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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1968)
: V THE BATTALION Page 2 College Station, Texas Wednesday, May 1, 1968 Mike Plake CADET SLOUCH ^r^Cain Opposed To A&M Co-education by Mike Plake Battalion Features Editor Wofford Cain was born Octo ber 19, 1891, in the sleepy Texas town of Athens. I approached my interview with him the same way I always do with a multi-millionaire, head of two large oil and gas companies and donor of over 100 opportunity award scholarships since 1946. I stuttered and blew my cool. Cain was appointed to the Tex as A&M Board of Directors by Governor John Connally in June, 1965. Cain pledged a certain amount towards the new addition to Cush ing Memorial Library several years ago. He fulfilled his pledge this year; $250,000 will buy many desks. AS I walked towards the Board of Directors’ house, I thought of questions to ask the man. When he arrived from his pri vate plane with his personal as sistant, when he walked into the room, sat, and offered me a Coke, his image changed. He wasn’t the bustling execu tive, with the gruff, busy attitude I expected. He wasn’t quoting from a prepared speech, and had no one taking down our conver sation in shorthand to make sure everything I wrote would be on the “up and up.” Instead, he was “plain folks”— an ordinary man, with a usual demeanor and a sincere attitude. So there was no interview, really. No prepared questions. We talked. “MR. CAIN, you are the larg est single contributor of any type funds in the history of Texas A&M. You’ve given scholarships to people in every conceivable major and from many different areas. Why?” I asked. He leaned forward. His stocky body filled the easy chair there in the old-fashioned room. He sipped his Coke, and replied. “Well, I graduated here. I’m Sound Off “Don’t mind him—he bought my boots and is nervous every time I wear them!” Editor, The Battalion: State Professor Salary Still Lags Despite record increases in state appropriations, faculty salaries and compensation, state universities still lag be hind rates at private universities, according to a study by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). “Unfortunately, a well financed, but non-representative minority of extreme left youth dominate the forums of virtually every campus from coast to coast. Hence, although they do NOT speak for American youth, the “new left” is not only heard but given major attention by the press, and by the people. It is dangerous for us to underestimate the warped impact thus given to the climate of public opinion.”— Herbert A. Philbrick, author of I Led Three Lives, August, 1967. The survey shows that state universities lag most sev erely in compensation which includes salary plus special fringe benefits. State universities are least competitive in their pay to full and associate professors and most competitive with assistant professors and instructors. So it is at t. u. But not at A&M —yet. Recently, though, several underground publications have sprung up, spreading controver sial issues into every corner of the campus. The difference between full professors at private inde pendent vs. public institutions amounted to more than $3,- 280 in salaries and benefits. For associate professors the difference was more than $2,100. State university professors were not in the worst posi tion. In fact, they rated favorably against church-related universities, teacher colleges and rated only slightly below professors at private liberal arts colleges. The forerunner of these was the good old Paranoia, which met such great success, it expanded into a whole second issue, Para noia 2. This really isn’t such a fantastic journalistic feat, but it is a record at A&M. From 1966 to 1967 salaries at state universities rose 6.6 per cent while those at private institutions went up an average of 4.8 per cent. Yet of the 20 institutions report ing the highest average faculty salaries, not one was a state university. The AAUP also noted generally lower salaries in in stitutions which are in Southern and border states. Attrition of professors due to retirement is reasonable, but if state institutions are to maintain the high degree of competence among staff personnel which they so tenaciously seek, salaries must become more competitive. Three thousand dollars in extra pay can buy a lot of groceries, and there is little doubt that if there was a choice between two relatively equal academic institutions, one public and the other private, a professor would choose the latter. The power at A&M is in the hands of those who want to pre serve the great traditions of this school: the former students, the administration, the corps, and the majority of the civilian student body. The University policies that Paranoia attacked were policies supported by the majority of the student body. If Paranoids don’t want to conform to these policies, they can either try to change them or drop out. The only way to change them is to get the sup port of the majority of the stu dents, and the majority of stu dents didn’t come to A&M to change it. Fortunately for higher education, the pay scales for university professors and instructors has been getting in creasingly better. Competition for students, and research grants, and the pressure of public sentiment is making the teaching profession commensurate with most civilian job opportunities. It must be maintained. Bulletin Board TODAY The Texas A&M Sports Car Club will meet at 7 p.m. in Room 203 of the YMCA. The Texas A&M Research Foundation will meet at 4 p.m. in the Architecture Auditorium. THURSDAY The Amarillo Hometown Club will elect officers at 6:15 p.m. at the Country Kitchen. The Houston Hometown Club will make plans for a summer party at 7:30 p.m. in Room 201 of the Physics Building. The song says “Paranoia strikes three; into your life it will lead.” I urge Aggies not to let your emotions get the best of you. The new left thrives on campuses where students hate the adminis tration, and this hate makes left ist movements seem romantic. Don’t weigh their intellectual cut- downs in relation to administra tive bobbles, but weigh them to the great traditions that founded your Aggie heritage. Weigh them to the Spirit; weigh them to the words that opened your school on that marble slab in the Coke Building; and then think about the consequences. To the editors of Paranoia: give it up, men. I come from New THE BATTALION Opinions expressed in The Battalion ure those of the student writers only. The Battalion is a non tax-supported non profit, self-supporting educational enter prise edited and operated by students as a university and community newspaper. