Wednesday, March 14, 1979
College Station, Texas
Battalion
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
Basketball fortunes roll on...
Tickets went on sale this
morning for Thursday’s 7:30
p.m. game against Alabama in
the Summit. Only students and
season ticket holders may buy
tickets here until 1 p.m., when
general admission tickets go on
sale for $8.
Student tickets are $3 and
may only be purchased here.
General admission tickets are
also on sale at the Summit and
See pages 8 and 9 for details.
Approval of Carter’s ideas
could mean peace in Egypt
Enjoying the peace and quiet
, niis University worker seems to be making the most of the relaxed
7 W>*phere which has settled over the Texas A&M campus during stu
dents’ spring break this week. But he wasn’t sleeping on the job —just
H ;‘ Ilt ^Moping during his lunch break. Battalion photo by Lee Roy Leschper Jr.
t 9 a.m.If
KACC
United Press International
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister
Menachem Begin’s Cabinet met in
emergency session today to vote on Presi
dent Carter’s proposals on two issues that
could mean peace with Egypt in a week.
Carter and other U.S. officials said they
expected the Cabinet to approve the pro
posals. Deputy Prime Minister Yigael
Yadin also predicted approval, but only
after a “tough debate.”
The meeting started at 3:10 a.m. EST
and was expected to last several hours.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Samuel
Lewis personaly delivered to Begin a copy
of the American proposals approved Tues
day at Cairo Airport by Egyptian Presi
dent Anwar Sadat, the national radio said.
The radio said Foreign Minister Moshe
Dayan submitted to the Cabinet a docu
ment he and Justice Minister Shmuel
Tamir prepared that enumerates the U.S.
economic and political commitments to Is
rael and is to be attached to the treaty, the
report said.
From the Cabinet, the draft treaty will
be submitted to the Knesset, the Israeli
parliament, for ratification.
The remaining issues apparently involve
U.S. guarantees to supply Israel with oil in
case Egypt refuses to provide it from the
Sinai oil fields, and the timing of imple
menting full diplomatic relations between
the two countries.
Israeli sources said all the other out
standing issues, including linkage of the
peace treaty to implementation of Palesti
nian autonomy in the West Bank and Gaza
strip, were settled.
Begin put his political future on the
line, much as had Carter during his dra
matic six-day peace mission.
The Israeli leader said if the Knesset
does not approve the new proposals, “it
will be my duty to resign.” With Knesset
approval. Begin said, “the signing (of a
treaty) may take place next week or in the
following week. ”
Following Begin s lead, President
ocal artisans featured April 2
to auction art, antiques
pril 2 will be a special night for art
j young®! Bryan-College Station and the
mong as more than 60 pieces of art
im Kt r k are auctioned during the “Great
iMPTV Auction."
^[pyglinpeientirc second night of the three-day
hree intF' 0 !' W *N devoted to arts and an-
ilking n l ues > un d the large number of items do
ted tlms far indicates that the Monday
{pifwill probably be one of the auc-
ost popular nights, said Ann Sac-
p|ba] arts and crafts chairman for the
ion.
elrts and antiques will be auctioned
ft pin. on April 2, with the possibility
^ k'tailcasting time extending beyond 10
iiall items are not sold,
e auction will sell items and services
a | ited and apply the revenue from the
y i to the operation of KAMU, Texas
A RJniversity’s public broadcasting
ity
pEe-auction showing of all art items
Tie of the auction’s major donations
H from 2-6 p.m. March 25 in the
del Exhibit Hall. The showing is free
and open to the public.
The art items donated include hand-
painted Ukranian eggs by Bryan artist
Luba Rozsa; pottery by Jadwiga Ramza,
Inger Garrison, Rhoda Kramer, Joan
Moore and Rebecca Hirsch; feather
jewelry by Pam Reynolds; sculpture by
Pat Ryan and photography by Karen Hill-
ier.
Drawings, paintings and reproductions
have been donated by the Martin-Hargis
Gallery (a sketch by Joe Donaldson) and
Anco Insurance (reproduction of a pencil
original of an early Texas Ranger by James
Harvey Johnson). Watercolors by Virginia
Groneman, a framed reproduction of a
Buck Schiwetz watercolor of the Texas
A&M University Systems Building do
nated by the Miter Box and paintings by
Alan Stacell, Bob Schiffauer, Tina Watkins
and Graham Horsley will also be up for
bids.
Three portraits by Jim Raatz will be
commissioned during the auction. A sam
ple of Raatz’ work will be on display so
bidders can view his portraiture tech-
inate OKs tuition aid bill
kids in private colleges
nique. Works by several of the winners in
the recent College Station Municipal Art
Contest will also be up for bid, including
the work of J.M. Hutchinson, Mary Sas-
low, Sally Tullos and Olive Black.
