It!
The Battalion
Vol. 71 No. 49
8 Pages
Tuesday, November 8, 1977
College Station, Texas
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
Inside Today:
Amending the Texas constitution, p.
A&M students help teach retarded
kids, p. 3.
A campus bike repair shop, p. 5.
an wounds 10 in shooting rampage
e to slop;
me in the:
i K !i ond am
e - I feel
ars later.
United Press International
JEW ORLEANS — Carlos Poree was
mented by the loss of his job and mari-
problems. But, his mother-in-law said
never gave a hint of the shooting ram-
ge that spread from a middle-class
ighborhood to a downtown brokerage
n and the crowded streets of the French
wter.
Poree, 35, was charged with wounding
l persons Monday. He surrendered
ithout resistance and was charged with
I counts of attempted murder.
Police said he began his rampage by
looting his estranged wife, Diane, and
his father-in-law, and then shot his other
Victims at random in a park, a brokerage
office and on a downtown sidewalk.
“Diane and Carlos had been arguing for
some time,” said Dorothy Broussard,
Force’s mother-in-law. “But I never had
any indication he would do anything like
this. He never threatened any of us.”
Mrs. Broussard said Poree and her
daughter had been having problems since
her son-in-law lost his $19,000-a-year job
with the New Orleans Internal Revenue
Service office last year.
“He was very upset about losing his job,
but he was a good son-in-law. They had
been married 10 years. Diane cared for
him and he cared for her.
Robert Cutts, IRS regional director,
confirmed Poree was a former employee
but refused to comment on his departure
from the agency.
The arrest, two hours after the first
shootings, took place across the street
from the stock brokerage office when
Poree was confronted by two plain-clothes
policemen.
“We saw numerous people, pedes
trians, scatter and diving to the ground,”
said Capt. Bill Schultz, who said he was
driving nearby and immediately recog
nized the crock of gunshots reverberating
off the walls of tall buildings.
“I’ll tell you what, I thought it was a
cannon with all those buildings,” he said.
After his arrest, Poree was taken to
Charity Hospital with injuries. Police said
he got those injuries in a scuffle with offi
cers who were trying to photograph and
fingerprint him at central lockup.
“He has a facial laceration and probably
will remain hospitalized overnight,” said a
Charity spokesman. “He is in stable condi
tion.
Three of his victims, including Diane
Poree, 34, and her father, Alvin J. Brous-
P
u
I
5SY
enterpole up
or ’77 bonfire
An annual Texas A&M phenomenon
own for blisters, late hours, sore backs,
iddy boots, rain and togetherness made
campus appearance Friday.
The centerpole for the 1977 Aggie Bon-
■e was raised. Work on the project will
ogress until 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25,
hen the bonfire is ignited.
“It’s gonna be the best one that’s ever
>en built,” claimed “Head Stack” Larry
IcWilliams, with assenting sounds from
edpots. They are in charge of the gar-
mtuan project, which involves cutting
id trucking in timber and stacking it into
60-foot-tall cone.
Bonfire has been held every year, ex-
spt for 1963 when President Kennedy
as assassinated. It represents Texas Ag
es love for their school and the desire to
at the University of Texas. It’s also the
nterpiece for the last Aggie yell practice
fore the Texas A&M-Texas game.
It calls for coordination, sales, manage-
lent and other skills. Volunteer loggers
ave already been cutting material for the
fe at sites near Cook’s Point and the
Iwy. 21 and FM 2818 intersection. Six
8-wheelers and a couple of pickup trucks
idling gooseneck trailers will be used to
haul timber to the Duncan Drill Field
bonfire site.
Students in charge of bonfire must sell
their classmates on the value of putting in
spare time. Sales also enters the project in
the form of borrowing equipment from in
terested businessmen and contractors.
Other students contribute by guarding
the stack from attempts to prematurely
burn or sabotage the effort. Guarding
began when Company C-l of the Corps
placed the spliced centerpole on the field.
Standard procedures go into construc
tion of the stack, requiring logs to be
stacked end on end in five or six tiers.
