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THE BATTALION
Page 2 College Station, Texas Thursday, April 16, 1970
CADET SLOUCH by Jim Earle
F©K SALE
“That does it! It’s time to make new tests!”
A Senator Speaks
Student: Nigger?
By Jim Stephenson
The American student is a
“Nigger”! Ridiculous? I would
like to discuss how valid this
statement really is. Except for
the race minorities, the student
is discriminated against as much
as any minority in the United
States.
By calling the student “Nig
ger,” I am attempting to point
out the servile role that the ma
jority of students assume. It is
a very similar role to that which
many Blacks in the past have as
sumed. I would attribute both of
these to the system and our so
ciety. The educational system in
the United States is an inflexible
and archaic one. It is built to
act upon the student, but not
to be acted upon by him.
My comments in this article,
while directed at the educational
system as a whole, will specifi
cally deal with the university.
The assumption under which most
universities operate is that the
university is an extension of par
ental authority, or in legal terms
“in loco parentis.” From this as
sumption university administra
tors reach the conclusion that it
is their obligation to control and
discipline the lives of their stu
dents in an autocratic manner.
Many administrators will tell
you that students, as such, have
no inherent rights. They only
have those which are delegated
to them by the all-powerful ad
ministration. The part that is sad
about this is that for all practical
purposes these administrators are
entirely correct. Our educational
system has reached the conclu
sion that college students are in
capable of exercising self-disci
pline or contributing to the func
tioning of a university even
though the average age of col
lege students is about 24. A vast
majority are eligible to vote. A
large percentage are married and
have families. Many are veter
ans of our Armed Forces. It puz
zles me that an individual who,
I
Listen Up the batt forum
Editor:
I read with great interest Car-
roll Punte’s letter in the April
14 issue of The Battalion. Mr.
Punte charged that the student
group known as “The Fifth
Wheel Committee” is filled with
unqualified candidates who are
brainwashing the student body
with “pretty signs and advertise
ments.” Mr. Punte also called
“The Fifth Wheel Committee” a
potential wedge which will drive
corps and civilian factions further
apart.
The same night, I met several
“Fifth Wheel” candidates, who
were campaigning in my dorm.
I was surprised to find these stu
dents wholly unlike the impres
sion I received from Mr. Punte’s
letter. Not only did these stu
dents present a formidable array
of qualifications, but could also
be recognized as those students
who have tried to do much for
the betterment of A&M, by
working for the students, and
with the administration. I am
in no way affiliated with “The
Fifth Wheel” but only a student
who sees no “potential wedge”,
no “pitifully unqualified candi-
according to the standards of our
society, is considered an adult,
legally and any other way, upon
entering this or any other uni
versity becomes suddenly inca
pable of controlling or directing
his life.
There is one feature of our ed
ucational system above all others
that perpetuates this system.
That feature is, that for the most
part the university does not re
quire students to think. Not to
think in the sense of being able
to recall all those important facts
that pour forth from a professor’s
lips, but to think in the sense of
being able to take in information,
consider it in an objective and
rational manner, and reach sound,
concise conclusions. However, by
not requiring students to think,
the system has found that it is
able to keep students apatheti
cally happy. It is so very similar
to that old proverbial “Nigger”
on the cotton plantation in the
“old South.” Students are quite
content with their place in life
because they know of nothing
better.
Finally I think that one could
attribute the name “Nigger” to
today’s student because of the
way he is treated in the day to
day activities. He is told what
to read and what to write in or
der to be “educated.” This in it
self is not totally undesirable.
However, when one is instructed
that he must write with a ball
point, or fold his paper a certain
way, or even that he must have
certain margins on his typewrit
er, it becomes apparent that the
student is no more than the end
result of a training process rather
than an educated man. As you
have read this last paragraph I
am sure that you are caught with
the amusement of it; however,
I would ask each of you to ask
yourselves whether it is not true
and to stop and think if it is not
these small things that force the
vast majority of students to as
sume a servile role.
dates,” nor any massive “brain
washing.”
