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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1974)
w TAMU becomes focal point in palynology research Learning 1 about the geologic past and early man has tradi tionally involved study of stones and bones. Science has added another tool that can pry more powerfully into primitive man, his diet and cul ture. TAMU has become a focal point for the unique research through its anthropology program and the work of Dr. Vaughn M. Bryant, a palynologist. Only two institu tions in the United States have the same capability. Palynology is the branch of science concerned with the study of living and fossil pollen and spores. TAMU next fall will be come the only state institution with a course in the subject. It is of growing concern to archeol ogy, but also vital in geology, Today in the Bait Gas shortages p. 2 New A&M Press p. 5 Ags smash SMU p. 7 oceanography and biology. The offering and Bryant’s re search is expected to attract archeology graduate students to Texas A&M. The university has been approved for a bachelor de gree in anthropology, in which course enrollment has boomed in two years. Archeological samples are sent to TAMU from all over the world for analysis in the Bryant-di rected Anthropology/Palynology Laboratory, part of the College of Liberal Arts Department of So ciology and Anthropology. Bryant works on samples for Texas Highway Department ar cheologist Frank Weir and from ancient Pueblo Indian sites for the National Park Service. The TAMU lab will soon start analysis of materials from one of the world’s richest archeological finds in France. “Dr. Bryant is nationally recog nized as the leader in his field,” commercial Liberal Arts Dean W. David Maxwell. “He is a new breed of anthropologist.” The scientist’s analysis of mi croscopic pollen grains from ar cheological finds can reveal infor mation of a subtle nature not pos sible with other methods. Pollen analysis provides a means of relative dating, a meth od of determining past environ mental conditions and insight into the diet, culture and migration of prehistoric man. These offer clues of how primi tive man adapted to conditions of his environment. More botany than anthropol ogy, palynology as an archeologi cal research technique has flow ered in the last two decades. Sud denly, archeologists began to ask palynologists for help. “They want to know,” Bryant explained, “what the biological remains in a soil sample can tell them.” From pollen extracted from samples, the palynologist can learn whether a primitive people was practicing agriculture, among other things. “Through the process, an archeologist can get more information out of a site,” Bryant explained. The TAMU lab located in Bol ton Hall has analyzed samples from all over Texas, Florida, Ark ansas, Kentucky, Arizona, Peru and Coahuila, Mexico. Bryant’s work has helped push back by 2,- 000 years the date agriculture was introduced into coastal Peru. He is also working on samples from the ancient city of Chan Chan of the old Chimor empire in Peru. The lab is studying samples for noted TAMU geographer Dr. George F. Carter. From a Cali fornia dig he worked last sum mer, the samples are expected to help determine whether man has existed on the North American continent longer than is generally accepted. Carter believes it has been as long as 100,000 years. Enroute to TAMU for analysis is a set of samples from the fa mous Terra Amata excavation at Nice, France. Discovered by French archeologist Henry de Lumley in 1966, the site was found by traditional methods to be a hunting camp occupied sev eral days by Homo erectus some 400,000 years ago. It contained the most ancient footprint of man ever discovered. “The Terra Amata samples will be the most significant I have yet worked on,” commented Bryant, a crewcut, energetic scientist who admits the forthcoming studies excite him. De Lumley chose the TAMU lab for the critical study. His samples consist of more than 100 human coprolites. They will be delivered by courier. The French scientists expects the analysis to reveal information about Homo erectus’ diet and confirm the sea son of the year the ancient camp on the French Riviera was occu pied. Bryant and his lab technicians provide such detailed data by sep arating pollen grains from earth or coprolite samples and then studying the pollen. Extraneous materials are removed chemically. A thin sludge remains that con tains mostly pollen grains. This is mounted on microscope slides for analysis. It is here that the palynolo- gist’s expertise becomes impor tant. Plant life of a particular area and time is reconstructed by determining