E BATTALION
Wednesday, September 12, 1973
College Station, Texas
Page 3
omen Give Political Voice
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he Texas Women’s Political
icus has broken loose from the
ige of screaming, bra-burning
len and has settled into a role
roviding a political voice for
men and women in Texas,
'ormed only one and one-half
rs ago, it is the only one of
iffiliated groups in the United
tes which has a fulltime di-
tor and lobbyist in the state
ital.
t held its second annual con-
Ktj tion in San Antonio in August,
was attended by five A&M
dents representing the Brazos
inty chapter.
lillian Parker, Judi Wooten,
thy Oaks, Barbara Benton and
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for Members of Both Sexes
Laura Colunga represented the
local chapter which is the fourth
largest in the state, behind Harris
county, Dallas County and Aus
tin.
The group is composed primari
ly of students, one-fourth of
which is men.
The local group earned the des
ignation of “mavericks” when
they supported a controversial
proposed by-law granting men
full membership in the state or
ganization.
Jane Hickie, a young Austin
feminist, was elected as the cau
cus’ chairperson for the next
year.
The caucus has begun reject-
A COED'S VIEW
By Louie Holzem
Remember that first Aggie football game? The corps
whooping, the stands were wild with “Hullabaloo, Ca-
ck, Caneck!” and you were wondering what in heaven’s
me was going on!
ing having “power squabbles
among the powerless,” says
Hickie who promises the caucus
will be a factor in next year’s
election of men and women.
A successful caucus vote to al
low men to become voting mem
bers took only 20 minutes.
“Until we really sort of narrow
our focus from a general fem
inist group to getting feminists—
men or women—elected to office
at all levels, we aren’t going very
far,” said Hickie.
The hit of the convention was
Sissy Farenthold’s speech to the
standing-room only crowd on the
first day of the convention.
“I am not waiting, but work
ing toward the time when the un
qualified woman, the unqualified
black, the unqualified Chicano
will take their places with the
unqualified white male” said Far-
enthold, head of the National
Women’s Political Caucus and
former candidate for governor of
Texas.
Also speaking was Diana Hob
by, wife of Texas lieutenant gov
ernor Bill Hobby, who said her
husband “is a person in his own
right. He is the father of four
children in addition to being lieu
tenant governor and a great
friend of our legislation.”
Among the adopted resolutions
was one advocating the making
of a “power inventory” of politi
cians on feminists’ issues and how
those politicians got elected.
“By December, we are going to
know what they said and how
they got there in the first place,”
said Hickie. “By February, we are
going to come together and de
cide where we are going to ap
ply funds and talent to retire
some people from wherever their
public offices are.”
Also approved were resolutions
supporting the removal of the
Texas constitutional welfare ceil
ing and of sexual freedom and
public funding of clinics to “dis
seminate information on contra
ceptive devices . . . and to offer
the full range of associated med
ical services.”
Condemned by the caucus were
the legal concept of “head of
household,” humiliating treat
ment of rape victims and discrim
ination against single persons
wishing to adopt or rear chil
dren.
CHRISTINE RUNGE demonstrates how to handle a male attacker and her instructor,
Gibbs Dibrell, takes the fall. Judo as a form of self-defense allows a woman to protect
herself without really hurting 1 the assailant.
Black Belt Dibrell Offers Suggestions
Self-Defense Taught as Art
A lot of us will be experiencing this “Spirit of Aggie-
id” for the first time Saturday. Here’s hoping you older
s will have patience with those of us newer ones who
en’t whooping and just can’t seem to “hump it” right,
may be dumb to much of the Aggie traditions, but we’re
idy to learn!
Although many of us who wish we could won’t be able
throw the football around on Kyle Field Saturday nights,
do have the opportunity to coordinate teams and play
)tball in intramural competition this fall. It’s a great
ance to get to know more people, particularly if you hap-
n to live off-campus. To sign up, contact the Intramural
fice in the DeWare Gym.
