Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Yours, not ours
The “Letters to the Editor” section of The Battalion is a very popular
section of the newspaper, as evidenced by of the number of letters we
receive and comments by readers.
However, some students say the section seems to contain only bad news
and that it may reflect unfavorably upon the University.
As a general rule, readers tend to write about the issues they dislike and
would like to do something about, or they voice an opinion they feel should
be heard.
The Battalion attempts to print a cross-section of the letters it receives, as
long as they are not libelous and are in good taste.
Readers of this section of the newspaper should remember that these
letters are not the editorial voice of the newspaper, but an avenue for readers
to express their views. — K.T.
Letters to the Editor
Monday
October 9, 1978
Take advantage of A&M with an open mind
Editor:
Texas A&M is a school rich in traditions,
from the Twelfth Man to the all-male
band, from Silver Taps to the flags and
trees surrounding the drill field. These
traditions, in addition to the highly re
spected academic standards, are what
make TAMU what it is today.
But scholastic achievements and strict,
faithful adherence to tradition must take
second place to an even more important
reason; the reason for the very existance of
a “University.” An education is not com
plete without a well-rounded understand
ing of other people and personalities. We
must take advantage of the wide range of
personalities, nationalities, backgrounds,
and in particular the ideas and beliefs of
the people we are associated with.
By harassing or threatening a person
because his ideas or beliefs do not coincide
with your own, you are not improving the
world by changing a traitorous mind, but
rather you are only building a wall around
yourself. You must consider and allow
every idea different from your own. This is
the only way to live. With a closed mind a
person is dead.
—Mike Bailey, ’81
Landscape it
Editor:
I am fed up with the constant bickering,
■ among different groups on this campus. A
' prime example of the nonsense that has
been going on is the incident which re
cently occurred on the grass in front of the
MSG.
I will not take the time to argue sides. I
believe there is a sensible solution to the
problem.
COMPROMISE.
I would like to suggest that the area in
front of the MSC be landscaped. The
Landscape department here has the know
ledge and ability to properly landscape the
area with shrubs and other beautiful plants
in a way that people will not want to or be
able to walk on the grass.
Proper landscaping would provide an
aesthetically pleasing area for both groups
to enjoy.
—Larry L. Sharp, 79
concerning the feasability of implementing
a four-day school week at Texas A&M. I
believe that if an industry can increase its
efficiency by 66 percent, as was shown in a
recent industry study, and decrease its ab
senteeism at the same time then the same
can be done in a college or other institu
tion of higher learning.
A four-day school week would be very
beneficial to college students because of
the extra leisure time involved. Due to the
pressures involved in college life, extra lei
sure time would increase student morale,
and could quite possibly increase student
efficiency. For these reasons, I believe
that a study of the feasibility of a four-day
school week would be very appropriate.
—James A. Scogin, '79
Council ‘approves’?
Editor:
In response to Scoggins’ persistence in
sitting on the MSC grass, I feel the whole
question of the grass is whether or not it’s
a tradition if the MSC Council says so. I
didn t know the Council had to approve
traditions before they became “official.”
Did the Council decide whether we
should talk at Silver Taps? Did the Council
decide whether we’d say “howdy” to each
other? The answers to these questions are
obviously ”NO.”
_ Aggies don’t walk on the grass because ,
it S' 'a tradition (ok decided to respect —
who cares what the Counci 1 decided.
Is it that much trouble to walk around?
-Tracy Cox, ’81
P S. To Scoggins--Highway 6 dues run
both ways!
Mocking, not cute
4-day week?
Editor:
Ever since World War II, there has
been increasing talk of a four-day, 40-hour
work week. However, it was not until the
early 1970s that this concept became
widely used. The * 4-40” concept grew
from a trickle into an international trend
between 1969 and 1971. Businesses na
tionwide have praised the concept stating
that it has incresed productivity and effi
ciency, and has reduced absenteeism. This
concept, although lengthening the work
day to 10 hours, also has the advantage of a
three-day weekend.
On the basis of a three-day weekend,
increased efficiency, and reduced absen
teeism, I propose that a study be made
Slouch
Editor:
I just read a letter to the editor by
Randy Spiars (Tues., Oct. 3) that really
made me sick. A few “non-regs” at Texas
A&M thought they would be real cute by
mocking an outfit in the Corps that was on
a run.
