Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 14, 1967)
BATTALION EDITORIAL red by s, sits im’s of ! Giant their 5 ere Tl. Tut Wood! it who j in Vie: ij. Bam olies m: than at; ity inf noted. L f Congress Slaps A&M’s Wrists The Student Press Club of the Southwest Journalism Congress which met in Commerce last weekend has seen fit to condemn the administration of A&M in its actions taken last fall in the firing of three student editors. It also condemned the “unrealistic and highly oppressive attitude” of the administration in the control of the ! Battalion. The conference as a whole proved to be itself an un realistic affair. The charges made were grossly inaccurate and had to be taken at face value. Sorry to say, the dele gates took them as such. As a delegate from Hardin-Simmons said, the people at the conference acted like cattle, and allowed themselves to be stampeded. Becky Stark of Texas Woman’s University, chairman of the Freedom of Information Committee, gave a report in which she said she had polled the participating editors of the various school newspapers, and most said they were dissatisfied with administration control of their papers. If this was the case, the resolution would have been much fairer if it had condemned excessive administration control at all participating schools, rather than singling out A&M as a whipping-boy. It did not seem to make any difference that none of the schools voting for the measure could honestly say they were free from censorship in some form. Student journal ists, after all, are students and are bound to make irrespon sible moves at times. A&M was singled out as the example because of De- Frank’s persistent efforts to bring the issue before as many varied groups as possible, seemingly to ask for their sympathy and help in getting even with President Rudder and the administration. Although DeFrank said his charges were not meant to reflect on the Journalism Department or the University as a whole, they could not help but do so. DeFrank has shown that he is intent on tearing down. He has shown no concern for the University, for the Jour nalism Department, for the students at A&M, or for anyone but himself in his personal fight. He has not succeeded in his attempts. He has not hurt President Rudder. But he has brought public at tention to an issue which most thought had been settled last fall, and he has done immeasurable injury to exactly the people he had promised he would not' hurt. Engineering Profession Weeds Emphasis In Prep Schools tunities to understand the engi neering profession. “JETS chapters help to fill this void,” Gigliotti commented. Care fully designed, well-rounded pro grams give students every oppor tunity to experience the practice of creative design, which is engi neering.” The speaker, director of proc essing technology for the Mon santo Company, St. Louis, Mo., said too many students drop out of engineering the first year in college because they did not real ize the kind of discipline they were entering. Winners of the state contests were as follows: TECHNICAL WRITING — 1. Janelle Kasparek of Needville 2. Robert Zubik of Baytown 3. Charlene Graham of Andrews. ENGINEERING GRAPHICS— 1. Tom Singer of Bryan 2. Gary Bogan of Bryan 3. Arthur Lee Nelson Jr. of Lufkin. SLIDE RULE—1. Roy Webb of pasadena 2. C. Wayne Hibbs of Andrews 3. Patsy Shoffit of An drews. CHEMISTRY — 1. Danton B. Spivey of Clear Creek 2. Richard Ruckman of Baytown 3. Christo pher A. Wain of Clear Creek. PHYSICS—1. Gary Key, Dain- gerfield 2. Ronald Crane, Clear Creek High School 3. Karl W. Stoermer of Daingerfield. MATHEMATICS — 1. What ley Langham of Houston Reagan 2. Marvin Kluttz of Beaumont 3. (tie) James Coates of Pasa dena Rayburn and Robert E. Steele of Clear Creek. Cbt Battalion Volume 61 COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1967 Number 416 Journalists Condemn A&M At Southwestern Meet DeFrank Pushes Measure Through The image and future of the engineering profession needs more emphasis and clarification at the high school level, an au thority declared here Friday. M. F. X. Gigliotti, national president of the Junior Engineer ing Technical Society, told more than 700 persons attending the Texas JETS Conference that high school students need more oppor- Religion Is Topic Tonight For Last Marriage Forum “Marrying Outside Your Faith” will be the topic of the last of the YMCA’s Marriage Forums when Dr. Bardin H. Nelson speaks to night at 7:30. Nelson, a professor in the A&M Department of Agricultural Eco nomics and Sociology, will speak on the relationship of religious faith to marital stability and the efects of interfaith or inter denominational marriages. He will give the statistics on the success or failures of inter faith marriages and discuss the famous words, “But we’re in love. Love will find a way.” Nelson received his university training at Louisiana State Uni versity, Temple University and Columbia University. University National Bank “On the side of Texas A&M” —Adv. ■HHHI BAND SWEETHEART ’67 Bette Hale, 19-year-old University of Texas Sweetheart at the annual Band Dance Sat- freshman, beams after being- named Band urday. (Photo by Russell Autrey) Bette Hale Named 1967 Aggie Band Sweetheart Bette Hale, 19-year-old Univer sity of Texas freshman, was named Aggie Band Sweetheart of 1967 at the Band Dance Satur day night. The brown-eyed, brown-haired sweetheart is from Austin and is majoring in math. She was es corted by David Herrington, freshman physics major. Jack Myers, combined band op-' erations officer, made the an nouncement and presented the new sweetheart with a kiss. The 1966 Band Sweetheart, Patsy Reading, presented Miss Hale a bouquet of red roses. Each of the finalists was given an A&M charm by Henry Cis neros, band sergeant major, and a special charm necklace was giv en to Miss Hale. The sweetheart was selected by a vote of the entire band after the finalists were introduced at the dance. Other finalists were ^ MRS. TEXAS A&M ’67 Mrs. Karen Willis poses with her husband, William, after being- named Mrs. Texas A&M of 1967 Saturday. (Photo by Russell Autrey) piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ I the outside world\ VIETNAM U. S. troops scoured a swamp along- the Cambodian border in an effort to deprive the Viet Cong of a strong hold that poses a threat to Saigon. The Pentagon figures showed the number of soldiers going AWOL has climbed steadily in the Army’s buildup for Vietnam. WASHINGTON Sen. Thomas