Page 2
THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1975
Silver Taps: Old Main, 1898
By DON MIDDLETON
and
JOHN ADAMS
In the stillness of the night the
steady approach of the Ross Volun
teers is heard by all who stand in
respect for their fallen comrades.
The quiet is shattered by a twenty-
one gun salute and the mellow notes
of taps — Silver Taps.
Aggietoons
illiilmii
TODAY (TOLL CHLCY FOR-
BlCVCLC R£6lSTRATIOWS.
HORL COM6S A BIKO-Yoo
JUST WATCH THIS FIRST
Tine, nme.
Excuse ne. cjould t
You rriroD stoppiwg
AILD LeTTlWC- us...
“1
This ‘most sacred of Aggie tradi
tions is the one we hope we do not
have to observe with any frequency.
The unique ceremony, relatively
unchanged through the years, has
remained dear to all Aggies. Among
the masses of students and the bus
tle of university life, the individual
as a comrade in spirit is not forgot
ten.
The Silver Taps ceremony was
first held in 1898 in front of Old
Main, where the Academic Build
ing stands today. Until 1912 when
this massive building burned, the
“Farmers ”, as the students were
known then, would pause a few
moments in memory of deceased
cadets. With the playing of taps all
was quiet campus-wide in honor of
the student.
After 1912, Silver Taps was held
in front of Goodwin Hall and at
other locations on campus. The
Academic Building was completed
in 1914, and with the formal dedica
tion of the Ross Statue in 1919,
Silver Taps was moved back to the
vicinity of the main flag pole.
Students, on the night afterword
was received of a cadet’s death,
would gather silently in the dark of
the evening. The Corps bugler then
blew the notes of taps.
Before long, notices were posted
at the base of the flagpole giving the
name, hometown and date of death
of the Aggie, as the students became
known in the mid 1920 s. The flag
was lowered to half-mast through
out the day.
In 1930 Colonel R. J. Dunn, the
director of the Aggie Band, com
posed a special arrangement of taps
to be played by two buglers. At this
time the buglers mounted the
rotunda of the Academic Building to
play:
Soon, the notes of Silver Taps
were followed by the now-familiar
21 gun salute. In the still night air
the crack of the rifle vollies echo
throughout the campus followed by
the rush of wind as birds around the
Academic Building fly from their
tree-top perches. Their flight and
the silence that ensues leaves those
who stand with a feeling that the
departed Aggie is not alone.
As the years passed, the number
of buglers was increased to six.
Three times, soft and sad, they play
the solemn notes of taps. With the
last note, the students quietly go
their separate ways.
Silver Taps will be held tonight
for Steven Ray, Steven McGuirr
and Toby Cote.
Silver Taps in 1935, with lights on to take the photograph.
Courtesy of University Archives.
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This space contributed by the publisher. *
Editor:
I would like to defend myself as
one of those bated bicyclists men
tioned in your article “Dodge Those
Bikes! ” (Sept. 5)That “two-wheeled
terror is the ouly means of trans
portation for off-campus students,
since there are no parking spaces for
cars.
The bicycler’s biggest problem is
pedestrians: those who do not look
ahead anywhere but the ground in
front of them; those that walk four
abreast; those that stop dead in their
tracks to form a chit-chatting
roadblock. 1 can’t begin to count the
number of times I have been hit by a
pedestrian and thrown in a heap.
Bicyclists receive little more re
spect from cars. We are expected to
follow traffic rules, yet we are not
given equal rights on the streets.
There is no such thing as a left turn
for a hiker.
Bicycles, especially 10-speeds,
are hard to maneuver through erra
tic walkers and around sharp
curves. Hand brakes do not work as
well as human feet or power brakes.
Often the ground is out of reach
from the seat of a 10-speed, making
sudden stops difficult. On wet or
muddy pavement, bikes easily skid
out from under the rider, and
brakes become useless.
Curbs are a major problem:
bikers bang their expensive
Absolutely true !
unpeniasly false/
unquestionably true !
Reasonably true /
few
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UNP£f?STANPABLY false/
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Che Battalion
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor
or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily those of
the university administration or the Board of Directors. The
Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated
by students as a university and community newspaper.
Editorial policy is determined by the editor.
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are
subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The
editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does
not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be
signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone
number for verification.
Address correspondence to Listen Up, The Battalion, Room
217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843.
Members of the Student Publications Board are: Bob G. Rogers, Chairman: Dr.
Gary Halter: Dr. John Hanna: Roger P. Miller: Dr. Clinton A. Phillips, Jeff Dunn,
Tom Dawsev, and Jerri Ward.
Director of Student Publications: Gael L. Cooper.
Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services, Inc.,
New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.
The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M, is published in College
Station, Texas, daily except Saturday, Sunday. Monday, and holiday periods,
September through May, and once a week during summer school.
Mail subscriptions are $5.00 per semester; $9.50 per school year; $10.50 per hill
year. All subscriptions subject to 5% sales tax. Advertising rate furnished on
request. Address: The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station,
Texas 77843.
The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all
news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news
of spontaneous origin published herein. Right of reproduction of all other matter
herein are also reserved* (c)
Second-Class |x>stage paid at College Station, Texas.
MEMBER
The Associated Press, Texas Press Association
Editor b"";' B,e f 1 ,IO ' e
Assist.,Ml Ed *'" ie
Mill,aKii,K Editor ‘ ’ '
Cits Editor
Campos Editor
Special Section Editor .Sam > "' so
Sports Editoi . ,
I’liotograplp Director f at °
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speeds over them, but must dis
mount at every curb. There are not
enough bike racks for this most logi
cal form of transportation, and no
place to hide, for the sidewalks be
long to walkers, and the streets be
long to the cars.
My bicycle is my only mode of
transportation here at A&M, my
most valued possession. It is all I’ve
got to get to 8 o clock classes on
those freezing, rainy mornings. My
bike and 1 demand equal rights with
pedestrians and motorists.
Laura Holmes
Surprise help
Editor:
This week I was a victim of the
confusion and misunderstanding
surrounding the distribution of stu
dent football tickets. To make a long
story short, I didn’t get my tickets
when I was entitled to.
1 called the ticket office expecting
to get a “son s-there s-nothing-we-
can-do answer. However, much to|
my surprise, the ticket office man-1
ager, Mrs. Euleta Miller,j
apologized for the mistake and of-;
fered to take care of it. She took time
to find me tickets for the game and
insure that 1 was satisfied.
I’m glad there are people like
Mrs. Miller here. She restored imj
faith that students still count at
TAMIL
Boh Kings here
Allen Academy is opening an
additional section in each grade of
the middle school (grades 6-8).
Limited vacancies in other grades (K-12)
If you are looking for a private school for your son or
daughter to improve his or her academic achievement,
write or call
Director of Admissions
The Allen Academy
Box 953/ Bryan, Tx. 77801
(713) 823-0066
This
man is special.
JERRY H. BIRDWELL, JR. 822-1559
Jerry Birdwell is a specialist in the Optional Retirement
Program, HR-10, and other tax shelters to provide future
financial security for faculty, staff and all professionals. He
understands the problems and opportunities peculiar to your
profession, and would like to be of service to you.
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standard
3200 So. College Ave.
P. 0. Box 3667
Bryan, Texas 77801
The Houston Post
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Call:
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