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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 1980)
Viewpoint Lo< The Battalion Texas A&M University Monday October 6, 1980 Slouch By Jim Earle 1 don't care for it too much, but they say our room is directly over a rich oil deposit, so what the heck, it may be worthwhile. “ Hot dogs meant to be round By S By DICK WEST United Press International WASHINGTON — My neighbor Flintstopp was fuming. “If Mother Nature had intended hot dogs to be flat, she would have given us square buns,” he told me over his backyard grill. A traditionalist from the tip of his heat- resistant mittens to the bow of his “Chief Cook and Bottle Washer” apron, Flintstopp was sore ly offended by a Johns Hopkins University study of hot dog configuration. The main conclusion drawn by researcher Susan Baker was that flat franks would be safer for children, a number of whom choke on hot dogs each year. Moreover, her report indicated that flat hot dogs would be less likely to roll off the grill into the charcoal briquettes. Radical findings of this type go down hard for orthodox hot dog reactionaries like Flintstopp. Actually, contrary to the impression har bored by some of the more dedicated defenders of the hot dog status quo, there is nothing hal lowed about the cylindrical shape of frankfur ters. It is true the basic design dates back to the Middle Ages. But architectural perfection was a minor consideration, if that. Those exemplar franks were made by stuffing meat into sheep intestines. Ergo, they took that general confor mation, which was the line of least resistance. The hot dog as we know it — that is, the frank on a bun — did not come into existence until 128, or 113 or 78 years ago, depending on which authority you consult. Some historians say the hot dog was invented in 1867 by Charles Feltman, a Coney Island pie salesman, who, being a native of Frankfurt, Germany, called his creation a frankfurter. (Had Feltman been born in Hamburg, Ger many, he presumably would have called it a hamburger.) ».nd then grasshopper jftob Horn Friday nign Other historians claim the first hogdoi§yd ie not constructed until 1902 and that itwasml was he that name by Tad Dorgan, a San FranH^. an ^ * cartoonist, because it reminded him of nK shund. Still other historians insist the hot dot invented in 1883 by Anton Ludwig Feucklj ger, a St. Louis sausage monger. If you get deeply involved in thiscontn sy, as I have done, you can even finddainrt the name “hot dog” stemmed from “hum implications that they were made ffo» meat. The Johns Hopkins study said it hadi proven that flat hot dogs were techno] feasible. I can believe that. With the ad' cellulose casings, hot dogs no longer™ low the contours of sheep intestines. But as so often happens with era issues, the upshot probably will beacon ise. I look for eventual agreement on all hot dog, still elongated in the tradition; ner but with six fiat sides. lope sta [otograph* shots.’ Ihope the game f b spoke o Inner, as [glit have i ^ntions p bse of us i in) all kno ohe doe my Ste :es, Dam rtin joke But you c iption t< derstand d to kno tin drin ■ ©IW/04&60 T0(kt&~ Education should allow for brain growth rates By PATRICIA McCORMACK United Press International A new explanation for why some children lag in school, then suddenly spurt in learning abil ity has been put forth — the theory that brain tissue does not always grow at a steady rate. For school administrators, teachers, and pa rents, as well as kids, the theory of irregular brain growth raises all sorts of questions. Some samples: .. i( . , ^ — Should a child’s school curriculum be geared to brain growth and pauses — strong during the growth periods, easy during the pauses? — Since kindergarten may be too late to do right by a toddler’s brain under circumstances envisioned by this theory, when should a pa rent attempt to enrich a pre-school child’s brain? And with what? Nonsense stuff in periods of pause and Plato and calculus in time of growth? The theory is discussed in a report in “The School Administrator,” put out by the Amer ican Association of School Administrators, Arlington, Va. Noting that the theory of irregular growth conflicts with the old notion that the brain grows at a constate rate, Conrad Toepfer and Richard Mills say some changes in curriculum may be called for. Toepfer is from the Universi ty of Georgia, and Mills is president of the AASA. “We have held this myth, as I call it, that the brain grows on a constant continuum and the object of teachers has been to challenge youngs ters on the cutting edge of this continuing growth,” Toepfer said. “However, the brain does not grow on a continuum but rather in a series of stages. If a youngster is in a plateau or period of no growth and we attempt to push him beyond his neurological capacity to think, he goes into a turn-off situation. ” Toepfer, associate professor of middle school education, said research about these things “gives us some very frightening information.” “That is,” he said, “a child’s emotional turn off is such that even when he comes to the next period of great brain growth, he is not going to succeed because he has the feeling that he is a failure and no matter how hard he tries on the level the school expects of him, he can’t cut it. ” Here, from the report, are questions and answers on the theory called “brain growth periodization”: Q. What is brain growth periodization? A. “It is a term that... now identifies a scien tific fact: that the brain does not grow on a constant continuum as we have assumed in edu cation. Research from neurobiology, biophy sics, biology, cadaver and autopsy have con firmed that the brain grows at certain times with intervening plateau periods. This is highly fixed for between 85 and 90 percent of all youngsters of average or above average ability. ” Q. When do these plateaus or spurts occur? A. “Eighty-five to 90 percent of youngsters go through brain growth spurts between the ages of 3 and 10 months, 2 and 4 years, 6 and 8 years, 10 and 12 years, and the last one we ever have is 14 to 16-plus years of age, which coin cides with the transformation of pubescence. ” . Q. What happens during brain growth? - A. “The maturation of the synapses anchthe- extension of the synapses is taking place. Dur ing the periods of great growth, we have been able to identify the telegraphy that connects synapses, the axons which are the sending im pulses, and the dendrites which