*
Che Battalion
VOLUME 64 Number 58
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1969
Telephone 845-2226
LBJ’s State Of Union Message
To Ask Surcharge Extension
EfihYi
A SECOND LATE
lazorback sharpshooter Benton Cone (22) bfts a jump shot over the outstretched hand
Jf A&M guard Sonny Benefield for two of his li points in the Aggies’ 73-68 triumph
® 1 in Fayetteville Saturday. The Cadets test their 2-0 conference mark at SMU tonight.
(Photo by Mike Wright)
Semester Schedule Change
ould Come By Fall Of ’70
By DAVID MIDDLEBROOKE
Battalion Staff Writer
> r A fall semester in which final
Beams are over before the Christ-
K>as break could become a reality
here by the fall of 1970.
I The idea, according: to Vice-
■resident for Academic Affairs
Br. Horace R. Byers, had been
considered by the University Ex-
Butive Committee for the fall of
11*69, but unanswered questions
forced postponement.
■ “I’ve always been in favor of
the idea,” said Byers. “I hope that
by the fall of 1970 we will have
"a schedule of that kind.”
mW AS A RESULT of the problems
encountered, the official univer
sity calendar for the 1969-70
Bhool year will be similar to the
current one.
t h According- to Byers, the idea is
"|J( favored by both faculty and stu
dents. It would eliminate having
the Christmas break near the end
of the semester, something Byers
called a “disruptive influence.”
One of the difficulties involved
is getting enough class days into
the semester. In order for A&M
to remain accredited as a univer
sity, noted Byers, the semester
must have at least 75 class days.
This would require starting the
semester before Sept. 1 or reduc
ing the length of time for final
exams.
STARTING before the first of
September carries its own set of
problems. The first of these is
the fact that the state of Texas
starts its fiscal year on Sept. 1.
Another is the fact that many
student and faculty summer jobs
and activities are scheduled to
end on Aug. 31. Combined with
that are apartment leases, which
Albritton Named Exes President
K Ford F) Albritton nrosiHont of Albritton 48 is d 1948 A&M
Ford D. Albritton, president of
the Association of Former Stu
dents took the reins of the 50,000-
member organization this month.
B Leadership of the mammoth
former students group passed to
Albritton from Jeff Montgomery
; of Houston on January 1.
;Art Series Sets
jLeeture Tonight
0 By UK Architect
B University of Kentucky archi-
Recture professor Herb Greene
Bvill give a Contemporary Arts
Jjtecture here tonight on “Achi-
Becture of People.”
B The 8 p.m. presentation will be
lin the Memorial Student Center
Ballroom, announced Tommy El
lis of LaPorte, committee chair-
^ r an -
■ Greene’s visit is co-sponsored
by the MSC Contemporary Arts
flfcommittee and School of Achi-
A lecture.
f He will serve Tuesday morning
is a visiting architecture critic on
refinery plant projects of third
fear design students, noted Ed
Stomieniec, School of Architecture
chairman. Robert Nichols, direc-
:or; Richard Vrooman, Anthony
Caporina and J. W. Wood in
struct third year design.
Albritton, 48, is a 1943 A&M
graduate and was recently ap
pointed to the university's sys
tem’s board of directors by Gov.
John Connally. Former presi
dent and board chairman of Al
britton Engineering Corp. in Bry
an, the new association president
is now in investments and oil.
Chosen president-elect for 1969
was James L. Sewell of Dallas, a
1927 graduate with interests in
oil, land and minerals.
Others elected by the Associa
tion Council are Program Vice
Presidents Earle A. Shields of
Fort Worth, 1941 graduate and
manager of Merrill, Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner and Smith, with
association activities responsi
bility;
J. R. Latimer of Dallas, 1944,
petroleum management consult
ing firm owner, high school pro
grams;
Charles D. Kirkham of Dallas,
1950, senior account executive
with Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fen
ner and Smith, community rela
tions;
Eber H. Peters of Beaumont,
1940, management consulting
firm owner, fund raising;
Leslie L. Appelt of Houston,
1941, industrial and commercial
real estate firm president, public
relations; and
Darrell E. Chandler of Beau
mont, 1938, oil firm property
acquisition agent, membership.
commonly start on Sept. 1.
“None of these problems is in
surmountable,” commented Byers.
