I
The Battalion
Viewpoint
December 16,1981
,o
Slouch Bv Jim Earle
‘Imagine that! Mount Aggie erupting!
'New prison is crown
for Navasota citizens
By TERRI COELSON
Navasota has a novel way to grow. Keep-
! ing people in will bring money in.
Keeping people in means 4 prison,
! | which the Texas Department of Correc-
• tions will fill with 4,()()() inmates of every
; shape, size, color and degeneracy.
This new prison, being built on 5,968
acres of Grimes County choice bottomland,
will be the nineteenth jewel in the TDC
i j crown. And for the 6,OO.Q-;person town, the
! facility will be a crowning economic
[ j achievement.
But some residents see the glint of a
knife where others see gems sparkling. The
cutting edge is that 140 inmates have
Guest editorial
•j >
escaped from the various units of the TDC
' system over the last 10 years. The depart
ment has an 80-percent recapture rate —
relatively high considering that the
escapees usually have help waiting for them
on the outside.
This year only 10 of 31,536 inmates have
escaped. This represents less than one-
thirtieth of 1 percent of the total inmate
population. Only two of these 10 are still at
large.
This has caused controversy among some
of the residents in Navasota, however.
Terri Coulson is a December 1981 gradu
ate of Texas A&M University.
the small society
by Brickman
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©1981 King Features Syndicate, Inc. World rights reserved.
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Angelique Copeland
Managing Editor JaneG. Brust
City Editor Denise Richter
Asst. City Editor Diana Sultenfuss
Photo Editor DaveEinsel
Sports Editor Frank Christlieb
Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff
Asst. Focus Editor Nancy Floeck
News Editors Phyllis Henderson,
Mary Jo Rummel, Nancy Weatherley
StafFWriters Gaye Denley,
Tim Foarde, Sandra Gary,
Colette Hutchings, Johna Jo Maurer,
Daniel Puckett, Laura Williams
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr.
Photographers . . . Daniel Sanders, Colin Valentine
Greg Watermann
EDITORIAL POLICY
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper
operated as a community service to Texas A&M University
and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat
talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not
necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M Universi
ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of
Regents.
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for
students in reporting, editing and photography classes
within the Department of Communications.
Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter
should be directed to the editor.
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in
length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The
editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and
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and phone number of the writer.
Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are
not subject to the same length constraints as letters.
Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The
Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX 77843.
The Battaliop is published daily during Texas A&M’s fall
and spring semesters, except for holiday and examination
periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25
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Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Build
ing, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843.
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Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved.
Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843.
Cheers to people who learn
It ’s time once again for a round of cheers
and jeers, tokens recognizing friends,
flunkies and items of interest at the Univer
sity.
To refresh your memory since the last
time I handed out these gems, each cheer
comprises a flood of smiles, applause,
shouts of joy and happy feelings. Each jeer,
on the other hand, comprises sighs of dis
may, assorted snarls and mild blasphemy.
First and foremost, three BIG cheers for
the wonderful winter weather! It’s begin
ning to look a lot like Christmas, folks! It’s
much easier to stomach television toy com
mercials and blinking tree lights when it’s
40 degrees instead of 70. It’s also easier to
study when you can curl up with an afghan
and a mug of hot chocolate.
Three cheers to the Aggie seniors who
were graduated Friday and Saturday. They
are a real inspiration ... at a time when the
rest of us need just that.
Three cheers to the man who says, “Ho!
Ho! Ho!’ when you call time and temp. He
certainly brightened up an all-nighter for
me last week. If you need some cheer your
self, call him at 822-6712.
Speaking of all-nighters, three cheers to
everyone who has made it to hump day of
finals week. TGIWM Three jeers to those
who already have left town.
Three cheers to all students who have
been studying for their finals — even if they
don’t think they’re doing too well on them.
Three jeers to those who say they haven’t
studied for finals and ace them anyway.
Those people have a tendency to blow
curves for the rest of us.
Actually, if you’re fretting over what you
haven’t learned this semester about World
War II, Newton’s laws of gravity and
Shakespeare, consider all that you have
learned.
Here are just a few of the things we’ve all
learned (or should have learned)int
few months.
— It’s not a good idea to wave sal
cheerleaders or anyone else, especially®!
at football games.
— Cays are people, too, and sag
Greeks. Even if you don’t recognized**;:
as student groups, they are citizens\iiij
right to protest.
— The Aggie Band is not infallib
it’s a lot closer to perfection than
other student groups.
— Even a tea-sip can be president
Texas A&M University. (MerryCliristm
Dr. Vandiver!)
— The Board of Regents will puttlie»!
University Press building (or any
building) anywhere it pleases.
Three cheers to anyone who hash
anything this semester. Three jeers ton
one who hasn’t.
Three cheers to the University itsel |]
the people, the places, the events, a!
which are conducive to learning i
growing.
lx*t’s hope we all continue toleaman:; gRj(y
grow in the new year and inthevdi Ba
ahead. log and <
their
ays rm
el in tl
ir area w
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Buring
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ersity’:
she sa
Most of
Some citizens were so up in arms over the
issue of to build, or not to build, that they
took the issue to court late last year. But
after a lengthy battle, they gave up their
fight.
