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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 1984)
Page 2/The Battaiion/Thursday, September 6, 1984 Opinion A&M campus mourns Zachary Another death shocked the Texas A&M community Wednesday afternoon. H.B. “Pat” Zachry, a longtime Texas A&M supporter who embodied the success of Aggies more than any other former student, died Wednesday. He was 82 years old. During his lifetime Zachry supported Texas A&M Uni versity through donations of money, equipment and time. His company, the H.B. Zachry Engineering Firm of San Antonio, donates the use of a crane — the largest single ex pense — to help construct the bonfire built before the Texas A&M University, University of Texas football game each year. He also pays the salaries of the operaters — a sizeable expense in itself . T hough Zachry gave thousands of dollars to the Univer sity each year, there is no endowed chair in his name. “Zachry was a very private person,” Robert Walker, the Vice President for Development, told the Battalion Wednes day. “Zachry once told me T want Texas A&M to have the credit not Pat Zachry.’ “Zachary helped students by the hun dreds for years. It was never a matter of if he would give; it was just a matter of how much.” Texas A&M will surely miss H.B. “Pat” Zachry. Though a part of Old Army has died, his memory will live on through his generosity. Porkbarreling: Gramm's hogs in wrong pen Republican U.S. Senate nominee Phil Gramm promised that he would make Texas A&M University “the No. 1 re search institution in America,” in a Brazos valley campaign speech Tuesday. On the surface this remark seems to be a good goal — a rallying point for Aggies to gather around the former Texas A&M University economics professor. But delving a bit deeper into the matter, it’s easy to find flaws in this promise. Gramm says he supports reducing govenment spending and the federal deficit. So where is Gramm going to get the dollars to fulfill his promises? These goals seem to conflict. Research money will not grow from tissue culture in test tubes. New funds for re search must be raised or stripped from programs at other institutions. Universities should be rewarded research dollars based on the research done and the capability to perform in the fu ture, rather than who’s sitting on the Congressional commi- tees doling out the federal dollars. Porkbarreling should have no place in Texas politics. — The Battalion Editorial Board Traveling with a mobile home suitcase Tower of London or bust On the way to the airport, my par ents worried. “Now, how much money do you have?” my dad asked for the hun dredth time. “Four hundred pounds.” I hoped finding my way around London was easier than finding the American Ex press office in downtown Dallas. None of the suburban of fices will ex change foreign currency. “Do you have your purse?” “Yes.” “Are you sure?” asked my mother, who never takes anything for" granted. “Now remember to hang on to it. Where did you put your travel- Wiesepape er’s checks?” “Carry-on bag, inside pocket, ft’s locked.” “Are you sure you left us the addresses and phone numbers where you’ll be?” she asked. “On your desk.” The itinerary, put together by an invi sible secretary in the College of Liberal Arts, had a detailed list of the cities we’d be traveling through, hotels where we’d be staying, and possible side trips on the route. But at that point, they were nothing but words on a piece of paper. Imperial College of Science and Technol ogy, London. T he Royal York Hotel, York, England. Stirling University, Stirling, Scotland. Possible side trip to Lindisfarne Island. Daytrips to Canterbury Cathedral and Hadrian’s Wall. On the other side was a list of names and phone num bers of my fellow travelers. Four A&M professors. Twenty- four students. All but one of them complete strangers to me. The only thing I knew about overseas travel was that you needed a passport and were only allowed to check two suitcases. T he only thing I knew about the courses I’d be taking was that the ten books I had crammed in my over- stuffed suitcase were somehow supposed to be read during our six weeks on the road. We pulled up at the airport. I was flying from Dallas to Houston, where I’d meet the rest of the group and board the British Caledonian for my first overseas flight. 1 started to worry. What if I didn’t like the people in the group? I’d be stuck with them for six weeks. Six miserable weeks other side of the world. Pulling two duffle bags and a mobile home suit rollers out of the trunk, we headed for baggagedai» What if I can’t manage my luggage by mvselfi leave two bags out on the street while I struggles other one. We checked'the mobile home and found thep my flight. 