are the receiv ing impulses, grow and branch and length tremendously. It’s the physical development of new neural networks during the brain growth periods which is the phenomena that has to relate to how youngsters can learn. And this happens for between 85 and 90 percent of kids of average or above average ability during these times.” Q. What does this mean for teachers? A. “In every place we have done research it is quite clear if you do teach youngsters in terms of when they can be challenged and when they can’t, the achievement and maturation of think ing skills is astounding. ” Q. Are there sex differences in terms of brain growth stages? A. “... between 11 and 12 years of age, which is the last half of the 10-to-12 brain growth stage, girls outgain boys three to one in brain growth. This reciprocates in favor of boys be tween 14 and 15, which is the first half of that last brain growth stage. The National Institute of Education ... is trying to investigate the problems of women and mathematics. One of their concerns is that despite the fact that women are innately more intelligent than men, boys outperform girls and men outperform women about three to one in serious studies of the analytical and theoretical areas beginning in high school, continuing into college and enter ing into the professions.” Q. Do findings about brain growth spurt and no growth periods impact on Head Start prog rams? A. “Most Head Start programs occur be tween 4-6 years of age, a period of plateau. Where Head Start programs are given to chil dren between 6 and 8, period of brain growth, there is continuing educational gain.” Q. What about implications for pre-school children? A. “It might be that the public school or some form of organized education is going to begin for children between the ages of one and four, two and four. But we know the 2-4 period is a period of great brain growth and if we do the best of what can be done — such as in the really good Montessori Schools — this might be a clue. ” Hope alsc side by dro ences to tin cnee would Ar loc The Bra artifacts fr Cxhibit en Jody Ba Brazos Ce The exh developiru Brought Valley Art merce Agi nients, ch e-creatioi All the Brazos Ce these artif A previi p m., and Dr. Milto The exh through F It’s your turn Research shouldn 't hinder teaching Editor: Lately a question has been bothering me, “What is the purpose of a university?” Asked a few years ago, I would have answered without hesitating, “To provide students with a proper education.” Now, however, it is evident that research plays an important role as well. The problem here is which one is more important? To the students the obvious answer is educa tion. Also, it would prove difficult to have re search without educated people. Some instruc tors seem to disagree, however, by conveying an obvious attitude of indifference in the clas sroom and out. Since more money is available in most research rather than in teaching, it is understandable for their desire to work in that area. Learning is not made easier though, when these instructors reveal their apparent lack of concern for the students. After all, most of us are here for an education and it is within our rights to achieve this goal. Now it seems that those who are “indispensible” as teachers, i.e. (Oct. 2) Dr. Brown, and underplay research’s importance are refused tenure. In all fairness, the instructors here mainly for research, who care less about teaching, should be treated equally. Yet even the high officials of this university reveal a problem defining education’s import ance (as noted in the article concerning Hubert and Miller). A board of rich, power-hungry members evidently has received the right to withdraw the education system’s power, plac ing it in the research area instead. What, be sides deterioration in quality, effect will this action have on the education system? Where are the funds supporting this move coming from (will the former students appreciate this money transfer)? As a student at Texas A&M I’d like to be accurately informed on this matter. It seems our leaders need to reevaluate the university’s goals in order to provide definite information. The education system should be expanded, not hindered in growth. Tina L. Hrncir ’82 We're basically OK Editor: This letter is one we feel needs to be written and all pessimistic Ags should pay attention. Lately there have been numerous criticisms concerning Mike Mosley and the football team, the way people conduct themselves at concerts and yell practice, and even Grandpa Reagan and Smilin’ Jimmy. We feel that some people, regardless of creed, race or non-reg and military status on campus would complain or critically state the problems concerning the price of rice It takes all types to make the world functiob guess we are a couple of Ags that are no I perfect as others and hope we will notbecof mned for that. We have both been guilt 1 neglecting tradition and even the cardinals yelling at concerts but we hope we are destined for Satan’s chamber for this. Evide someone, while straightening their halot * they must play mother or good BOY aad critical of our every error we so viscioi commit. Our opinion is that everyone is basically? and their actions are not meant to be hannfo anyone else. We surly hope next timewefo 1 some tradition someone doesn’t take it oil sively. If we do, don’t play Joe Good Ag< condemn us for it, nothing annoys us more' hope you will look in the mirror and realize are not perfect, as we are not. Besides you not appreciate our non-reg two percenter re] or action (as it has been stated). So worry your own faults and keep on swimmin’. Brian Davis Mike Weis* fall AND SPE( $ D Warped By Scott McCutlar The Battalion U S P S 045 360 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Dillard Stone Managing Editor Rhonda Watters Asst. Managing Editor Scott Haring City Editor Becky Swanson Sports Editor Richard Oliver Asst. Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy Focus Editor Scot K. Meyer News Editors Lynn Blanco, Gwen Ham, Todd Woodard Staff Writers Jennifer Afflerbach, Kurt Allen, Nancy Andersen, Marcy Boyce, Mike Burrichter, Pat Davidson, Jon Heidtke, Uschi Michel-Howell, Debbie Nelson, Liz Newlin, Cathy Saathoff, Rick Stolle Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photo Editor • Pat O’Malley Questions or comments concerning any editorial taw should be directed to the editor. 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