I will not repeat what they did. I would
definitely say that this was conduct unbe
coming an Aggie. I believe in tradition and
therefore the Corps is very dear to me and
I firmly believe that the Corps of Cadets is
definitely the BACKBONE and the
PRIDE of Aggieland.
If these students want to commit these
types of pranks, then they should go to t.u.
where they belong.
—Nancy Robin, ’78
Military preview
Editor:
After reading “Corps cadets get no re
spect at Sbisa” (Tuesday, Oct. 3), I too
must express my dissatisfaction with the
mocking of the military element of our
student body. Those students who were
by Jim Earle
responsible only succeeded in revealing
their immaturity, for there are better ways
of expressing opinions, i.e. student elec
tions.
However, the incident was not a com
plete waste of time. The disrespect shown
to the non-civilians was a preview of the
type of reception they will receive in many
American and foreign communities where,
far from the shelter of tradition, they will
discover a society that is truly aware of
what the military represents.
—Dan Samples, ‘79
Crass superiority
Editor:
Many, many times I have read the
editorial section of The Battalion and have
gotten a good laugh. Many times I have
been tempted to write a letter myself, but
never found the time to do so.
This time 1 am afraid that I must take
the time to write and express my views.I
am talking about the incident that occured
Tuesday morning in front of the MSC.
A male (and I use the term loosely be
cause he looked like a female — long hair,
earring, and all) decided to sit on the grass
outside the MSC. Several people asked
this person to get off the grass. He refused
to get off because he claimed that the grass
belonged to all the students of A&M.
It was explained to him that the grass
was (in the minds of many A&M students)
a memorial to those Aggies that had died
in ware to defend our country. He still r6- '
fused to move claiming that it was his
right.
This person did not want equal rights
with other students to sit on the grass, he
wanted superiority to the rest of the stu
dent body so that he alone could have the
right to sit on the grass.
Both Mr. Graham’s and Mr. Tynes’ arti
cles made this person out to be like a hero
fighting for his rights. These two (so-called
journalists) also made two females out to
be the heavies. Granted, these two
females were emotional about the situa
tion and were merely expressing their
opinions to this person about sitting on the
grass.
It is my personal opinion that the grass
around the MSC is included in the memo
rial to those Aggies that died in wars de
fending the U.S. Because of this opinion I
personally did not feel that this person
should have stayed on the grass after the
situation was explained to him.
If it were not for the fighting men that
gave their lives in war to keep this country
free, people like that male would not be
able to pull stunts like sitting on the grass.
In referring to Mr. Graham and Mr.
Tynes as so-called journalists, I heard one
of those females ask the photographer in
volved if he were from The Battalion. He
repeatedly told her that he was not from
The Battalion. He should not have lied to
this girl unless of course he is ashamed of
his job. To me, lying like that, just to get a
story, is poor journalism.
-Jan Lipscomb, ’78
Editor s note: J. Wagner Tynes is not a
member of The Battalion staff, nor did
the editorial he wrote carry a line saying
he is Battalion Staff. He has, however,
been a member of the staff before, and he
* s a photographer for the “Aggie
land. He wrote the editorial as a con
tributor to The Battalion, just as any
reader can submit a commentary for our
Reader s Forum section of the news
paper. Any student may also submit pic
tures to The Battalion for publication.
“JUST FOR SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, MIND YOU; IF WE
PAVED THE AREA WHERE THE GRASS IS AT TH’ CENTER
WOULD IT STILL BE DISRESPECTFULL TO WALK ON THE
PAVING WHERE TH’ GRASS ONCE WAS?
Get issue decided
Editor:
I was amazed and astounded at the arti
cle in Wednesday’s Battalion concerning
the student who wouldn’t move from the
MSC grass. I was amazed initally that this
had not happened before now, since it has
been close to a year since the MSC Coun
cil restated the “official’ position dealing
with the grounds. Who among us could
forget a yell leader leaping upon his soap
box during a past yell practice to voice his
opinion on this touchy subject.