Dodd acknowledged that at least $156,000 raised by testimonial dinners for him went into his per sonal bank accounts, and a former aide said that Dodd was a major organizer of the dinners. Federal tax computers soon may put some informers out of business. NATIONAL Negro leaders hailed James Meredith’s withdrawal as the Republican candidate against Adam Clayton Powell, but Meredith withheld his support for the deposed Harlem congressman. A John Hopkins researcher said an effective, but expensive solution has been found to nullify the harmful effects of the RH blood factor. INTERNATIONAL The Gaullists commandeered a disputed seat on the Island of Corsica, giving them a majority of one in the new National Assembly from Paris. Premier Thanom Kittikachorn of Thailand said Thai security forces captured 15 Communist terrorists and kill ed 10 in six clashes last week. Indira Gandhi, installed anew as India’s prime mini ster, was warned by the opposition that it will try to un seat her as soon as possible. Stalin’s daughter said she wants to be alone and the Swiss government said it will provide a protective guard to make sure she stays that way. TEXAS Gen. Ramsey Clark urged the Texas Legislature to be a vanguard in nations war on crime. U. S. Supreme Court ruled for equal rail rates on export cotton to Texas ports for southwestern states. Connally signed into law a bill permitting beer distri butors to continue to supply retailers although the area in which the distributor is located votes “dry.” Belinda Carpenter of Hobbs, New Mexico, Gay Scherz of San An gelo and Diane Nunnelly and Dar lene Wiggins, both of San An tonio. Miss Scherz and Miss Nunnelly were also finalists in the Sopho more Ball Sweetheart contest last month. Sbisa Dining Hall was trans formed into a setting of the French Quarter of New Orleans with a fountain, wrought-iron work and a garden-like atmos phere. Ed Gerlach and his orches tra provided music for the formal dance. Weather Wednesday — Partly cloudy, winds southerly, 10 to 20, maxi mum temperature 89, low 67. Thursday — Partly cloudy, winds southerly, 10 to 20, maxi mum temperature 92, low 65. " By BOB BORDERS Battalion News Editor Delegates to the Southwestern Journalism Congress meeting in Commerce approved Saturday a resolution condemning adminis tration controls of student publi cations at A&M. The resolution of censure came in the Saturday morning business session. The schools represented were Arkansas, Baylor, Univer sity of Houston, Louisiana State University, University of Okla homa, Texas Tech, the University of Texas, Texas Women’s Uni versity, Hardin-Simmons, North Texas State, East Texas State and A&M. The resolution of censure, in troduced by the University of Arkansas, passed by a 17-4 vote, with three abstentions. The resolution was as follows: “Whereas, the Southwestern Student Press Club supports the position of a student press free of rigid control; and “Whereas, the administration of Texas A&M University forc ibly dismissed three student edi tors last fall; and “Whereas, the final determina tion of editorial authority of the student newspaper now rests with Texas A&M University adminis tration ; and “Whereas, the administration of Texas A&M has made it clear that the student newspaper does not have the right to criticize the university administration; “Therefore be it “Resolved that the Student Press Club condemn the highly unrealistic and oppressive atti tude of the Texas A&M adminis tration towards student publica tions.” Immediately before the busi ness and the introduction of the resolution of censure, Tommy De- Frank, Battalion editor who was dismissed last fall, went before the Student Press Club and gave his version of the events which led up to his dismissal. He said the problem really be gan in 1958, the year Earl Rudder came to A&M. DeFrank said last year he had six editorials and six letters to the editor pulled. He said he and his staff made statements to the news media to the effect that the administration was running the paper and it was no longer a student publication. “The president ordered the board to fire me. You’ll have to take my word for this,” DeFrank said. “The only thing I was guilty of was crossing Earl Rudder, and at Texas A&M nobody crosses Earl Rudder,” he went on. “When I left the Battalion, it was a top newspaper. It won top awards and was envied because it is free from the Journalism Department. “Someday I want to go back to the Battalion and see it as a respected newspaper, instead of as a joke as it is now,” DeFrank concluded. Winston Green, present Bat talion editor, was then invited to give his views on the situation. He was aided by Lee Moreno, Battalion managing editor. Moreno said DeFrank was fired because a clique operated the Battalion, to the exclusion of in terested students. Green then told of the case of two journalism students who were discouraged from working on the paper by DeFrank, and who as a result transferred to other schools. Green and Moreno said there was no overt censorship on the Battalion, and they had never had a story or editorial pulled. They concluded that DeFrabk’s actions as an editor had been irresponsible, and his actions had damaged the university as well as the paper. Bond Issue Wins County Approval An $800,000 bond issue for the construction of a bypass around the western side of Bryan-College Station won approval by a 2-1 margin of Brazos County voters Saturday. The bond issue had been en dorsed by almost every govern mental and civic body in Brazos County. Texas A&M had heartily endorsed the issue. The bypass will extend from North Highway 6 to South High way 6. The State Highway De partment has agreed to build a two-lane road this year and the additional right of way made pos sible by the bond issue will permit two more lanes to be added in the next few years at no extra cost to the county. One-Car Accident Kills S. A. Man A one-car accident Saturday night near Bryan left one man dead and his female passenger in fair condition in a Houston hos pital. The accident occurred eight miles east of Bryan at the intersection of Highway 30 and 158. Patrick Neal Stalker of San Antonio was driving Leticia Ruth Furgeson back to school at Sam Houston State College when he apparently missed a turn at the intersection. CAREER DAY Prospective students and their families ex- activities amine exhibits at the Academic Fair in G. Autrey) Rollie White Coliseum during- Career Day Saturday. (Photo by Russell