as been abotli
sales over
se ason ticluj
E^red to 12,(
four
c 'bet sales wer
Weather
Partly cloudy and hot with a
chance of thunderstorms by late
afternoon. High today in the
90’s, low tonight in the
lower 70s. Probability of precipi-
ition 30 per cent today, tonight
years iff and tomorrow.
i- 1 " tal
Cbe Battalion
Vol. 68 No. 129 College Station, Texas Wednesday, June 30, 1976
and Housta
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b vvhich
S voters pass
9 bond issues
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By JERRY NEEDHAM
Battalion Editor
allege Station voters passed all nine
lital improvements bond propositions
terday and indicated decisively on a
iwvote that they do not like the idea of
cling city councilmen through a ward
tern.
)nly 10.5 per cent of the city’s 12,975
istered voters turned out to vote.
Propositions 5, 6, 7 and 8 dealing with
ter, sewer and electrical system im-
ivements passed by a strong majority,
^gathering more than 85 per cent of the
le citywide.
Councilman Gary Halter said last night
! city will begin procedures to get the
ids on the market about mid-July and
iexpect to have some money in hand
jut the end of September.
Proposition 9, calling for the issuance of
10,000 in bonds to help build a civic
iter, encountered more opposition from
lers than any other item on the ballot.
Iy56 per cent of the voters favored this
oposition.
Mayor Larry Bravenec said many people
icwere not fully behind the idea of using
Ehotel-motel tax funds for a civic center
dapproached him about the proposition.
Bravenec said the Council may have
*n at fault for not making it clear that if
ehotel-motel tax funds are not used for
e civic center, they would have to be
Yinal exams
scheduled
next week
Final examinations for the first
summer session will be held next
Tuesday and Wednesday. Each ex
amination period lasts two hours.
Test Day and Hour Classes Meet-
Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, 8 a.m.
Wednesday, 11 a.m.
Wednesday, 3 p.m.
\
2-3:30
8-9:30
10-11:30
12-1:30
used for tourist promotion.
The straw vote on the ward system of
electing councilmen showed that 68 per
cent of the voters favor the at-large system.
The straw vote was added to the ballot
because the original vote held during the
municipal elections in April was very close.
Voters at that time approved a change in
the city charter calling for all six council-
men to be elected from six wards in the city
by a vote of 1,190 to 1,161.
Also a petition signed by more than 700
citizens expressing concern about the va
lidity of the April election was presented to
the City Council within 10 days of the April
election.
Two major points made by the petition
ers was that the wording of the issue on the
ballot was confusing and that many voters
did not vote on the issue because the ballot
did not refer them to the back page where
the issue was located.
It is not clear yet what step the Council
will take now concerning the straw vote
results, but indications are the election will
be contested in the 85th U.S. District
Court.
Here are the items on the ballot.
Proposition 1 — The issuance of
$370,000 Street improvements tax bonds.
Proposition 2 — The issuance of
$970,000 police, fire and warehouse build
ing tax bonds.
Proposition 3 — The issuance of
$360,000 city hall expansion tax bonds.
Proposition 4 — The issuance of
$425,000 park improvement tax bonds.
Proposition 5 — The issuance of
$2,475,000 waterworks system improve
ment tax bonds.
Proposition 6 —- The issuance of
$2,040,000 sanitary sewer system im
provement tax bonds.
Proposition 7 — The issuance of
$2,725,000 electric system improvement
tax bonds.
Proposition 8 — The issuance of
$3,000,000 electric system improvement
revenue bonds.
Proposition 9 — The issuance of
$500,000 civic center convention building
revenue bonds.
Straw vote — All six councilmen should
he elected at-large from the whole city or
by wards.
Precinct and overall totals by propositions follow:
Absentee
Voter turnout — 74
Proposition 1
For — 59 — 81.94%
Against— 13— 18.06%
Proposition 2
For — 65 — 89.04%
Against — 8 — 10.96%
Proposition 3
For —52 — 71.23%
Against — 21 — 28.77%
Proposition 4
For — 50 — 68.49%
Against — 23 — 31.51%
Proposition 5
For — 68 — 91.89%
Against — 6 — 8.11%
Proposition 6
For — 66 — 89.19%
Against — 8 — 10.81%
Proposition 7
For — 63 — 85.14%
Against — 11 — 14.86%
Proposition 8
For — 64 — 86.49%
Against — 10 — 13.51%
Proposition 9
For — 42 — 56.76%
Battalion staff photo by Steve Goble
The people speak
Engulfed but untouched by the bustle of vote-count
ing, College Station Mayor Larry Bravenec scrutinizes a pre
cinct talley-sheet. The voters passed every bond issue — a total
of $12.8 million — with a 10.5 per cent turnout.
