The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, October 17, 1973, Image 1

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BATTALIi
uclear Reactor
ESI
nmWields Research
or Southwest
By SALLY HAMILTON
One of the largest nuclear re
actors on any campus is housed
here at Texas A&M.
The Nuclear Science Center
provides research facilities for
many A&M research scientists
as well as for other universities
and industries in the Southwest.
The reactor is operated by the
Texas Engineering Experiment
Station which is part of the Tex
as A&M University System and
is licensed and governed by the
Atomis Energy Commission.
The nuclear reactor itself is
housed in a 83-foot deep water
tank and is appropriately called
a “swimming pool reactor.” The
water removes heat and shields
radiation.
The heart or core of the reac
tor is suspended from a movable
bridge enabling it to be moved
anywhere within the tank for
experimentation.
When the reactor is in opera
tion, neutrons are released from
the fuel by the process of fis
sion which then produces radio
isotopes in samples placed against
the reactor core. Two types of
energy are released through fis
sion, heat and radiation, and it
is the latter the researchers are
interested in. Data from the re
actor is used in chemistry, phy
sics, biology, medicine, physiol
ogy and plant sciences.
A&M has begun recently to
participate in the Atomic Ener
gy Commission’s Reactor Shar
ing Program providing for other
universities and researchers to
use TAMU’s reactor facilities.
One of the latest experiments
being observed is the powering of
the reactor with a new reactor
fuel called TRIGA FLIP fuel.
Produced by Gulf Oil it has the
potential of a longer lifetime than
the formerly used 1 TRIGA fuel.
“We are still in the midst of
testing the fuel,” said Bob Schu
macher student and employe of
the Nuclear Science Center. “A
lot of researchers will be looking
to us to see the results of the
new fuel.”
Safety is also governed by the
Atomic Energy Commission. Not
only does the AEG license the
center but a set of technical speci
fications composed by the reactor
personnel itself must be appx*oved.
These specifications limit which
and what type of experiments will
be tried, what type of materials
will be used for samples, limit
procedure and specify how many
safety systems and channels there
must be.
“Along with the AEC’s specifi
cations we have a set of our own
standard operating procedures,
said Schumacher. “These are set
down by our own reactor safety
board and control reactor start
ups and shut downs, and anything
done with the reactor.”
Schumacher feels that nuclear
power is the immediate answer to
the fuel crisis. “A thermal reac
tor of course is not the ultimate.
The next step would be to a fast-
breeder reactor and then to a fu
sion reactor which is what we are
ideally working for, said Schu
macher.
J. Ufrandr
R. Evans
T. Cuba
J. Kahn
D. Gill
A. Bresh, Jr.
K. Wolman
S. Hi?* 9
Che Battalion
Weather
|Vol. 67 No. 300
ladet Group
[arches to
iagpiper Tune
ly Will Anderson
The shrill notes of a bagpipe
laying “Scotland the Brave” now
ho across the military quadrant
hen Company N-l marches to
'‘chow.”
The pipes belong to Bill White-
field, a freshman management
major from Houston. He has been
playing them for about a year
ind a half.
Mark McClean, commander of
‘N-l Neanderthal,” said “The ef
fects of the pipes are tremendous.
They increase the morale of the
vhole company.”
“My dad started playing drums
’or a private bagpipe band, the
Touston Highlanders, a few years
igo,” said Whitefield. “I became
nterested in them and started
alcing lessons. After I learned
he basics, I started marching
ivith the Highlanders myself.
“The pipes are pretty simple,”
Vhitefield continued. “The three
Ipes that project from the back
f the bag are the drones; they
lave single reeds which produce
onstant notes as back-ups. The
nelody is played on the chanter
vhich has a double reed.
“A lot of concentration is re-
uired. You must keep your tim-
ng, squeeze with your elbow when
roil catch your breath, concen-
a-ate on your music and the
imount of pressure you apply.
Poo much pressure will cause the
hones to cut out.”
Whitefield’s pipes, kilt and tar-
an are made of the Royal Stuart
plaid. He does not wear the kilt
>r tartan when marching with his
outfit.
