Opinion
Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, April 3, 1984
Looking beyond
our tunnel vision
Americans tend to have tunnel vi
sion where other cultures are con
cerned.
The international language, we in
sist, should be English. The best form
of government, of course, is democ
racy. We still refuse to incorporate the
metric system in our day to day living.
Our way — the American way — is the
best way.
But we need to push our personal
preferences aside and realize that the
American way is not the only way. To
be a part of the world community,
we’re going to have to educate our
selves. To work with people of other
nations toward international goals, we
must have an understanding of and
appreciation for other cultures.
That’s the goal of International
Week ’84 at Texas A&M. The Interna
tional Students Association has
brought together 2,500 students from
100 foreign countries to share their
varied backgrounds with us.
This week international students
have converted the main hallway of the
Memorial Student Center into an in
ternational walkway. They’ve worked
hard to create elaborate displays to
bring a part of their countries to Texas
A&M.
Other opportunities to learn from
the visitors include a film festival, a
dinner featuring international cuisine
and a talent show.
Take the time to be a part of some of
these activities. At the very least, spend
some time at the displays. See what
other countries have to offer.
The ISA is making it easy for you to
learn. Take off your red, white and
blue blinders and take advantage of it.
— The Battalion Editorial Board
Slouch
by Jim Earle
Scholarships: Donors say
how their money's spent
z
‘All I need is a cause.
When money talks, people listen. It’s
an old cliche, but somehow it always
rings true. At a college campus, the
money that talks is often scholarship
money.
Scholarships come in all dollar
amounts and with all sorts of stipula
tions on them. Usually, only the recipi
ents know what strings are attached.
Some scholarships, however, are often
in the public eye. Two that come to the
front of my mind are athletic schol
arships and those “earmarked” for mi
norities.
Why should someone get money just
because they can run fast or handle a
ball well, and why should someone get
^money just because of the color pf their
skin? Those are the questions often
asked — and they're usually asked by
those who don’t qualify for those schol
arships.
My question is, why should someone
get money just because they are intelli
gent? Intelligence, like athletic ability, is
something people are born with. They
have to train their minds, as opposed to
their bodies, to excel.
Many will argue that a child’s envi
ronment has quite a bit of influence on
his intelligence. The same holds true for
athletes. Many students probably never
developed to their full athletic potential
because their schools didn’t have out
standing athletic programs or their par
ents didn’t emphasize athletic ability.
How are we to know?
And what about scholarships set out
for minorities or ethnic groups? In
1980, a. scholarship was available specif
ically to someone of Scottish descent
who was planning to do graduate work
in Scotland — that’s a scholarship with a
few qualifiers. There are also schol
arships offered to people of Armenian,
Polish, Indian, Japanese, Latin Ameri
can and Dutch backgrounds.
Many scholarships are given to stu
dents in specified majors. At least one
scholarship is available in every major,
usually because the donor requested
SANA
Stephanie
ross
students attending colleges or
i i i .icr's capiti
ments that relate to thecompan) Ljg j. iv
ness. Chill Oil, Inc. donates mowL man '
petroleum engineering majors ftseaitc
donates money for veterinary meoBwillian
students and Texas Garden Ck Worney
donates money for horticulture e ‘gh-won
The list goes on. T^ 0
Obtained.
This is good business for tht>-BLucas
porations, because they are abl PPP^g.
reel money to the future leadersi® ra P‘ n
x - , , 7 to be 201
fields.
Should we tell these people<
porations how to spend their i
think not.
ly was
ng Ini
ntralT
aWalsh
ly a d<
Jifessed
judge Jol
iwn pres
isions c
that his money be given to a student in
that field.
The majority of scholarships available
to Aggies come through the donations
of former students and corporations.
It’s only natural for former students to
donate scholarship money to funds in
the colleges they graduated from or to
organizations they belonged to.
The Corps of Cadets is one example.
Recently, a goal was set by the Corps En
hancement Committee to solicit endow
ments for Sul Ross scholarships. Most of
the donations already made towards
that goal were given by former cadets —
after all, the majority of old Ags were in
the Corps.
Corporations often donate money for
endowed scholarships earmarked for
All in all, every scholarship has
more qualifiers on it. After all, bi
can they decide who to give tkHfenseol
Should we deny the recipientthetl
to go to college when that schola«This is
may be his only means of doing* IP 5 tat
He has al
The University needs someiM
deciding how to distribute
money. It is when the distributi
scholarships becomes so unequals
is unjust that we should get upset
,orn
For now, we should be 1
scholarship money — with or w
qualifiers — is available throu«t|
generosity of donors to even
number of students.
Stephanie Ross is a seniorjouri.
major and assistant city editor for
Battalion.
Letters
The
emifed
Pyle, a
r Mist
ines, as
ct Atto
Monday’s
Students aren't clones
Editor:
I would like to make a token response
to the “Dave Spence Conveyor-Belt
Theory.”
Dave, Dave, Dave — did you get up
on the wrong side of the bed this year?
