Tap-e 4
College Station, Texas
Thursday, August 8, 1968
THE BATTALION
Texas A&M Is Oldest Public
Institution Of Higher Learning
LOUPOT Has Top Standing
Among Merchants, Students
A small building at the West edge of North Gate has a traditional standing
both in the business atmosphere of the A&M University area as well as the personal
life of its students.
Inside L,oupot’s Trading Post, the Aggies will find one of the best friends they
can make while at A&M, J. E. Loupot, ’32. He is not hard to spot, being a little more
than thin, a little lacking in hair, and with an ever-present grin.
Old Army Lou, as many have come to know him, has many ties with A&M,
dating back to 1928, when he entered A&M as a fish. After leaving A&M a few years
later, he tried business in other parts of the state.
But after a few years, Loupot decided he could do more for the Aggies, and his
alma mater, right here in College Station. So he returned and set up a small shop at
North Gate.
Determined to make his future here, Loupot moved his business to its present
location in a modest brick and stucco building across from the new dormitory area
in 1942.
Since that day, Old Army Lou has done as much for the Aggies as its possible
for a man of his means to do. A few examples will prove the point.
He sells books on the rental system. A student pays 95 cents to $1.95 rent, plus
a deposit on the book. When brought back to Lou at the end of the semester, the
deposit is returned if the book is still on the current book list.
Lou considers the freindship of Aggies and the local community one of his
best assets.
“This is nothing but good business,” said Loupot. “If the Aggies like the way
I do business, they will keep coming back. And they will tell their friends about it,
too.”
Texas A&M’s history began in
the fall of 1876 when 40 stu
dents attended the school’s first
classes.
A&M, the state’s oldest insti
tution of higher learning, has
grown to house a student body
of over 12,000 and an academic
structure of more than 60 de
partments.
In July of 1862 President Abra
ham Lincoln authorized the Mor
rill Act permitting the Federal
government to offer each state
a grant of public lands which
could be used to raise funds for
establishing colleges specializing
in agriculture and the mechani
cal arts.
In the first year of its exist
ence, A&M’s enrollment jumped
from 40 on Oct. 4, to 100 in Jan
uary and 331 in the spring.
In these early years, accom
modations were insufficient for
anything like this number. The
second and third floors of Gath-
right Hall and the second, third
and part of the fourth floor of
the Main Building were used for
barracks.
During cold winter months,
students kept these rooms warm
with fire wood. Each student had
his own axe, cut his own wood
at the common wood pile and
carried it to his room in his arms.
Wood piles were kept outside
each building with the owner’s
name above each, roughly on
this order, “This is John Jones'
wood pile. Keep your hands off
of it!”
The first floor of Gathright
Hall was used as a dining hall
with classes held on the first
floor of the Main Building.
As for the actual campus in
these early days, one professor
said:
“The campus was such a wild
waste that it was not considered
safe for children to be out at
night. The howling - of wolves pro
vided nightly serenades. On one
occasion a wild animal wander
ing over the campus threw the
whole community in a frenzy of
excitement. An alarm was given
and the whole battalion of stu
dents and some professors turned
out to kill it but in the high
weeds of the campus it easily
escaped.’
The conduct of the professors
also left room for improvement
during the memorial '76. Follow
ing - complaints from throughout
the state the Board of Directors
fired the entire faculty.
A mathematics professor
showed his contempt for being
fired by going fishing. “I can’t
be bothered,” he said.
In the late ’7<)’s the mid ’80’s,
Garland James succeeded Gath
right as president, four buildings
were constructed and the entire
curriculum was revised.
The school slumped badly in
the 80’s until Lawrence Sullivan
Ross was named president in
1890. Once the state legislature
even considered abandoning the
colege, with the buildings to be
used as a Negro insane asylum.
Ross literally saved the school
from destruction. During his
eight-year reign, enrollment in
creased tremendously, the first
Corps trip was held in Houston,
property value reached $389,502.-
64, and most of all, the college
for the first time acquired a
good name among citizens of the
state.
During the first years of the
century such events as a cane
rush between freshmen and soph-
omores caused quite a stir.
One morning mysterious no
tices had been tacked up at vari-
out places forbidding any fresh
men to carry a cane past the
bandstand between 4:30 and 4:45
p.m. At the blast of a bugle, at
the proper hour, groups of fresh
men and sophomores emerged
from every hall, clad in old
clothes.
A freshman, attended by a
bodyguard, attempted the feat
and the struggle was on.
Reinforcements arrived and the
battle raged for two hours, but
without success on either side.
President H. H. Harrington’s
administration was rocked by a
student strike. After several days,
most of the students went home.
One student, crossing the Brazos,
was met by his father with a
shotgun. He returned. Harring
ton resigned. The same fate be
fell the administration of Col.
R. T. Milner, and he resigned
also.
Two tragedies enabled the cam-
pus to first take on its present
appearance. In 1911 the mess hall
burned and in 1912 Old Main
was gutted by fire.
Soon afterwards Sbisa Dining
Hall and the Academic Building
sprang up. Also, not long after
ward, Guion Hall was built.
World War I gave the school
its first test. The entire 1917
senior class enlisted. More than
200 Aggie grads served in the
war and 52 gave their lives for
democracy.
After the war the Reserve Of
ficers Training Corps was estab
lished and A&M immediately be
came a member. With the change,
the famed Aggie grey gave way
to khaki and olive drab.
Loupot’s is probably known best as a book store, where the customers
o pay new book prices, but can usually find used books at much better
don’t
rates.
have to pay new book prices
All books are University approved.
Aside from the book business, Lou has a complete line of name-brand clothing,
both for civilian students and Corps men. A complete line of accessories are also found
at Lou’s and he will not be beat on prices. He has the brass, belts, shoes, extra uni
forms, school supplies, and room furnishings that the beginning Aggie needs.
The reason Lou can offer such low prices is obvious. There are no high over
head costs to pay, no set amount to be given to outside interests.
Says Loupot, “I do business to give the Aggies the best value possible. When
an Aggie needs help, I will give it to him individually.”
The tradition of Loupot will live as long as Aggies exist. For he has helped
them, and they have in turn helped him. A mutual trust and a mutual interest such
as this cannot help benefit past, present, and future Aggies.
28TH ANNIVERSARY OF SERVICE
—A dvertisemen t—
CUSTOM
BOOT
MAKERS
BOOT & SHOE REPAIRING
LEATHER GOODS
Justin Boots
Portage & Porto-Ped Shoes
For Men
WESTERN
BOOTS
Made-to-Order
Makers of The Famous
TEXAS AGGIE SENIOR BOOTS
MoLL j Boot Sh
op
A&M Since 1891
North Gate
College Station
FORMER STUDENTS
Aggies from another era helped to make A&M what it is
today, and many of the traditions they started are still here.
Billiards
Cue Sticks
Pin Ball
Magazines
Party Records
Decals
Pocket Books
Bumper Stickers
Comic Signs
Other Games
Open 7 Days A Week
Aggie Den
(Next To Loupot’s)
FLO WERS • HALLMARK CARDS-GIFTS
“for all occasions” — we have the widest selection available”
at —'^raaieicincl < ^’lower Of C-jif-t Shoppe
209 University Drive — North Gate Shopping Center * If
member FTD-TeleFlora
for out of town orders
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