Women Team Members Sought
As an off-campus, or “day,” student, I’ve been caught
a common dilemma—an involuntary lack of student par-
ipation. Because of the distance of many apartment com-
xes from A&M, many off-campus students find it dif-
:ult to experience a large number of campus activities
d tradition, such as Silver Taps and Yell Practice, as well
some of the more unorthodox activities, such as panty
ni|ids and soapsuds in the MSC fountain. This is particular-
true of those day students who don’t have cars and find
difficult to catch the shuttlebus on its one run per hour,
lyone with a friend in such a situation could be really
Ipful by encouraging them to come onto the campus more
ten, and by helping them with transportation.
eague of Women Voters
'Ians Membership Party
The League of Women Voters
Brazos County will have its
lembership Happening” Sept,
at 7:30 p.m. in the home of
me Hughey, 1905 Lawyer, Col-
;e Station. The League encour-
'es all women 18 years and old-
who are interested in local,
ate and national issues to at-
nd this event.
The purpose of the League of
omen Voters is to promote po-
ical responsibility through in-
rmed and active participation
all citizens in their govem-
ent. The League is non-parti-
It endorses or opposes is
les but never endorses or op-
»es political parties or candi-
ites. League members adopt a
udy program on national, state,
id local issues.
For the coming year, the
eague of Women Voters of Bra
es County will study issues such
as the executive and judicial sys
tems of Brazos County, state land
use, United States Congress, cam
paign spending, financing of Tex
as state government, and state
election procedures and voting
rights.
In addition to these study pro
grams, the local league provides
a voters’ service. This consists of
a voter registration drive twice a
year. A second service is the
Voters’ Guides prior to each elec
tion. These guides provide bio
graphical information about each
candidate. Each candidate’s re
plies to questions on his position
of current issues are also printed.
Another service is the sponsor
ship of a television candidate’s
meeting prior to each election.
For further information about
the League or for transportation
to the Membership Happening,
phone 846-2311.
The Women’s Sports Associa
tion is inviting all coeds, both
graduate students and undergrad
uates, to join their organization.
According to Kay Don, club
director, “The association will
fully meet its purpose this year.
Not only will we sponsor inter
collegiate competition and intra
murals within the club, but there
are plans for picnics, lake out
ings, and other social activities.”
A membership drive will be
held this week with tables in the
Krueger-Dunn complex, G. Rol-
lie White Coliseum and Lounge
A-2, where the Add and Drop
center was located. Membership
dues are three dollars a year or
two dollars per semester. The in
itial meeting for this year will
be held Monday, September 17.
Ten sports are offered through
the organization. These include
badminton, basketball, bowling,
golf, gymnastics, softball, swim
ming, tennis, track and field, and
volleyball. In seven of these
sports last year girls went to
state. In badminton, Debbie Ber-
rier and Diane Bradshaw compet
ed. Debbie also qualified for state
in shot put along with Connie
Karcher and Jan Wynn in jave
lin and Debbie Wootan in the
low hurdles. A&M was represent
ed in tennis at state by Jane Mc-
Laurin, Ellen Buchanan, Meredith
Howard and Karen Boerner. Jean
Collins went to nationals in
swimming, but the other girls
who qualified did not compete due
to lack of money. Barbara Blake
and Ellen Maninaitis competed
in golf at state level.
This year the association would
like to send everyone who quali
fies to state. They would also like
to send the teams to more and
varied meets. In order to achieve
this goal, and increase its reve
nues, the organization will at
tempt to sell jersey-type shirts
with printed class numbers. The
individual teams also have mon
ey-making projects. One such ac
tivity is the swim team’s cleaning
of Kyle Field.
Don said “We want the girls
to get involved and make the or
ganization work. If there is a
sport that we don’t offer and the
Memorial Student Center doesn’t
offer, we’d be glad to sponsor it
and help those interested get to
gether.”
For further information, call
Jan Don at 845-6841, go by her
office. Room 207 on the second
floor of G. Rollie White, or see
the girls at the membership drive
tables.
As a result of two women be
ing assaulted on campus lust
month, and in an effort to edu
cate women on protecting them
selves, Gibbs Dibrell is again of
fering a course on self-defense.
Dibrell, a Ph.p. candidate, has
instructed classes in Judo for the
past seven years and feels that
self defense is a basic premise
for further instruction in the arts
of self protection.
“I try to structure the classes
around the needs of the women,”
he explained. “We discuss such
things as how to safeguard a
home by means of locks, bolts,
and dogs; how to defend them
selves against the possibility of
being attacked in their own cars;
and the use of weapons, both
firearms and common articles like
purses, pencils and nailfiles.”
Generally classes are an hour
and a half long with the first
half spent in discussion and the
last half spent instructing those
interested in judo.
