It‘ help (nr
ings.
/” is a vtti
:en hy Bae'
ami licks 1,
words a!
ipleTwislj
ick-and-nl
liner nolfi,
le takesoii
its thatisi
ing. Laiti
n especial
g. The oi
itstandim
irk of Joan';
Inch hittl(
cks offSiif
rs ion hytlii
one notitf
'tts' guilt
nore ridil
ted, Baeii
nade upfn
ork.
once mots
er/storyld
siight Tile
lothervei;
eliness ami
Janis Iain
■nt of Jiit
wever, 4
id Robert,
lie song t
t-l\-Baez t
"Windid
[Xinsetoal
oh Dylan's
, it’s a ven
ut "Didi
Is withjoii
Kial coniki.
ong woiili
h and aim
1 poll off)
iiusical Irt-
ian doesi
inie am'
solo piano
's voice to
id.
sicland fa
• has been
, anyhow,
'atherand
t,' and, of
ing, 'Our
’ he said,
group lias
pronoun
i some in
i' Father-
; the mas-
s Christ,
e was (lie
persons,
lev. Mr.
students
n private
'She' or
still very
Confused insects
create difficulties
By DON MIDDLETON
Battalion Staff Writer
THE BATTALION Page 5
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1975
Diptera disaster
StufT photo 1>\ Dn\ id McCurroll
This is the bumper of an Aggie motorist’s car that finish of a car if not washed off as soon as possible,
ran into a cloud of mating Love Bugs. The swarm- When faced with this situation, don’t turn on your
ing insects can damage the cooling system and windshield wipers.
Oh, that fickle lady — Mother Na
ture. In her more rambunctious moods
she can wreak on mankind hurricanes,
tornadoes or clouds of Love Bugs.
Love Bugs, otherwise known as
honeymoon flies, double-headed bugs
and united bugs, have been recently
seen everywhere on the Texas A&M
University campus. In most cases the
bugs are observed in the position from
which the various common names are
derived.
Actually the term “bugs is a mis
nomer for the amorous insects. They
belong to the same order as flies and
mosquitos, Diptera (meaning two
winged), and not to the order of true
hugs, Hemiptera (meaning half
winged).
A more correct common name is
“March Fly ”, Dr. Horace Van Cleave,
Professor of Entomology at A&M, said
Friday. The name refers to the insect’s
usual habit of emerging from the pup
al, or dormant stage in the spring to
hunt for a mate and propagate the
species.
But, alas, the best laid plans of flies
and men often go astray. This year in
southeastern Texas the unusually high
amount of rainfall gave rise to a second
generation of the unabashed honey
moon flies, Dr. Ray Frisbie, extension
entomologist, said Friday.
It seems that the larvae of the Love
Bug, the stage immediately after the
egg, feed on decaying organic matter,
Frisbie said. The more rainfall, the
more decaying organic matter. The
more decaying organic matter, the fas
ter the larvae develop into the pupal
stage.
The faster the larvae enter the pupal
stage, the earlier the pupae emerge as
adults whose only purpose in life is the
perpetuation of the species.
Aggies coped with the inconveni
ence in different ways. Some students,
mostly larger in stature and wearing
blue jeans, doggedly swat the bugs that
alight on shoulders and legs pre
sumedly to get their second wind.
Others grab at March Flies locked in
connubial bliss, and sadistically pull
them apart.
But the number of insects killed
either by a blow of the hand or by a
broken heart is insignificant when
compared to the thousands of other
individuals who escape to fulfill their
duty in the overall scheme of things.
Despite the large number of the
bugs flying around, economic damage
is only minor. The Love Bugs do no
damage to crops nor do they sting,
thank goodness.
However, you may have noticed au
tomobiles around campus who have
run afoul dense aggregations of the
mating insects. If the bugs are not
cleaned as soon as possible, they may
damage the finish as well as clog the
cooling system of the car.
