Page 4 THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1975
Rudd&r exposed^
Tower uses varied
By STEVE REIS
Battalion Staff Writer
It stands high above the campus, silent.
Resolnte in its knowledge that much of what it contains
is unknown to thousands of unsuspecting students, it
waits.
It is the Conference Tower of the University Center,
commonly called the Rudder Tower.
Walking into the base of the Tower, the student is faced
by booths with windows, signs directing him places, and
an information desk backed by a desert sunset.
The windows are where the student may buy tickets to
all on-campus functions except athletics. Directly across
from these windows, the student may go to get a loan or
cash a check.
As he walks toward the elevators, directly in front of
him is the Information desk, used primarily by visitors
and new students. The entire first floor is run mainly by
the Registrar’s Office, said Bill Hensel, Assistant Manager
of the University Center in an interview Friday.
A maze of interest
To the left of the desk, is A&M on tape and film. The
audio-visual display room contains short slide shows
about the different colleges. There is also a 17 minute
public relations film/slide show of Aggieland. The film
was financed by the Former Student Association.
Hidden behind the elevators are the offices of the Man
ager and Assistant Manager of the University Center. It is
here that students may take their questions about the
Center.
The second floor of the Tower is quite intriguing unless
the student has the nerve to ask why it’s there.
In the middle of the floor sits a large desk, resembling a
doughnut with a bite taken from it. Next to the doughnut
is a counter where the secretaries are eagerly happy to
assist.
John Richards, Scheduling and Service Manager,
explained that this is the nerve center of University
Center.
It is here that empty rooms are allocated to students,
The Rudder Tower looms over the
University Center. Students pass
without guessing the contents.
visitors and faculty for meeting and conferences.
The doughnut is used as a registration desk during the
conferences.
But the use of the second floor does not stop with
registrations and scheduling. They are also responsible
for setting up tables in the Memorial Student Center for
clubs to use, and they program the computer readout
monitors that inform students of events in the Tower and
MSC.
But aside from the desk and doughnut, there is little
else on the floor except potted plants and comfortable
couches.
The third floor offers the student a very boring tour.
A boring tour
The third through seventh floors are merely meeting
rooms for clubs, conferences or visiting poets.
There are no offices here, only empty rooms, restrooms
and janitorial closets.
On the eighth floor, there are the Division of Continu
ing Education, Development offices, and coach offices.
The Division of Continuing Education is responsible
for developing, planning and placing conferences
throughout the state as a type of adult education, further
ing knowledge in their field of interest.
The Development Office works with the Association of
Former Students by collecting large monetary grants or
gifts from corporations or wealthy former students.
The other half of the eighth floor is reserved for athletic
coaches who won t fit on the ninth floor.
It is on the ninth floor that the balance of A&M’s
coaching staff has office space, including Emory Bellard,
whose office is tucked away in a corner.
The tenth floor may startle an unsuspecting visitor.
Should some student push the wrong button and step out
here, he may be shocked by the sight of such clean Aggies.
Students browse, stand impatiently or sit nervously.
This is the Placement Office and most of the well-
dressed, sweet-smelling Aggies are here for job inter
views.
They watch the electronic call board, waiting for their
number to light up so they can have their interview
behind them.
From here, we follow the scent of food and travel to the
eleventh floor.
One and a half
The eleventh floor is actually one and one half floors.
On the eleventh floor is the cafeteria of the Tower,
serving only at noon, six days a week.
The half floor, known as 11M is the mezzanine. It is a
sandwich bar, where students, visitors or faculty may go
for a light lunch and the sound of piped-in music.
Hidden behind the elevators on the eleventh floor is a
small lobby-like room with cushioned chairs and a large
glass wall.
Through all the glass walls of the eleventh and 11M
floors, the visitor has a panoramic view of the campus.
This penthouse of the Tower affords its visitors with
elegant furnishings, excellent views of the campus below
and high ceilinged refinement.
The radio reception may fade in and out at intervals but
that is easy to overlook because of the relaxed dining.
The Tower is serviced by three high speed elevators
that may cause a visitor to leave his lunch on the eleventh
floor, but the elevator wastes no time getting to its desti
nation.
There are no service elevators, so the cafeteria is forced
to send down garbage and bring up foods when the Tower
is least likely to be busy.
