRAVEL 5. STEAMSHIP AND CRUISE RESERVATIONS 6. CHARTER QUOTATIONS AND RESERVATIONS . . . AIRLINE AND BUS 7. LABOID LIMOUSINE SERVICE — A PERSONALIZED SERVICE TO AND FROM: AUSTIN—$20.00, HOUSTON—$20.00, DALLAS—$30.00 . . Per Limousine Basis, One-Way We would appreciate an opportunity to be of service to you in making your travel arrangements. We offer a 30 day open charge account. MEMORIAL STUDENT CENTER LOBBY PLEASE CALL 846-7744 now open The Nation’s Fastest Growing Pizza Chain! home of our uniquely good Fresh Baked Pizza our secret old world sauces, dressings and dough recipes can’t be copied or equalled. featuring RELAXED DINING ROOM ATMOSPHERE Phone 846-6164 For Delivery or come by at our new location — highway 6, across from the Ramada j| ‘m WE KEEP PRICES DOWN‘3* ; coupon lh FREE - 100 Big Bonus Stamps With $10 Purchase or More Coupon Expires Oct. 15, 1966 Quality Veal Sale! Farmer Brown Franks Box of 200 - 2-Ply I