“Every clan has its own plaid,”
ixplained Whitefield. “I wear
his one because it was the Hous-
;on Highlanders’ uniform.”
The bagpipes, one of the
world’s oldest instruments, is be-
ieved to have originated in
Sgypt. Bagpiping was spread
hrough Europe by the Greeks and
ater by the Romans.
They were very popular until
the predecessors of modern in
struments began to take shape.
Its popularity then died out ex
cept in a few areas like Scotland,
where the martial air of the pipes
appealed to the war-like clans.
College Station, Texas
Wednesday, October 17, 1973
WEDNESDAY — Fair and mild
with northerly breeze keeping
temperatures down. This morn
ing’s low was 56°, today’s high
is expected to be around 71°
Tomorrow is going to be a little
cooler with a low of 54°, but the
weekend should be mild with
slightly warmer weather.
Life Is Too Short
To Be Little.
Gillespie Resigns
As RHA President
Randy Gillespie announced his
resignation as Residence Hall As
sociation president Tuesday night
in a special meeting of the council.
During the same half hour, the
body approved T. Getterman, vice
president of programs, as Gilles
pie’s replacement.
Gillespie, looking pale and tired,
addressed a silent group of dorm
presidents.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m
doing poor academically,” said
Gillespie. “My ultimate goal is
law school and I need the grades
to make it.”
The business major said he was
neither satisfied nor interested in
his present field of study.
“I’m a student first and RHA
BILL WHITEFIELD churns out a sweet tune on his
Scotish bagpipes as Company N-l makes one of its daily
Marches to Duncan Dining Hall. Whitefield has been play
ing the pipes for a year and a half. (Photo by Gary Balda-
sari)
Spring Term Date Changes
Forced by Fuel Shortages
Starting and completion dates for the spring semester
have been moved back one week in an attempt to conserve
fuel.
Classes will now begin Jan. 21, with Jan. 16-18 devoted
to delayed restriction.
TAMU officials decided to delay the start of classes
one week in hopes of cutting down on fuel consumption
for heating campus buildings.
Classes were originally scheduled to begin during
the week which is traditionally the coldest of the winter.
If the weather follows its usual pattern, officials reasoned
the university could conserve a significant amount of fuel
by rescheduling and extending mid-term vacation through
that week. Students will now have a four-week vacation
between the fall and spring semesters.
Spring recess begins March 8 with classes resuming
March 18. Commencement and Final Review are scheduled
May 11 and final examinations are May 13-18.
Missile Retaliation Threatened!
Israelis Thrust at
Suez Canal
By The Associater Press
The Cairo command reported
two Israeli thrusts Tuesday at
the Suez Canal. Tel Aviv said
an Israeli task force penetrated
Egyptian territory on the west
bank of the canal and was mak
ing commando-style strikes less
than 100 miles from the Egyptian
capital.
President Anwar Sadat of
Egypt warned that he might
unleash missile war against Is
raeli cities.
Campus Cops Bust
Two Theft Rings
The University Police depart
ment recently cracked two rings
involved in tape deck and bicycle
thefts.
On Oct. 10 three students and
a juvenile were arrested for the
theft of six tape decks, four tape
boxes, five sets of speakers, two
ten speed bicycles, two auto bike
acks and over 400 tapes. The
The recovered merchandise val
ued at $1400, will be returned to
Groups Can
Request Aid
Organizations requesting finan
cial aid may give short presenta
tions at a Bookstore Advisory
Committee meeting next Monday
beginning at 8 p.m. in Room 504
>f the Rudder Center Tower.
Howard Perry, committee chair-
nan, said that it is not necessary
'or the organizations to appear
efore the committee. They may
mbmit their request to the com-
nittee. Organizations wishing to
five presentations should contact
■•illy . Yeates in the Student
inance Office of the MSC or call
6-1114 to schedule a time.
owners beginning today.
One of the decks was stolen
from Bryan, two from College
Station and the remaining three
were stolen from the campus.
