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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 19, 1975)
Pi page 2 Campus Comments THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, NOV. 19, 1975 Testing system weak ‘Second coming’ vigil continues By SANDY RUSSO Campus Editor Testing has got to be changed. Any system that can perpetuate a series of memorization and “out- v guessing the prof’ has got to have : something wrong. Most students during “quiz Kv Weeks’’ walk around with eyes ■ glazed, hands trembling, looking <; more like hyperactive tarantulas . than students. Quiz weeks are those times in the semester when stu- > , dents swear profs unite with the Single goal of so exhausting the stu- dents with endless quizzes that ,> vl they’ll all go home leaving the cam- V jjqs to researchers, ti For some unknown reason, stu- dents tend to leave all studying to qhe time. At that point studying be- comes little more than memoriza- tton of those things that a student V v^# esses ^ rom his notes a from his notes are impor- , ' : Unfortunately for some, memori- • i j,.2ation is a short proposition and .'r when it comes time to take a GRE V -(Graduate Records Exam) the scores j look like IQs. •j£. - If there were some other way to Xmotivate students to learn it would jaaake a lot more sense to use it. < : i "A Somewhere in the depths of every /'•L fctudent’s sub-conscience there lurks the phrase “learning can be fun.” Si,I SLOUCH m ■- #■ Taking tests is anything but fun. The student is pitted against the prof, his fellow students and his own abilities of scaring himself to death. Time pressure, pencils breaking and pens running out of ink plague every student. The answer then lies in a way to make the student satisfied and the college satisfied because testing is the only way to determine a grade. Hail almighty grade, a label tried and true for the ivory tower of graduate school and the dollar fac tory of big business. Learning should therefore be motivated by something more than a grade. Learning should be moti vated by sheer desire to know some thing about what a student is getting himself into for life. Testing defeats education to a great extent because people don’t learn to pass tests, they just plain memorize facts to barf-up at the ap propriate time and place. Maybe there’s some truth in the adage, “Experience is the best teacher.” Perhaps instead of testing all the time, each graduating senior must spend one semester out in the “real world’’ proving that he indeed learned his stuff, before earning the diploma. That’s called on the job testing. Then the student can really prove that he has integrated those things he has learned into a meaningful education. If he didn’t, he can come back to school, re-learn his education, and instead of being released from his first job, he’ll be able to re-test until he gets it right. Another alternative is weekly tests like in elementary school. Re member how well those spelling words got learned because they were tested every week? If weekly testing caught on here, trying to memorize such a volume of material would be unneeded, a stu dent would have more test grades to work with and since the students would be more motivated (more tests more motivation) a greater amount of knowledge would be re tained. Associated Press GRANNIS, Ark. — Officials say they have exhausted all legal av enues to force 25 persons to aban don a 50-day-old vigil for the second coming of Christ and the end of the world. Juvenile Court Judge J. B. Stevenson said Tuesday that health officials have completed an inspec tion of the small brick house where the vigil is headquartered and found no violations of law. “The prosecuting attorney says there’s nothing left for us to do,” Stevenson said. “We re just going to sit tight and see what happens, and hope this doesn’t get any more out of hand. ” The vigil began in late September when one member of the group re portedly had a revelation from God that Jesus would come to them, that the world would be destroyed, and that