CADET SLOUCH
by Jim Earle
“If they don’t hurry up and show that segment about A&M
on Huntley-Brinkley we’ll flunk out!”
Anti-Disruption Bill
Might Backfire
The prediction of Phillip Abbot Luce, activist anti-New
Left leader, that state legislatures will begin to “crack down”
on campus disruptions, seems to have come true with
Tuesday’s passage of the college disorders bill (page 1). At
least, the Texas Senate’s action represents an attempt to
crack down; whether it works out that way in practice seems,
on closer examination, somewhat doubtful.
The Senate is, after all, an arm of constituted authority,
a voice of the Establishment. It cannot be expected to favor
repeated shutdowns of state-tax-supported institutions. But
its unanimous passage of the bill, in less than the quick
48-hour period taken by the House to approve it, indicates
the sort of hysteria which could easily result in a backfire.
The bill’s author, Sen. H. J. Blanchard of Lubbock,
admitted earlier this week that Texas has had “no great
violence,” although “one college was closed down temporar
ily” and has since been reopened. Blanchard explained that
the bill “would cope with any attempt to take over the
University of Texas, Texas Tech ... or any other school.” In
effect, he was saying that the Legislature should anticipate
disruptions at Tech and the Austin campus and deter them.
It is probably no coincidence that the two colleges
Blanchard named have chapters of the Students for a
Democratic Society. SDS is in the forefront of New Left
organizations dedicated to effecting “a fundamental change
in the purposes and structure of American universities,” as
author Nat Hentoff noted in a recent issue of Evergreen
Review magazine. Austin’s relatively large and active SDS
chapter has not yet led a major take-over, and it might be
argued that its members have not yet felt themselves pushed
to that extremity by resolute resistance to change at the
university. But in any event, enforcement of the anti
disruption bill is sure to create martyrs—and few conscien
tious revoluntionaries have overlooked that factor in their
strategy.
What’s even more unfortunate about the bill is that
these martyrs could conceivably be admitted to the New Left
Hall of Fame for less than the price of a movie ticket, under a
Senate amendment lowering the minimum fine from $25 to
$1. This fascinating ambivalence was more noticeable in the
vain attempt by Sen. A. R. Schwartz of Galveston to remove
from the bill the possible jail sentence of 10 days to six
months as part of the maximum punishment; Schwartz went
on to call the bill “about as necessary as a third shoe” and
then voted for it anyway.
Whether the legislators’ hysteria will carry the day now
depends on the House, which must approve all the Senate
amendments if the bill is to go to Gov. Smith. Hopefully, it
will go instead to a House-Senate conference committee,
where speed records might not seem so desirable, and where
more thoughtful analysis of the measure’s possible conse
quences will be made.
X*
Bulletin Board
the graduate
By MITTY C. PLUMMER
This “Graduate” is a rather
introspective look at the graduate
student body, where it stands, its
history, and what it will look like
in the future.
I don’t know when the first
graduate student appeared on
this campus, but he must have
been a lonely soul. The first year
I have data for is 1945 and there
were only 63 on campus then. By
1960, there were 674 graduate
students distributed among the
total student body of 7,221. This
last fall there were 2,661 gradu
ates in the total of 12,867. One
way of looking at this is to say
that in growing from 9 percent
of the student body in 1960 to 21
percent in 1968, graduate students
have contributed 35 percent of
the total growth of the university
during this decade. This is in
sharp contrast to the 1950’s when
the number of graduate students
grew from 484 in ’49 to 626 in
'59, while the undergraduate stu
dent body shrank from 7,288 to
6,468. So it seems that our func
tion to the university has changed
from keeping it from blowing
away to actually leading its
growth.
LET’S COMPARE this to other
groups on campus. When I first
came here in ’61, the Corps of
Cadets boasted an enrollment of
6,500. Cadet Colonel of the Corps
Hector Gutierrez tells met there
are 2,525 in the Corps this spring.
This is up from the near 2,300
I know it was a couple of years
ago at this same time. The de
cline of the Corps was due mainly
to a decision to make ROTC op
tional where it was once required
during the first two years. Its
recent growth has been in part
a result of the Vietnam War, but
mostly it has been the vig-orous
effort of the Corps itself to retain
freshmen and sophomores by re
moving much of the meaningless
bunk underclassmen were sub
jected to in the past.