Against — 32 — 43.24%
Straw Vote
At-Large — 55 — 76.39%
By Wards — 17 — 23.61%
8) South Knoll School
Voter turnout — 388 — 16.77%
Proposition 1
For — 304 — 79,37%
Against — 79 — 20.63%
Proposition 2
For— 312 — 81.46%
Against — 71 — 18.54%
Proposition 3
For — 270 — 70.68%
Against — 112 — 29.32%
Proposition 4
For — 285 — 74.41%
Against — 98 — 25.59%
Proposition 5
For — 356 — 92.23%
Against — 30 — 7.77%
Proposition 6
For — 360 — 93.51%
' Against — 25 — 6.49%
Proposition 7
For — 357 — 92.73%
Against — 28 — 7.27%>
Proposition 8
For — 359 — 93.25%
Against — 26 — 6.75%
Proposition 9
For — 234 — 60.94%
Against — 150 — 39.06%
Straw Vote
At-Large — 232 — 69.88%
By Wards — 100 — 30.12%
9) A&M Consolidated
Voter turnout — 380 — 13.94%
Proposition 1
For — 258 — 68.98%
Against — 116— 31.02%
Proposition 2
For — 255— 68.18%
Against — 119 — 31.82%
Proposition 3
For — 231 — 62.60%
Against — 138 — 37.40%
Proposition 4
For — 229 — 61.39%
Against — 144 — 38.61%
Proposition 5
For — 306 — 82.04%
Against — 67 — 17.96%
Proposition 6
For — 314 —83.96%
Against — 60 — 16.04%
Proposition 7
For — 296 — 80.43%
Against — 72 — 19.57%
Proposition 8
For — 310 — 83.33%
Against — 62 — 16.67%
Proposition 9
For — 180 — 48.91%
Against — 188 — 51.09%
Straw Vote
At-Large — 235 — 70.57%
By Wards — 98 — 29.43%
10) Fire Station
Voter turnout — 106 — 7.45%
Proposition 1
For —82 —78.10%
Against -— 23 — 21.90%
Proposition 2
For — 83 — 79.05%
Against — 22 — 20.95%
Proposition 3
For — 71 — 67.62%
Against — 34 — 32.68%
Proposition 4
For — 67 — 64.42%
Against — 37 — 35.58%
Proposition 5
For — 94 — 88.68%
Against — 12 — 11.32%
Proposition 6
For — 91 — 86.67%
Against — 14 — 13.33%
Proposition 7
For — 92 — 86.79%
Against — 14 13.21%
Proposition 8
For — 88 — 86.27%
Against — 14 — 13.73%
Proposition 9
For — 61 — 58.65%
Against — 43 — 41.35%
Straw Vote
At-Large — 65 — 76.47%
By Wards — 20 — 23.53%
20) TAMU Univ. Center
Voter turnout — 33 — .99%
Proposition 1
For — 29 — 87.88%
Against — 4 — 12.12%
Proposition 2
For — 33 — 100.00%
Against — 0 — .00%
Proposition 3
For — 26 — 78.79%
Against — 7 — 21.21%
Proposition 4
For — 29 — 87.88%
Against — 4 — 12.12%
Proposition 5
For — 31 — 93.94%
Against — 2 — 6.06%
Proposition 6
For — 32 — 96.97%
Against — 1 — 3.03%
Proposition 7
For — 30 — 96.77%
Against — 1 — 3.23%
Proposition 8
For — 28 — 90.23%
Against — 3 — 9.68%
Proposition 9
For — 21 — 65.63%
Against — 11 — 34.38%
Straw Vote
At-Large — 7 — 28.00%
By Wards — 18 — 72.00%
21) CS Municipal Bldg.
Voter turnout — 45 — 2.94%
Proposition 1
For — 28 — 63.64%
Against — 16 — 36.36%
Proposition 2
For — 23 — 52.27%
Against — 21 — 47.73%
Proposition 3
For — 21 — 46.67%
Against — 24 — 53.33%
Proposition 4
For — 26 — 57.78%
Against — 19 — 42.22%
Proposition 5
For —34 —77.27%
Against — 10 — 22.73%
Proposition 6
For — 36 — 81.82%
Against — 8 — 18.18%
Proposition 7
For — 32 — 72.73%
Against — 12 — 27.27%
Proposition 8
For — 33 — 75.00%
Against — 11 — 25.00%
Proposition 9
For — 19 — 42.22%
Against — 26 — 57.78%
Straw Vote
At-large — 11 — 27.50%
By Wards — 29 — 72.50%
24) College Hills School
Voter turnout — 340 — 20.46%
Proposition 1
For — 237 — 69.91%
Against — 102 — 30.09%
Proposition 2
For — 265 — 78.17%
Against — 74 — 21.83%
Proposition 3
For — 229 — 68.36%
Against — 106 — 31.64%
Proposition 4
For — 226 — 67.26%
Against — 110 32.74%
Proposition 5
For — 303 — 89.64%
Against — 35 — 10.36%
Proposition 6
For — 306 — 90.53%
Against — 32 — 9.47%
Proposition 7
For — 298 — 87.65%
Against — 42 — 12.35%
Proposition 8
For — 301 — 89.05%
Against — 37 — 10.95%
Proposition 9
For — 199 — 59.23%)
Against — 137 — 40.77%
Straw Vote
. At-Large — 217 — 68.89%
By Wards — 98 — 31.11%
Overall totals
Voter turnout — 1,366 — 10.53%
Propositioh 1
For — 997 — 73.85%
(See results. Page 10.)
