be Battalion
wol. 67 No. 273
College Station, Texas
Wednesday, August 22, 1973
—J"irst Summer Commencement
bbott Speaks To Graduates
IKE
ane
A veteran educator warned
IfcM graduates Friday night
at their freedom to make mis-
kes was limited in this highly
plosive world.
“Don’t tear down a fence until
iu know the reasons why it was
t up,” Dr. John Paul Abbott
utioned 732 candidates for de-
■ees at the University’s first
mal summer commencement.
The distinguished professor
neritus of English at A&M con-
asted the 48 years since his
aduation in 1925 with possibil-
:es of the same time span to
81.
“You will not have the same
eedom to make mistakes,” he
id.
Dr. Abbott’s references to
ences” or restrictions ranged
Om simple virtues to the major
oblems of today.
“Another fence out there places
rict limits to the question: ‘Am
py brother’s keeper?’ ” he said.
Idealism may also cause resist-
ence to fixed boundaries on the
pollution of land, air and water,
the former A&M dean declared.
In apparent reference to the
times, Dr. Abbott gave this ad
vice to 84 doctoral, 276 masters
and 372 bachelor candidates:
“If you tolerate corruption in
yourself and your friends, you
will one day find the whole body
politic has become cancerous.”
“Fences” define the kinds of
persons we are, Dr. Abbott re
minded.
“Each of us is unique,” he
pointed out. “Each of us has a
contribution to make. If we do
not make it, it may never be
made.
“As you meet these fences, re
gard them not so much as prob
lems but as opportunities,” Dr.
Abbott concluded.
Dr. Abbott retired last year
with professor emeritus designa
tion. He has been associated with
Texas A&M since 1926, joining
the English Department as an
instructor.
He served as dean of arts and
sciences from 1949 to 1953 and
then served three years as dean
of the college. He took leave of
absence in 1956 to accept an ap
pointment as program examiner
for the Texas Commission on
Higher Education before return
ing to A&M in 1957 as distin-
tinguished professor of English.
Dr. Abbott was part of A&M
President Jack Williams’ plans
for retired A&M professors to
speak at A&M summer com
mencements.
Highway Projects
To Move Forward
] ean Hannigan
o Be Honored
‘Dean of Students James P.
annigan will be honored Sept. 5
Irith an appreciation dinner at
parcrest Country Club.
| A member of the A&M admin-
(tration since 1959, Dean Hanni-
igan retires Aug. 31.
■ “Students, faculty-staff and
(friends will want to take this op-
jwtunity to express their appre-
liation to Dean Hannigan,” urged
Soward Perry, associate dean.
The dinner will be at 7 p.m. A
jiort program will feature repre-
(ntative speakers of the A&M
pinistration, students, faculty
pd friends.
Tickets at $6 per person will be
r ailable Aug. 22-31 at the Asso-
ation of Former Students offices
the Memorial Student Center,
'ersons wishing to attend the din-
fer are requested to purchase
bkets by Aug. 31.
Dean Hannigan was recently
ted in a Board of Directors res-
lution for “distinctive service”
nd “immeasurable contributions
the development of this univer-
ty through supervision of stu-
ent affairs.”
“Dean Hannigan demonstrated
excellent leadership and admini-
strational abilities in coordinat
ing activities of members of the
Corps of Cadets and civilian stu
dents, and diligently worked to
improve the quality of student
life,” the resolution stated.
The dean came to A&M after
serving as deputy commanding
general of the U. S. Army Artil
lery Training Center at Fort
Chaffee, Ark. He retired from ac
tive Army duty in July, 1959.
A West Point graduate, he
holds a diploma from the Univer
sity of Paris (Sorbonne), attend
ed the British Imperial Defense
College and studied international
strategy at the National War Col
lege in Washington, D. C.
The retired brigadier general
was a field artillery battalion
commander in World War II. He
was also commanding general of
the First Armored Division Artil
lery and Chief of Budget, Control
and Management Branch of Occu
pied Areas Division, Office of the
Secretary of the Army.
Dean and Mrs. Hannigan have
two sons.
AUSTIN — Dozens of logjammed
major highway projects will move
forward now that President Nixon
has signed the three-year $20
billion federal highway act.