The report at which I was astounded
was that of the grossly narrow-minded in
sults so easily tossed by the simpleton
group. Not only were the old standard,
‘traditional” cracks about a certain slab of
concrete and our sister school belched
forth without thought but some “new”
ones reeking and challenging the man’s
political affilitiation were spewed. In his
comment, Doug Graham did the group
great justice in hinting they used their
gray matter at all.
The argument presented on behalf of
“No No grass” was sound and left little
room for anything but rationality. Mr.
Graham did, however, make a point to
mention the group consisted of “mainly
civilian” students before he so journalisti
cally cut them down.
This is the first I have heard, seen or
read about the civilians here. The gather
ing was predominantly civilian probably
because the campus, as a whole, is popu
lated roughly 90 percent by the “non-regs
so foundly written of as late.
People not familiar with this school are
led by photographs, articles, and campus
publicity to believe that this place is
mostly in uniform today.
Not so, but that is beside the point.
Traditions, being the point, like any
other custom cannot be forced, legislated,
passed, voted or otherwise ruled upon.
They are carried over from yesteryear and
based upon what was done long ago. The
Memorial Student Center, slanderously
labeled “The C” by so many good thinking
“good Ags,’’ has not been around for that
long.
Go ahead, call for a referendum so stu
dents can decide (for at least four years)
whether it be good or bad to tread upon
the grass. As of now, there are no signs
stating that whosoever shall be caught
upon the MSC grounds will “have his arm
broken — but for tradition’s sake it will
be done in a friendly Aggie manner. Unin
formed visitors as well as students are har-
rassed and threatened without so much as
a kindly worded explanation as to why the
grass merely covers sacred ground.
Could we please get this over with once
and for all and let sitting students and vis
itors sit, or let them know that the grass is
indeed a memorial to touched only by the
gardener and birds.
— Joel Krouse, ’81
Defer Corps run
Editor:
I am writing in response to a letter in
the Batt of Oct. 3.
The mooning and extremely foul lan
guage by non-regs at corpsmen during a
Corps run was regrettable. However,
there are immature kids all over campus
(corpsmen too!!) If given a chance (a Corps
run) they will “show off.”
It should be noted Mr. Spiars that there
was an apparent reason behind those run
ning along and mocking the C.T.s (even
though it was beyond you). They are tel
ling you what they think of the majority of
C.T.s on campus who’s major interest in
life is “playing army” (in fact a very viable
definition for a C.T. is a 20-year-old who
has never advanced past the 10-year-old
maturity level.)
I do agree that the events of past weeks
(the Rudder incident during “Kentucky
Fried Movie, at Sbisa, etc.) are deplora
ble, but this is not the same thing (at least
not yet). Those who mocked the C.T.s
have the greatest respect for Texas A&M,
none for the Corps!
Incidently, this feeling is not a new one,
nor is the incident described. If you had
any common sense whatsoever you would
defer from Corps runs through the north
dorm area. Or is the truth that you want to
start a mess comparable to those in past
weeks?
—Scott Lane, 81
Remove your hat
Editor:
The 55 flags that fly over Kyle Field at
each football game are in commemoration
of the 55 Aggies that were killed in World
War I.
This should be incentive enough for all
AGGIES to remove their hats when enter-
ing Kyle Field at anytime.
It is also the final resting place for Re
veille I, Reveille II, and Reveille HI. One
would not wear their hat in the Memorial
Student Center nor walk on it’s grass, for
the same reason one should not wear his
hat in Kyle Field.
— Ed Saad, ’81
Clarification
Letters to the Editor must be
signed, show the address of the wri
ter and list a telephone number for
verification.
Top of the News
campus
Filing begins for freshmen electiot
Filing for freshmen elections will be Oct. 12-18, in Room 216 A&1J
of the Memorial Student Center. Time for filing will be 11 a .m. toj
Cadets receive scholarships
p.m.
A Corps of Cadets scholarship program has been initiated at Texas
A&M University with presentation of the first three awards. Presj.
dent Jarvis Miller met the first three freshmen recipients last Tue S .
day and presented award checks. The awards will be for $1,000 each
for two years. The Chester Reed, Louis Gross and M.J. Neeley-$ u |
Ross Scholarships went to Jackie S. Moreland of Hughes Springs;
Byron W. Lightsey of Belton; and Orville S. Maze of San Antonio.
