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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 9, 1976)
Che Battalion Mo\. 68 No. 88 College Station, Texas Tuesday, Mar. 9, 1976 ! rofessors, student vie r Place 3 on council Local gay group operates hot line By STEVE GRAY Battalion Contributing Editor J)Texas A&M professors and an A&M ptare vying for Place 3 on the College i City Council. [April 3 local voters will decide who | the position formerly held by Coun- i Bob Bell, who is running against bent Jim Dozier in Place 6. E. Murl Bailey, associate professor erinary physiology and pharmacol- aid he wants to work towards obtain- fair utility rate for College Station mts. the first thing we need to do is ns utilities situation squared away, 1 “fd like to stay with Bryan if they ake us a reasonable offer, henvise I think the city should get stdeal they can from another source, Gulf States Utilities. lege Station is negotiating with the [Bryan for the renewal of the utilities ct. The city has purchased water, icity and some sewer service from for more than 10 years. Gulf States is lependent utilities firm serving sev- nall cities in the Brazos Valley. ley said he is concerned also about glocal developers to dedicate enough for the community, hink we’ve had a problem of getting ttle parkland dedicated by local de- ‘rshere. I would like to see the city ue to support and enforce its park- ledication requirements. ” iley received his doctor of veterinary line degree from A&M in 1964. He "1 led his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees form I State University in 1966 and 1968. He | s president of the city’s recreation 3 il and has represented South Knoll entary School since 1973. iley and his wife, Jean, have two chil- 11 1 j J E. Murl Bailey dren. They reside at 1807 Sabine Court. Dr. Larry J. Ringer, 38, is an A&M statistics professor and research statician with the Texas Transportation Institute. He is also a member of the College Station Recreation council and a member of the city’s zoning board of adjustments. T’m interested in seeing the continued development of parks and recreational facilties in all areas of the city,” he said. “In addition to the development of parks, I support and orderly development of our city and controls to keep it as active as possible. “Along with all citizens of our commu nity, I share a concern that we be given a fair deal in the rates we pay for utilities.” Ringer said he supports the continued development of bikepaths and sidewalks. “Along with the bikepaths we need an education program so that the bike riders Larry J. Ringer and the automobile drivers will know their responsibilities and each will be more aware of the other.” Ringer, a member of various university committees and local community groups, received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Iowa State University. He was awarded his Ph D. from A&M in 1966. Ringer and his wife, Jean, and three children live at 702 Thomas. James W. Crawley, 19, is an A&M sophomore journalism major who Monday said he feels that the city’s top priority should be the implementation of its com prehensive development plan. “I think we need a comprehensive de velopment plan that will be followed and not one that is put aside on a shelf and ignored. We need it for orderly growth. ” Crawley said he also is concerned about the present utility contract negotiations ouncil to hear proposal or gas rate increase roposed increase in gas rates for Col- Station residents will be discussed at ity council meeting Thursday'. ie rate increase, which is being re ted hy Lone Star Gas Company, would ,rilv affect commercial rather than res- le average monthly gas bill for area ents will increase by about 80 cents if equest is granted, said A. L. Bartley, manager of Lone Star Gas Co. ie proposal would amount to an eight lent increase in revenues, he said. me Star Gas has asked for the same :ase from the Bryan City Council. allege Station last granted Lone Star a increase in May 1972. Represent base rate of $2.11 for the one thousand cubic feet of gas per th will remain the same under Lone bi s proposed rate schedule. “We feel that the small user should not bear the brunt of the increase,” Bartley' said. For amounts over one thousand cubic feet, Lone Star’s proposed schedule is $1.3982. The present schedule for amounts more than one thousand cubic feet is a five-step progression. “We re real fortunate in the Bryan- College Station area. We (Lone Star Gas) only have a deficit of eight per cent in 1975,” Bartley said. He said Dallas had a 33 per cent deficit in 1975. Bartley said the Texas Railroad Commis sion, which regulates gas prices in the state, set the city gate rate (the price the gas company pays at the wellhead) at $1.0399 on June 30, 1975. Bartley gave the following figures for gas prices in Texas cities of a sizle comparable to Bryan-College Station. These prices are for James W. Crawley being held between College Station and Bryan. “I don t think it’s right if we (College Station) have to buy utilities at a high rate from a city which may be depending on us for some of its operating expenses, ” he said. “If College Station continues its present growth rate they should generate its own utilities, if possible. ” Crawley is a former