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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1984)
d \ l Opinion Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday,January 25, 1984 Texas school days will be too long A nine-hour school day is too long for anyone. The state education committee led by H. Ross Perot last week recommended lengthening the school day in Texas public schools. So instead of Dick and Jane catching the bus at 7:15 a.m. for an 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. school day, they may have to board the bus earlier and hear the final bell later. There are many arguments against a longer school day — the best argument being that those who need help the most will be helped the least by the longer day. The attention span of a school-age child can barely withstand the seven- hour days they face this year. How can we expect them to withstand a nine- hour day when most college students seem to have trouble maintaining their attention span through four 50-minute classes a day? Even businessmen are only required to spend an eight-hour day at the office. The reasons behind lengthening the school day need to be questioned. Is a longer school day needed to train to day’s students for today’s rapidly chang ing technology, or is it just an excuse to turn schools into baby-sitting factories? Maybe part of the answer lies in re quiring students to attend all seven hours of the present school day. Many high school students are allowed to spend from two to three hours a day in class, spending the rest of the time in out-of-school jobs. Complaints about the public school system abound. Solutions must be found, but diluting the work of our already over-worked school teachers is not a solution. When the soup is watery, adding salt will only make it salty. — The Battalion Editorial Board New events center would be an asset The Board of Regents’ study of pre liminary plans for a special events center is an important step in the design and construction of a facility Texas A&M desperately needs. G. Rollie White Col iseum simply can’t handle a University of over 36,000 students, and A&M can not afford to wait much longer before building a multi-purpose arena. With an estimated price tag of $45 million, however, A&M might not be able to afford to build one. “That’s a lot of money for a basketball arena,” is the way some people put it. Still, the truth remains. When pre sent facilities are outgrown, new ones are needed. It’s the same for special events centers as it is for engineering buildings. A facility such as the Frank C. Erwin Special Events Center — the Uni versity of Texas’ multi-purpose arena — is a powerful recruiting tool, not only for athletes, but for all prospective stu dents. It would be an impressive addi tion, and one that would certainly be nefit Texas A&M. At its meeting Monday, the board viewed a slide presentation showing how other institutions developed simil- iar special events centers. The regents then discussed the various options avail able, including seating capacities, square footages and costs. It is The Battalion Editorial Board’s hope that the regents decide on a plan that will be the most beneficial to the people who will use the facility the most — A&M’s students. — The Battalion Editorial Board Peace-niks aren't violent Letters: A U.S. Army soldier was abducted by an anti-missile group in West Germany. Or was he? The soldier in West Germany, it was reported by the Associated Press, had faked his own abduction. He was found in a barn in Bavaria. Under questioning from U.S. Army and German government officials he admit ted it was all a hoax. He had in fact told his wife a white lie. Why did he call his wife and tell her that he had ben kidnapped? Because he was afraid his wife would be mad at him for failing to pick her up after work, he said. And so he blamed the peace-niks for holding him hostage. There are groups of people in West Germany who are strongly against the placement of U.S. missiles on their land. They argue that the arms race is the Soviet Union versus the United States, and they don’t want to be the battlefield for the confrontation. And from time to time, especially when prominent officials or nuclear mis siles visit West Germany, the protestors pull out their signs and their skeleton costumes and march. Peacefully. The Army is antagonistic ton; these groups because of politicaloi tions. And this problem ofattitudfli through in the accusations of the Yes, our lost soldier is beingadmi to a U.S. military hospital to undei mental examination. But he is more horses, w; eople sit Ire they movie, bu club calk failridei Jerry S |ent, says number donn friedman ri This “kidnapping” is the first case of violence against Americans that I have heard attributed to the anti-nuclear pro testors. They are, for the most part, in volved in passive resistance to the U.S. Army. No kidnappings. No murders. No trials and executions of army officials for crimes of Army against the peoples of the world. tides each “We gether organ lub,” Stu One of vines is ric livestock s id. Thi: to be treated for story-telling thanfoiM 0 , ut ‘ nelv . attitude toward the peaceful protestf — people he regards as his enemies We need to keep in mind that who protest against the U.S. Army actions are not directly protestinga] U.S. citizens. They are protesting against di tion. ' Armies shoot bullets. Armiesfiret i| e ! s siles that kill. Armies arm our nud ly e weapons. Armies march with greni y exas th an(1 Runs. Houston I he peace-niks are the ones marc! I Thetra with the signs and the flowers. : to begin i (Donn Friedman is sports editor The Battalion and a senior joum major.) iville, Stu; 1 riders r roup, tf Abortion rally presented facts Editor: I am writing in response to the article concerning Monday’s demonstration against abortion. First of all, I am relieved that the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech were acknowledged. However, Monday’s demonstration was not only an appeal to the emotions, but an appeal to the facts. If the author of the article had taken the time to really examine the demon stration brochures, her questions and cri ticisms, as well as those of other pro- choicers, would have been answered im mediately. One of the brochures listed alternatives to abortion such as adoption, supportive community services, and rape crises centers which provide immediate medical attention so that pregnancy and disease can be avoided. Another brochure stated that pregnancy resulting from forcible rape is extremely rare. The demonstration itself was “emo tional” because abortion is a serious mor al and emotional issue that is negatively affecting our entire society. Child abuse, for example,as gone up 500 percent since abortion was legalized. I personally would like to thank the organizers and participants of the de monstration for waking me up to the facts about abortion and for effectively appealing to my emotions. I also appreci ated their Christian, Bible-based pers pective which was really the wisest, most rational approach to adopt. I would like to submit the following problem to the author of “Emotional Appeals.” A woman suffering from tuberculosis gave birth to a defective child, whose father was also infected with VD. Her second child was born dead, her third child was born with a birth defect, and her fourth child was born with tuber culosis. Upon discovering that she was pregnant with a fifth child, would you, Miss Smith, suggest t she get an abortion? Chances are the response would be affir mative, in which case you would be assenting to the murder of Beethoven, one of the greatest composers of our time. Think about it. There are alternatives to abortion, but abortion is not a positive, effective or moral alternative. Dawn Wright Graduate Student neither does one easily choose to bring an unwanted child into the world. Both the consequences and choices must be care fully weighed no matter the decision. At least now with the legalization of abortion, it has become a safe procedure. Today’s women now face a much higher chance of complications with a full term pregnancy than with an abortion. Mr. Peters should face the fact that abortion will continue. It will either be through the front door or the back. But for post-1973 women, it is finally a safe alternative for a difficult decision. Chuck Sowders Class of ’85 Laws hypocritical Student favors senior finals Right to choice Mr. Peters’ letter in the Jan. 20 edition of The Battalion has struck a very sensi tive chord. It is one that indeed has very little middle ground. I am not writing to defend the rightness or wrongness of abortion; just the right to decide. No one who has been through an abortion was happy to make the decision. It is not a choice that one makes easily, Editor: I would like to add to the recent con troversy about senior exemptions from finals. It seems to me that the basic reason that most students are against the prop osed change is laziness, pure and simple. Some of them have come up with “argu ments” such as the following. “It’s a tradition.” This logic says that something should be done a certain way for no other reason than because it was done that way in the past. There is no reason to lend that argument credibility by saying anything further. As for the material covered in class, I Editor: Tell me this. Under our current laws man can be tried for statutory rape if he engages in fornication with a minor female, even if she is willing. This law infers that a minor female is not mature enough to make the decision herself to engage in sex. Yet a large percentage of the popula tion is opposed to the implementation of a “squeal law” on the premise that it is none of a parent’s business if his or her children are having premarital sex. This is blatant hypocrisy! I do not see how such duplicity can be defended. We should choose to either adhere to morality or reject it. Also, one final note. I thought Scott McCullar’s portrayal of taking finals as being analogous to bearing a cross was in poor taste. Mr. McCullar, do you expect to be martyred for taking finals? Ricky Davis Space research is practical The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Rebeca Zimmermann author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Managing Editor John Wagner Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem- City