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for epuiblication of all new dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein. Rights of republication of all othei herein are also reserved. d-Class postage paid matter Secon at College Station, Texas. News contributioi -4910 or 846 Building. at For advei ions may be made by telephoning 846-6618 the editorial office. Room 217, Services rtising or delivery call 846-6415. Members of the Student Publications Board are Lindsey, chairman ; Dr Arts; F. S. Whit Titus, College o lege of Agricult 1 » te. Colie: Veterina David Bowers, gini is Board are: Jim College of Liberal Mail subscription ege :ge of Engineering; Dr. Robert S. terinary Medicine ; and Hat Taylor, Col- school 2% ons are $3.50 per semester; $6 per year; $6.50 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 2Ve sales tax. Advertising rate furnished on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College, Station, Texas 77843. The Battalion, a student newspaper published in College Station, Texas daily except Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and holiday periods, September through May, and once a week during summer school. at Texas A&M is cept Saturds Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. MEMBER The Associated Press, Texas Press Association EDITOR CHARLES ROWTON Managing Editor John Fuller Features Editor Mike Plake Editorial Columnist Robert Solovey News Editors Steve Korenek, Jim Basinger Sports Editor Gary Sherer Asst. Sports Editor John Platzer Staff Writers Bob Palmer, Dave Mayes, Tom Curl Photographer Mike Wright ■ URGENT! Juniors and Sophomores May 3 is deadline for turning in proofs for 1968 Aggieland at the University Studio. HHIIHHiHflHHi England and I’ve been exposed, impressed, and then unimpressed with this romantic form of aca demic exhibitionism. I am im pressed neither with your verbal skills, nor with your iconoclastic approach to Aggie traditionalism, nor with your cheap sarcastic cut-downs of anything authorita tive. Your newspaper is looked on by the members of the Corps, the goat-ropers and sk’s, the stu dent who, unbelievably, came here to study, and the teachers who came to teach as the biggest farce they have seen in some time. Your impact is as small as your minori ty; you can change nothing; you are for nothing. The song also says, “Nobody’s right if every body's wrong.” Randy Durham ’71 ★ ★ ★ Editor, The Battalion: I wish to expand on your arti cle of April 30 concerning the SDS. It contained two points which I feel were not put in their proper perspective. First, we did not call for the resignation of either Earl Rud der or James Hannigan. We did discuss the effect a change in administration could have on the campus. We reached no conclu sion and took no action on the matter. Secondly, the “demonstration at a Corps of Cadet review” was one of the methods of direct action considered only if all other forms of recourse were closed to us. The only decision reached by the Monday meeting was to cir culate a petition on campus that reads: “On April 26, 1968, the AAUP censured Texas A&M University. We, the undersigned, demand that the administration take immediate and direct action to correct the situation that brought this con demnation to our university.” I commend The Battalion for its printing of the SDS article, in that it is a step toward a more open political climate at Texas A&M University. Jeff Daniel Students for a Democratic Society HOME & CAR RADIO REPAIRS SALES & SERVICE KEN’S RADIO & TV 303 W. 26th 822-2819 Puritan Sportwear at 5tiirne0 ^ ^ ttuufe meor Land Is At Your AGGIELAND FLOWER AND GIFT SHOPPE North Gate • Cards • Party Goods • Baby Albums • Invitations • Personalized Stationary very fond of the school. I feel that I owe the school a lot. It gave me my education. “I guess I’m just trying to pay back a little of what it has given That day, Cain finished the pro ceedings for another donation to his school. In his wife’s and two other parties’ names, he present ed A&M with a $100,000 thor oughbred race horse, Jedgar Ruler. HE WASN’T much of a speak er, as such. You could tell that from his replies to other ques tions in the conversation. “Since you graduated in 1913, the school had changed consider ably. Do you consider students to be any different now than when you attended?” “Sure, they’re different in some respects. When I was here, the school was strictly military. There were no civilians. “Now, the situation is changed. The Corps of Cadets is optional, I understand.” “Do you think the change from compulsory to non-compulsory membership in the Corps of Ca dets will change the school dras tically ?” Cain laughed. Another sip of Coke. “I DON’T really know what the situation will bear out.” I asked him about coeducation. “I’m opposed to complete co education,” expressing himself mostly with hand gestures. “I think the present situation, accepting coeds when they cannot practically pursue their course of study elsewhere, is good. I don’t think dormitories should be built in the future to accommodate a complete coeducational program.” “What do you think of student sit-ins, strikes, and demonstra tions seen on university campuses today?” “I’m opposed to them. I think it would work out better for the school and for the students to work through conventional chan nels to express their grievances.” THEN I moved from campus issues to the Texas capital. Since he was giving A&M the race horse, I wondered how he felt about parimutuel betting. “I’m for parimutuel betting and liquor by the drink. Not that I care that much about liquor, and not because I own some race horses. “I think both of these things could help the state by bringing in more tourists and more tax money,” he said. And that was that. He left the room, went into the Board of Di rectors meeting and gave us a race horse. Science and Math majors: You’re about to graduate in physical science, biological sci ence or mathematics. 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