A drawing by cartoonist Jim Earle will
be for sale, as will weaving by Maggie
Mazzera, silver and ebony cufflinks by
Maraget van Bavel, batik by many local
artists and numerous items of needlework
and macrame.
Both Full Moon Crafts and Walton
Stained Glass have donated stained glass
windows to benefit the station.
Antiques up for bid will include a
2-quart Depression glass pitcher from Mi
gration Antiques, a china set for serving
hot chocolate from B&B Antiques, a
pressed glass pedestal cake plate from Pic
ket Fence, a white iron double bed from
the turn of the century from The Unicorn
Antiques, and a hardwood gilt frame from
Van Dykes Studio.
Also a sewing rocker with upholstered
seat given by Amity Antiques, an antique
tool set from Ann’s Antiques, a small hob
nail milk glass fruit bowl from the
Blackshears and four Victorian fiddleback
silver-plated serving spoons from the col
lection of Sidney and Meta Brown.
Citizen stunned
by Hopson case
By DOUG GRAHAM
Battalion Staff
AUSTIN — Taxpayer Oran Jones was overwhelmed by A&M Consolidated
School District’s legal expertise when he carried his “right to know” campaign to
Austin Tuesday.
He will have to wait around two weeks for a decision, but he indicated he won’t
pursue the matter further if he loses.
Jones was in Austin at a Texas Education Agency (TEA) hearing concerning the
Nov. 20, 1978, contract termination of Consol’s former school superintendent,
Fred Hopson.
The superintendent’s contract was terminated two years early in a $54,400
settlement. Since then, Hopson has become superintendent at Leander, north of
Austin.
Jones’s complaint was that the school board never explained why they “fired”
Hopson. Thus, funds were improperly used, he said.
He requested a TEA hearing, over which a TEA senior staff attorney, David
Ryan, presided Tuesday.
Jones advanced his arguments at the hearing, but was soon stopped. The Consol
board’s attorney, Jack Woods, said TEA had no jurisdiction over the case because
the Texas Education Code says a school board — and no one else — has discretion
over its funds.
He argued that Jones had no standing, or right to appear, in the court. He made
a motion for immediate dismissal.
Ryan withheld making a decision on the motion, which he finally denied, until
after he heard the case. The hearing dragged through several recesses from 9:30
a.m. until after lunch.
One thing became evident: The ramifications of Jones’s complaint might be
far-reaching.
Jones’s contention that he, as a taxpayer, had a right to know why the school
board terminated Hopson’s contract could cause headaches for school boards all
over Texas, said Bill Wasson, a Consol board member.
“If a single taxpayer can haul a board up before the TEA over anything he’s
unhappy about, there will be 2,000 cases up here,” he said. “That’s why I think
they will rule in our favor.”
But the decision will not be made before court transcripts are made available for
review, Ryan said. The TEA attorney said the transcripts will take at least two
weeks to prepare. After he reviews them, he will hand down a proposal which
Jones and the school board can file exceptions to.
The case then goes to the education commissioner, and then to the State
Education Board if necessary. After that, civil courts are available, Ryan said.
Jones’s case may be unique. “As far as I know, this is a case of first impression,
on whether a taxpayer can demand an explanation, ” Ryan said. “We never had a
taxpayer challenging an expenditure of funds of a local school board.
“That’s why I refused his (Woods) motion for dismissal.”
Motion for dismissal was not the only tactic used by the board’s attorney, by
whom Jones admitted he was “outclassed.”
Woods instructed board members to remain silent when questioned because
the TEA “tribunal” had no legal jurisdiction over the Consol school board.
Board president Bruce Robeck refused to even identify himself in response to
Jones’s first questions. That action led to a recess.
Woods speculated that Ryan was conferring on the political aspects of the case,
but Ryan said he was checking his lawbooks.
“I went out to review my books,” he said later. “It was the first time I
encountered anything like that. Although it was rude, I have no power of con
tempt.”
Ryan then called Jones to his bench, and Ryan said he offered Jones the chance
to ask for a delay of the trial to subpoena witnesses.
Jones refused that offer and others for a chance for a continuance.
“A continuance sure wouldn’t have hurt his case,” Ryan said.
Anwar Sadat of Egypt also decided to put
the peace-treaty package before his
Cabinet and Parliament for approval be
fore signing.
The Middle East News Agency said if
the treaty wins approval of the Egyptian
and Israeli Cabinets and Parliaments, it
will be signed in Washington within two
weeks by Carter, Sadat and Begin. Sadat
and Begin later will sign an Arabic version
of the treaty in Cairo and a Hebrew ver
sion in Jerusalem, the agency said.
News of Carter’s success brought ex
pected cries of condemnation from the
Palestine Liberation Organization, which
warned that “this tripartite conspiracy will
never be forgiven. Sadat will pay the price
for his treason.”