“This is an inconvenience, admitted Hensel, "but
that s just the way it was built."
The stairs are nearly impossible to find until one is
made aware of their location.
They are at the northwest and northeast corners of the
Tower. The stairs are locked to an outsider on the first and
second floors, but easily opened from the inside in case of
emergency.
There is very little else to the Tower itself. If a student
is curious about the actual layout of atmosphere of the
Tower, the best way to find out would be to go on a tour of
his own. J
Play review
“Plaza Suite” begins
By JOHN BARNES
Drama Critic
A quality production has evolved be
cause of good acting and direction which
supplement Neil Simon’s irrepressable
style and humor, in “Plaza Suite.
“Plaza Suite” is more than just a comedy;
it touches on Simon’s thoughts of the
human condition. His thoughts are brought
to the stage by an extraordinarily good
community theatre group, StageCenter.
A necessity in the enactment of the
characters in “Plaza Suite is an experi
enced cast. StageCenter is fortunate in hav
ing access to a variety of veteran actors.
A fine example of such experience was
shown by the performance oP Jayne
Lansford. Jayne played the delicate role of
a housewife whose husband is involved in
an extramarital affair. She provides the
“comic relief in this most sobering act of
the play, and she does it with polished
realism in her vocal and physical expression
and attitude.
Another example of fine acting was the
characterization of the protagonistic hus
band in the first act, Don Powell as Sam
Nash. As with the rest of the ten members
cast, Don succeeded in the sometimes dif
ficult job of keeping up the quick tempo
this play requires: and a basic in keeping
the audience interest.
An appreciation for the actors in any play
is, concurrently, an appreciation for their
director— the man behind the scenes. In
the case of “Plaza Suite, ” he is Ed Guthrie.
Guthrie exemplified his directing skills first
with his cast choice. From the ever-dieting
Mr. Nash of the first act, to the In-Laws-
to-be, Mr. and Mrs. Hubley (Wendell
Landmann and Jeanno McConal) of the
third act, Guthrie type-casted his crew
both physically and characteristically.
Mr. Hubley s hilarious walk on the
suite’s window’s ledge — eight stories
high, attests to Guthrie’s touch for making
the most of the least in staging.
Guthrie’s production cast also performed
well with the lighting, costumes, and set
and prop accents (not to exclude the most
helpful maids.)
The quality of the actors and director in
the StageCenter production was indeed
impressive. Not only in the eyes of this
critic, but, more importantly, in the eyes of
the attending audience.
Opening night lacked a full house, which
was no reflection on the play. Hopefully,
more of the Bryan-College Station area re
sidents will learn to appreciate the experi
ence of their theatre and “Plaza Suite.
Plaza Suite will run through Sept. 25, 26,
and 27. Curtain time is 8 p.m. Tickets are
$1 for children, $1.50 for students and $2
for adults.
Dan Webster, Devil tangle
in Ag Players’ “Scratch”
Archibald MacLeish s “Scratch
builds on Daniel Webster’s support of
the Fugitive Slave Act. The play opens
with the Devil maintaining that Webs
ter places the Union above all . . .
even above the concept of human lib
erty. When Scratch comes to collect
the soul of the venial politician, Jabez
Stone, Webster defends Jabez before
a jury of the dead and damned, with
Scratch acting as plaintiff. The trial
provides the final battleground for
Webster and the Devil.
“Scratch” is being presented Oct.
2-4 and 8-11 in the Rudder Forum.
The audience will hear arguments
for and against American democracy,
and will be forced to reassess their own
commitment to our country. The
question “Neighbors, how stands the
Union?” becomes one which everyone
who sees “Scratch” must answer for
himself.
There will be 13 regional festr-r.ls,
from which 10 productions (hopefully-
including “Scratch”) will be invited to
take part in a two-week non
competitive festival, with all expenses
paid.
Philip Hafer plays the role of Daniel
Webster, Jim Burford plays Jabez
Stone, and Mitch Hall plays the title
role, Scratch. Other members of the
cast include Steve King as Judge
Hathorne and Bruce Kates as Colonel
Burr. Members of the Jury are Mike
Alford, Gary Woods, James Nichol
son, Mark Penny, Steve Kiser, Brian
McPherson, C. Ray Smith, Walt
Meissner, Hoffman Marett, Mike
Minton, and Mike Wilson. Beau
Sharborough, guitarist, provides
counterpoint to the action. Steve
Kiser provides the dual role of Assis
tant Director and Stage Manager. The
play is directed by R. W. Wenck,
A&M Theater Arts Section.