THE COEDS have come on
strong since their admission in
1963. They contributed 986 to
the total of 12,054 this spring.
Eleven males to every female
isn’t good, but it’s a whole lot
better than 8,200 to the zero it
was in ’62.
Now let’s take a look at who
graduate students are. The uni
versity works to get graduate
students, partly because they are
worth more in terms of dollars
from the state and federal gov
ernments and in research dollars.
They are mainly good students
and they are sought after. They
cost more, too, in terms of office
and lab space, financial assist
ance, etc.
THEY ARE admitted to grad
school one at a time, based on
individual grades, and GRE
scores, both of which are indi
vidual accomplishments. And in
dividual they are, too. There is
probably less cohesion among
graduate students than any group
on campus. Each has his own
private research and interests
that he pursues, presumably and
Chem Club Elects
Slate Of Officers
The Chemistry Club recently
elected officers for the coming
year.
They are president, Donald
Birkelbach; vice-president, Jim
Blanke; treasurer, Roger Hall;
secretary, Kris Ranck, and re
porters, Robert O’Neal, Robert
Howard, Bruce Crumley.
Anyone interested in chemistry
or similar science is invited to
join the club, O’Neal said.
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
prise edited and operated by students as a university and
community newspaper.
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor should be typed, double-spaced,
and must be no more than 300 words in length. They
must be signed, although the writer’s name will be with
held by arrangement with the editor. Address corre
spondence to Listen Up, The Battalion, Room 217,
Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843.
MEMBER
The Associated Press, Texas Press Association
Mail subscription
tax. A
The Battalio:
Texas 7784
riptions are $3.50 per semester; $6 per school
year; $6.50 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 4%
sales tax. Advertisingr rate furnished on request. Address:
an, Room 217, Services Building, College Station,
3.
The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the
republication of all new dispatches credited to it
otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spor
origin published herein. Rights of republication of
herein are also reserved.
use for
or not
;ter
Se<
ontaneous
all other
econd-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas.
Members of the Student Publications Board are: Jim
dsey, chairn
s; F. S. W
Clark, College <
lege of Agricult
bers
Lindsey, chairman ; Dr. David
ts ; F. S. White, College of Engineering; Dr
Clark, College of Veterinary Medicine ; and Hal Taylor, Col-
i Boar
College
Dr
: Jim
of Liberal
Donald R.
Sunday,
May, an
student newspaper at Texas A&M is
station, Texas daily except Saturda
The Battalion,
published in College Station, Texas daily except Saturday,
and Monday, and holiday periods, September through
d once a week during summer school.
Represented nationally by National Educational Advertisjng
Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago, Los
Francisco.
cago, Los Angeles and San
EDITOR JOHN W. FULLER
Managing Editor Dave Mayes
Sports Editor John Platzer
News Editor Bob Palmer
Staff Columnists John McCarroll, Mike Plake,
Monty Stanley, Jan Moulden
Staff Writers Tom Curl, Janie Wallace, Tony
Huddleston, David Middlebrooke
Assistant Sports Editor Richard Campbell
Photographer W. R. Wright
Get those GRIPES ready . . .
the FORUM is coming!
perhaps seemingly abstractly, to
the benefit of the largest segment
of mankind by creating new
knowledge.
Despite vast experience in vari
ous activities, including student
government, this group seems un
likely to assume a major role in
campus activities. Most are dedi
cated to improving their lot in
a job somewhere in the future
rather than improving their en
vironment while in school. And
this will be something of a shame,
when the number of graduate
students is the 6,000 the Century
Committee plans for in the stu
dent body of 20,000 expected, in
1976.
ONE THING that looks im
portant to me at this point is
the fact that not many opportuni
ties are available for graduate
students, perhaps justifiably, to
become involved in the campus
politics. There will be filing for
seven representatives of the
Graduate Student Council be
tween now- and March 18 in the
Graduate College office on forms
we hope have reached every stu
dent through the campus mail.
These are seven good opportuni
ties, one for each college. From
there the opportunities diminish
rapidly to an all-or-none proposi
tion from the Student Senate;
all of the power of president of
the student body or practically
none for the parliamentarian.
These are the only elected offices
that graduate students can hold
on the entire campus.
SO THAT’S the graduate stu
dent body, a bit of its history, a
bit of its personality, and a bit
of its future. That it will grow
seems certain; whether it be
comes an important functioning
member of the whole student
body or grows into a kind of
benign tumor, adding weight but
serving no vital purpose, will
depend largely upon the efforts
that are made to shape it by its
own student leaders and by of
ficials of the university.
