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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1978)
New look, big use for the Basement By AVA KING Does a facelift seem to be an ap propriate gift to give a 4-year-old? If the gift is made to the Basement Coffeehouse on the fourth anniver sary of its reopening, the answer is a definite yes. When the Basement opened at its current location four years ago, its interior projected an aura of dark ness with its black walls and gray cement floors. Last semester the Basement Coffeehouse Committee decided to remodel the establish ment because, as one Committee member put it, “The Basement was ugly.” Several members of the Basement Committee donated part of their semester break to the project of re viving the Coffeehouse walls with a Few coats of paint and colorful graphics. Other Committee mem bers worked at laying new carpet under the balcony area and brighten ing up the concession area. Plans are under way to paint the ceiling and floors and purchase new tables and chairs to complete the new look. The committee decided to center the new color theme around the popular earth tones using varying shades of brown. The arrow-shaped graphics, which stand out in bright reds and yellows, were designed and painted by senior Phil Schertz. All of this artistic labor was performed in an effort to make the Basement “a warmer place for people to be entertained,” said David Bruner, chairman of the redecorating project. “We wanted a more congenial at mosphere,” said public relations di rector Sandy Morrow. To show off the fruits of their labor, the Basement Coffeehouse held a grand reopening celebration last Friday and Saturday nights. The featured entertainer was Bob French, who has gained local fame as writer and singer of his “Texas Beer Song. ” Chairman Mark Snyder proc laimed the reopening a success with over 100 people in the audience both nights. On most nights the base ment’s audience ranges from 30 to 50 people. The coffeehouse is run on a non profit basis. “With the money from conces sions and admissions we just break even,” Snyder said. Money was needed to pay for paint and painting equipment. Funds for the redecorating project were pro cured at special request by Colonel Harold Gaines of Student Pro gramming. “Col. Gaines found us $500 of non-budgeted funds,” Bruner said. To help meet regular operating expenses, the Coffeehouse receives some budgeted funding from Stu dent Programming. This funding is based on the percentage of students who actively use the Basement’s facilities. “The more student use, the more service fee money we get,’ Bruner said The Basement Coffeehouse pres ents live entertainment each Friday THE BATTALION Page 5 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1978 ** Arts Committee presents The Great American Cowboy (1974) Academy-Award winning documentary by Keith Merill 8:00 and ACADEMY AWARD WINNER BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE A remarkable, passionate work. A reminder that there cannot be neutrals—anywhere. —Judith Crist, Saturday Review Succeeds magnificently. —Janet Maslin, Newsweek Singer Bob French performs his hit, “Texas Beer Song,” at the Basement Coffeehouse reopening celebration. Last week, more than 100 people attended the Battalion photo by Janet Peterson reopening of the newly remodeled Cof feehouse. The Coffeehouse is located in the MSC and is open every Friday and Saturday from 8 p.m. until midnight. and Saturday during the spring and fall semesters fron 8 p.m. until mid night. The majority of entertainers are A&M students who perform for the experience of working in front of a crowd and for the fun of it. The only paid Basement entertainers are professionals, usually from Austin or Houston. » “We usually have from three to five professionals each semester,” Snyder said. The Coffeehouse committee is al ways on the lookout for new entertainment. Currently most of the performers are musicians, but a ventriloquist was among the perfor mers last semester and a prospective act has offered to read poetry. Audi tions are held in the basement every Monday at 8 p.m. The Basement Coffeehouse entertainers and stafi are not the only ones benefiting from the redecorat ing job. The Basement also serves as the Thursday night movie house for Cepheid Variable, a class room for Free University courses and the Aggie Players use the Basement’s stage for many of their productions. HARLAN COUNTY U.S.A. Produced and Directed by Barbara Kopple Principal Cinematography Hart Perry Director of Editing Nancy Baker Rated PG Cowboy - 8:00 Harlan - 10:00 Admission $1.00 Rudder Auditorium Feb. 6 Debate team to compete on national circuit BOOK SALE By KAREN CORNELISON Texas A&M University s debate team has been invited to attend two prestigious tournaments at Harvard University and Dartmouth College. Dr. Dorothy Kirn, coach of the debate team, leaves today with six debaters to spend three days at Har vard and four days at Dartmouth. Five men and one woman make up the team. The teams will debate on whether U.S. law enforcement agencies should be given significantly greater freedom to investigate and prosecute felony crithes. As many as 100 schools will par ticipate in each tournament. The competing teams will debate in eight rounds, then the semifinals will fol low. Each debate will be judged.by teachers who are not from either competing school. Kirn will be a judge for some of the debates. Texas A&M’s debate team has 50 Embrey’s Jewelry We Specialize In Aggie Rings. Diamonds Set — Sizing — Reoxidizing — All types watch/jewelry Repair Aggie Charge Accounts 9-5:30 846-5816 members, 20 of which are very act ive. Since Kirn began coaching last fall, the team has won 40 to 50 awards in 12 tournaments. “We’ve attended several tourna ments in California, several in Florida,” Dr. Kirn said. “This is the first year we’ve been out on the na tional circuit." OUR LARGEST SELECTION EVER OF HARD BACK BOOKS. Gift books Art books Reference books Hobby books BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS ON SALE AT Many of these sale books are out of print and hard to find. Ex pand your li brary now & save up to 80% or even more. Hurry while supply lasts. TEXAS A&M BOOKSTORE In the Memorial Student Center HURRY! FINAL MARKDOWN FALL CLEARANCE THURS.-SAT. ONLY VESTED SUITS Solids — Stripes — Plaids Regular $150-$225 Group y 2 Others 20<?£40% Off SPORT COATS Regular $85-$ 125 Special Others 20%-40% off DRESS SHIRTS Regular $12-$20 SPECIAL GROUP $797 SWEATERS Crewneck Shetlands Regular $25 Final *9 97 PANTS Regular $18-$30 50% others 20%-40% off KMT SHIRTS Long Sleeves Regular $25 Special * 13 97 ^cxTwnnn ROSS ... 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