Maze, of Company E-2, and Lightsey, of Comnany C-2, are Naval
ROTC cadets majoring in nuclear and mechanical engineering. More-
land, a civil engineering major, is an Air Force ROTC cadet member
of Squadron 8.
LOCAL
Evangelistic services to he held
The Oak Grove United Methodist Church will be holding L
evangelistic services each night this week starting at 7:30 p.m. The
evangelist will be Bishop Alejandro Ruiz. The pastor, the Rev. (Sbisa
Samuel Blanco, and the members of the church extend a cordial Rfootba
invitation to the public. 4 ■ Crock
STATE
Davis trial back in Fort Worth?
i »
Lawyers for T. Cullen Davis this week will try to convince a state
district judge the Fort Worth millionaire should be tried on murder
solicitation charges by a jury of his peers in his home town. Unlike
many criminal cases, prosecutors in Fort Worth — not the defense-
wanted Davis’ upcoming trial moved out of the city in an effort to see
that justice had the best chance of being served.’ The change of venue
to Houston was considered to be a minor victory for the state, which
wanted the highly publicized case out ofTarrant County. Prosecutors
felt that Davis, who was acquitted of killing his 12-year-old step
daughter Andrea Wilborn during a sensational trial last year in
Amarillo, would draw sympathetic jurors in either Fort Worth or
Amarillo.
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NATION
Private firm to operate oil reserves
The federal government has awarded a $44 million contract to a
private company for operation of the nation's petroleum reserve stor-
, age sites following a devastating fire at one of them, three Louisiana
congressmen announced Saturday. The announcement followed a
public hearing by Sen. J. Bennett Johnston, D-Li., into the cause
and aftermath of a Sept. 21 explosion at the underground Strategic
Petroleum Reserve storage facility in Hackberry, La. One man died
and another was injured in the blast. It began a spectacular fire that
nunccl for almost six days and destroyed more than $1 million worth
of crude oil.
House approves civil service bill
President Carter s campaign promise to shake up the federal
bureaucracy and make it more responsive to the public needs only his
signature to become law. The House Friday gave final congressional
approval to the civil service reform bill. In addition to making Car
ter s No. 1 campaign promise a reality', the vote was symbolic ol the
president s new-found clout on Capitol Hill. The 365-8 vote was the
first major action the House took since the bitter vote overriding the
president s veto on public works the day before. Two days earlier, the
Senate had approved the civil service measure. Carter is expected to
sign the bill at White House ceremonies next week.The legislation
overhauls the 95-year-old civil service system, making it easier for
managers to hire, fire and transfer employees.
WORLD
CAR to consider routes to Mexico
new ^fr 1 rout^lief 05 B ° ar ^ W1 ^ open a bearing Tuesday to consider
Among the roum ^ Ve ? n various U.S. cities and Mexican points.
buquerque and El Paso^h 1 ^^ WWUld he several ,inkin « Al '
and Continental K i W i 12 c ‘ ,t] es in western Mexico. Frontier
assume the routes Frontier Irf 1 ’] 11001 t0 the i CAB for P ermission <] t0
to Mazatlan anrl r 1 rl i • * ,as heen granted temporarv rights to Ik
o Mazatlan and Guadalajara, Mexico on a route originating in Den-
m m St ° PS *\ n Albu 9 u erque and El Paso. Frontier will inaugurate
the flights on Nov. 3.
WEATHER
Wl,h southerly winds 6-12 mph. High today
be m the u PPer 70s and the low in the low 60s.
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LETTERS POUCY
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Address correspondence to Utters to the Editor Th„
irr^r^ 3 Reed McDonaid Buadin ^ c ° u ^
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MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor
Managing Editor b |Z ‘
Assistant Managing Editor •
Sports Editor pi,v:d '
City Editor J a , m ^
Campus Editor An - r
News Editors Debbie
Beth Calhoun
Editorial Director . .Lee Roy
Staff Writers Mark Patterson
Pendleton, Sean
Michelle Scudder,
Faulkenberry, Diane
Cartoonist Doug ri
Photographer
Focus section editor
<\
Opxmons expressed in The Battalion are
those of the editor or of the writer of the
article and are not necessarily those of the
University administration or the Board of
Regents. The Battalion is a ni
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as a university and communi
.Editorial policy is determined