Editor Patrice Koranek hers, or of the Board ol Regents. Assistant City Editors Kathleen Hart, rhc Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper Stephanie Ross for students in reporting, editing and photography clas- News Editor Tracey Taylor scs within thc Department of Communications. Assistant News Editors Susan Talbot, Questions or comments concernmgany ednonal mat- Wanda Winkler tcr S1(,u ( Be directed to thc editor. Editorial Page Editor Kathy Wiesepape Sports Editor Donn Friedman Assistant Sports Editor Bill Robinson 1 hc ^‘ttalion is published Monday through Friday Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holi- Assistant Entertainment Editor Angel ^ _ a _ nd c *aminauon periods. Mail subscriptions are Stokes ^ g-75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per ^ . i w , , full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Photo Editor John Makely 5 m . address; Th S c Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Editorial Policy United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited Thc Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news- to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M reserved. University and Bryan-Collcge Station. Opinions ex- Second class postage paid at College Station, TX pressed in Thc Battalion arc those of thc editor or the 77843. think it is obvious that studying for a com prehensive exam will strengthen and uni fy the material. Of course, profs could give seniors such a test near the end of the semester without calling it a final and having it during finals week. But those who did it would be quite unpopular and I doubt the practice would become wide spread. I think it would be better to just have regular finals. I am not just saying this from a safe distance. In fact, I would be one of the first to have to take finals at the end of my senior year. I can see beyond the annoyance of studying for more finals, however. I just think that the proposed change is in the right direction for Texas A&M. It’s got to start being more like a real university and less like an agricultu ral and mechanical junior college. Tm not saying that we should blindly follow other universities (like having a bell tower). In fact, there may be things that Texas A&M does better than any other school. I just think the proposed change is a step in the direction of improving the University. Brian Sterling Class of ’86 Editor: Regarding your front page article of Jan. 18: Dr. Borlaug errs when he says space can’t feed people. Weather satel lites have proven immensely useful in crop production, and Landsat systems have returned massive data on soil quali ty, pollution and the like. Sjjace does have practical, even agricultural, uses. In grouping space travel with nuclear arms, Dr. Borlaug is as guilty as the en vironmentalists he accuses of “polluting America’s youth.” Rather than bemoan ing a militarized space, Dr. Borlaug should join other scientists in promoting peaceful, scientific uses of space. Mike Cole Dunn Hall Code of Honor. This was madcap] to me ast Thursday when I left a containing a large sum of money on buss. Not only was the billfold giveij the driver, but nothing was missing Tm from the North and I assure that for the same thing to happen; large university elsewhere, gettingi billfold back would have been not! short of a small miracle. But I don’tli that this was an extremely unusualca* believe most Ags would have donel same thing. Ms. Wiesepape says thatmanyvii tions of the Honor Code go 1< ignored, but what about all the things Ags do for each other? You ran hear about the acts of kindness and inn rity that makes students of A&M spec Why? Because they happen so oftenli we begin to expect them and take tin for granted. I have never met people quite! Aggies. They are some of the bestpeo) in the world and if you think thatTfl A&M is a world class university, it’si cause it’s made uj4 of world class peof Ms. Wiesepape, the Aggie Code Honor isn’t something that can be forced by a judicial board. If it wai would lose its meaning. The Aggie Code of Honor is sol thing that each individual AGgieff decide to adopt because of his pride! respect for Texas A&M. Kellie Copelaf Class of Baft cartoonists short on humot Student defends Code of Honor Editor: I must say I disagree with Ms. Wiese- jjape’s statement that the Aggie Code of Honor is little more than a farce. There is no way that you will find a university where everyone is perfect and no one lies, cheats or steals. But the ma jority of Aggies do live up to the Aggie Editor: I would like to vent a personalfrus® tion concerning the humor, or stated the lack of humor in The Battf today. Come on hoser, the stuff is just® funny. I sure hope the people who# the cartoons for the Batt are notseekin! career in this field. The unemployn® lines are already long enough wit! them adding to the problem. Why not sponsor a cartoon of the# contest with each dorm submitting favorite cartoon and let R.I., Warped) the hoser person be the judges. ^ could pick the one that they feeldispj' the least humor and have it printed, assuring the readers of The Battalio [l truly laughable experience. Steve W. Lueckeme 1 Class of n . o,