Civic Center Committee
looking for information
New students learn how it is
Hie city of College Station’s Civic Cen-
irCommittee is seeking citizen input in
etermining desirable features for a facility
ihioh, among other uses, could serve as a
leeting site for local groups.
Committee chairman Albert Pedulla has
repared a questionnaire which is being
Sstributed to representatives of local clubs
nd other organizations known to have
leads for facilities.
Any interested individual or representa-
iveofa group who does not receive a copy
fthe questionnaire in the mail this week
an obtain one by calling the administrative
fe at city hall (846-8868), Pedulla said.
The questionnaire includes provisions
aruser responses to such aspects as meet-
ng rooms, auditorium, game/recreation
room, party room, exhibition space,
music/stage performance room, arts and
craft room, kitchen facility and outdoor
space.
Pedulla said planning for the facility is
just beginning, with the site yet to be
selected.
Preparation of the questionnaire was the
first action taken by the newly formed
committee composed of Ann Sackett, Inger
Garrison, Judy Phillips, Phyllis Dozier,
Manuel Pina, Robert Cornish, D. A.
(Andy) Anderson, Dr. Benton Storey and
Dr. Joe Natowitz. Councilman Lane B.
Stephenson serves as liaison to the commit
tee. Pedulla said additional information
may be obtained from any of the committee
members.
By LISA JUNOD
Battalion Campus Editor
Armed with shiny new student hand
books and armloads of collegiate prop
aganda, hundreds of newly recruited Ag
gies marched across the Texas A&M cam
pus this week as they attended Freshman
Orientation.
The eleventh of the fifteen new student
conferences to be held this summer ended
yesterday, and brought the total numbers
of students attending to 3,083.
The orientation conferences, sponsored
by the Academic Counseling Center, pre
pare students for the rigors of life at A&M
by supplying them with information about
everything from arranging apartment
leases to applying for financial aid. The con
ferences last two days, and open with a
general information meeting in Rudder
Center Theater where students and par
ents are introduced to A&M history and
traditions through the film, “That Certain
Spirit.”
The first evening’s activities also include
remarks by the Cadet Commander of the
Corps and instruction in performing Aggie
yells by Head Yell Leader Jim Bob Mick-
ler. Each orientation crowd usually con
tains at least a few old Army Ags, but many
of the new students are rather hesitant
about bending over and putting their hands
on their knees to belt out a healthy, “Far
mers, fight!
On the morning of the second day the
students rise early to begin testing at Zac-
hry Engineering Center. The placement
tests in chemistry, biology and other
freshman level subjects are administered
by the Counseling and Testing division of
the Academic Counseling Center. Some
students take the tests seriously and study
madly the night before to improve their
performance. But more of them take ad
vantage of an evening away from home rule
in a college town, and take in the sights:
Lakeview, a movie at the Grove, the MSC
decorations.
Although some of the students attend
orientation by themselves, a great many of
them are accompanied by concerned par
ents. Occasionally, parents will even try to
slip into the dorm rooms where their kids
are staying, just to make sure that every
thing is all right. Certain students are
grateful for such parental interest, but then
there are always those who wander about
campus, flanked by Mommy and Daddy,
with sour looks on their faces and campus
maps tucked discreetly under their arms.
Parental attendance is heavy at the stu
dent life meetings held during the after
noon of the second day. For these meet
ings, students are broken up into three
categories: male students, female students
and prospective Corps members of both
sexes. In the meetings, the freshmen are
indoctrinated more fully into life at Aggie-
land, with discussions on on- and off-
campus housing, intercollegiate athletics
and unique A&M terminology.
Karen Switzer, student development
coordinator, conducts the student life
orientations for entering freshman women.
Switzer spends much of her time discuss
ing housing arrangements for the students,
and often reassures parents who sit and
shuffle their feet and information packets,
mumbling discontentedly about the hous
ing shortage.
When the discussion switches to campus
activities and organizations many students
lean forward in their seats and take copious
notes, excitedly planning the many ac
tivities they will become involved in. But
Switzer tells freshmen not to get involved
in too many activities, and warns them that
their biggest problem will be choosing
from among the wealth of activities offered
at A&M.
