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The Battalion
Vol. 70 No. 71
10 Pages
Tuesday, February 8, 1977
College Station, Texas
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
City asks A&M to move bonfire site
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By MARY HESALROAD
Battalion Staff
ptroversy over the present site for Texas
M University bonfires still exists, al-
jugh the next one will not burn for nine
[re months.
Dr. John J. Koldus, vice president for
pent services, said Friday he received a
erfrom College Station Mayor Lorence
[tvenec shortly before the Christmas
pdays requesting a meeting to discuss
ving the site of the bonfire,
poldus said many of the students were
et with the City Council over the ward
em. He said he thought it was a poor
e to talk about the bonfire while they
e still upset.
I told him it was a pretty inappropriate
e for him to be talking about any other
rtmet prior to establishing a good relation-
p with members of the executive com-
[tee of the student government.’
ilhe City Council has not come to us in
s beinf
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regard to moving the bonfire,” said Fred
McClure, student body president.
“Student government has nothing to do
with the location of the bonfire.”
Koldus said Bravenec is going to meet
with the executive committee Feb. 15 to
discuss problems.
The present location for the bonfire is
dangerous because of traffic congestion and
fire hazards, Bravenec said last Monday.
He said the Council did not want to
interfere with A&M traditions.
“It seems to me as ingenious as these
students are they could find a safer place,”
Bravenec commented.
“I feel the present bonfire site is not a
tradition in itself, he added.
Councilman Anne Hazen said she be
lieved the bonfire endangers the homes of
those living on the south side of the cam
pus.
"The only alternative is to not allow the
bonfire to burn if it is windy, or have it be
moved,” Hazen said.
“I share the Council’s concern in terms
of the fire hazard, ” Koldus said. “I think in
the future we are going to have to use good
common sense in determining when to
burn the thing and when not to. If the
winds are rough and such that they’re blow
ing in that direction, I think we’ll have to
take a close look at it before we decide to
put the torches to it.
“Since I’m responsible for student serv
ices, I would assume it would be my deci
sion whether or not to burn it,” Koldus
said. “Of course, the president could over
ride my decision.”
Dr. Jack K. Williams made a commit
ment to the students a couple of years ago
to keep the bonfire in that particular area,
Koldus said.
“At this point I’m surely not going to be
receptive to what the City Council is rec
ommending, which is a position contrary to
one that the president of the University
committed himself to,” Koldus said.
Three years ago arrangements were
being made to move the bonfire site to a
field on the west side of the campus, he
said.
That area was under the jurisdiction of
Dr. O.D. Butler, head of the animal sci
ence department.
Koldus said they could not move the
bonfire there because Butler had other
uses for the land. Butler could not be
reached for comment.
“That was when the president made the
commitment about not moving the bon
fire, Koldus added.
Koldus cited some advantages to the
bonfire s present location.
“The Corps does most of the work so the
location is to their advantage. There is less
of a parking problem, too, because the stu
dents can walk over.”
“Also, the land is high so it will be less
muddy during rainy weather, Koldus
said.
The cost to the city of College Station for
providing extra fire protection is part of the
controversy.
“We generally use about 26 to 30 men,”
Chief Charles Yeager said last Wednesday.
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hoblems of office cited in speech
jy Texas Atty. Gen. John Hill
market
By JOHN TYNES
Battalion Staff
Illegal drugs and illegal aliens are the
turalk® 0 biggest problems that Texas law
he baW orcement ‘•ffitkds presently face, Texas
said 1^' ^ en ’ J°h n Hill said yesterday at
ixas A&M University.
ude MHn a speech sponsored by Political
jtball k pi ^mm, Hill cited the problems facing the
Attempts are being made to stifle the
drug traffic. Hill said, but little progress
will be made until agents are “able to hit
the big boys at the top who are making all
the money.”
Hill said the drug problem is at least
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[ice of the attorney general and how he
to cope with them.
We must start looking south (to
:xico) more and more,” be said, “be-
[ise there’s a great nation there.
That doesn’t mean we can move down
T!“ ;re and start taking on all of Mexico’s
iblems,” he added. “We have enough of
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Hill said the smuggling of Mexican
bin creates more crime than any other
Sblem. He said statistics have shown
n Antonio to be the sixth leading city in
e nation in the distribution of Mexican
John Hill
300,000 approved for job
Old Exchange Store
to be remodeled soon
[Remodeling will begin this month to
liange the Old Exchange Store into of-
ces for Admissions and Records.
The project, approved by the board of
jegents, was allotted $300,000 from the
[niversity Available Fund, says Allen L.
plandt, system comptroller.
|Dr. Billy G. Lay, director of admis-
Jons, said the construction and remodel-
Ig should he finished by August or July.
] He added that the construction would
; done by Jordan & Woods General Con-
|aetors of Bryan. Steven J. Evans, de-
gner with the facilities and planning divi-
lon, said that the remodeling will not
pange the outside of the building.