1 checked again to make sure 1 had mypu$ What if I lose all my money? Or worse, ruin money? Somehow I doubt they would cash a pc check. “Call us when you get there.” “Coodbye, I love you.” What if I never see my parents again? Okay, get a grip. Cel on the plane. Carry-on lug the overhead rack. Seat belt on. Ciet out Ls guidebook. I studied the map. More words on paper. Fj names I'd heard and read atxmt, but never dreait see. Piccadilly Circus, Westminster Abbey, Buclt; Palace, Trafalgar Square, the Tower of London. AI? hours away. Six weeks later. I was on a flight heading theop direction. The seats around me were filled with*? travelers and friends, already making plans foroir “reunion.” Even though I left a great deal of money behindi United Kingdom, 1 never lost my traveler’s chei American Express card. I managed my luggage wnii! few minor mishaps, including five flights of stairs,it terious disappearance of one suitcase wheel and is key. Yes, I got lost in London. Several limes, in fac never seriously, and never permanently. I brought back a map with my travels highligta yellow. The names that were once mere words if three-dimensional memories, fleshed out with ha details and first-hand experiences. I learned that travel is a matter of survival. I sup Cheat Britain. Knthy Wiesepape is a weekIv columnist for Thek ion, who spent the summer in Great Britain withi Study Abroad. Wiesepape’s column w ill appear on Ti days. Kathy Sunday: Expectant Mother's Day By DICK WEST Columnist for United Press International WASHINGTON — Sept. 9, which is Sunday in case you have been looking in another direction and hadn’t noticed it creeping up, is Expectant Mother’s Day in America. There may be something symbolic in the scheduling of such an observance on the ninth day of the ninth month, but the significance is utterly lost on me. What I do find meaningful is the fact that the Juvenile Products Manufactur ers Association is sponsoring Expectant Mother’s Day to point up “the need for safety alertness with new babies inside the home, outside the home and while traveling.” It also might he noted that some of the 25 tips the association has prepared to help new parents avoid accidents are valid regardless of whether you have a baby in your arms. Rule 21, for example, admonishes: “Don’t carry a baby up or down stairs without first checking for loose objects ... that could throw you off balance.” That is a good rule to follow even when empty-handed. es|K.*cialtyI is old enough to leave roller sU other wheeled toys on the stairs. My main concern is the enacta laws requiring new parents toote erators’ licenses before venturingii the sidewalk at the helm of an fail: riage. All too of ten, new parents it only cursory instructions beforei baby for a spin, including a stop; tavern around the corner. TheyE told how to raise the plastic hoodi of rain, but that’s usually about it. LETTERS Broken copiers plague users EDITOR: Is there a power in heaven or within A&M administrative bureaucracy that can provide users of the Sterling Evans Library with working photocopy ma chines? Surely these perennially inoper able cubes are not meant to be part of some new tradition — a special appeal here to the director of the Library, Dr. Hoadley. Charles Burandt Biology Car vandalized during Yell practice EDITOR: Having been a long time admirer of TAMU I was honored to be accepted as a transfer student. Having familiarized myself with Aggie traditions I was ready for my first Aggie event: Midnight Yell Practice. Returning to my car in the Texas A&M parking lot afterwards, I found some inconsiderate, self-centered person had literally backed their auto mobile (probably a tall truck) over my small car hood. Evidence from shoe- prints on my bumper shows the autos locked and had to be “bounced” apart. I was left with no admission of guilt, just a severely damaged hood. Even with in surance, a $250 deductible is a chunk I cannot afford, so my well pampered family car will for now, remain wrecked. Where is this “Aggie Code of Honor” about not lying, cheating or stealing or tolerating those who do? Whoever is guilty of this atrocity doesn’t deserve to be an Aggie. Tony Riggs Class of ’87 Mental distress part of Corps flavor EDITOR: The Texas A&M Cadet Corps is a body deep-seated in tradition and pride. Hazing, at least to some degree, has been an integral part of the Corps since the establishment of the college. With out a certain amount of mental distress, the Corps would lose the flavor which gives many cadets an sense of satisfac tion. This satisfaction comes from sacri ficing four years of the most valuable part of their youth to be in the Corps. As unbelievable as it may seem to some “non-regs,” these young men would trade nothing in the world for the grow ing experience and camaraderie which stems from these “years of endurance.” No cadet should be denied the privilege to spend his or her college life in this manner. However, no student should be den ied his right to attend Texas A&M Uni versity strictly as a student. If one wants to try the Corps and doesn’t care for it for any reason, they should feel no res ervation about exiting from the ranks. They should also face no affliction or defamatory statements about “dropping out” from other