Charges are pending at the
County District Attorney’s Of
fice.
Three Bryan residents have
been arrested for the theft of
over 100 10-speed bicycles. Nine
of the bicycles have been recov
ered and investigation is still
underway.
A representative for the de
partment feels that recoveries
could be aided by bicycle regis
tration. Serial numbers are re
corded with the campus police
when a bike is registered and
provides positive identification.
“Nine times out of 10 we can
raise numbers with acids that
have been filed off” said the de
partment spokesman. “However,
most serial numbers on the bi
cycles recovered weren’t even filed
off.”
The group would steal the bi
cycles from campus and sell them
for $25-$30 in Bryan. They
would then re-steal and re-sell
the bikes.
Tanks slugged it out in major
battles in Syria, and the Syrian
command said the fighting con
tinued into the night.
The Egyptian command said
Israeli armor assaulted a beach
head at about noon and tried to
cross the canal about 2:30 p.m.
at another point. Both battles
were in the central sector of the
103-mile waterway, and both were
thrown back, according to the
Cairo account.
The Israeli command had no
immediate comment on the re
ported battles.
Seven Israeli tanks made a
“desperate attempt” to cross to
the west bank of the canal in the
area of Great Bitter Lake, about
75 miles from Cairo, the Cairo
command said, but three of the
tanks were destroyed and the
others fled.
The command said Egyptian
air power turned the tide in the
Israeli assault on the beach-head.
The planes “strafed enemy
positions, forcing the enemy to
withdraw, leaving his tanks be
hind on fire,” the Cairo command
said.
Aerial encounters over the
battleground resulted in the
shooting down of 11 Israeli planes
and two Egyptian planes, the
Cairo communique claimed.
Israel claimed its task force on
the west bank of the canal was
striking at Egyptian antiaircraft
missile batteries and artillery. No
point along the canal is more
than 100 miles from the Egyptian
capital.
A senior Israeli military
spokesman, Col. Yehuda Prihar,
told newsmen in Tel Aviv Tues
day night that the Suez west bank
operation was “rather a com
mando type of operation. I don’t
know how long the force will re
main there.”
President Anwar Sadat warned
that Egypt has missiles ready to
carry the Arab attack into “the
very depths of Israel,” if the
Israelis attack the Arab heart
land. But he added that he is
ready to accept a cease-fire tnd
attend a U.N. peace conference
if Israel pulls out of all Arab
lands occupied since 1967.
Later in the day. Premier
Golda Meir told the Israeli par
liament she has received no cease
fire offer “from any source.” She
said the Egyptian drive into the
Sinai had been blunted after 11
days of fierce desert tank battles,
and added:
“The time for a cease-fire will
come indeed when the enemy’s
strength has been broken.
“I have been asked repeatedly,
‘When will it end?’,” she said.
“My answer is, when we manage
to defeat the enemy.”
THE TYPE OF GRAPE, the vintage and the way it is
fermented work in a delicate balance to produce a good wine,
according to Bill Perry, who spoke at a Host and Fashion
Committee presentation Tuesday night. (Photo by Jim
Chamberlain)
president second,” continued Gil
lespie. “This was a hard decision
for me to make, but I have to be
able to be good at one job. I’ve
found I can’t do both.”
Gillespie is withdrawing from
school for the remainder of the
semester.
There was some question about
who would take Gillespie’s place.
The present executive branch was
elected under the RHA constitu
tion which was not approved dur
ing the summer leaving the RHA
operating under the old Civilian
Student Council constitution.
According to Gillespie, the RHA
constitution allowed for the vice
president of student life to step
up into the presidential position
if necessary. Under the CSC con
stitution the first vice president
would take control.
“The executive committee de
cided it was not right to forego
either constitution completely,”
said Gillespie. “The position ob
viously belongs to one of the two
present vice presidents.”
The executive committee chose
Gettermann, junior accounting
major, for the position in a secret
ballot vote before the meeting of
the full council.