“The first floor will be a reception area
kith offices for Admissions and Records,”
Evans said.
including offices for the Dean of Admis
sions and Records and the Registrar.”
However, it has not been decided
where registration and drop/adds will be
locatad, said R. A. Lacey, registrar.
“We’d be satisfied with the same
amount of room that we had in the Ex
change Store,” Lacey said. “We re looking
at several possible locations, but we ha
ven’t decided yet.”
Dr. John J. Koldus, vice president for
student services, said he is unaware of any
plans to replace the lounge in the Ex
change Store. “The store was originally
renovated to serve as a lounge for Milner
and Legett Halls, ” Koldus said. “The need
for the lounge is not very great because
Milner Hall has been changed into offices,
and it is planned to do the same with
Legett."
—Susan Riff
indirectly linked to the steady flow of il
legal aliens into the United States, which
he said may provide a means of drug traf
ficking.
“I would like to see the national Con
gress address this problem and do it dra
matically and do it at an early date,” he
said.
Illegal aliens are contributing to the un
employment problem by working for low
wages, he said.
“It’s one of the greatest drain-offs of skil
led jobs.”
He also said that Texas’ ability to restrict
illegal immigration is improving.
“One of the problems has been coopera
tion with the Mexican government, but
that’s greatly improved,” he said. “We
have evidence of corruption on both sides
and that’s a problem.”
As a solution to both problems. Hill
suggested spending more state money to
improve the quality of the Texas law
enforcement network.
“Crime is fought with human hands and
human minds and we tend to forget that
just because it’s gonna cost us some
money,” he said.
On another subject. Hill said he was
against capital punishment except for
probable repeat killers.
“I’ve taken a strong stand against tele
vising executions,” he said. “I don’t think
we need to have it in our livingroom to
understand the horror of a person dying in
any circumstances.”
Hill said he is considering running for
governor in 1978 but he has not made a
final decision.
Heated controversy
The College Station City Council and Texas A&M University officials
have been discussing the possibility of moving the site of the Aggie Bonfire
to a different location. Mayor Bravenec says the present location is
dangerous because of traffic congestion and fire hazard.
Battalion photo by Jim Hendrickson
Yeager is the assistant chief training offi
cer for the College Station fire department.
“We don’t require off-duty men to stand
by. That duty is optional. Generally, 20 to
25 men volunteer,” he said.
Regular-duty firemen are paid $2.60 per
hour and off-duty volunteers get $3.90
(time and a half), Yeager said.
“The men usually stand by from 7 p.m.
until it falls, which happens around 10
p.m.,” he said.
Extra police protection is also present on
the evening the bonfire is burned.
McClure said the figures regarding the
cost of extra protection were exaggerated.
Debtors
may receive
transcripts
Students cannot be denied a copy of
their transcript if they owe money to the
University.
This ruling was handed down 11 days
ago by Texas Atty. Gen. John Hill.
Texas A&M University Registrar Robert
A. Lacey said that his department is aware
of the ruling.
“We are seeking to find out just what it
says, and we ll change our policies accord
ingly,” he said.
Lacey said he found out about the ruling
last Friday when one of his employes read
about it in an Austin paper and brought a
copy to him. The registrar says he is trying
to get a copy of the opinion.
“I’m a little afraid to base any decisions
or changes on what a newspaper article
said,” Lacey said.
“At this time, if money is owed to the
University and a department notifies us of
this, a transcript is withheld until the de
partment notifies us that the money has
been paid,” he said.
Lacey said that the opinion may have
come into the system’s attorney’s office;,
but, he said, “If it has, we have not been
notified or been forwarded a copy of it.”
Asst. System Attorney Ed Kaska said his
office had received a copy of the opinion.
“We are studying it in order to make an
interpretation, Kaska said.
He said it would be a few more days
before the attorney’s office completed an
interpretation and forwarded a recom
mendation on any policy change to the
registrar’s office.
James H. Colvin, vice president for
business affairs at the University of Texas,
requested the opinion when two former
students were denied copies of their tran
scripts.
Steven Gardner, a legal aid attorney
representing one of the former students,
requested the transcript last November.
The request was denied be ause his client
had not repaid a university loan.
Student delegates meet at annual conference
SC ON A provides wide exchange of views
By MARY HARDIN
Student Conference on National Affairs
(SCONA) is an annual conference that
brings students together from all over the
United States, Canada and Mexico.
The conference invites approximately
200 student delegates to participate in an
intensive four-day examination of a topic
of current national interest.
“SCONA provides an exchange of ideas
from students with different cultural back
grounds,” Brett Hamilton, vice chairman
of SCONA, said recently. “It gives future
leaders a chance to discuss relevant is
sues.”
SCONA, which is scheduled for Feb. 16
to Feb. 19, is planned and operated by a
committee of Texas A&M University stu
dents, with Van Steed as chairman.