Another danger encountered while
driving through clouds of Love Bugs is
quickly discovered when an unfortu
nate soul tries to improve his vision by
turning on his windshield wipers.
There is a positive side to almost
every mishap, and the Love Bug
plague is no exception.
It has been found that a pair of honey
moon flies crawling across one’s desk
creates a interesting and educational
diversion during those long nights of
study.
Another Aggie, who must remain
anonymous for his own safety,
theorized that if the bugs were dried
and ground up into a powder, they
could be used as an aphrodisiac.
By the time you read this, if you read
this, the Love Bugs will be gone for the
most part. You may see isolated die-
hards still doing their part for the
species, but the vast numbers which
have darkened radiators for the past
three weeks will be gone.
Rest assured, however, that the
Love Bugs died happy, safe in the
knowledge that their progeny will be
around at least another season.
Both sides of story
International students seen differently
By STEVE REIS
Battalion Staff Writer
The administration
angle *”'*
Strangers in a strange land, they walk
among the natives; they try to understand
the customs and try to fathom the language.
No, not a scene from a science fiction
novel hut a picture of Texas A&M Univer
sity todav.
The International Student is basically a
stranger in a strange land. He must adjust
to a new culture and a different way of life.
There are approximately 1,100 Interna
tionals on campus this semester, Corkey
Sandel said recently. Sandel is presently
the Assistant Student Adviser in charge of
Foreign Students.
Enrollments up
International enrollments have in
creased almost ten per cent over last
spring. These students represent almost 75
different countries and cultures, said San
del.
Most of the students scholastically com
pete with others from their own nations for
the chance to attend American univer
sities. Once here, they find problems they
may not have expected, said Sandel.
Sandel said that the incoming freshman
internationals meet with vast cultural dif
ferences. They see that the American stan
dard of living is different from their own.
They find a shocking overabundance of
such conveniences as telephones, televi
sions and cars. Once the International has
become accustomed to the cultural differ
ences, he still must contend with the lan
guage harrier.
mmm
Finance a problem
The financial troubles the International
has are the same as other students’ but
Americans do not consider the problems
involved with the comparative values of
different currencies.
Although the International may seem to
pay less than an out-of-state student, it is
actually much more. An International’s
father may have to work a year to pay one
semester’s fees, Sandel said.
He cited the example that one Interna
tional’s father used his life savings in order
to send him to school at A&M.
Their grades are usually in the upper
percentage of their academic peers because
of the greater amount of incentive, Sandel
said. They are pushed hy a desire to return
to their home country successfully, as well
as financial sacrifices that their parents go
through, Sandel said.
They are active in many intramural ac
tivities, said Sandel. Especially in sports
like rugby and soccer. They also participate
in extracurricular activities on campus.
Many of them are also part of a Host
Family program. The program consists of a
local family inviting the International to
their home at least once a month. This is to
facilitate exchange of culture, said Sandel.
Where
An International Student ponders
through the card file of the library.
It’s a miserable time
After the fall semester is over, the Inter
national is exposed to a very miserable
Christmas-springbreak vacation. “Most of
them sit and watch TV or walk around a
deserted campus, said Sandel.
11 they are lucky or live close to the Un
ited States, they may get to go home for the
holidays, he added. Most are not that for
tunate.
Sandel had much to say concerning the
usefulness of the International Student.
“We do not utilize their presence to the
fullest extent, he said. “There is much we
could gain from them if we wanted.’
Sandel advocated using Internationals in
classroom situations, both university and
public school.
“If a geography class is studying Pakis
tan,” said Sandel, “what better way to in
terest the students than having an Interna
tional from Pakistan come to class in his
country dress and speak.
■ Slnlf photo In Jack Holm
It is a common sight to see Interna
tionals hard at work studying.
An untapped source
Sandel said that A&M should realize
what an asset the International is to the
campus and use that asset.
He also noted that American students
should take the initiative in meeting and
understanding the International.
“We live in an ever-shrinking world,”
said Sandel. “We cannot Americanize the
whole world, so we should learn to live with
the rest of it.