“Red pots” wire on core logs on the first
level, after boards to hold the center up
right are attached to the pole.
One of the first jobs is installation of
pipe, through which fuel is pumped to the
center of the stack to insure an even burn.
Unreclaimable oil is applied by personnel
of the Texas Engineering Extension Ser
vice’s Fire Protection Training Division
the afternoon the stack burns.
Formerly constructed the week before
it was to burn, the bonfire has been started
earlier recently to take advantage of
weekends and prevent student workers
from cutting classes.
lections held today
n 7 amendments
The following are the polling places for
today’s constitutional election. The polls
be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Any
voter seeking information on the amend
ments or voting procedures can call the
Brazos County League of Women Voters
1(846-9073.
VOTING PRECINCT:
1 Millican Community Center
2. Wellborn Water Supply Building
3. S.P.J.S.T. Hall, Smetana
Carver School
5. Fellowship Hall
6. Edge Community Center
1. Steep Hollow Community Center
I. South Knoll Elementary School
I. A&M Consolidated Special Services
Building
10. College Station Fire Station
11. Crockett Elementary School
12. Sul Ross Elementary School
13. Henderson Elementary School
14. Ben Milam Elementary School
15. Fannin Flementary School
16. Bowie Elementary School
17. Travis Elementary School
18. Bryan Central Fire Station
19. Bonham Elementary School
20. TAMU Memorial Student Center
21. College Station Municipal Building
22. Army Reserve Center on Carson
Street
23. L.B.J. Elementary School
24. College Hills Elementary School
25. American Legion Hall
26. Bryan High School
Battalion photo by Jim Crawley
It’s up, finally . . .
With only eighteen days left before the annual Bonfire is lit before
the Texas game, the centerpole was raised yesterday south of
Duncan Dining Hall. This picture was taken at the base of the
60-foot pole.
Percentage failures higher
for freshman math courses
By CLAY COCKRILL
Math may be the chopping block that
sends a lot of freshman Aggies packing
tiome or changing majors, but Dr. G.R.
Blakley, head of the Texas A&M Univer
sity’s math department said, “no one is in
tentionally trying to thin the ranks.”
I “Math, intrinsically, is fairly hard and
exacting. It will never be easy,” said Blak-
ley.
“We have high math standards at A&M
which will be required to make students
competitive in the areas of science, engi
neering, agriculture, and technology. Stu
dents need a solid technical background,”
he said.
Computer print-outs show percentage
failures to be generally higher in freshman
| math courses than in required freshman
English and chemistry courses.
For the fall semester of 1976, the per
cent of freshmen who failed math courses
normally taken during that session was:
Math 102 (algebra, 8.86 percent; Math
121 (Calculus I for science majors), 6.58
percent; Math 130 (Pre-Calculus), 8.25
percent; Math 209 (Calculus I for engi
neering majors), 18.72 percent.
For the spring semester of 1977, the
percent of freshmen who failed courses
normally taken in that session were: Math
122 (Calculus II, science majors), 8.82
percent; Math 230 (Calculus I for busi
ness, liberal arts and agriculture majors),
10.22 percent; Math 210 (Calculus II, en
gineering majors), 12.85 percent.
For the fall of 1976 the percent of
freshmen who failed Chemistry 101, the
course most frequently required, was 5.54
Briscoe begins campaign
with old theme, promises
United Press International
DALLAS — Gov. Dolph Briscoe began
his new campaign with an old theme:
promising there will be no additional state
taxes enacted as long as Texans keep him
in the governor’s office.
Texas has neither, Texas needs
neither, and as long as I am governor,
Texas will have neither,” he said.
“There will be no new or additional
state taxes as long as I am governor. The
people are getting more from their state
government than ever before, but at the
same time are keeping more of their hard
earned dollars for their own use.”
Briscoe today traveled by car through
East Texas on his first campaign tour of the
year, stopping to shake hands and meet
supporters in such locations as Charlie
Green’s Store in Bettie, Texas, and the
Maude Laird Middle School in Kilgore.