pollen grain types and amounts found of each. The pollen of each plant has its own characteristic appearance. Pollen grains can be classified by genus and species through study under the light microscope and scanning- electron microscope. The state’s only ethnobotanist, (See TAMU becomes, page 3) Weather Today and Thursday will be fair and mild. High today was 78° and the low will be near 50°. Che Battalion Vol. 67 No. 333 College Station, Texas Wednesday, January 16, 1974 CHAMBER SUPPORT FOR TAMU — Texas A&M Uni versity’s liberal arts dean Dr. W. David Maxwell (left) receives a $300 scholarship check from Don Lade wig, agri culture vice president for the Bryan-College Station Cham ber of Commerce. The award is made each year to a dif ferent college at TAMU. Aggie Players hold tryouts for Pain 9 , Auditions for Rain, the first Persons interested in working Aggie Players show of the Spring semester, will be January 22nd in the Forum Theater, University Theater Arts Complex, at 7:30 p. m. The drama, set on the South Sea Isle of Pago Pago, was adapted from Sommerset Maugham’s story “Miss Thompson”. Directed by Robert W. Wenck, Rain concerns a fanatical mission ary and his obsessive efforts to reform Miss Sadie Thompson, an ex-prostitute. University National Bank "On the side of Texas A&M.” Adv. APARTME on set, light, costume, house, pro gram, prop, or publicity crews are also urged to attend the casting. Production dates are February 2 thru March 2nd with perform ances in the Forum. Other shows on the agenda for the remainder of the Players’ 28th season include: Greensleeves Ma gic, a children’s show; Play It Again, Sam, directed by C. K. Esten; and Glass Menagerie, a student directed show. For information concerning any of the Theater Arts activities, phone 845-2621 or come by room 308 in Bizzell Hall. Delayed registration begins today Over 17,000 students expected for spring semester With 13,300 students already pre-registered, as many as 17,500 students are expected to be at tending classes this spring as de layed registration starts today. “This was the largest and the smoothest pre-registration we ever had,” said Director of Regis tration Donald D. Carter. “We forsee no problems and everything should work real smooth during delayed and late registration.” Although delayed registration and the start of classes were set back a week because of the ener gy crisis, it may prove to be a Arrangements are under way to present the Sid W. Richardson Collection of Remington-Russell paintings at TAMU. The famous paintings of Fred eric Remington and Charles M. Russell will show in the glass- walled exhibits hall of the J. Earl Rudder Conference Center. The show will open Jan. 31, an nounced Charles Stinson, chair man of the sponsoring TAMU or ganization. The Remington-Russel paint ings which Richardson spent his life collecting will be on exhibit at TAMU for six months. Viewing hours will be announc ed, noted Stinson, pre-med major from Temple and chairman of the visual arts subcommittee of the Memorial Student Center Fine Arts Committee. The Richardson Collection is world famous. Part of it was re cently exhibited in the Soviet Union. It was shown at the LBJ Library opening. The collection gift rather than a bother because it gave the school an extra week to prepare. Also, the Registration Center and the Drop/Add Center are now both locvated in the same building (the old Exchange Store) instead of being on opposite ends of the campus as in the past. “With everything located in the same building, registration should go faster and with less confusion,” said Carter. In order to register a student must first secure his registra tion card packet. All students who were not enrolled at A&M during was most recently seen at the opening of a new Tyler museum. A catalogue will be published in connection with the TAMU show. The Amon G. Carter Museum of Western Art will loan a Fred eric Remington bronze titled “Bronco Buster” and three Char les Russell bronzes for the ex hibit. Arrangements for the show, the most prominent ever presented to TAMU students, faculty-staff and area citizens, include a special hanging and lighting system. In surance for the six-month show will be nearly $5,000. Special Uni versity Police protection is plan ned. LaTonya Perrin of Gillette, Wyo., chairs the MSC Arts Com mittee. Environmental design Prof. Philip Kropf advises it. Special advisors for the show are Bill Fore and Alan Stacell, head,, and Graham Horsley of the En vironmental Design Department. the 1973 fall semester will re ceive their card packet in the foyer of the Richard Coke Build ing. Any student who was enrolled at A&M last