election judge for Precinct 20 which includes the A&M cam pus. He is also a member of the University Traffic Panel and an active member of Stu dents Concerned for the Handicapped. He is from Dallas and lives in 443 Dunn Hall on the university campus. By DEBBIE KILLOUGH Battalion Staff Writer “Alternative ”, a local homosexual group, has opened a Gay Line for other homosexuals and their problems. Two of the Gay Line workers sat with ease around a table in the main lobby of the MSC as they discussed the purpose of their organization and related personal experi ences. Sherrie (they asked that their last names be omitted), one of the organizers of the Gay Line said the service organization was started last September. The Gay Line serves as a referral service for gays (they prefer to be called gays), who need legal, religious, medical or psycholog ical help in coping with their personal prob lems. The Gay Line also gives information to straights, nonhomosexuals, about gays and their life style.The hotline number is 823-5918. The line is open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday thru Thursday. The Gay Line service receives an aver age of one call a night, most of which deal with religious problems. Frank, average height and wearing a moustache, said a high percentage of the gays feel guilty because of their strict re ligious backgrounds. The hotline workers refer gays with re ligious problems to a minister in Bryan who is an advocate of homosexuality. Sherrie, almost 30, tall and slender and wearing no make-up said the hotline re ceives many obscene phone calls and prank calls. “The prank callers are not very' imagina tive, and they do not do a very good job, ” Sherrie said. The two workers laughed at this, and said they usually find the prank calls very’ funny. Sherrie said many gays call because they need medical attention or tests for venereal disease. “We refer them to doctors who will not condemn or preach to them, but will just give them the medical attention they need,” she said. Another area that the Gay Line deals with is the extensive prejudice that gays are confronted with at A&M. Frank said he was putting up advertisements for the Gay Line last Tuesday night when it was confronted by three male A&M students. The male students pulled a switchblade knife and told Frank they did not ap preciate the gays ruining A&M’s image. They later made Frank take down the ad vertisements he had put up. There was no hostility or anger as Frank related the story, and he later said, “I know this type of reaction from the straight guys comes from a fear because they lack know ledge in the subject of homosexuality. Sherrie said the workers for the Gay Line were stable in their life style which made it helpful in dealing with homosexuals and their problems. Dr. Wade Birch, director of Personal Counseling services at A&M, and a psychologist, contacted at a later time, said homosexuality has been taken out of the American Psychiatric Association listing of mental disorders. However, homosexual ity is still a crime under Texas law. “We re not trying to freak anyone out with the Gay Line. All we want to do is to get in touch with other gays to help them understand and accept themselves,” Sher rie said. 6,400 cubic feet of gas including gas cost adjustments: Sherman $7.19 Texarkana 7.89 Bryan-College Station 9.13 Denton ...13.00 Killeen 13.27 Temple 13.31 Texas City 16.65 McAllen 17.74 Victoria 18.29 Harlingen 18.63 Bartley said that under the company’s proposed rates for Bryan-College Station the same rate would be $11.72. It is expected that the College Station city council will schedule a public hearing on the proposed rate increase. Bartley said a request by Lone Star for a rate increase in Sherman has been trurned down by its city council. Lone Star has filed an appeal with the Texas Railroad Commis sion. It will be heard next month, Bartley said. —Jerry Needham TRHA Convention Delegates to the spring convention of the Texas Residence Hall Association take a moment to get acquainted before last night’s session. The con ference, which includes delegates from colleges and universities throughout Texas, will continue through Sunday. Staff photo by Jim Hendrickson He isn’t paid to pray Religious director duties questioned Index Jattalion editor I esigns lattalion Editor James Breedlove has gned. Ireedlove submitted his resignation to >G. Rogers, student publications board irman, yesterday afternoon. Ireedlove said he was resigning for “per il reasons, which also may make it essary for (him) to resign from the Uni- iogers appointed Roxie Hearn acting Bit or after receiving Breedlove’s resigna- i. The Student Publications Board must irove the appointment. I felt I had to go ahead and appoint lebody,” Rogers said. “It was too late in day (3 p.m.) to call a board meeting. It was a logical decision to go to second -harge, ” he said. The publications board unanimously re ted a request in December that Breed- e be fired. That request, signed by a nber of present and former Battalion tors and staff members, charged Breed- ewith incompetence and unprofessional iduct. The board said the dismissal request was ed on personal differences of opinion ween Breedlove and staff members, and titwas not sufficient grounds for dismis- By SANFORD RUSSO