Sandel also said that he believes the In
ternational Student is the best possible
form of foreign aid. “We are letting the
International know what kind of people we
are. What we have here is a little United
Nations that we should use to break down
barriers of misunderstanding.
We should get to know the Internation
als and let them get to know us, he said. “In
this way, we can set the foundation for a
better and more cooperative world in the
future.
The students’ side
You walk past them everyday, without
noticing. £
You sit next to them in classes, without
smiling.
You eat next to them in dining halls,
without saying a word.
They are the International students, wil
ling to travel a two way street of communi
cation with you.
Lack of communication
Tony Neil, president of the International
Students Association, explained that lack
of communication is the greatest barrier
between the International and the ax erage
American student.
“Of course it takes patience for an
American to wade through someone s bro
ken English,” he admitted, “but if patience
is exercised, soon understanding and
friendship will follow.
nonexistent. And the American wav of life
is much more liberal than other countries.
The media is another point of difference.
In the U. SutAtitle media is concerned
primarily with what happens in the U.S.
said Neil. But in other countries there is as
much international coverage as well as na
tional and local. “We might see a news item
on some old woman in Philadelphia on
television one night. But you would not see
a small article about Australia in this coun
try.
“There is almost a one-way communica
tion as far as this is concerned.
The best wav to change opinions about
the U.S. is share ideas and cultures with
International students.
The Internationals have very definite
opinions of A&M. “A&M is unique as far as
spirit, said Neil, “t.u. is just like any other
university. A&M is isolated so people must
get involved, they must live here in this
fantastic atmosphere.
Academics and economics
“I came to A&M because it has a good
academic reputation and because of
economics. I also came because I would nOt
feel as alienated as I would in some place
like New York.
“Many students come because of the fu
ture in graduating from an American uni
versity,” he continued. “If they can get a
job which will pay $10,000 a year, thev
could live like kings in their own country.
Regardless of their reasons for being at
Texas A&M, most of the Internationals are
represented by the International Students
Association.
And the Association hopes to increase
communication here on campus this year
said Neil. “We hope to have film festivals
and maybe some tvpe of panel discussions
about foreign countries.
Maybe one day the wall of misun
derstanding will be broken down and there
will no longer be Internationals and Ameri
can students, just plain old Aggies.
Communication is not the only barrier to
better relations with the Internationals on
campus. Neil explained that there is rarely
common ground for conversation between
two different cultures.
But if the American student will take the
initiative and he patient, the International
will try his best to meet on a common
ground.
“You should try to gain exposure to In
ternationals,” said Bruce Smith, a student
from South Africa, “there is much that we
can gain from each other.
No more use
“Teachers both on and off campus
utilized the presence oflnternationals last
year by inviting them to their lectures to
speak about their native countries. But
they don’t anymore, said Smith, “and I
think they are losing by this.
Neil then explained that cultural shock is
a factor in the disorientation of the Interna
tional. “Many of the students from such
countries as Taiwan, the Middle East,
India and South America meet with totally
different lifestyles and languages when
they enter Texas A&M University.”
“Some are amazed at such little things as
radios in cars, said Smith.
It is the shock of entering a new and
different style of life that may make the
International afraid to open the door of
communication with A&M students.
Part of the cultural shock can be illus
trated by the difference between American
and Australian public schools. In Australia,
they must wear uniforms to school every
day, until graduation from high school.
“We wore grey socks, shorts, shirts, ties
and black shoes,” said Neil. “Imagine how
difficult it is for American Internationals to
adjust to that.
Money unimportant
Other cultural differences include the
American importance of money. Smith
pointed out that in South Africa, money is
simply not that important. He continued
by saying athletic scholarships are almost
International
(Left) The president of the Interna
tional Students’ Association, Tony
Neil and his Finance Chairman,
Bruce Smith pose on the walkway
spokesmen
between the Rudder Tower and the
MSC.
Neil is from Australia and Smith is
a student from South Africa.