In addition to funds for mass
transit, the act also provides $2
billion for safety projects.
State Highway Engineer Luth
er DeBerry said replacement of
narrow bridges is high on the
priority list. Hazardous intersec
tions and rail crossings will also
be eliminated as facilities are de
signed with modern built-in safety
features.
“This act does not solve all
our money problems, but even
though it is not everything we
need here in Texas, it is a good
act,” said DeBerry.
Highway trust revenues wall re
main as they have been in the
past during fiscal 1974. Up to
$200 million in urban funds can
be used either for roads or pur
chase of buses in fiscal 1975. By
1976, all or part of the urban
funds may be used for highway
buses or fixed rail transit with
State Highway Department con
currences.
July highway bid lettings were
cancelled due to shortage of feder
al funds. Although the federal
act’s passage will allow the state
to proceed with vital projects, De
Berry warned a backlog will re
main. Texas has been financing
some work with leftover money
from previous acts of Congress
and with state funds. Texas is
among states which sends the fed
eral government more tax revenue
from gasoline and vehicle acces
sory sales taxes than is returned.
Interstate highway construction
is financed with 90 per cent high
way trust fund money and other
federal construction gets 70 per
cent aid. The new act provides
money for bicycle trails and met
ropolitan transportation studies.
It also permits building the San
Antonio North Expressway with
state funds (if lawsuits don’t stop
it again).
Calendar To Be Distributed
To Faculty, Staff Members
A&M’s 1973-74 All University
Calendar will be distributed to
faculty and staff members Mon
day through Friday (Aug. 20-
24).
Department representatives
may pick up the calendars at the
Browsing Library Desk, Room
223 of the new Memorial Student
Center.
Departments should limit the
number requested to the number
of offices rather than number of
people employed, noted Carolyn
Adair, MSC assistant program
coordinator.
She reminded that all student
calendar distribution will be
through the offices of the Dean
of Men and Dean of Women.
The calendar runs from Sep
tember, 1973, through August,
1974. It lists major student or
ganization activities, athletic
events and conferences and short
courses, among others.
Students Win Bendix Awards
Six students in A&M’s Aero-
pace Engineering Department
ave been awarded first place
i the 1973 Bendix Design Com-
etition.
The students’ design for an un-
ianned, instrumented Venutian
inder was chosen by judges in
competition as the best of 25
esigns submitted by students
rom throughout the country.
The spacecraft design was the
esult of a term project assigned
the students by Stan Lowy,
associate professor of Aerospace
Engineering and project advisor.
The team members completed the
project for Aerospace Engineer
ing 401, Aerospace Vehicle De
sign.
The 172-page report submitted
by the students represents a pre
liminary study of an unmanned
research mission to Venus, includ
ing a mission event time line,
launch vehicle characteristics,
control and propulsion systems,
structural analysis, vehicle con
figuration, and a program plan
and cost schedule.
The students’ mission plan calls
for lift-off on the Venus vehicle
Nov. 10, 1981, covering some 60
million kilometers before setting
down on the planet’s surface.
The design was judged by
representatives of the American
Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics and Bendix, co
right studying Venutain lander
„ | es ign are Roger Leick, Gary Oldham, project advisor Prof. Stan Lowy, and Mike
Slack. The remaining team members are now employed in the aerospace industry.
sponsors of the contest, and aero
space engineers from the indus
try.
The projects submitted for the
contest were judged on the basis
of technical competence, organi
zation and presentation, origi
nality, and practical application
and feasibility, according to
Lowy.
The design team submitted
prog-ress reports to Lowy through
out the semester for counseling
and advice. The Venus lander
was the best of three designs
submitted by the class, Lowy
noted.
Copies of the report have been
sent to several representatives of
the aerospace industry and to
NASA personnel. While the
study is only preliminary in
nature, Lowy feels the study has
a sound basis for further investi
gation in the space program.
Members of the award-winning
design team include Roger D.
Leick, Cuero; Douglas R. Cooke,
Houston; Michael L. Slack, Re
fugio; Clifford J. Massey, Seguin;
Gary A. Oldham, Samnorwood,
and Don P. Hodge, Arlington, all
May, 1973, graduates of A&M.