they would be saved if, they stayed together in isolation. Members of the vigil quit their jobs, took their children out of school and moved in together in the house on the outskirts of this town of 177. “The dry weather is what is saving them,” Stevenson said. “If we get a little rain, that overworked septic tank is going to back up on them. Then we can step in and do some thing.” Stevenson said the county nurse examined the inside of the house and “found everything to be up to standard.” The judge said he was particularly concerned about four children under the age of 18 who are in the house. He said one of the children is an infant, one is 2, and the other two are ages 16-18. “I specifically told the nurse to check each of the children, and she said they were OK — not even a cold among them,” Stevenson said. In late October, Stevenson or dered the sheriff to remove six other children from the house against the wishes of their parents. He said the court could take cus tody of the children because of a state law that requires children under age 16 to attend school until they have completed the eighth grade. Stevenson said the six children are doing well in school and have adjusted well to their foster parents. “We don’t know what else to do, Stevenson said. “I’m told that the fHerl DoruT LOOK AT n£) LIKE THAT! I'M (MOT MAKINO THIS UP* J V people stand together in a (u holding hands and praying f« hours at a time. I’m all for pn but that sounds like an entity test to me.” Since the legal efforts to eaj vigil have failed so far, Stas said he has tried to reason wil vigil members on religiousgro® “I passed along messages toj to read the 24th chaptei Matthew,” the judge said. Mato 24 warns of false prophets aaj Jesus “is coming at an hourjw not expect.” Steven said he has received" mail from as far away as Brazil' cause of his involvement in the “The letters say I’m in with their religious freedoms,’ said. “All I’m trying to do is see those kids.” 1 KIUOJ A GIRL ip PSYCHOLOGY 414- YOU ICOULU TALK TO, Tin Jim Earle. MO’S 60IN6 TO SlTON SNOOPY'S HOUSE, ANP 6UAf?P THIN6S WHILE HE'S MM? HAPPY COTTAGE 809 E. 29th Bryan 3 blocks from City National Bank SENIORS Check our special prices for full length portraits for the Centennial Class of ’76. UNIVERSITY STUDIO 115 College Main, Northgate 846-8019 Texas A & M University Great Trips 11 DAYS JANUARY 5-lS Depart Houston Via Air France - January 5 - Overnight flight - Arrive Europe January 6 - Return to Houston - January 15 “No matter how hard we try, his idea of a big celebration is taking the afternoon off! Cbe Battalion ji§Y .. • Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or ~ - ” off he writer of the article and are not necessarily those of the f' .L university administration or the Board of Regents. The Battal- T,.: fort is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated by stu- , dents as a university and community newspaper. Editorial ' policy is determined by the editor. w 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 ■ j staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guaran- ' • tee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the ' address of the writer and list a telephone number for verjfica- twn. Address correspondence to Listen Up, The Battalion, Room j? ^217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843. pYy t j., M • 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, V-'; Tom Dawsey and Jerri Ward. l Director of Student Publications: Gael L. Cooper. ■kifc ■> ■im mfe ■ m AVORIAZ $513 JANUARY 6 - ARRIVAL IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, VIA PARIS. TRANSFER VIA MOTORCOACH TO AVORIAZ, FRANCE. TOUR PRICE INCLUDES: * ROUND TRIP AIR VIA AIR FRANCE - HOUSTON/GENEVA (VIA PARIS). COMPLI MENTARY MEALS AND BEVERAGE SERVICE SERVED DURING YOUR FLIGHTS * NINE NIGHTS LODGING - SNO BUILDING,- AVORIAZ - FOUR PERSONSTOOCOI PY TWO BEDROOMS APARTMENTS - ALL APARTMENTS WITH PRW ATE BMH. * ROUND TRIP GROUND TRANSFERS, TO AND FROM AVORIAZ, DELUXE BUSES * SERVICES OF A FULL-TIME GUIDE TO ASSIST THE SKIIERS * BAGGAGE HANDLING, TAXES AND GRATUITIES ON INCLUDED FEATURES. "NEW" SKI RESORT - 40 MILES FROM GENEVA - CABLE CARS ROMAS - GONDOLAS - CHAIRLIFTS - HIGH - FACES SOUTH - BEST SNOW ANDSUN!!! Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Tlie Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M, is published in College Station, Texas, daily except Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and holiday periods. Sep tember through May, and once a week during summer school. Mail subscriptions are $5.00 per semester; $9.50 per school year; $10.50 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 5% sales tax. Advertising rate famished 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 dispatched credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein are also reserved. Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas. MEMBER The Associated Press, Texas Press Association Editor James Breedlove Assistant Editor .Roxie Hearn \ City Editor Steve Gray Campus Editor Sandy Russo Sports Editor Paul McGrath Photography Director Jack Holm LONDON $500 OPTIONAL, LOWCOST TOURS WILL BE AVAILABLE JANUARY 6 - ARRIVAL IN LONDON, ENGLAND. VIA PARIS. TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL VIA MOTORCOACH. TOUR PRICE INCLUDES: * ROUND TRIP AIR VIA AIR FRANCE - HOUSTON/LONDON (VIA PARIS)'. COMPLI MENTARY MEALS AND BEVERAGE SERVICE SERVED DURING YOUR FLIGHTS * NINE NIGHTS LODGING - SUPERIOR FIRST CLASS RUSSELL HOTEL (OR SIMI LAR. TWIN-BEDDED ROOMS WITH BATH - DOUBLE OCCUPANCY. * CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST DAILY * HALF-DAY SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF LONDON TO GET YOU ACQUAINTED. * ROUND TRIP GROUND TRANSFERS, TO AND FROM HOTEL AND AIRPORT. * BAGGAGE HANDLING, TAXES AND GRATUITIES ON INCLUDED FEATURES. .-.v % M - m Just thinkin’ about those krout dogs mokes you hungry. Wienerschnrtzgl Texas at 30th Street HOURS: Sun.-Thurs.: 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fri. & Sat.: 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. PARIS $512 OPTIONAL, LOWCOST TOURS WILL BE AVAILABLE JANUARY 6 - ARRIVAL IN PARIS, TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL VIA MOTORCOACH TOUR PRICE INCLUDES: * ROUND TRIP AIR VIA AIR FRANCE - HOUSTON/PARIS. COMPLIMENTARY MEALS AND BEVERAGES SERVED DURING YOUR FLIGHTS. * NINE NIGHTS LODGING - SUPERIOR TOURIST CLASS SOFITEL (OR SIMILAR) TWIN-BEDDED ROOMS WITH BATH - DOUBLE OCCUPANCY * CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST DAILY * HALF DAY SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF PARIS TO GET YOU ACQUAINTED * ROUND TRIP TRANSFERS - AIRPORT/HOTEL - DELUXE MOTORCOACH. * BAGGAGE HANDLING. TAXES AND GRATUITIES ON INCLUDED FEATURES * SERVICES OF HOSPITALITY DESK TO ASSIST DURING YOUR STAY TOUR ITALY $639 OPTIONAL, LOWCOST SIDETRIPS WILL BE MADE AVAIL ABLE DURING THE TOUR IN MAJOR CITIES. JANUARY 6 - ARRIVAL IN GENEVA, VIA PARIS. TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL VIA MOTORCOACH. (Italy price based on minimum of 35 passengers, TOUR PRICE INCLUDES: jf fewer than 35 apply, price subject to change) * ROUND TRIP AIR VIA AIR FRANCE - HOUSTON/GENEVA (VIA PARIS). COMPLI MENTARY MEAL AND BEVERAGES SERVED DURING YOUR FLIGHTS. * NINE NIGHTS LODGING - THREE STAR HOTELS THROUGHOUT - TWIN BEDDED ROOMS WITH BATH - DOUBLE OCCUPANCY. * CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST DAILY * ALL GROUND TRANSPORTATION - TO AND FROM AIRPORT AND HOTEL IN GENEVA AND TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE TOUR. * BAGGAGE HANDLING, TAXES AND GRATUITIES ON INCLUDED FEATURES. ITINERARY: GENEVA (1 NIGHT), PISA (1 NIGHT), ROME (3 NIGHTS), FLORENCE (2 NIGHTS), MILAN (1 NIGHT), GENEVA (1 NIGHT). > ******************* ah p r j C es Include Tax and Service Including U. S. Departure Tax ************************* DEPOSIT OF $100.00 DUE IMMEDIATELY - BALANCE DUE BY DECEMBER 12 ******************* **#•■*•*«•* For Additional Information, Please Contact: M.S.C. Student Program Office - (713)845-1515