I see only a group of highly
qualified individuals, represent
ing many student factions, whose
deeds speak far better than any
campaign that could be put to
gether.
William D. O’Connor
Class of ’71
★ ★ ★
Editor:
For the past year in my posi
tion of student senate president
I have worked very closely with
Kent Caperton. As vice-presi
dent of the senate, Kent has
demonstrated through his diligent
work his desire and ability to
serve the students of Texas
A&M.
He has contributed countless
hours of work both on the sen
ate and in the MSC. His record
is indicative of his concern for
and interest in the students, the
student government and the in
stitutions of Texas A&M. He
has approached the issues with
fairness and determination to see
that the student’s voice is heard
and listened to. He has, with
out a doubt, been one of the key
leaders this year, not only in the
senate, but in many other areas
as well.
I. have talked with Kent con
cerning his aims and objectives
for the coming year, and judg
ing on my past experience with
him, I hereby endorse Kent Cap
erton for student senate presi
dent, and encourage you to vote
for him next Thursday.
Gerald Geistweidt
★ ★ ★
Editor:
I would like to reply to Mr.
Bill Fisher’s letter which was
printed in last Friday’s issue of
The Battalion. As you may recall,
Mr. Fisher urged students of
Texas A&M to participate in a
Peace Fast on April 15 by giving
contributions (in the amount of
the price of meals) to the Ameri
can Friends Service, a Quaker
organization. He also comments
on the Student Senate for re
fusing to sanction the proposed
fast.
I first heard of the American
Friends Service about a year or
two ago. At that time, they were
attempting to send a shipload of
medical supplies to North Viet-
Cbe 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.
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1969 TPA Award Winner
Jim
y. S. White, College 01 hingine*
College of Veterinary Medicine ;
College of Agriculture.
; Ur. a:
.nd Dr.
Z. L. Carpenter,
student newspaper at Texas A&M, is
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The Battalion,
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EDITOR DAVE MAYES
Managing Editor David Middlebrooke
Women’s Editor Cindy Burleson
News Editor Pam Troboy
Sports Editor Richard Campbell
Assistant Sports Editor - Mike Wright
Staff Writers Hayden Whitsett, Bob Robinson,
Chancy Lewis, Janie Wallace,
Fran Haugen, Randy Murdock,
Billy Buchanan, Gibril Fadika,
Tommy Thompson
Sports Writer Clifford Broyles
Columnists Roger Miller, Mike McClain
Photographers Jim Berry, David Gawthorpe,
Mel Miller, Robert Boyd
Sports Photographer Mike Wright
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• College Division •
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846-3737
A division of ERC
nam. The U.S. government said
that the action was illegal and
that it would give aid and com
fort to the enemy. I don’t re
member if the ship ever reached
North Vietnam or if anyone was
arrested. However, I do remem
ber that these people were trying
to give aid to the enemy and, in
all probability, still are.
Mr. Fisher said that the con
tributions given on April 15 will
be used to feed “orphans and
widows,” not soldiers. However,
I believe that the North Viet
namese government will seize the
supplies, once they reach North
Vietnam, and give them to the
enemy soldiers who desperately
need them.
I am not a warmonger—I want
this war to end as soon as pos
sible. I am a graduating senior
and my II-S deferment runs out
in June. Since I’ll be attending
graduate school without a defer
ment this year, the draft and the
war represent real threats to
me in the near future. However,
I don’t want this war prolonged
by anyone sending food and sup
plies to the enemy—those people
might be shooting at me some
day.
James Westbrook ’70
★ ★ ★
Editor:
Recently the Young Americans
for Freedom benefitted the pa
trons of lovely Cafe Sbisa with
an anti-draft tract. One of the
fallacies used to support their
argument was that Americans
have always been willing to vol
unteer for the Army when faced
with a threat from abroad.
During the Civil War a draft
was used to pull men away from
the vastly more profitable fac
tory bench, where the first “mili
tary-industrial complex” was en
joying the feeling of bloated war
profits. Both sides, despite the
high and holy purposes for which
they were fighting, were forced
to resort to the draft by the
second year of the war.