Should Briscoe win election to a third
term, he would serve as governor for 10
years — longer than any other Texan has
held that position. He is being opposed in
the Democratic primary by Hill and
former Gov. Preston Smith, and the
Democratic nominee also will face a Re
publican opponent in November.
percent. The percentage of freshmen who
failed Chemistry 102 in the spring of 1977
was 7.54.
For English 103 and 104 the per
centages were 2 and 3, respectively, for
the fall semester of 1976 and the spring of
1977.
The reason for high percentages of fail
ure in the engineering calculus courses is
uncertain. Dr. A. H. Stroud, of the math
department, said Math 209 and Math 210
are no more difficult than the calculus for
science majors. Stroud said possibly that
some engineering majors take too many
hours for a given semester, causing grades
to suffer.
“I expect a reasonable amount of work
from my students. If they show some effort
and some aptitude in the course, then
they’ll get a passing grade,” he said.
Dr. N.W. Naugle, also of the math de
partment, said he feels some students
push themselves too hard and register in
math courses they’re not ready for.
Blakley said at this time there are two
problem areas facing the math department
at Texas A&M.
“The University as a whole and the math
department haven t done enough for
placement of students into the proper
courses,” he said. Improvement in place
ment would require extensive testing on
the first day of class, involving time and
money, said Blakley.
Scores on placement exams would then
need to be made available rapidly, so that
advisers in the respective schools could
encourage students to make the necessary
changes in the first week of classes, he
said.
Blakley said there is also a shortage of
math professors at this time.
sard, 61, were in critical condition Mon
day night.
Mrs. Poree and her father were the first
to be shot, at their home in a predomin
antly black middle-class neighborhood
three blocks from the St. Charles Avenue
streetcar route.
Police said Poree then drove to the
French Quarter where he stopped his car
on Bourbon Street and fired at random
into a small park situated between a res
taurant and a jazz club, wounding three
persons from out-of-town.
“He got out of his car, shot the men and
tried to get back into the car to leave,” said
Maurice Jones, an unharmed witness,
“but traffic tied him up. Then he got out of
the car, looked at us with the gun in his
hands and ran.”
The park victims were Henry Luther,
67, of Gadsden, Ala.; Richard Quarles, 26,
and Douglas Martin, 20, both of Nashville,
Tenn.
Martin and Quarles were in serious
condition and Luther was in fair condition
Monday night.
Poree commandeered a car and drove to
a commercial district parking lot, police
said. He rushed into the investment com
pany office — shoving a door into a secret
ary’s face — and fired indiscriminately at
employees and customers.
Three men were wounded inside the of
fice and two others were shot on the
sidewalk outside.
“He just opened fire and they weirt
down, said Vincent White, who saw the
sidewalk shootings and said the victims
apparently tried to stop Poree. “I think it
was a mistake for them to try to stop him.
“He passed right by me, another
pedestrian said. “He spared me. I don’t
know why.
Witnesses recount
events of shootings
United Press International
NEW ORLEANS — Stunned by the
sound of gunfire and the sight of blood,
lunchtime crowds of office workers scur
ried for safety or froze in fright on a busy
downtown street.
Amid the horror, a tall slender man
shoved a black revolver in his waistband
and ran across the street. Confronted by
two policemen with guns drawn, the sus
pect made a move for his weapon, then
raised his hands and surrendered peace
fully.
Carlos Poree, 35, an unemployed Inter
nal Revenue agent, was charged with 10
counts of attempted murder for the shoot
ings which occured in his father-in-law s
uptown home, a Bourbon street park and a
downtown office building and street.
Maggie Christensen, an insurance office
worker, said she heard the pop of gunfire
on the street and had to fight curious
crowds to get out of the way.
“I heard the shots, then saw everyone
diving for the street,” Ms. Christensen
said. “I tried to get away into Sears, but
everyone in the store was trying to get out
so I yelled at them to get back.”
Joyce Saylan, on her way to lunch with
her 9-year-old son Jeff, said the gunman
was hurried, but calm as he entered thG
office of stock brokers Merrill Lynch,;
Pierce, Fenner and Smith.