Gettermann said he was some
what shocked but prepared to ful
fill the requirements of the 40
hour-a-week job. “If it is neces
sary I will drop a course to lessen
my 17-hour load.”
“The RHA will progress under
T.,” said Gillespie. “Hte’s left in
an odd situation. I’m going to try
my best to give him all the infor
mation I can but Gettermann is
going to need the cooperation of
the body.”
Gillespie continued to stress the
goals of this year’s RHA.
“We need to figure out the func
tion and purpose of the organiza
tion. The RHA has hard times
ahead during its period of transi
tion and the new president will
need all the input and help he
can get.”
Israeli Consul
Presented in
PF Program
Adi Ben-Svi, Israeli vice-consul
for Houston, will speak Wednes
day on “The Origins of the War.”
A Political Forum presentation,
the talk will be at 7 p.m. in
Rooms 225 and 226 of the Me
morial Student Center.
Forum Chairman Ed Jarrett
said the Israeli official agreed to
the appearance Tuesday.
The vice-consul’s discussion
will cover the Zionist movement,
creation of the State of Israel,
origins of the problems between
the Jews and Arabs and the cur
rent state of affairs.
Ben-Svi at one time was the
assistant head of the Israeli in
formation Department in the U.S.
He is the former vice-consul gen
eral for Texas.
No admission will be charged.
Jarrett said the Forum is cur
rently seeking a speaker to pre
sent an Arab viewpoint.
Turnbull Leads
Lecture Series
Dr. Colin Turnbull’s Thursday
presentation in the University
Lecture Series leads off a promi
nent list of 1973-74 speakers.
Later lectures will feature Dr.
H. Guyford Stever, National Sci
ence Foundation head; Dr. Edwin
Doran Jr., TAMU geographer; Dr.
Edward Teller, renowned atomic
physicist, and Dr. Thomas Carlyle
Tuition Fees
Rank Among
Ten Lowest
A&M ranks among the 10
member schools of the National
Association of State Universities
and Land-Grant Colleges with the
lowest charges for tuition and re
quired fees.
Comparative figures for 115 in
stitutions participating in NAS-
ULAG’s annual survey of charges
and costs were released this week
by the association’s Office of Re-
seaarch and Information.
TAMU’s total of $288 for resi
dent tuition and fees for two se
mesters was well below the $520
median charge for NASULGC in
stitutions.
On the basis of overall costs,
including room, board, tuition and
fees, TAMU ranked $149 below
the national average of $1,514 for
resident students.
NASULGC researchers report
ed on a nationwide basis tuition
and required fees for resident stu- .
dents increased 7.21 per cent from
last year, while room and board
rose 6.77 per cent.
Jones, Harvard Medical School
primate research specialist.
Dr. Stever will speak here Nov.
8, on “New Directions for Science
and Technology.”
A Dec. 11 lecture will feature
Doran on “Nao, Junk and Vaka:
Boats and Cultural History.” Tel
ler will speak in January and
Jones is scheduled in April on
“Historical and Prospective Con
tributions of Compaartive Pathol
ogy.” The date of Teller’s presen
tation is to be announced, accord
ing to Dr. Paul Van Riper, series
chairman.
Dr. Turnbull will speak on “The
Ik: A Study of Social Degenera
tion” at 8 p.m. Thursday in the
main lecture hall of the Zachry
Engineering Center. An anthro
pologist of intematiqnal renown,
Turnbull teaches at Virginia Com
monwealth University.
The Ik are social degenerates
located in the mountains of North
east Uganda. Turnbull studied
them two years. They evolved a
culture of extreme individualism
to survive amidst starvation. To
the Ik it’s every man for himself.
They are thrown out of families
at age three and survive by ex
ploiting their families, neighbors,
other tribesmen and the govem-
ment.
Using the tribe to explore the
foundation of morality and order,
Dr. Turnbull will discuss whether
prolonged crises could result in
the “Icean solution” for the rest
of the world.
Dr. Vaughn M. Bryant of the
Sociology and Anthropology De
partment will host Dr. Turnbull.
University National Bank
“On the side of Texas A&M.”
Adv.