TONIGHT
Zeto Iota Nu will meet at 8
p.m. in room 321 of the Physics
Building. Plans for banquet and
field trip to Federal Reserve will
be made.
A philosophy discussion, “The
A Priori,” will be held at 7:30
p.m. at St. Mary’s Student Center.
Aggie Wives Bridge Club will
meet at 7:30 p.m. in the MSC.
Intermediates Question Period
begins at 7:25. Regulars, Inter
mediates and Beginners with pre
vious instruction are invited.
Come and bring a friend.
Aggie Christian Fellowship will
meet at 5:30 p.m. in room 3-D of
the MSC. Bob Montgomery, B.S.
in geology, will speak on “My
Uncle, the Ape?,” a discussion on
evolution.
Handball Club will meet at 7:30
p.m. in room 232 of G. Rollie
White Coliseum.
THE BATTALION
Page 2 College Station, Texas Wednesday, March i,
BUSIEK AGENCY
REAL ESTATE • INSURANCE
F.H.A.—Veterans and Conveatioiul Loui
ABM & HOME SAVINGS ASSOCIATION
Home Office: Nevada, Mo.
3523 Texas Ave. (in Ridgecrest) 846-3708
Would You Believe?
Fresh From The Gulf
OYSTERS
on the half-shell
or fried to order
Served Right Here on the Campus
5 to 7 each evening at the famous Oyster Room MSjC Cafcterii
Senate Agenda
The following topics will be
discussed by the Student Senate
at its meeting Thursday at 7:30
p.m. in the library conference
room, according to Senate Presi
dent Bill Carter:
• Committee and Representative
Reports
• Senate Pictures for the
Aggieland
• Old Business
A. Blue Book Revision
• New Business
A. Class Officers Sweaters
B. Recruiting Committee
Report
Aid to Dallasi Student
Report on Executive Board
Meeting
MSC Expansion Committee
Recommendation
Report on Austin Meeting
Student Use of Silver
Service
MSC Space Utilization
TV and FM Cable
Senate Access to Grades
for Professor Evaluation
Recommendation on
Department Curriculum
Advisory Committee
Treasurer of Student
Senate
C.
D.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
rour new
boyfriend has a
new girlfriend?
Think it over, over coffee.
TheThink Drink.
For your own Think Drink Mug, send 75C and your name and address to:
Think Drink Mug, Dept. N, P.O. Box 559, New York, N.Y. 10046. The International Coffee Organnalioi
ENGINEERS— SCIENTISTS
GROW
WITH...
U. S. ARMY MATERIEL COMMAND... the World’s largest research, development, test
and evaluation activity with 150,000 employees at over 30 Nationwide locations from
coast to coast quietly going about the business of being first.
IF YOU WANT
CHALLENGE — FUTURE — GROWTH — OPPORTUNITY
And you think a bright young scientist or engineer should
expect...
m
An Outstanding Professional Climate
1X1 Guaranteed Job Stability
Rapid Career Advancement
|X| Excellent Graduate Study Programs
A Total FRINGE” Package
|Xl An Opportunity to Contribute
The Best in Facilities and Equipment
[X| An Unlimited Range of Assignments
Then WE Invite
YOU to Discuss
YOUR CAREER with Mr. H. D. Barnes or Mr. Don Abell
WHO WILL BE ON CAMPUS
Thursday, March 13
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
T<
Ai
PEANUTS
By Charles M. Srt
V64, MAM? V64, MA'AM, IF W0
6M <50. JF I MUST.JF I HAVE
TO...IF I HAVE NO CHOICE....
Te
eral
fund
Polli
to r<
spok
Fi
man
‘‘Te:
the :
of
trail
tion
C<
eral
Jr. 1
51st
ciati
the
com
ours
H
over
ing i
pie
pro;
note
thei
peri
C
ovei
in t
reli<
now
grai
D
said
in t
but
h
ton
pie,
ing
E
gra
adn
cles
soir
4
«
«
era
4
in
pre
E
Ber
wai
tha
ere;
(
Te)
"If
con
yoi
reli
(
wil
dai
the
in
is
ehi
so<
13
Jo:
C01
Dc
Mi
Ri
erl
'M<
Pa
m<
re:
lia
Ber