“It’s just a matter of working all
the little things out.”
“THE COORDINATING Board
for Higher Education has already
suggested that universities ar
range to eliminate a Christmas
break,” Byers continued.
“They would like to see all uni
versities propose a calendar that
would eliminate the break. Then
they could recommend a common
calendar for all the schools.”
An obvious advantage of the
new system would be a spring
semester that began and ended
sooner. Upon returning from
Christmas break, students would
have a fresh semester ahead of
them, one that would probably
end around the middle of May.
“I HOPE that we and all the
universities in the state can go
with the plan by the fall of 1970,”
remarked Byers. I know the Co
ordinating Board would be glad
to see it, and I’m sure the majori
ty of people here would, too.”
“A&M is characterized by prog
ress,” he concluded. “We never
make changes for the sake of
change, however. After all the
problems have been considered
and worked out, I’m sure the new
system will be adopted. I feel that
we have a good chance of begin
ning it in the fall of 1970.”
Final Exam Schedule
Date
Hour
Series
jes' j
17,
Fri.
8-11
a.m.
Classes
MWF8
17,
Fri.
1-4
p.m.
Classes
MWF12
18,
Sat.
8-11
a.m.
Classes
TThSFl
20,
Mon.
8-11
a.m.
Classes
MWTh2
20,
Mon.
1-4
p.m.
Classes
MWF9
21,
Tue.
8-11
a.m.
Classes
MSTThlO
21,
Tue.
1-4
p.m.
Classes
TF2 or TWF3
22,
Wed.
8-11
a.m.
Classes
MWF10
22,
Wed.
1-4
p.m.
Classes
TThl2
23,
Thur.
8-11
a.m.
Classes
M4TThll
23,
Thur.
1-4
p.m.
Classes
MWThl
24,
Fri.
8-11
a.m.
Classes
TTh9F2
24,
Fri.
1-4
p.m.
Classes
MWF11
25,
Sat.
8-11
a.m.
Classes
TF1
i Final examination in courses with only one theory hour per
m week as shown in the catalogue will be given at the discretion
I of the department head concerned at the last meeting of
either the theory or practice period before the close of the
1 semester.
3 Directors
Renamed By
Gov. Connally
Three members of the Texas
A&M University System Board of
Directors have been reappointed
by Gov. John Connally.
Reappointed for six-year terms
were Board President L. F. Peter
son of Fort Worth, Ford D. Al
britton Jr. of Bryan and Dr. A. P.
Beutel of Lake Jackson.
Peterson, a petroleum engineer
ing consultant and independent
oil operator, joined the board in
1963. He was elected president in
1967.
Albritton, former president and
board chairman of Albritton En
gineering Corp. now engaged in
oil and investments, will be serv
ing his first full term. He was
named in June to fill the un
expired term of Gardiner Symonds
of Houston.
Beutel, also appointed to the
board in 1963, is vice president of
Dow Chemical Company and a
member of the firm’s board of
directors and executive commit
tee.
Both Peterson and Albritton
are A&M graduates.
Terms for the three men expire
Jan. 10, 1975.
Other members of the board
are Wofford Cain of Dallas, Ster
ling C. Evans of Houston, H. C.
Heldenfels of Corpus Christi, Pey
ton McKnight of Tyler, Clyde H.
Wells of Granbury and S. B.
Whittenburg of Amarillo.
Bryan Building & Loan
Association, Your Sav
ings Center, since 1919.
B B & L —Adv.
WASHINGTON WP) — President
Johnson is expected to outline
his analysis of the State of the
Union in broad terms tonight and
defer recommendations for spe
cific legislation to his successor.
Close associates of the out
going President say the only ex
ception in his farewell address
to a joint session of Congress,
and to the nation via television
and radio, will be to recommend
that the 10 per cent income tax
surcharge be extended.
BY DOING so he can include
the $13 billion annual revenue
produced by the surcharge in his
budget for fiscal 1970, and thus
show a small surplus when he
sends his last breakdown on gov
ernment spending to Congress
Wednesday.
Johnson and President-elect
Nixon have been maneuvering for
two weeks over the issue of ex
tending the tax, approved for one
year by Congress as a check on an
overheated economy and due to
expire June 30.
THE PRESIDENT, reported to
believe that the tax was still need
ed to combat inflation, tried to
get Nixon to join him in a public
statement advocating extension.
