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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 1982)
-opinion Slouch By Jim Earle “So I said, ‘We may have differences about AScM, but you should have a chance to express your ideas/ and he told me how he felt..." “... and I listened to everything he had to say without interrupting a single time, and when he was through, POW! right in the mouth!" ^TTA Fow worth N.E.R. “Here’s a notice about the pickup schedule — our service is unchanged: there will be no pickup on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. However, we are being given priority for delivery of garbage on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.” Letter: Women’s role in the Corps The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Diana Sultenfuss Managing Editor Phyllis Henderson Associate Editor Denise Richter City Editor Bernie Fette Assistant City Editor Gary Barker Sports F.ditor Frank L. Christlieb Entertainment Editor . Nancy Floeck Assistant Entertainment Editor Colette Hutchings News Editors Rachel Bostwick, Cathy Capps, Daniel Puckett, Jan Werner, Todd Woodard Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Susan Dittman, Beverly Hamilton, John Lopez, Robert McGlohon Hope E. Paasch, Carol Smith, Dana Smelser, Joe Tindel, John Wagner, Rebeca Zimmermann Copyeditors Elaine Engstrom, Bill Robinson Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Pam Starasinic Photographers . . . David Fisher, Octavio Garcia, Irene Mees, John Ryan, Corrections An article in Thursday’s Battalion in correctly reported that a graduate course in English aids students in getting their thesis papers published. The course — Technical Writing for Publication — aids students in getting articles published which are based on thesis papers. Another article published in Thurs day’s Battalion incorrectly reported an amount for the annual University Press budget. The $600,000 amount is the annual sales income — not the budget — for the University Press. The Battalion regrets the errors. Editor: This letter is in response to one writ ten by Debbie Robertson in regard to the role of women in the Corps. Ms. Robertson, while I respect your views concerning women in the Corps, it saddens me to see that you don’t under stand why women are in the Corps. Let me try to help you understand. I am a fifth-year senior here at A&M. I finished my term in the Corps of Cadets last May at Final Review where I stood with the rest of the class of ’82 and bid a tearful farewell to the Corps of 1983. I am very proud of the years I spent as a woman in Company W-l and so are many other women who have gone be fore me and will come after. The number of women in the Corps grows each year as the Corps becomes more and more “equality” responsible and more career- minded women become aware of the vast opportunities available to them by pur suing a military career. I can’t believe you are one of those unfortunate people who believe a “women’s place is in the home” or else you yourself would not be here at Texas A&M in your senior year of achieving a degree from a University which is going to entitle you to something better than a frying pan. The women of Texas A&M have available to them probably the finest officer training program anywhere. If you have any desire to know the truth of the matter take a walk over to the Military Science Building and ask anyone in the Army, Air Force, or Naval/Marine De partments about the many fine women officers A&M has produced who are tak ing their responsible place in the military in the fine tradition of their Aggie officer brothers. If that is not too much of a revelation for you it would be a simple matter to arrange for you a visit to the women’s outfits. In fact, I would be more than happy to pay for your dining in Duncan with Company W-l, Ms. Robertson, so that you could learn something about the group of women you found it so conve nient to malign. You would meet a group of women who are disciplined and cooperative, academically minded, will ing to share possessions, hard-times and hardwork, but most of all determined and yet patient to make their time in the Corps meaningful to themselves, their school, their military service, and the rest of the Corps by putting in that little extra sacrifice of convenience. While the Corps is certainly not for everyone, most of the Corps women are quite proud and would happily tell you so if only you had bothered to ask them. In 1969, this University made a giant leap forward in admitting women who are to day an intricate part of this University. It was a liberal, equalitarian view which allowed you and I, Ms. Robertson, to attend this fine institution. I only hope you may, through learning the facts, come to share in this same belief of equal ity of opportunity. Dawn M. Daniels, ’82 October 4 Traditions Unite toward a goal ai The Editor: It started out so innocently. Somebody asked “why do I have to remove my hat during football games?” Then someone asked why he had to stand up. Then everyone became official University his torian. Then the question-askers were declared two percenters. Then the “good Ags” were called closed-minded. Then it was argued whether A&M was nirvana or a “monotheistic prison of pseudo idolatry.” Then we discussed the pros and cons of traditions. Then we com pared our library to other schools’ librar ies. Then it was pointed out that Highway 6 runs both North and South. Let’s stop the name-calling and sort this out. Texas A&M has a long military history that has been instrumental in shaping this University. It would be pre posterous to attempt to ignore or erase this fact. zation or this institution could have, ressed so far without the “Spirito[| land?” I wonder how many ofthecrit!