Working behind the scenes are cos
tume designer, Margaret Thomas;
costume crew head, Kathi Cowgill,
and assistant crew head, Maryeileen
Flanagan.
Set crew consists of Brian McPher
son as technical director, James M.
Thomas as scene designer, and Walt
Meissner as assistant scene designer.
Make-up is in the creative hands of
Marc Chaloupka, assisted by Lonia
Delong.
Properties are the responsibility of
Dana Herell, crew head and Steve
Kiser, assistant crew head.
Steve Kiser is in charge of sound
effects, Russell Harris is house direc
tor, and Jim Burford is business man
ager.
“Scratch” will be performed in the
Rudder Center Forum at 8:00 p.m.
Oct. 2-4 and 8-11. Students’tickets are
from $1.50 to $2.00. Tickets for non
students $2 to $2.50. Tickets are on
sale at the MSC Box Office on the
ground floor of the Rudder Tower.
For ticket information call 845-
2916.
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By DON MIDDLETON
Battalion Staff Writer
of South Carolina scholarly press until
1950, when he left to join the staff at UT.
He is past president of the American As
sociation of University Presses and the
Texas Institute of Letters.
Working with an interim faculty advisory
committee, Wardlaw began drafting the
plans for establishment and operation of
the A&M Press before he had actually res
igned as UT director.
On Sept. 1, 1975, Wardlaw was officially
named Director of the Texas A&M Univer-
Texas A&M University' has joined the
ranks of colleges and universities who have
their own scholarly press.
A scholarly press publishes works judged
to be meritorious in a particular field of
interest. At A&M, this includes fields re
lated to school-oriented research, as well as
works that deal with Southwestern life.
Texas A&M University
Press Emblem
The A&M Press was established Sept. I,
1974. However, it was December, 1973,
when A&M President Jack Williams ap
proached Frank H. Wardlaw, then director
of the University of Texas Press, requesting
that he come to A&M to begin the opera
tion of the Press.
Wardlaw works with a staff of six. Mai. |
garet Ingram, editor, holds a degreefi
Cambridge University and was on tliestall |
of the UT Press several years ago.
Design and production manage]
Raymond Grimaila comes from the Wes
leyan University, Connecticut, Press ami
has been cited by the American Instituted
Graphic Arts for his outstandingbooHe- [
signs.
Don Collins, business manager, comes I
directly from the UT Press, wherehew
assistant business manager. Noel Parsons,
editor, left the staff of the Universityol |
Illinois Press to come to A&M.
Other staff members include Cayla]
Christiansen, administrative assistant and
Diana Hine, assistant to the businessman
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folk
ran;
“Faced with the challenge of establish ing
a new press, ” Wardlaw said in an interview
last Thursday, “I decided to leave the UT
press after 24 years as director. I’m very
happy to be here.
Wardlaw was director of the University
sity Press, although he had been in College
Station since Aug. 1.
The interim committee has been re
placed by a Faculty Advisory' Committee,
chaired by Haskell Monroe, Dean of Facul
ties. The 11 members, appointed by the
university president, decides which man
uscripts will he published.
ager. ' )
The A&M Press will publish eight booh |
this fall. The first, released last week, is
"Storms Brewed in Other Men sWorlds-
The Confrontation of Indians, Spanish,and
French in the Southwest, 1540-1795, by
Elizabeth A. H. John.
“We hope to publish 18 Ixxiks in 1976
and 20-25 in 1977, Wardlaw said, "Hie |
limiting factor is cost. Costs are at ana!
time high in scholarly publishing."
The distinctive press mark used by Ibe
A&M Press was designed by artist Tom La
of El Paso. The design depicts the basic
elements of air, fire, earth and water, sym-
bolizing^ A&M 's concern for all aspects of
the environment.
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Storms explores Indians
tin
By DON MIDDLETON
Battalion Staff Writer
STORMS BREWED IN OTHER
MEN'S WORLDS — The Confrontation
of Indians, Spanish, and French in the
Southwest, 1540-1795; Elizabeth A. H.