On the occupied West Bank, Palestinian
Arabs demonstrated against the pact
Tuesday but were confronted by gun-
toting Israeli settlers who forced some
youths to remove barricades of burning
tires.
Unofficial surveys showed at least 80
legislators would vote for the accord, a
comfortable two-thirds majority.
In Egypt, treaty approval was certain.
Sadat’s group, which includes more than
300 deputies, has a sweeping majority in
the 360-seat House.
Egyptian officials said Sadat was sending
letters to Arab kings and presidents —
with the exception of the “rejection” lead
ers — explaining the treaty terms and em
phasizing continued commitment to Pales
tinian rights.
One-hour
NY-LA
service?
United Press International
NEW YORK — By the year 2029, you’ll
be able to get on a subway in New York
and arrive in Los Angeles 54 minutes
later, if the predictions in the 50th an
niversary issue of Travel Trade are accu
rate.
Herman Kahn predicts travel 50 years
from now in the issue — and says it’ll be
faster and cheaper.
What he calls a “planetary subway” will
link New York with Los Angeles in 54
minutes and ultrasonic flights at 6,000
mph would put New York and Sydney,
Australia, within three hours of each
other.
There will be. resorts in China and on
the moon, in the middle of the Sahara and
beneath the sea, as conventional desti
nations feel the pressure of billions of
holiday-makers, Kahn predicts.
There’ll be so many people traveling
that the most popular destinations will be
“rationed,” he predicts.
But throw-away clothes will eliminate
the bother of baggage.
United Press International
UbTIN — The Senate passed and sent
the House a tuition equalization bill
ichlwill provide more grant money to
rate college and university students,
^darthquake
day rocks
exico City
L United Press International
MEXICO CITY — An earthquake
eked a wide area of Mexico for 60 sec-
BRarly today, toppling buildings and
using blackouts in a residential section of
exico City. More than a dozen people
reported injured.
Early reports from the Red Cross said
people in the capital had been injured
th^ quake. No casualty reports from
uer[areas were immediately available.
Police said two two-story buildings at
e Iberoamericana University in south
exico City collapsed during the quake
d several night watchmen may have
enjtrapped in the rubble. A television
Won reported a movie theater in the
nter of the capital collapsed.
Power blackouts were reported in two-
uds of the capital.
The Tacubaya Seismological Center said
f earthquake registered 7.0 on the Rich-
r ||Cale with its epicenter 188 miles
uthWest of Mexico City in the mountains
Mlchoacan State. The University of
difornia’s seismograph station at Berke-
1 raited the quake at 7.5 on the Richter
ale.
IT 35 s t ron g es t quake since last
^ 29, when two sharp earthquakes
“ed at least nine people and left 100
04vj rs injured. Those quakes registered
Bfcd 7.9 on Richter scale.
iOt
0**
c*"
and extend grant eligibility to part-time
students.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Grant
Jones, D-Abilene, will allow students who
are enrolled for at least one-half of a full
course load in a degree plan in an ap
proved private college or university to re
ceive a grant equal to 50 percent of the
average state appropriation for a full-time
student at a public college or university.
Sen. A.R. Schwartz, D-Galveston, op
posed the bill and lectured the Senate for
more than one hour about the dangers in
herent in its passage, including what he
called the danger to the constitutional
mandate for separation of church and
state.
“This bill will bring around full regula
tion of church-supported schools,”
Schwartz said.
Schwartz also said the bill was improper
at a time when the Legislature was seeking
to cut $1 billion from the state budget, and
that the bill would help the wealthy at the
expense of the poorer taxpayer.
“What this does is subsidize the part of
our society that can afford $3,000 tuition
because they elect to pay $3,000 tuition,”
Schwartz said, in reference to the price of
tuition at private schools.
Schwartz and Jones engaged in several
shouting matches over the bill, especially
over appropriations for the grant program.
Jones said he did not know the amount the
private college lobby would request, but
Schwartz insisted he did.
“Senator, all my life I have undertaken
in my legislative career to always speak the
truth and for you to insinuate that now I
am lying is an insult,” Jones angrily told
Schwartz.
But Sen. Bill Meier, D-Euless, said
most of the senators believed the bill
would give much-needed help to students
who wanted to attend private colleges.
A Schwartz amendment failed that
would have placed the grant program
under the Sunset Advisory Act, where it
could be discontinued in 1985. The Senate
passed the bill 25-6 and sent it to the
House for approval.
Kyle Field keeps growing
Good weather has helped speed construction on the third-deck expan
sion of Texas A&M’s Kyle Field. Workmen for Zachry Engineering firm,
which is handling the stadium expansion, were busy Tuesday raising into
place sections of concrete that will form the second-story level floor in
the expanded stadium.
Battalion photo by Lee Roy Leschper Jr.,