Leick, who served as group
leader; Slack and Oldham will
attend graduate school at A&M
this fall. Cooke is now employed
by General Electric in Cincinnati,
Ohio; Massey is with the Boeing
Aerospace Co., Renton, Wash.,
and Hodge is employed by the
Army Red River Arsenal, Tex
arkana.
The six students will share
$1,000 prize money from Bendix.
Lowy said the students had de
cided to donate a portion of their
winnings to the Larry O. Ander
son Memorial Scholarship Fund,
maintained by the department.
UPPERCLASSMEN Teri Loomis, Ann Harris and Sally Hamilton show the “Gig
’em sign” to incoming freshmen Cynthia Gregg and Rosemary Traverso.
Coeds, Mothers Attend Tea
GALVESTON — Fifty-seven
A&M coeds and their mothers at
tended a tea here Saturday in the
home of State. Rep. Ed Harris
(D-Galveston) in honor of A&M
Dean of Women Toby Schreiber
and Counselor of Women Patricia
Self.
Revisions
Urban planning students at
A&M made their own recommen
dations last Tuesday for Texas
Constitution revision in a formal
presentation of their report to
local politics.
The students, members of two
urban planning courses taught the
second summer session at A&M by
Prof. Claude Davis, analyzed the
present constitution and made
recommendations for change from
a planner’s point of view.
On hand for the formal presen
tation were Sen. W. T. (Bill)
Moore, D-Bryan; Rep. Bill Pres-
nal, D-Bryan; Judge W. C. “Bill”
Davis; Justice of the Peace Judge
B. H. Dewey, and Brazos County
Commissioner Bill Cooley.
The student recommendations
for constitutional change include
four-year terms for the Legisla
ture, joint election of governor
and It. governor, unlimited num
ber of terms for the governor,
and restructuring of state boards
and commissions.
“I want to commend you on
your efforts on this report,”
Presnal told the students. “More
15 Graduates
Commissioned
Into Army
Fifteen new Army officers were
commissioned Friday at Texas
A&M University.
Seven were Regular Army and
Eight U. S. Army Reserve second
lieutenants, according to Col.
Thomas R. Parsons, professor of
military science.
He administered the oath of of
fice to most of the new second
lieutenants, all scheduled to re
ceive degrees at Friday com
mencement.
“This is an exceptionally large
number of summer commissions,”
Col. Parsons observed. “It is
actually more for our ‘off season’
than most colleges and universi
ties commission regularly.”
A&M usually commissions about
130 officers in December and more
than 200 at the end of the spring
semester. Summer commissions
are given to those cadets who
complete academic requirements
during the period.
Numerous parents, wives and
sweethearts were present at the
Commandant’s Office for the oath
taking and to pin on the second
lieutenant’s gold bars.
Commissioned in the Regular
Army were 2nd Lts. Kimball B.
Bannister, Old Ocean; Mark A.
DeHarde, San Antonio; Robert E.
Howard III, Shreveport; Harry E.
Meisell, Columbus; Richard J.
Ross, Temple; Edward P. Rumold,
Phillipsburg, N. J., and Gregory
P. Walk, Houston.
Reserve commissions went to
2nd Lts. Earnest A. Cariker, Gar
land; John R. Carmichael, Dallas;
Daniel R. Hill, Cat Spring; Rich
ard A. Lambert, College Station;
John F. Landgraf, Silsbee; James
A. Moore, Houston; Darren G.
Owens, Pecos, and Francisco P.
Rodriquez, Big Spring.
The 57 “Maggies” were all
from the Galveston area (Galves
ton 8, Texas City 15, Port Boli
var 1, Hitchcock 2, League City
5, Friendswood 7, Dickinson 4,
LaMarque 3, Alta Loma 3, Alvin
2, Nassau Bay, Webster and Ke-
mah 7).
Offered
time needs to be spent in several
of the areas in which you have
made suggestions, but you have
done a remarkable job consider
ing the time you had to research
the facts.”
The 23 students worked on the
recommendations for six weeks,
according to Davis, with research
teams working on assigned areas
before placing recommendations
before the entire class for approv
al.
