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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1971)
■ . -/ v.. Listen up Why Bonfire Editor: I am sending copies of this let ter to President Williams, Com mander Col. Parsons, Student Senate President, Head Yell Lead er, The Battalion and others in hopes of stimulating some re thinking of bonfire policy. In some ways this letter is difficult for me to write for I was once a head cheerleader in college and I know the value of building school spirit. Yet like many oth ers, I find myself opposed to the idea of the Aggie Bonfire. How ever, my arguments are not eco logical, neither side has given cogent arguments enough to con vince me. First of all, I got my dander up after my wife and I lost 2 nights’ sleep from the construc tion noise and p.a. system-—we live just 2 blocks from the site. Thankfully, my complaint was heard, and last night we got a CADET SLOUCH “You remember that doctor’s appointment I had last Wednesday, well, he had to see me again Monday so I’m just now getting back . . Bored and why not Stallings good night’s sleep. I do thank those involved for this. But then I read that the Stu dent Senate voted over $1500 for insurance for the bonfire work ers; That’s when the whole thing began to seem silly: $1500 is three partial scholar ships for disadvantaged students. $1500 is 100 thanksgiving meals for needy families. $1500 is enough to keep the Boy’s Club center open a while longer. If you remember, one of them closed recently from lack of funds. Then there’s the manpower ex penditure . . . how many Aggies would put the same effort and time into studying ? They say probably 3500 students will end up helping; at $1 an hour, how many more thousands of dollars would that be worth ? Suppose this effort were directed to a Campus United Fund Drive, a carnival, solicitation drive or oth- by Jim Earle Immediately after the football game Thursday, the Board of Directors and President Jack K. Williams met to decide the fate of Coach Gene Stallings. That he was fired came as no surprise. Almost every body saw that it was coming — except perhaps Gene Stallings — and not too many people voiced strong dis approval. But if anything has caught flak, it was the board’s tasteless and unfeeling way of doing so. And that is exactly what it was — tasteless and un feeling. If anyone ever needs a lesson in how to shaft a trusting person, he should become an understudy to our board. Why they had to hold their inquest after the game has yet to be answered. Perhaps the question yet remains unanswered because very soon after the meeting everybody that had anything to do with the decision left town. Whether for good reason or if they just wanted to “git while the gittin’ was good” is another question. Whatever the reason, it looked pretty bad. Something else that looked pretty bad was the way Gene Stallings went to the meeting expecting to have a year’s extension given him. According to Stallings, Wil liams had told him that as long as we had an improved season and were a contender for a bowl game, he would have his contract renewed. Well, we had a pretty good season and right up until 4:00 p.m. Thursday we were contenders for a bowl game. That speaks for itself. Too, the board hadn’t found a replacement for the man of which they so quickly rid themselves. They now leave the Athletic Department in limbo with all the as sistants out trying to find different jobs. They have also started up one of those ever present rumor mills that dot this campus. But perhaps the thing that made the board look worst was the way Gene Stallings acted. For a man who had ample opportunity and perhaps even reason to lash out at the board, Stallings acted with the utmost courtesy. The Board of Directors could have taken a lesson from him. er money-raising projects? Sup pose the effort were directed to collecting food for the needy or setting up a free community thanksgiving meal as found at some other universities? Or per haps toward a massive cleanup campaign in the area ? And I can’t help but question the wisdom of a unconstructive project that is dangerous enough to call for hard hats, special in surance and traffice blockage and complex enough to call for con struction equipment, communica tions vans and day and night labor by volunteer and semi-vol unteer workers. It smacks of meg- alomaniacal pyramid building — proving we are the best because we have the largest bonfire. Is that what A&M wants to be re membered for? I know others who feel as I do but are resigned, figuring they can’t buck tradition or fight the machine. I assume though, that there is plenty of reasonableness and responsibility at A&M that constructive reconsideration is possible. Aggies, consider the situation and its alternatives. Sure, we hate to see it go as it is now, but wouldn’t it be more in keeping with Aggie ideals to replace the unreasonable and unconstructive with something reasonable and constructive? Wouldn’t you rath er your school be known for this rather than just for the fact that you can build the biggest bon fire ? Larry G. Mavner ★ ★ ★ Editor: Another “Aggie Bonfire” has come and gone; and with it has gone any respect that Texas A&M University deserved as a conserva tion-conscious institution. By con doning and encouraging partici pation in the bonfire, administra tors and students of A&M are promoting the attitude of thoughtless and unlimited con sumption which has proven to be so disastrous to our environment. In the face of mounting national concern for readjustment of our priorities and responsibilities, Texas A&M blunders along in the spirit of the nineteenth-century frontiersman whose overwhelm ing primacy was one of personnel profit over social profit. Each year this barbaric practice destroys acres of post oak and blackjack oak trees for the sole purpose of satisfying the hedon ism of “True Aggies.” Like their prehistoric ancestors, Aggies hap pily revel in this destructive ad venture with the inner assurance that a blazing fire possesses the magical spirits to spur their war riors (football team) on to great ness. Trees which could be used as fuel are burned to ashes for no other purpose than to awe-inspire thoughtless onlookers. Not only are vast numbers of trees de stroyed by burning each year, but, according to workers in the cut ting areas, many trees are cut down and left to rot because of overzealous cutting. Apparently all of these considerations are subordinant to the gratification of Aggie frolics. The Aggie Bonfire is purport edly a symbol of the burning de sire of Aggies to “beat the hell out of TU.” On the contrary, in this era of awakening responsibility for environmental protection, it can only stand as a symbol of greedy and profligate consump tion. If Aggies must build a sym bol of their “burning desire” let them build an enduring and worth while symbol. Let them channel their manpower, ingenuity, and monetary resources into con structing rather than destroying. The administration’s active support of this wasteful expendi ture of trees, money, and effort is a pitiful example of the preva lent attitude of “passing the buck.” The protection of our en vironment is the responsibility of every individual, and A&M should be a leader in this field. Just what are your priorities, “Aggies”? Mrs. Harriet Allen ’70 The university does not actively support Bonfire. Whether or not there is a Bonfire is up to the students, if they want one, they’ll have it, if not, they won’t.