| Aggie traditions have given anytk to the alternatives. What would this! pus be like without “Howdy,”\ dently could use some revitalig A&M’s football traditions sure l half-empty stadiums and lethargitj that one finds at many other i Having recently transferred from* those schools, I find it excitingt back and forth with 50,000 othe and I don’t feel my sense of ids'; threatened. Have all of those ire; critics simply forgotten the meai fun? Arts award < Brad si to helf cover < and in head Progrt found Sod< searclii arts is r in oth< there i: pus ar sponsil auditio Aggie traditions (and that’s traditions, not laws) have been embraced voluntarily and enthusiastically by generations of students. The sense of community cre ated by these traditions is best reflected by the Association of Former Students. Can anyone honestly say that that organi- A&M’s traditions enhance thisIrj sity’s academic excellence, noti from it. A winning football teamp in a stadium full of enthusiastic^ much more likely to bring theexpi that this school needs thannoneaiij all of the “two percenters” and > Ags” would stop fighting with eacli| and put their energies into our cm goal of pre-eminence, that goal r closer than it seems. Ken Mitteldc: r I A pro speakim ( ter acqu Academics and traditioi fcracticn Ivith En (is in it s f Editor: I promised myself I wasn’t going to write yet another letter to The Battalion concerning all the hullabaloo over tradi tions vs. academia. However, after read ing the various comments that address this issue, I just lost my self-control. our rich history through traditional] To say A&M will never change isal< ful narrow-minded statement atl cause we have seen so many eld through its history, but hopefullynj hold on to some sense of how and got this far as we progress intothefii What is all this garbage implying we must have either academia or tradition? Yes, I came to Texas A&M for a top qual ity education, and yes, I feel I’m as good an Ag as I can be. Our traditions may not land us all $40,000-a-year jobs, but I be lieve that because I feel such a loyalty to my fellow Ags and what they have consis tently represented I will be a better per son for it. A&M is my home, the place I love best for many reasons, and I really can’t understand the notion that we can’t be a first class academic institution and retain The dents ai lasses, s olveci. Dr. S professc nd coc am, sai peaking &M ar lasses b ies will hey hav o the L Alth If you are not fond of a particular tion, either go someplace where yot not be imposed upon, or grin and Sure, it takes a little stamina to for three hours at a football game,.— you don’t have it, you just sit rightdi & 151 ^ 1 but don’t you dare holler at me forsi ing in front of you. Now, if youwli cuse me, I have to read a few motet ters so I can take time out for midi yell practice. M( Kelli J. CleiB Mosher | re; by Carry spirit always » An eic ®id slide Ifexas / music of t Singing C N>le for Vi Editor: Things are really getting out of hand. It amazes me to read The Battalion every day and see so many petty statements about fellow Aggies. After all, we are all Aggies, and we should have some respect for the ideas and beliefs of others. Even if we do not agree with other people’s ideas, we should recognize that every indi vidual is guaranteed the right to express his opinions. Is that not what this section of the paper is for? Clearly, it is. t “|> by mic juris i many rich traditions. Ihese trac Fel 0 f w h have enhanced A&M, and they area'like throi of what puts A&M “a cut above”r pictures,’ other schools. But some chaffb, dean needed. Change is a necessary psB° r ds. that we must accept. We may lose!' He sai traditions, but we may also gain the process. So change is not all I have a few opinions of my own I wish to express. First, I agree that Texas A&M is a great school, but it is by no means perfect. There are other schools that have, in the past, and currently surpass A&M in several areas. Hopefully, though, we can make a change in these areas, which brings me to my second point. Finally, I want to encourage, lenge, all Aggies to show that true, Spirit. Be Good Ags, and quit tryii cut others down simply because have a different opinion. Let’s song says, be “True to each othe' Aggies can be.” ive an i Program; 3nd the a The °n, call eep,” is eaive si ; e nts tht Really, h Tt a cm A&M am ' e seriou Incidentally, since we are suppose! be so unique, let’s come up with a:; ginal idea to debate about. Keith Cartwright Freedom to choose Editor: The following lines are not original, but I feel that they may be appropriate. not infringe on the rights or freedom others. Walking the fence and tryh see both sides (perhaps from fear (I taliation? No, certainly not in Amen* I am ... To the pro-spirit faction: You have no reason to condemn or criticize those wishing not to participate in traditions unless they harm or inconvenience you by not taking part. Greg Hilsk 4302 College # To the pro-academics faction: Do not condemn or criticize traditions or those who willingly take part in them unless by doing so they cause harm or inconveni ence to you. End it all Editor: It is certainly not my intention to cate gorize everyone as either spirit-crazed partiers or anti-social bookworms, but proponents of the two positions seem to be locking horns as of late. Obviously, I think that people should be free to do as they choose, provided their actions do A word concerning all this contra sy over traditions here at Texas.!' University: REST! Saskia Ekelmaos Carol HaH Marcy Basilf Barbara Schrott