Nixon, who had criticized the tax
surcharge during the campaign,
demurred.
But after it became known
Monday that Johnson would re
commend continuance of the sur
charge, with or without Nixon’s
endorsement, he apparently got
private assurances of support
from the president-elect.
Aides of Nixon said in New
York that he would make a state
ment immediately after Johnson’s
State of the Union message, and
indicated he would endorse the
President’s decision. There was
no indication, however, that he
would give the surcharge the
whole-hearted support that John
son wanted.
IN HIS ADDRESS tonight,
Johnson is expected to speak in
broad, general terms of a neces
sity for revitalizing the nation’s
cities as a means of attacking
the root of discontent that has
Bates To Talk
On Liquor By
Drink Issue
State Senator James S. Bates
will discuss liquor by the drink
in a Political Forum noon lunch
eon Wednesday in the Memorial
Student Center Assembly Room,
announced Ron Hinds, forum
chairman.
A separate reception will be
held in the lounge at Walton
Residence Hall from 2 to 3 p.m.,
noted Andy Scott, Walton Hall
president.
Senator Bates of Edinburg has
served in the Texas House of
Representatives and Senate ten
years and was a criminal district
attorney three years.
Admission to the Political For
um presentation is free and sack
lunches will be served for a nom
inal charge. Hinds said.
“The reception will offer the
students and faculty the chance
to meet Sen. Bates on an inform
al basis. They may discuss any
points of the topic with him in
a casual atmosphere,” Scott add
ed.
led to racial rioting in many
slum areas and to violent demon
strations by many college and
university students.
What Johnson will say about
status of the war in Vietnam, or
the lack of progress at the Paris
peace talks, remained a closely
guarded White House secret.
There was speculation that he
would be able to forecast a sched
ule of withdrawal of American
troops from South Vietnam. But
the rumors, which originated in
Saigon, were denied Monday by
the State Department. “I know
of no proposal by the United
States to be announced this week
of phased withdrawal of Amer
ican forces,” said State’s official
spokesman, Robert J. McCloskey.
Buser To Join
San Antonio
Industrial Firm
Joe Buser, special assistant to
A&M President Earl Rudder, has
been named director of advertis
ing and public relations for DPD
Manufacturing Company of San
Antonio, effective at the end of
January.
Buser said that he regretted
leaving because “after spending
ten years here you develop a deep
affection for A&M.”
“My small part to assist Presi
dent Rudder develop a university
of real excellence is a source of
great satisfaction,” the 1959 A&M
graduate noted.
“The challenges of joining
bright, young men in a growing
business venture and the excep
tional opportunities for personal
and professional develop
ment combine into a call I must
heed,” Buser said.
“We deeply regret the loss of
this young man,” Rudder said.
“He has contributed much to this
office and Texas A&M. My best
wishes go with him.”
occasions represented President
Rudder in Student Senate meet
ings. There he defended the ad
ministration’s ban on political
candidates speaking on campus
before an election.
Buser joined the university
staff in 1962. He served as publi
cations editor, assistant director
of information, assistant director
of the Association of Former Stu
dents and editor of the Texas
Aggie before his assignment to
the President’s Office in 1968.
While at A&M, Buser was on
the Battalion staff four years,
serving as editor in 1958-59. He
also was a member of the Student
Senate, and was listed in Who’s
Who in American Colleges and
Universities.
The six-year-old-company Buser
will join is one of the leading
producers of air-conditioners for
Volkswagens. It did in excess of
$1 million in business last year
through U.S. and overseas dealers.
“Buser is slated for a key role
in our company as we embark on
a rather dramatic growth pro
gram to increase sales, develop
new products and make acqui
sitions,” Dick P. Dixon, president
of the corporation, said.
Buser and his family will con
tinue to live in College Station.
He will open a branch office for
the company in the Bryan Build
ing and Loan Building.
MIT’s Machine
Shocks Schach
“Blue Monday” prevailed around the Data Processing
Center here yesterday in wake of Schach’s double header
loss to MIT’s Mac Hack Six.
Schach is A&M’s chess-playing computer program.
Mac Hack Six is the undisputed world champion.