I think your “iron mold” analogy can
be discounted just by taking a look
around one of my classes. I see unique
individuals every day, not stereotyped
“clones” struggling to find some inner
individuality.
Perhaps if you viewed this institution
of higher education as a provider rather
than a producer, you wouldn’t feel so
trapped by a simple curriculum plan.
This school provides a quality educa
tion in numerous areas and the only way
to maintain quality control and consis
tency is to have some form of central
ized structure. But the structure is there
for those who wish to follow' it. You can
always change majors, take classes out of
your curriculum or drop out of school
altogether.
This school isn’t trying to “mold” you,
Dave. It just provides some quality tools
at a reasonable price that allow you to
mold yourself.
Texas A&M has graduated some of
the most diversified and unique (not to
mention successful) people that Texas
has seen and probably will continue to
do so, but only as long as the students
here use their college education as a
positive supplement to their individual
personalities.
We don’t come here as nothing and
expect to be cast out as finished and
marketable products. We come here as
people who need some refinement in
the basic skills that have been acquired
over our lifetimes — a little specializa
tion.
Texas A&M offers an excellent op
portunity to acquire such specialization,
but only if one will take the responsibil
ity to reach out and grab it, not just sit
back and follow the syllabus, class or
general mood of everyone else.
Unfortunately, Dave, it seems you are
a senior and still you have not realized
this.
It is the responsibility of the student,
not the school, to produce successful in
dividual characteristics. This school of
fers ample opportunities to those will
take such a responsibility.
Doug Rogers
Class of ’83
Quakers clarify views
Editor:
Donn Friedman’s column described
Quakers as “true pacifists (who) shun
American society and the materialism it
offers.”
The Society of Friends considers its
members a part of our diverse society,
who should participate in it, for exam
ple, through our political advocacy cam
paigns.
I invite Mr. Friedman and all others
who w'ould like to learn about the So
ciety of Friends to attend our meetings.
Bob Mecum
The Society of Friends
Meese a GOP victim
of Democratic tactics
Editor:
After reading all the recent articles in
various newspapers and magazines
about the alleged improprieties of presi
dential aide Fd Meese, I can remain si
lent no longer.
Obviously, this is another failed ploy
by the tax-the-working, give-to-the-lazy,
liberal Democrat fools on Capitol Hill,
working in close conjunction w'ith their
cronies in the media, to “scandalize” the
Reagan Administration. Why don’t they
lay it to rest? Because it’s an election
year, of course.
If the liberals in this country are so
eager to go on witch hunts, why don’t
they investigate Tip O’Neill? Or better
yet, how about looking into where 'Ted
Kennedy (the Chappaquiddick Kid)
learned how to swim?
Stripping away the grand facade, the
real scheme the Democrats have in
mind is to avert attention from the los
ers the) have running against President
Reagan in the upcoming election. Let’s
get real! The brains of Walter Mondale,
Cary Hartpence and Jesse Jackson
(what a joke) combined couldn’t equal
that of a Jersey cow.
With zeros like that as opponents.
Ronald Reagan can start matin! I
guest list for his inaugural telebri I
Reagan/Bush ’84. Whoop!
JohnCJ I
Classi J
The Battalion
CISPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
Editor Rebeca Zimmermann
Managing Editor John Wagner
City Editor Patrice Koranek
Assistant City Editors..... Kathleen Hart,
Stephanie Ross
News Editor Tracey Taylor
Assistant News Editors Susan Talbot,
Brigid Brockman, Michelle Powe, Kelley Smith
Editorial Page Editor Kathy Wiesepape
Sports Editor Donn Friedman
Assistant Sports Editor Bill Robinson
Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra
Assistant Entertainment Editor Angel Stokes
Staff writers Ed Alanis, Robin Black,
Dainah Bullard, Bob Caster,
Bonnie Langford, Christine Mallon,
Sarah Oates, Tricia Parker, Lauri Reese,
Dave Scott, Travis Tingle, Karen Wallace
Photographers Bill Hughes,
Katherine Hurt, John Ryan, Dean Saito
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-support
ing newspaper operated as a community service
to Texas A&M and Bryan-College Station.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those
of the Editorial Board or the author, and do not
necessarily represent the opinions of Texas
A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Re
gents.
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory
paper for students in reporting ed0!
photography classes whin the Depart^
Communications.
Letter Policy
Letters to the Editor should not I
words in length. The editorial staff reset 16 I
right to edit letters for style and length
make every effort to maintain the atit^ 1
tent. Each letter must be signed and $
elude the address and telephone number"
writer:
Reader's Forum columns and guest d* I
also are welcome. Address allinquiriesto^
itorial Rage Editor.
The Battalion is published
through Friday during Texas A&M retj
mesters, except for holiday and examine
riods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per^
ter, $33.25 per school year and $35 per d 1
Advertising rates furnished on request.
Our address: The Battalion, 216 Re®.
Donald Building, Texas A&M University
lege Station, TX 77S43.
United Press International is entitledd
sively to the use for reproduction ofallttt v ‘
patches credited to it. Rights of reproduttP
all other matter herein reserved.
Second class postage paid at College V
TX 77843.