The committee of 57 students begins its
planning the summer before the confer
ence with a fund drive. SCONA members
contact former and prospective sponsors
to raise the necessary funds to finance the
conference.
They raise about $27,000 each year to
pay for expenses. This money comes
entirely from donations.
“SCONA’s major objectives are to
create awareness of the problems of the
U.S. and to develop responsible leaders
by free expression and exchange of ideas
among students,” Steed said.
Five speakers are invited to the confer
ence and they speak on different areas of
the major topic.
This year’s topic is “The Expression of
Individuality in American Society.
Groups of 20 students meet to discuss
the topic after each speech.
“We plan a discussion session right after
each speech so the important points
brought out by the speakers will be fresh
on tbe delegates minds,” Hamilton ex
plained.
One of the round table discussion
groups is made up of high school students.
“We invite the top two or three stu
dents from different high schools. Steed
said.
“This is done so they can see what type
of atmosphere a university like Texas
A&M provides, he added.
SCONA also provides social activities
for the delegates and speakers.
They have a barbecue dinner and a
square dance on Friday night of the con
ference. On Saturday they have a brunch
for the guests of SCONA.
All speeches are open to the public.
Dr. Ruth Fry, director and founder of
the C. G. Jung Educational Center in
Houston will speak at 2:45 p.m. Wednes
day, Feb. 16.
Dr. M. L. Shariah, senior vice presi
dent of Research and Engineering of Con
tinental Oil Co. (Conoco) will speak at 9
a.m. the following Thursday.
Dr. Nathaniel Branden, executive di
rector of the Biocentric Institute of Los
Angeles will speak at 3:30 Thursday after
noon.
Friday at 11 a.m., Dr. Stanley Milgram,
professor at City University in New York
City, will speak.
Lynn Ashby, editorial columnist for the
Houston Post, will speak at 11 a.m. Satur
day.
House may allot $825 million for highways
United Press International
AUSTIN — Speaker Bill Clayton prom
ised quick House action today on the first
major measure before the 1977 legislature
— a bill to pump $825 million into high
way construction during the next two
years.
Gov. Dolph Briscoe declared the bill an
emergency measure last week. That move
allows representatives to pass the highway
bill before considering a general appropri
ations bill to finance state government for
the biennium.
Clayton said he has been assured the
Senate will act quickly on the bill after
representatives approve it.
Lt. Gov. William P. Hobby has ex
pressed some doubts about whether the
highway, department needs the full $825
million recommended hy Briscoe and in
dicated the Senate will study the budget
ramifications carefully.
Critics say allocating $825 million for
highways will shortchange teachers seek
ing pay raises and local school disticts
seeking increased state aid.
‘Somebody’s going to be left out in the
cold,” an analysis by the House Study
Group says.
In addition to teachers and schools, the
study group says the highway spending
plan may leave legislators no money for
new or exanded programs in other areas.
Senators yesterday approved one such
new program — a $1.5 million, four-year
pilot project to set up 10 special guidance
centers to work with juvenile delinquents
and other youths with emotional or educa
tional problems.
Sen. Chet Brooks, D-Pasadena, said
community school guidance centers will
provide classes and guidance for young
sters whom public schools cannot handle.
Brooks’ bill now goes to the House.
Foundation gets historic Austin home
Clarence Griffin, a painter for the Physical Plant, is doing just that.
Griffin is presently painting the inside area of the dome in the Academic
Building and is shown above while making his ascent to the top of the
scaffold. At the top, the painter will be about 85 feet from the floor and
will still have to stand on his toes to reach the center area of the dome.
Battalion photo by Kevin Venner
Texas A&M University now owns a
downtown Austin home.
The Henry Hirshfeld home and
neighboring cottage, at W. 9th and Lavaca
Sts. in Austin, were purchased by the
Texas A&M Development Foundation
Jan. 25.
Bob Rutledge, associate director of the
foundation, said this was the first property
the A&M group had purchased.
The foundation purchased the historical
home and cottage from the Heritage Soci
ety of Austin for an undisclosed amount.
Funds for the purchase came from dona
tions from alumni and friends of A&M.
“Alumni in Austin knew the Heritage
Society' had purchased the home and
wanted to resell it,” he said.
Hirshfeld, a founder of the Austin Na
tional Bank and first president of Congre
gation Beth Israel, built the cottage in
1875 for his bride after returning from the
Civil War.
“The cottage is presently being used as
an antique store,” Rutledge said.
Elaine Mayo, executive secretary of the
Heritage Society, said the larger 12-room
house was built in 1885 to accommodate
the prospering family.
The two-story stone house rests on four
city' lots and has floor-to-ceiling windows
throughout. An adjacent carriage house
held one of the first Buicks in Austin.
weather
Cloudy and mild Tuesday with in
termittent drizzle or light rain. High
today in the low 50s. Low tonight in
the mid-40s. High tomorrow in the
upper 50s. Winds from the east at
5-10 mph. Winds and drizzle to
continue through tomorrow.