Many of Navasota’s citizens correctly
overlook the miniscule breakout danger.
Instead they focus on the prison’s $3 million
payroll and 225 jobs it will create immedi
ately. The facility certainly will increase the
town’s cash flow.
Even though the foundation is still cur
ing, the prison already has increased sales
in ths area. A recent newsletter from the
state comptroller, comparing gross sales in
Grimes County for the first three quarters
of 1981 to the same period of 1980, shows a
startling increase of 54 percent which some
business owners attribute to the prison.
Above all, one other reason shines
through. TDC neec/s another penitentiary.
The decision to build the facility coincides
with a $35 million emergency appropiation
passed by the Legislature to alleviate in
mate overcrowding.
It’s a little late in the plot to change the
story line. In Navasota’s story, we’ve
already read the end of the book. All poten
tial problems considered, a prison will be as
economic asset to the community of Nava
sota.
It is a bittersweet ending to a year-long
novel.
E A/EW5 WE ALWAYS WAWTED TO REPORT...
THE: BATTALION'S GIFT TO you...
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John San
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It’s your turn
Cadet’s dismissal is a cowardly act
Editor:
I was recently alarmed by the news that a
Texas A&M senior cadet was dismissed
from A&M for his behavior while serving as
Officer-of-the.-Day during a football game.
The story appears to be a classic example
of administration cowardice and military
cover-up.
A young man’s life has been possibly
ruined in an attempt to save A&M’s image.
In doing so, A&M has given itself an even
worse image.
A&M dressed a young man in a uniform,
put a weapon (saber) in his hands, and
taught him to play at being a soldier. Then
the university gave him some vague re
sponsibilities as O. O. D., with no real train
ing and set him down in the middle of a
fun-filled football stadium. For three years
he had been taught to revere his school and
the turf of Kyle Field. He’d been trained to
consider the student body of other schools
as an enemy it was laudatory to “beat the
hell out of.
When the student defended the turf with
saber, he acted out the logical conclusion of
the script he was given. Now the university
that wrote the script has tried to escape the
spotlight and hidden behind the curtain.
It is my belief that A&M has responsibili
ties as an educator. In this case, it has edu
cated a student through acts of commission
and omission and must face up to the results
of its actions.
In the Navy, the captain of a ship is
responsible for the actions of his ship, no
matter who was the Officer of the Deck.
What happened to the Military Science
officer who “captained the ship?” What has
the President of A&M done to accept re
sponsibility for inadequacy of training and
to institute corrective action?
A significant purpose of any institution of
higher education is to teach people the dif
ference between the symptoms of an issue
and the issue itself. It’s too bad the issues in
this case have been obscured by acts of the
institution itself.
It further appears that certain forces
used this incident to fan the flames of anti-
Corps sentiment. Unfortunately, those
forces also failed to point to the real issues
and instead used the student as a scapegoat.
At my 20th reunion on Turkey Day, we
noted that the O.O.D.’s were not allowed
sabers. Another act of cowardice.
I’m not sure that old Sarge has a tear in
his eye and his head bowed in shame.
Richard J. Reiser ‘61
the finest examples of modern architect
on our campus. However, someofmy' :
low Aggies apparently enjoy throwing
er airplanes and other trash intotheld'
from the second and third floors. I f
shocked at all the debris covering the t
floor when I walked in the building Frii
the thought of what visitors mustthihM
when seeing such a display sickens $e
Come on, Ags. Good, God, we’rt‘
adults here! Anyone with the intelligent
attend this great University ought tol
mature enough not to participate inj^
nile foolishness such as this. Let’s cW-
our act, please!
Christmas spirit
in Batt
Woodrow Copped?/'
bird F
All?
4 si
Nati
AMVmutiXTrr
Editor:
In the past few issues of the Batt there have
been many Christmas stories which have
helped me to remember that Christmas is
more than just a break between semesters.
Such stories as the one about the car dealer
who sold a car to a needy family for one
dollar helped me to keep my perspectives
straight. It is easy to forget what Christmas
is all about when so much concern is being
placed on tests and grades. Those stories
have helped me to keep the Christmas
spirit.
Kent Pouncey
706 Broadmore
Golf course is
muddy
Editor:
I have played the A&M golf course t" 1
this semester. The next time I play/
tempted to wear my waders. The#
holds water to a ridiculous degree,
seems to dry out. I played after a two'® 1
dry spell and the course was as m
I
Juveniles in
Zachry
Editor:
The Zachry Engineering Center is one of
This mud is very frustrating. Itisa")
known fact that if there’s any mud on®
course, the ball will find it. And the ball''!
always land in such a way that it can!
reached from dry land.
Other than this mud problem, lam®
pleased with the Aggie golf course. Its 1 ;
out nicely and is a lot of fun to play
K. Steve Ervin'