“A very tall, very skinny, well-dressejE
man rushed in and shoved Jeff to tin 1
side, Ms. Saylan said. “He just pushed!
the door open, banged a secretary in thfr
mouth with the door and started shooting!
“He walked past a row of desks and |t-
was just bang, bang, bang.
Police Capt. Bill Schultz and DetectivtC
Stanford Barre were driving an unmarked!
police car within 150 feet of the gunman
when he opened fire on the sidewalk out
side the stock brokerage.
“We saw numerous people, pedes-!
trians, scatter and diving to the ground, !
Schultz said.
He said they shouted at the man as he 1
ran toward them, shoving the gun in the
top of his pants.
“At that time we told him we were
police officers,” Schultz said. “He made
what we thought was an attempt to go to
his waistband.
However, Poree stopped and followed
orders to lean against a store window to he*
frisked.
“He didn’t say anything except that he
wanted to talk to a lawyer, Schultz said.
Board talks of move
of development center
By STEVE MAYER
Boy Scouts, senior citizens, judo classes
and other College Station activities at Lin
coln Center, a recreation center on
Eleanor Street, may have to move
elsewhere if the A&M Consolidated
School Board decides to relocate the Child
Development Center (CDC) there.
The CDC, which involves 60 three to
four year olds, was the main topic during
the A&M Consolidated Special School
Board meeting last night.
The CDC must be moved from its pre
sent location behind the Special Services
Building, 100 Anderson, in order to make
room for new buildings to house upper-
grade students.
Lincoln Center, which is being bor
rowed by the College Station Parks and
Recreation Department from the school
district, was described by one board
member as “the best possible site.”
However, Board Member Lambert
Wilkes said, “I feel we (the school board)
could be criticized severely if we move
into Lincoln Center. The board did not
take action at this time, but did give the go
ahead to have the old CDC building re
moved.
Other possible sites include the Special
Services Building next to the CDC, or part
of the old Middle School shop and choir
room. However, according to some of the
board members, these suggestions had
drawbacks such as limited space, poor
facilities for preparing food or inadequate
heating.
In reviewing the progress of construc
tion plans, the board and architect set a
September 1978 completion date for kin
dergarten classroom construction at South
Knoll and College Hills Elementary
Schools.
Two health technicians were approved
by the board to participate in a state-
funded health assessment program in the
school district.
“At present there are 180 enrollments
per faculty member, causing lecture
classes to be crowded,” he said. Because
graduate assistants are employed, labs are
in good shape, Blakley said, giving a better
ratio of students to instructors.
Professors holding Ph.Ds are preferred
for lecture classes, because they know the
material and have had more experience in
explaining concepts, he said.
Blakley said currently more than two
thirds of all math students are taught by
Ph.Ds, and new professors are being re
cruited.
Dr. N.W. Naugle, who has taught math
at Texas A&M for more than ten years,
said he has seen a weakening in students’
“manipulative abilities,” over the years.
“It seems to take them longer to handle
basic algebraic operations than it used to,”
he said.
Blakley said he can’t agree there has
been a decline in mathematical abilities.
Dr. John Bloom, of the math depart
ment, said he feels a common exam for all
the different sections of a math course
would be helpful. That way there would
be some basis for comparing students’
progress in different sections of a course,
he said.
Dr. Rod O’Connor, director of first year
chemistry, said he makes out all the exams
for Chemistry 101 and 102, and they are
all designed on the same level of difficulty.
He said that is one way to insure the mate
rial is covered, and he said most students
know the material in later courses.
Bloom said currently each math profes
sor makes out his own exams. He said he
decides how difficult to make his exams
from intuition and by talking with other
professors in the department.
Battalion photo by Janet Peterson
‘But I’m not a pointer!’
This puppy seems mystified at his owner’s finger. The
puppy’s name is Timber and his owner’s name is Dorcas Deshong,
a junior nursing major at Texas A&M. Timber just enjoys going
to class sometimes and not having to study.