“The thing (Schach) played the way it was told,”
lamented Air Force Capt. Rolf C. Smith Jr., one of two
computer science graduate students who created Schach,
“but a lot of things it was told were wrong,”
Smith, of Escondido, Calif., said he and his partner,
Air Force Capt. Franklin D. Ceruti of New York City,
felt Schach played better Sunday than during its first
trouncing by Mac Hack Six in November.
“We simply had more problems with the program
than we thought,” Smith noted. “We found most of them
after the match—too late.”
Not ones to give up easily, Ceruti and Smith hope to
challenge the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
kingpin once more before they head for assignments in
Vietnam and Thailand.
Both men are scheduled to receive master’s degrees
Saturday. They are attending A&M through the Air
Force Institute of Technology.
Schach, which means chess in German, is roughly the
equivalent of the two men’s theses. They have devoted
more than 1,200 man-hours to the project during the
past 10 months.
Civilian Plan Shows
Progress—Cooper
The pilot civilian hall program
aimed at strengthening civilian
student involvement on campus
has “hit the ground running,”
said Ed Cooper, recalling fall
semester activities.
Initiation of the pilot project
last September followed Cooper’s
first year as director of the new
civilian student activities office
which laid the groundwork for
the program.
COOPER’S co-worker with stu
dents is Howard Perry, resident
hall adviser.
University officials established
the pilot program in three dormi
tories after civilian spirit was
determined “not up to par.” Pro
grams in the halls—Walton, Leg
gett and Davis-Gary—are already
paving the way for other halls
to start similar programs.
Lounge facilities in Walton and
Leggett halls have given rise to
game nights and plans are under
way for forum talks in the halls.
A Bible class is taught on Mon
day nights in Walton.
“THE PROGRAM has been very
well accepted by students living
in the halls,” said Perry. He
noted two halls have selected
names and coats of arms. They
are the Walton Warriors and
Leggett TRYELL.
Perry pointed out all three halls
have held several receptions and
each has had a formal banquet.
“It appears we accomplished
quite a bit in building a spirit of
unity, or cohesion,” Perry em
phasized.
A GOOD SIGN, he said, is that
“they brag a bit about what they
FIRST BANK & TRUST—Home
of the Super C D - 5% interest
compounded daily.
„ n . r . . 0
■
have done. There’s a little jeal
ousy between pilot halls.”
Perry added, “The bonfire is a
good barometer. There was more
participation this year than any
other year by civilians.”
In the past, students often
moved between dormitories from
year to year.
‘T’VE SEEN some students that
changed every semester,” Perry
commented, adding he hoped
freshmen “will now want to stay
in the same hall the full four
years.”
Cooper believes making the halls
attractive to students, “they will
find it home and something to
which they can tie themselves.”
Both Cooper and Perry noted
that “some halls have already
started 'recruiting’ to replace
those graduating.”
“SOME STUDENT leaders are
talking about recruiting from
high schools for their individual
halls,” he said, noting that “if
they come to a hall, of course,
they will come to A&M.”
The pilot program will be over
at the end of the spring semester.
Participating halls will enter into
a regular residence hall program
in September.
Already anticipated, however,
is the addition of four more halls
into the program as full-pledged
members.
“PARTICIPATION, however,
will “be dependent upon the con
sent of the residence hall mem
bers,” Perry emphasized.
“Within a few years we hope
to have all 17 halls within a resi
dence hall program,” he contin
ued. “But it does not mean that
all halls will have a club as do
the pilot halls.”
The club is a vehicle by which
hall students carry on all activi
ties, initiated and administered by
students.
Cooper noted “just organization
itself is taking a great deal of
time, but I think we ought to be
in better shape next fall.”
Delegates from the halls will
attend their first state convention
of the National Association of
College and University Resident
Halls later this month at Texas
Tech.
NEW SOVIET PASSENGER PLANE ALOFT
The new Russian passenger plane, called the TU-144, is escorted by a jet fighter during
test flight in Soviet Union. Russian sources say plane can fly at speeds of 1,500 miles
per hour at 60,000 feet. (AP Wirephoto via cable from Moscow)
WEATHER
W'ednesday — Cloudy. Inter
mitten rain. Wind Southerly
10 to 20 mph. High 66, low 54.
Thursday—Cloudy. Rain show
ers. Wind Southerly 15 to 25
mph. High 71, low 53.
University National Bank
“On the side of Texas A&M.
—Adv.