semester will secure his registration packet at his major department. The student will then meet with a registration advisor at his ma- jom department and have all his courses assigned for the spring semester. The advisor will enter the courses on the Courses Re quest Card in the card packet. The student should then report to the Registration Center to have fees assesed turn in registration card packet and have I. D. photos made. Fees may be paid and schedule of classes secured the following Coed killed in car wreck A 19-year-old Texas A&M Uni versity coed was killed at 9:05 a. m. Tuesday on Highway 6, ap proximately seven miles north of Calvert, according to Department of Public Safety personnel. Patricia A. Ward, daughter of Joyce F. Ward, 2314 McArthur, Apt. 208 in Irving, was a sopho more zoology major. She was killed in a two-car accident in volving her vehicle and an on coming automobile on rain-slick pavement. Three people in the other ve hicle were taken to Robertson County Memorial Hospital in Hearne, and two were later tran- ferred to Temple hospitals. Robertson County Justices of the Peace O. H. King said local arrangements are being handled by Hodges Funeral Home in Hearne. Silver Taps will be scheduled for the student following Jan. 21 resumption of classes at TAMU. day after turning in the card pacvket. Fees will be collected at G. Rollie White Coliseum January 17 through 23, fees will be col lected in the Fiscal Office in the Richard Coke Building. Fees may be paid between 8 a. m. to 11 a. m. Saturday in G. Rollie White. Identification cards may be picked up beginnning Monday at the Registration Center. Shuttle bus routes have been altered at Texas A&M University for the spring semester. Three of the four routes were changed to serve larger areas and more students, announced Dean Charles Powell. Route 1 remains the same. Powell, chairman of the bus committee, said changes approved Tuesday are the results of a com mittee survey. Route 1 will continue to serve the Plantation Oaks, Travis House, Barcelona and Tanglewood apartment areas. Principle streets of the route are University Oaks, Munson, State Hwy. 30, O’Hara and Butler. Route 2 was changed to pro vide service to the newer apart ment complexes south of TAMU, Powell said, no longer going down Southwest Parkway to Wellborn Rd. Shuttle busses on the loop will go from Jersey onto Rose mary, Hwy. 6, Southwest Park way, Welch, Holleman and Ander son. They will service Monaco I and II, University Terrace, Park way, Southwest Village, West Knoll, Holicks and Scandia apart ments. The campus turnaround is G. Rollie White Coliseum. Classes begin at 8 a. m. Mon day and January 25 is the last day for enrolling in the university. The Drop/Add period will be gin January 16 and will end Jan uary 25. The Drop/Add Center will be open from 8 a. m. till noon and from 1 p. m. till 5 p. m. Registration Center will be open daily the same times as the Drop/Add Center. “Route 3 was extended north to the Fairway apartment area, “the dean of men reported. From College Main, the university-op erated buses will go out on Old College Road, North Avenue, Col lege Ave. to Ehlinger and re turn. They will enter and depart the campus by Spence and Ireland. Route 4 previously served only the College View and Hensel areas Powell noted. It will include the Casa del Sol, Boyett and First Street apartment areas. The rout follows Univedsity Drive, Boyett, Spence, College Main, Cross, Nagle and Inlow before making Hensel and College View stops. Route 4 buses will also use the Ireland Street stop on campus. “But service goes into effect Monday at 7 a. m.,” Powell said. All persons should be prepared to present bus passes to drivers when boarding no later than Wednes day, Jan. 21. Spring classes begin Monday, allowing two days to acquire bus passes. Passes are available through the Dean of Men’s office. Rates per semester are $9 for a student, $11 faculty-staff member and $12 for student and spouse. Remington artwork to be shown here Shuttle bus routes changed for spring ROUTE 3 1. Plantation Oaks 2. Travis House 3. Barcelona Apartments 4. Tanglewood ROUTE #1: Scot-lei O’Hara Rhe'tV Sutler □J i + Hi^hwas k >anc<>. ..foal*- £ £ ROUTE 2 /Ww 1. Monaco I, II & University Terrace 2. Parkway 3. Southwest Village 4. West Knoll Townhouses 5. Holies 6. Scandia 7. G. Rollie White (end of line) Old College Main Apts. Casa Blanca Apts. Citadel Apts. Ehlinger Drive Apts. Fairway Apts. Evans Trailer Park Mobil Town Mobile Home Park Timber Lake Mobile Homes Triangle Terrace Boyett Street Ap First Street. Apt: 3. Norcrest Apts. 4. Casa del Sol 5. Casa del Sol 6- Tymes Apts. 7. French Quarters