Contributing Editor Texas A&M employs a religious director, paid by Student Services Fees, to direct the operation of three areas not funded by Student Services fees. Hensel Park, a recreational facility, the All Faiths Chapel, a building donated as a religious facility, and the Student Y, part of the national YMCA program, are under his supervision. Logan Weston, who is salaried at $14,000 for the ’76-’77 fiscal year, is an ordained minister. He said he doesn’t prac tice his calling beyond marriage counsel ing, when couples come to reserve the Chapel for the marriage ceremony, or an swering an occasional question on religion. The religious director position is one that will probably be phased out. Dr. John Kol- dus, vice president of student services, said. Until that time, he said students will continue to fund the position and pay Wes ton for his personal commitment to the University. Koldus said when he stepped into the vice presidency, many campus positions were already filled. He said he will allow people to serve in their designated jobs until they retire. At that time, he will reor ganize and consolidate. When retirement comes due for Wes ton, both the position and the type of per son to fill its responsibilities will be under reconsideration, Koldus said. Weston said he was hired 8 years ago during the time Earl Rudder was presi dent. The only thing Rudder asked Weston in his employee interview was, “Can you cook steak?,” to which Weston replied, “I’ll try to learn.” At that time the major responsibility of the religious director was to direct the usage of the Y building. The building be longed to the national YMCA until 1971 when the lease ran out and the University bought the building. Until that time the building was used for athletics, social and religious activity. When the University bought the building it was converted into office space. The build ing is now under the management of the Building Use Committee; it was previously under the Y secretary or religious director’s control. Now the Y is housed in the MSC 216 (the Student Programs Office.) The program is operated on funds from membership dues collected. Another major responsibility of the reli gious director was the operation of the Hensel Park facility. The Y director organized activities. scheduled use of the facilites and provided services as steak chef for groups requesting that service. Weston said the demand for steak chef has decreased significantly in the last few years because of the price of meat. Weston also had control of the actual use and policy of the park, but a Student Ser vices committee has since taken over this duty. Weston said he had worked up a plan for the usage of the area, but the committee was established before he could implement it. Parts of his plan have been accepted by the committee. Weston pushed for the re novation of the cabin at the Park. The cabin has been remodeled into a residence where three student maintenance workers for the park live. Weston did a good deal of the labor on the cabin himself. He reserves the park for usage. He schedules the roads and picnic areas during football season as camping grounds. He also reserves the play areas, which were once lakes, for use so there is no doubt about who should be using them at any time. The park at one time was going to be used for a bird sanctuary and/or an exotic plants reserve, said Weston. Now the area has many different varieties of plants that the Hensel Park Committee is trying to preserve. Clearing of the area would be a mistake as far as Weston is concerned, but he has only an ex-officio voice on the park committee. Weston also works as the reservationist for the All Faith Chapel and oversees any maintenance done on the building. He checks the building three times a day be cause there is no one to occupy the two offices in the building. Weston does minor repair on the Chapel himself because there are no funds to main tain it. He also supervises the use of the Chapel on weekends, which consists mostly of wedding ceremonies. He some times spends 40 hours a weekend working on rehearsals and the ceremonies. The combined time for the two events is three hours. There is nothing illegal about having a religious director on the campus, said Dr. Norma Foreman, a member of the Texas University Coordinating Board staff. As long as there is no conflict of church and state, the money can be spent by the University in any manner it sees fit, she said. There is no state-wide policy on the matter and as long as there is no teaching of sectarian doctrine, there is no conflict of interest. Foreman said. Florida primary is destined to be come a battleground for Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. Page 2. The Supreme Court ruled that federal district courts no longer must follow the 1965 Voting Rights Act concerning reapportionment plans. Page 3. An Ohio businessman, kidnaped in Venezuela, has yet to be found after 11 days of silence from the kid napers. Page 3. Patty Hearst is described in court as the queen of the Symbionese Lib eration Army. Page 6. FBI surveillance operations have been aimed primarily at minorities and irate taxpayers. Page 6. THE FORECAST for Tues day and Wednesday is continued partly cloudy. Today’s high 64; tonight’s low 46; Wednesday’s high 73.