students — Corps members or otherwise. T hus, a person leaving the Corps should face no more resentment from students than one who joins an Memorial Student Center club and doesn’t care for it. Rather, fellow cadets should admire the individual to a certain degree because they gave the or ganization a chance. T he recent incident was a true tra gedy. Goodrich was a cadet reportedly enthusiastic about the Corps and about his life at A&M in general. This would lead most to believe that Goodrich truly wanted to be in the Corps. However, let us consider his prototype. An engi neering student from another region of our nation comes to our university. This student joins the largest f raternal orga nization of its type in the country which is the “bloodlife and backbone” of the university. This atmosphere is also very Corps oriented. This, in itself, is inno cent and has often caused our Univer sity to stand out in a positive manner. However, this same atmosphere also tends to give the “cold shoulder” to the student who found the the Corps wasn’t for him. It is this “cold shoulder” often given which would cause the student to stay in the Corps for the wrong reasons. His subsequent lack of maturation for exercise stringently induced by his peers could lead to physical complication. I have no specific suggestions other than that the Regents in authority at this university and the student body try to make the environment a bit more un derstanding towards the ex-cadet who found that the organization wasn’t for him. This would make students less likely to stay in the Corps for the wrong reasons, while at the same time allowing the elements of the Corps to remain ba sically unchanged. Joe A. Maids IV Corps: leadership training ground EDITOR: I doubt that anyone would argue that what happened to Bruce Goodrich is justified by tradition and not many would condone such activities as those v/hich caused his death. I certainly do not. I, therefore, would like to address an issue that often gets brought up and then pushed to the side in the attacks on the Corps. Does the Corps actually try to help its members to become well-trained and re sponsible officers and American citi zens? YES, it does! In the overwhelming and often ignored majority of cases, the Corps does serve to prepare its mem bers for the military or civilian life. I feel I benefited greatly from the Corps and don’t regret for a moment having been a member. Regarding the caliber of offi cer produced, overall I’d say that A&M produces many of the finest officers in the armed services. I have many friends who have entered the service and I know first hand that they are all highly respected by their superiors and subor dinates. This respect comes not merely from the label of being a former Corps member, but because of the high stan dards they set for themselves as a result of their Corps training. Most of the so called “futile and irra tional” activities of the Corps serve a subtle but vital purpose in accomplish ing the above mentioned goals. In fact, as a fish, I made it a game to come up with some benefit that I might gain from every activity required of me. I was, indeed, able to find some possible benefit however small or remote for ev ery activity. For me, and many others, the Corps broke down the cocky confidence of youth and replaced it with a stronger, hardship proven confidence and ability to survive under pressure. This may sound corney, but for those with an open mind and right attitude the Corps can and will provide the opportunity to find oneself and grow. Linda J. Carney ’85 former member Sq. 14 The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Pres* Association Southwest Journalism Oonfcrcntr The Battalion Editorial Board In memorial* Bill Robinson, 1962-1984, Editot Stephanie Ross, Acting Editor Patrice Koranek. Managing Edita Shelley Hoekstra, City Editor Brigkl Brockman. News Editor Donn Friedman, Editorial PageEdw Kelley Smith, News Editor Ed Cassavoy, Sports Editor The Battalion Staff Assistant City Editors = Melissa Adair, Michelle! Assistant News Editors -Y Bonnie Langford, Kellie Dworaczyk, f I Assistant Sports Editor - Travis Ti Entertainment Editor J? Bill Hut Assistant Entertainment F.ditor ^ Angel Sc Senior Reporters -ji Robin! Stall Writers Tammy Bell, Shawn Be! Cami Brown, Dena Brown, DainahBu! Leigh-Eilen Clark, TonyCof 1 Suzy Fisk, Patriciaf Kari Fluegel, Kathy Wiesepi Bob McGlohon, Karla Mi Sarah 0 Jan Perry, Lynn Rae Povec, fames R.W Make-up Editor .JohnHi Copy Writer KarenBl’ Copy Editors Kathy Breard, KayePahr. Photographers Frank Irwin, Peter Rtf John Ryan, DcanS* Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-proCtt, self-supporting nc*tf operated as a community service lo Texas AScMittA^ College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion arc those of lit' torial Board or the author, and do not necessarilyKW the opinions of 'Texas A&M administrators, lacult} ^ Board of Regents. 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