“Mild physical exerciser with
emphasis on flexibility usually
starts the program. Women usu
ally don’t need strenuous physical
activity to use judo. They nor
mally concentrate on technique,”
Dibrell stated.
Sophomore Kim Covar, who
took the course last year, said,
“I learned ways of self defense
I’d never thought of; and by us
ing judo you can get away from
a person without really hurting
them. Judo also teaches you
grace, poise, and coordination.
When it’s done correctly it’s like
a dance step.”
“I try to show women that judo
is a good way to stay in shape
and urge them to stay involved.
It is a sport where interest is
increasing and women are just
getting started. Because of the
interest that women tend to show
in learning background, I hope
to have the girls referee men’s
meets in Houston and Austin,”
Dibrell added.
The course costs $5 to join the
U. S. Judo Assn, and another $16
for the judogy, or suit of clothes
worn while learning the sport.
For further information on the
course call 846-6439.
Concerning campus safety,
Gibbs Dibrell passes along these
thoughts. “Travel in groups; not
by yourself, as this invites trou
ble. Have a guy walk with you,
and if he’s only an acquaintance,
go with another girl. Finally,
walk home on well lit streets. It
may take longer, but it’s safer.”
lomen Engineers Awarded National Charter
Saturday, September 15, the
ociety of Women Engineers will
awarded its charter by Le
ar! Bryant, a member of the
itional Executive Committee, at
luncheon to be held at the
rown and Anchor Inn.
A relatively new women’s or-
anization at A&M, the Society
f Women Engineers (SWE), is
pen to any woman in engineer-
»g or in any related field. Those
aterested in becoming a mem-
er should contact Dr. Francis
tolm at his office in Room 7 of
Engineering Building or
eorgie Olsen at 846-1901. Meet-
igs are held the first Monday
f every month at 7:30 p.m. in
ie engineering center.
“My interpretation of the pur-
ose of the organization is first,
encourage young students,
fomen students, into entering
mgineering; second, once they
et in the organization, to keep
iem there,” said Georgie Olsen,
lairman of the A&M branch of
he SWE.
"Ours is not a technical socie-
Ms. Olsen continued. “It is
lore of a service organization.
\ try to help women in engi-
oering, covering things that per-
lin to all of us as women engi-
eers.”
The SWE initiated a big sister-
ttle sister program this fall. An
der student was assigned to
each freshman or transfer woman
student in the College of Engi
neering. This program was initi
ated to help give the new stu
dents someone to rely on and to
fall back on. The SWE wrote
letters of welcome to all these
new students before they came
to A&M, and held a tea for them
on Sept. 2.
The organization is looking for
support from any interested fac
ulty women, and welcome all fac
ulty members to its meetings.
Omega Phi Alpha
Sponsoring Rush
Omega Phi Alpha, the A&M
service sorority, is sponsoring a
rush, Thursday at 7 p.m. in Room
510 of the Conference Tower, Me
morial Student Center.
Coeds enrolled in 12 or more
hours may request pledge status.
Pledges will be limited in number
in order to retain effectiveness
as a service organization.
A girl’s concept of OPA and
her desire to serve are most high
ly considered when accepting a
girl into the club.
Among OPA’s activities is the
Aggie Blood Drive, which serves
as a guarantee for an A&M do
nor in times when blood may not
be readily available. Another
function of the club is the month
ly birthday parties held for the
three and four year-olds at the
Bryan Day Care Center. The girls
also plan to help at the Student
Government Day Care Center.
Another important service
which the club performs is man
ning the polls during Student Sen
ate felections, the first of which
will be held September 20.
OPA, along with its brother
group Alpha Phi Omega, will sell
concessions at Bonfire. They also
will continue their recreational
hours for special education chil
dren at the First Presbyterian
Church.
“The most important point in
approaching OPA is to remember
it is a service sorority, not a so
cial club,” said Linda Austin, sec
ond vice-president. “We want to
focus on the campus this year
and any suggestions for college
services would be greatly appre
ciated. These can be made to me
by calling 846-9081.”
OPEN MIDNIGHT
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER
WeVe Got
Half Our Inventory
On Sale For
HALF PRICE!
SHIRTS
BELTS
SHOES
PANTS
HEROES
13
325 UNIVERSITY DR. COLLEGE STATION
NORTH GATE
SALE
ENDS SAT., SEPT. 15-6:00 P.M.
846-0223