During World War I, the draft
was passed by Congress in May
of 1917 — the first troops in the
European theatre did not arrive
until that summer, most of them
being National Guard and other
Be on the
lookout for
this
enemy agent
002503742118
GORDON RICHARDSON
Enemy of financial apathy
is what he is.
In 15 minutes he can de
stroy any old illusions or ster
eotypes you have about life
insurance. He can show you
how it pays to plan now for a
protected financial future. He
may seem to be just another
student but he’s armed with a
thorough knowledge of insur
ance and he’s trained to use
it at will. Don’t be fooled. He’s
got a program that’s aimed
at you.
He can be found in our
campus office. Seek him out
today. His thing? Security.
Gordon B. Richardson
Aggie Campus
Carreer Life Underwriter
Phone 713 — 567-3165
PROVIDENT
MUTUAL=Sss LIFE
INSURANCE COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA
PEANUTS
weekend warriors. The standing
army and called up reservists
were barely enough for the non-
coms needed for the size of an
army big enough to defeat Ger
many, yet the nation had three
years from the start of hostili
ties to volunteer as the YAF
would have us do.
During World War II, the
draft was made law in Septem
ber of 1940, more than a year
before Pearl Harbor. There and
in the Korean War, the draft
was necessary to assure enough
troops to wage effective war.
In none of these wars did
enough Americans volunteer to
defend their country so that the
government did not have to go
out and drag its fighting men
from the streets of these United
States.
James E. Zeman, Jr.
Attention Freshmen:
Vote Gary Reger your
Social Secretary 70-71
Capable-Qualified
Progressive
C3 ArxIT
SI—I I
PEANUTS
WORIPWARI FLVlNS
ACE ABOUT TO TAKE
OFF FROM AM
AEROPROME
SOME MERE
IN FRANCE..
TOWNSHIRE / BRYAN. TEXAS 77801
COFFEE LOFT
(2 Blks. East of Post Office on Univ. Dr.)
FESTIVAL OF SHORT FILMS
“AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK
BRIDGE” (27 mins.)
“RUN” (16 mins.)
‘FRIENDLY GAME” (10 mins.)
“THE HAT” (18 mins.)
FRIDAY, APRIL 17 beginning at 8:00 P. M.
I NTERESTED
IN AN
OVERSEAS
CAREER?
Dr. Robert L. Gulick
will be on the campus
Monday, April 20th
to discuss qualifications for
advanced study at
THUNDERBIRD
GRADUATE SCHOOL
and job opportunities
in the field of
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMEN!
Interviews may be scheduled it
the Placement Office
THUNDERBIRD
GRADUATE SCHOOL
OF
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMEN’
(Formerly: The American Institute
for Foreign Trade)
P. O. Box 191
Phoenix, Arizona 85001
Affiliated with
The American Management Association
TAMU TOWN HALL PRESENTS
For Civilian Student Week End
SMITH
plus
TONY JOE WHITE
G. ROLLIE WHITE COLISEUM
SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 1970
7:00 P.M.
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is $75
A&M Student Activity Card holders and Town Hall season ticket holders
admitted FREE. Tickets and information at MSC Student Programs
Office 845-4671.
TOWN HALL ARTIST SHOWCASE PRESENTS
DONALD JOHANOS
MUSIC DIRECTOR
%
0
G. Rollie White Coliseum
Thursday, April 23, 1970 — 8:00 p. m.
NO RESERVED SEATS!
A&M Student Activity Card holders and Town Hall series ticket holders
admitted FREE. Other ticket prices:
A&M Student Date $1.00
Other Students $1.00
Faculty, Staff and Patrons $2.00
TICKETS ON SALE AT MSC STUDENT PROGRAM OFFICE.
FOR INFORMATION, CALL 845-4671.
By Charles M. ScM
here's the ^
COME BACK!
YOU CANT FLY
IN WEATHER
LIKE THIS I
COME PACK!
SOMEONE DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT POOR CHAP/
HE'S OBVIOUSLY HYSTERICAL/
WH
and
up
fill.
Wi
We
Wh
220