“I am extremely pleased with
the students’ good deportment and
mature debate in the process of
writing the recommendations,”
Davis noted. “Everyone got a
piece of the action, and I believe
everyone got a good insight into
the workings of a modern con
stitution.”
The report prepared by the
students came out in strong favor
for local Home Rule for counties
and municipalities, a position
praised by Brazos County Com
missioner Cooley.
“I am well pleased with your
changes in local government,”
Cooley told the students. “I think
the position you took on the sub
ject would be well received by
local officials all over the state.”
The report will be made avail
able to the Texas Constitution Re
vision Commission, the Governor’s
Office, and other offices concerned
with the pending constitution re
vision, Davis noted.
This summer’s cruise of the
“Texas Clipper,” training ship of
the Texas Maritime Academy and
Texas A&M, was a little out of
the ordinary, reports ship’s Cap
tain Alfred Philbrick.
Capt. Philbrick said the voyage
to the Mediterranean was length
ened by a stop off the coast of
Africa to study a total eclipse of
the sun. The “Clipper” was adorn
ed with antennas and other gear
used in the study.
“We want to emphasize,” Capt.
Philbrick pointed out, “that the
experiments performed on the
ship in no way interfered with the
training program. It was business
as usual for the TMA cadets.”
One of the more interesting ex
periments conducted on the ship,
according to the captain, was per
formed by Dr. Elizabeth M. Kam-
pa of Scripps Institution of
Oceanography.
; Philbrick explained that Dr.
Kampa had set out to determine
the effects of the eclipse on the
deep-scattering layer, a layer in
the ocean of communities of small
sea animals.
The small animals make daily
vertical migrations to remain
within a narrow range of light
intensity. As expected, the ani
mals rose rapidly when the
eclipse took shape, and descended
as the sun reappeared.
The unusual aspect of the
study, Philbrick noted, was the
fact that the animals did not
rise with the coming of dusk, as
they usually do.
The students met in the Harris
home at 18 Cedar Lawn Drive
South for three hours to meet
each other and to learn about
coed life at A&M, Mrs. Self said.
“The girls were interested in
every facet of life in Aggieland,”
Mrs. Self noted. “Questions from
the soon-to-be freshmen ranged
from football and the social
sphere at Texas A&M to life
styles and academics.”
The counselor also expects the
event to become annual, and she
hopes that other cities will hold
get-acquainted teas.
The Galveston Aggie Mothers
Club assisted Mrs. Harris at the
tea as hostesses. Ten of the 30
students who attended the tea
will enter A&M this fall.
Holiday Set
For Monday
Most A&M employees will
have a holiday Monday in ob
servance of the late President
Lyndon Johnson’s birthday, but
all previously announced activ
ities, including delayed regis
tration for the fall semester,
will be conducted as scheduled.
A&M President Jack K. Wil
liams announced the modified
plan in light of the state at
torney general’s recent inter
pretation that Senate Bill 60
designates Aug. 27 as a legal
holiday, beginning this year.
Classes will not be affected
since the university is between
semesters, but Monday is the
first day for delayed registra
tion and for adding or drop
ping courses for the fall se
mester. These activities, along
with various functional serv
ices, will be in operation, but
most administrative offices
will be closed.
“They did not rise that eve
ning,” he continued, “which came
as a surprise to all of us. It ap
pears that they have a determined
cycle, and once that cycle is com
plete, they remain at lower
depths for at least 12-15 hours.”
‘Aggieland’
Now Available
To Students
Aggieland ’73 is now being dis
tributed to A&M students who
previously placed order for the
yearbook, announced Joe Ar
redondo Jr., editor.
The book contains a record 608
pages but use of a new type pa
per makes it less bulky than the
previous edition.
While retaining its traditional
maroon cover with a metallic em- -
bossment of the Aggie ring, the
new yearbook features a more
contemporary design with empha
sis on color and special effects,
Arredondo noted.
The Aggieland is bing distrib
uted in the Student Publications
Office on the second floor of the
Reed McDonald Building. Ar
redondo said a student who order
ed the book last year need only
present his university identifi
cation card to obtain a copy.
“On the side of Texas A&M.”
University National Bank
Adv.
For Constitution
Clipper’s Cruise
Unusual This Year