John (Texas A&M University Press)
The fledgling Texas A&M University
Press has taken the first positive step to
wards recognition as a major scholarly pub
lisher. With the release of Storms Brewed
in Other Men’s Worlds, the Press has de
clared that only the best in literature will be
published.
In addition to being the Press first book,
Storms is author Elizabeth John s first
major work.
John is a graduate of Oklahoma College
for Women, and received the M.A. and
Ph D. degrees from the University of Ok
lahoma. She has published several
magazine articles on Plains Indians.
Several y ears of intensive research have
reached a powerful climax in the book
whose scope is so complete that it could
easily become an accepted authority in the
field of early Southwestern Indian history.
John has taken a seemingly infinite
amount of facts, dates and events and com
bined them with a sty le of writing that will
satisfy the lay man as well as the historian.
The book’s length, 840 pages, may at first
discourage the average reader. But the text
virtually flows along, and is richly com
plemented by sev eral maps and 16 repro
ductions ol paintings by Indian artists.
Storms seeks to rev eal the im|M>rtanee of
tribal customs, religious fetishes and the
cultural independence of the various In
dian trilves that were present when Euro
peans first arrived.
The clash of Indian ways with thereby)
ous and social mores of European civiliza
tion, and the problems that resulted froni
the submergence of tribal customs roe
probed by the author with perceptive ob
jectivity.
In addition, the book is filled with de
scriptions of factual occurrences that male
enjoy able reading out of what could have
been another textbook treatment of an in
teresting subject.
The A&M Press has made a wise choice
in beginning its publishing life with Storms
Brewed in Other Men s Worlds, atidtlie
world of southwestern literature will bean-
xiously awaiting Elizabeth John's next
work, which will deal with Indians in tie
first half of the 19th century.
A&M budget soars
in fiscal year 75-76
By DON MIDDLETON
Battalion Staff Writer
The operation of Texas A&M University
will cost in excess of $140 million this year,
according to the 1975-76 University
Budget.
Of that amount $55 million comes out of
the taxpayers’ pockets in the form of state
general revenue funds and federal revenue
sharing funds. Another $3.2 million comes
•om the student in the form of tuition and
lees.
4he rest of the money originates from
. su< : 1 so,| rees as interest on time deposits
d by the University, various foundations
am giants and the Association of Former
SMS SS ■■
Students, who will contribute $157,300in
1975.
The interest on the Federal Land Grant
Endowment, the source originally in
tended to subsidize the operation of all land
grant universities, amounts to $14,400ibis
year.
Out of the state funds, $61.8 million goes
to general educational services. Of thatfi-
gure, $26.3 million is spent on salaries for
teachers and administrators.
In case you’ve ever wondered, Univer
sity President Jack K. Williams is paid
$62,088 to run Texas A&M and the Univer
sity system. Executive Vice-President
Alvin R. Luedecke, receives $41,000 per
year.
The various other vice-presidents are
paid about $40,000, with college deans get
ting in the neighborhood of $30,000 to
$40,000.
Research at A&M has become big busi
ness, with some $39 million channeled into
many projects. Some of the relatively un
known programs include the Bengali Lan
guage Project ($2,000), the Pigskin
Radiobiology program ($16,243) and tbe
Shrimp Marieulture project ($83,337).
The Department of Food Sen 1 ices will
spend over $8 million this year. Salaries
and wages account for $3.5 million with
$4.6 million listed for “other expenses.
Director Fred W. Dollar receives $25,000
per year.
Athletics has been big business for a long
time and this year is no exception. Approx
imately $2 million will go for the various
programs funded by the Athletic depart
ment. Athletic Director and Head Coadi
Emory Bellard will get $36,600 of that fi
gure. The assistant Director for Women,
Linda K. Don, will be paid $15,000.
In the “Clean up your Own Backyard
department, A&M Student Publications
will spend $405,755. Income generated
from advertising and sales will generate
$319,000 of that, with the rest coming from
Student Service Fees.
Wages for the Aggieland staffers and the
overworked and underpaid Battalion Staf
fers amounts to $74,400. Director Gael L.
Cooper will receive $18,000.
The University Budget is a three-volume
behemoth enshrined in the Reserve Room
of the University Library for public inspec
tion.
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