Students and their parents also view a
slide show produced by Student Services
on Aggie traditions, and learn about the
various services offered students at A&M.
The slide show, accompanied by “The
Spirit of Aggieland” and “Cotton-Eyed
Joe,” pictures students playing pushball in
the practice field, pick-ups with fringed
curtains and a cadet sleeping in the library.
After the general meeting students
break up into small groups and talk with
upperclassman volunteers about problems
commonly faced by freshmen. Later in the
evening all of the students and parents at
tend a meeting in Rudder Theater where
they are told about fish camp and receive
interpretations of their morning test
scores.
The next morning the students meet
with faculty advisors from one of the ten
colleges and preregister for the fall semes
ter. They also attend meetings sponsored
by the individual colleges.
For some students orientation ends
there, and they return to their homes until
the semester begins. But wise new stu
dents purchase their textbooks and
supplies early, avoiding the seemingly end
less lines that will plague students in the
fall semester by standing in equally long
lines in the summer.
Corps ‘fish’
also oriented
By RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN
Battalion Managing Editor
Twenty-five young hopefuls joined the
Corps Monday.
Ormond R. Simpson, assistant vice pres
ident for student services and retired
Marine Corps general, welcomed the new
cadets to Texas A&M. Speaking in the
Memorial Student Center, Simpson talked
about some of the history and traditions of
the Corps of Cadets. He told the fish (as
Corps freshmen are called) that they could
be proud to be part of it.
After Simpson’s address, during which
he introduced Col. Thomas R. Parsons, the
commanding officer of the Corps, and his
staff, the recruits were divided into sepa
rate groups for Army, Air Force and
Navy-Marine orientations. They got their
first taste of military life as they took a
loyalty oath and filled out forms.
Cadet upperclassmen then introduced
themselves and gave the fish a view of what
life will be like this fall. While explaining
some of the rules and regulations by which
a freshman cadet lives, the upperclassmen
gave them a tour of the Corps area.
Fish do not have the privilege ofliving in
a room, they were told; fish exist in holes.
They are allowed neither curtains nor rugs.
They were advised that it would be un
necessary to bring stereos or televisions.
Although such luxuries are usually permit
ted, the fish would never have time to use
them.
Everything in the hole must be arranged
according to precise Corps standards. Clo
thing in the drawers of the bureau must be
folded properly. Hats must lie in their pro
per place on closet shelves. One copy of the
University regulations and one copy of the
Corps regulations must be properly dis
played. Posters and pictures will not grace
the walls of a fish hole.
After preparing their cheery little holes,
the fish get to spend lots of time there. All
fish must be in their quarters studying after
7 p.m. each night. They are allowed out
only for such purposes as a trip to the li
brary or a help session. However, if one has
been especially industrious and has earned
it, he may be given a free night out by his
unit.
Each unit stands guard duty for three
days once each semester. A fish can expect
to see quite a bit of duty during his outfit’s
tour.
Any time a fish encounters a cadet up
perclassman, he must come to attention
and then introduce himself. He always re
fers to his superiors as either “sir” or
“ma’am. ” If he isn’t aware of it yet, he will
soon learn that he is subservient to almost
anything that breathes in the Quad.
After being told of all the things that they
cannot do, and the few that they can, the
Big Moment arrived. The eager young
troops were led to the Military Procure
ment Center and fitted for uniforms. While
many of the recruits appeared to have
adopted a slightly bored attitude during
the talks and tour, few could resist big grins
and pleased comments as they tried on jac
kets, caps and combat boots. The cadets
had arrived; they are now soldiers.
After years of decline, the Corps is grow
ing once again. So far this year, 707
freshmen entering A&M have indicated,
on their housing agreement cards, a desire
to join the Corps. By the beginning of the
fall semester, the number will exceed 850,
according to Corps projections. Last fall,
551 freshmen chose the ROTC option. At
the end of the last spring semester, the
Corps numbered 1887. According to the
projections, there will be more than 2,350
next spring. Three more units, two band
and one Navy, will be added to the 39
already on campus.
Battalion staff photo by Steve Coble
Senior ring
Robin Bruno (Class of ’76) is one of the 400 or so Aggies who got
their senior rings Tuesday. Distribution of the year’s largest
ring shipment, ordered at mid-term this spring, began yester
day. In addition to the 400 rings they distributed over the coun
ter, ring clerks Carolyn Wells and Lynn Scott mailed another
700 rings to out-of-town Aggies.
Fit it tight
One of A&M’s young new cadets tries on a saucer
cap at the Military Procurement Center. Next, he will be fitted
for a jacket, pants and combat boots. When he comes back in
September, something will have to be done about that hair.