—Ed. ★ ★ ★ Coach Stallings: In 1964, when you first came to coach at A&M, I was president of the Houston A&M Club. You may recall that I had a special meeting one afternoon at the Rice Hotel for you to meet the press, the former students and the public. At that time, I was very much impressed with you—and I am still impressed with you. It has been apparent through the years that you are genuinely in terested in each of the players under your supervision and that, as a former student yourself, your heart is with A&M. I know that the late General Rudder assured you of a five- year contract, and I would like to see it honored, not only for your sake and in the interest of the reputation of A&M but also out of respect for the General. I was privileged to know General Rudder, and from my experience with him, I know that he was a man of his word, even in the face of conflict. If A&M had beaten Texas Thursday, the situation would look differently. But how many coaches have beaten Texas in the past fifteen years or so ? For that matter, how many times have A&M coaches beaten Texas since 1894? Your situation reminds me of my Army days. A Pfc. having trouble keeping up with clerical work would be reprimanded by his C.O. and transferred, only to be replaced by a second lieuten ant, two master sergeants and four corporal clerks. It is entirely likely that your replacement will be given a salary increase, and the new one thousand-girl dormi tory won’t hurt A&M’s recruiting program. These advantages should rightfully be yours. Raymond C. Loomis ’42 ★ ★ ★ Editor: I would like to address this let ter to the Sophomore Class. In the past we have used a class council with representatives from the corps, civilians and coeds. This council had been responsi ble for making plans and deci sions concerning the Sophomore Class and especially Sophomore Weekend. The council realized that there were people who would be inter ested in serving the class, but would not attend the meetings be cause it bore the name “council” and they were not a selected rep resentative. Because of this, the Sophomore Council has changed in name to Sophomore Class meet ing. This was a change in name only because the function will re main the same. This change will allow all interested sophomores to attend, participate and vote. The Sophomore Weekend has been set for Feb. 11-12. We have a woodsy scheduled for Friday night, a barbeque for Saturday afternoon, and the formal dance Saturday night. We can still use people on committees to help car ry out the plans for the weekend. The first Sophomore Class meeting will be Wednesday Dec. 1 to 7:30 p.m. in room 241 of the Physics building. I would like to invite any interested sophomore to attend. Randy Maness ’74 Page 2 THE BATTALION College Station, Texas Tuesday, November 30,191, IMPORTED 3 & 10 SPEED BIKES Sales - Service - Accessories A" • GITANE • KALKH0FF • RALEIGH • ATALA « PEUGEOT CENTRAL SUPPLY 715 S. Main Bryan Closed Mon. 822-2228 IDE I By JOB Battalia Little i exc< low to Joing 3 troyed the Tex Texas THE Ptf 8 “FOR AN ATMOSPHERE YOU WILL ENJOY” Featuring: FRIDAY — “Resurrection” SATURDAY — “Resurrection” Happy Hour Every Afternoon From 4 - 6 p. m. 329 University Drive North Gate 846-9973 Open 7 Nights A Week From 1-12 In C if| Graduate courses to open in Galveston during spring Graduate credit courses in edu cation will be offered by A&M during the spring semester in Gal veston, announced Dr. Don Sea man, director of field services for the college of Education. Courses in adult education, cur riculum and instruction, educa tional administration, educational psychology and industrial educa tion will meet for three hours one night each week at the Texas Maritime Academy on Pelican Is land. Dr. Seaman said the classes pro vide a service to educators be cause they keep the people in touch with current trends and accelerate work on advanced de grees. The courses are open to anyone with a baccalaureate degree. Pre-registration is from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2 at the Texas Maritime Academy offices at Fort Crockett. Delayed regis tration is from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at the new TMA building Cbe Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M, is uudeu, writers ouly The VaUalion is a non.,a*. supported, non-profit, self-supporting educational enter- May, and once a week during summer school. prise edited and operated by students as a university and M community newspaper. The Associated Press, Texas Press Association LETTERS POLICY The Associated Collegiate Press Letters to the editor must be typed, double-spaced. Mail subscriptions are $3.50 per semester; S6 per school and no more than 300 words in length. They must be year; $6.50 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 5% signed, although the writer’s name will be withheld by sales tax. Advertising rate furnished on request. Address: & . -.i .I a .i i , j . The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station, arrangement with the editor. Address correspondence to Texas 77843. Listen Up, The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77813. „ T , he Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for 6 reproduction of all news dispatchs credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous ,, , . r,. . . v» i-r. , ■». origin published herein. Rights of republication of all other Members of the Student Publications Board are: Jim matter herein are also reserved. Lindsey, chairman : H. F. E.iers, College of Liberal Arts; Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas. F. S. White, College of Engineering ; Dr. Asa B. Childers, Jr., ^ College of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. W. E. Tedrick, College TTT^TTnT? U A vmPXT TnrprT , T'aTr''T''T' of Agriculture; and Layne Kruse, student. RU11U.K ■" jUV HAYDEN WHlIEEir ! Managing Editor Doug Dilley Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising News Editor Sue Davis Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and San bports iLdltor John Gurylo Francisco. Assistant Sports Editor Bill Henry on Pelican Island. Classes begin the week of Jan. 17. Additional information is avail able from Dr. Sammy Ray at the A&M Marine Laboratory in Gal veston or from Dr. Seaman, Office of Field Services, College of Edu cation, A&M 77843. 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