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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 1984)
Opinion Page 2/The Battalion/Monday, September 10, 1984 Cadets vital part of A&M past future “Disband the Corps,” the Daily Texan proclaimed on its Editorial page Sept. 6. A short-sighted solution to an all-en compassing problem. Thougn less than 10 percent of the student body belongs to the Corps of Cadets, tne Corps is the most visible element of our school. The Corps serves as the keeper of tradition and history; it is the military past of this small land grant College turned gigantic university. Relying on the version of the story the Daily Texan seems to believe, it’s a bit easier to see how that editorial could advise such a solution. (See the Daily Texan editorial reproduced below.) Did the University of Texas have a reporter or spy on the scene at the incident? Their story varies considerably from the official version — the most reliable version avail able now. The Daily Texan says: hazing, though officially out lawed, continues unabated. “Cadets are brutally paddled, feces and other foul substances are thrown in cadets’ quar ters, heads are submerged in urine-filled toilets: degrada tion of people — young people continues,” the editorial says. Incidents such as these do occur in the Corps. But they also occur in fraternities, sororities and other fraternal organizations. It’s a shame that the first thing people think when they hear of this tragedy is that it’s the sole responsibility of the Corps of Cadets. As long as people try to isolate incidents to individual campuses rather than admitting that physical and psycho logical hazing exist to some degree everywhere, incidents such as Goodrich’s death will continue to occur. People need to look at these incidents in areas away from their homes and learn from the mistakes of others. Investigations into the death of Cadet Goodrich are needed to help prevent future incidents such as these from happening. Investigations conducted by individuals outside of the University should be started, looking not only into the incidents that lead to Goodrich’s death, but also into hazing and other unacceptable activities of other groups. Currently four investigations are being conducted — all by organiza tions within the University System. Death also occurs in other organization-related activities. Remember the young woman whose charred body was found in the rubble of a University of Texas fraternity house that burned last spring? Yes, the dignity and sanctity of every human life — in cluding those of A&M students, must be preserved. But one death does not destroy over 100 years of tradition and serv ice to our country. One death is the cause for grief — and should lead to the correction of abuses throughout society — not the abolishment of an institution. The Battalion Editorial Board Daily Texan editorial Hazing at Texas A&M reprinted from the Daily Texan In the past, they’ve swung sabres menacingly at SMU cheerleaders, knocked down a mascot of the Rice football team, stolen -— inexplicably a 400-pound hunk of granite from UT’s Memorial Stadium and participated in behavior unbecoming of even a juvenile delinquent. But if some of Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets’ past acts were no more than childish pranks, this time things have gone too far — a stu dent has died as a result of cadets’ adolescent behavior. Even if it was an accident, it is time to reform, or perhaps abolish, the Corps. At 2:30 a.m. Thursday, 20-year-old Bruce Goodrich was a long run. He collapsed once during the run and asked his He and died later that day. What is almost as outrageous as the way Goodrich died is the Texas A&M cadet commander’s reaction to the tragedy. Instead of taking firm steps to end the continued humilia tion of cadets at A&M, Commander Rollins tried to deny that Goodrich was a victim of hazing. Instead, he called the harassment a “motivational run” which he said did not fall within the category of hazing. Some motivational run. Of course, there are positive qualities surrounding the 'MttiMlII *m ' m' de-: stu dents. But the problem at A&M is that hazing has been offi- iwed for a number of years now, yet continues cialiy outlawec lv outlawed tor a number ot years now, yet unabated. Cadets are brutally paddled, feces and other foul substances are thrown in cadets’ quarters, heads are sub merged in urine-filled tiolets: degradation of people — young people — continues. On a lesser note, instances of the cadets’ silly behavior emerge at several football games every season. Abolishing such a venerated institution might be too radical an option now. But unless officials can end such hazing once and for all, it might be the only course to take. The dignity and sanctity of every human life, including those of A&M students, must be preserved. — Dave Elliot A smile makes the day Beware of Monday blues A child waved to me to day. Now, that may not seem like a big deal to you, but under the circum- stances — the kind of day that I had had and the frame of mind that I was in — to me it was a big deal. Shelley Hoekstra Even thought it was Monday, it had the potential to be a good day. I didn’t wake up late for class, and after a week of getting used to the idea, I finally had accepted the idea of having my first class of the week across the tracks in the Horticulture Forestry Sciences Build ing. (Being a brand, spanking new building it’s not suprising if you haven’t heard of it — even the intracampus shuttle bus driver didn’t know where it was). So, sitting in my first class of the week after dutifully waking up in time and having trucked across campus, I was feeling quite proud of myself. Not only that, but I actually had bought the lec ture supplement that the instructor “S- TRONGLY RECOMMENDED’’ buy ing, and was looking forward to my first day of being prepared for this class. Surely I deserved a pat on the back. My bubble soon burst, however, when mid-way through the lecture I noticed that the diagrams in my lecture supple ment somehow did not look the same as those that the instuctor was explaining on the over-head projector. I thought at first that the instructor’s diagrams were different because he simply had gone LETTERS Cadet death still newsworthy EDITOR: Bruce who? Does anyone out there re member Goodrich? Do you editors re member him? They do in Houston. The headline in Friday’s Houston Chronicle reads: “Limits put on A&M Corps physical training.” The headlines in Friday’s Battalion read ‘“Degree only’ policy eliminated this year.” I am glad I read the Chronicle be cause at least it informs me on wht is happening here at Texas A&M. Last Friday I learned of Goodrich’s death from the Chronicle, again in a front page article. The Battalion, as well as “The People In Charge” at A&M called what happened at 2:30 a.m. Aug. 30, tradition and motivational exercise. Gee, so that’s what it is! The Chronicle calls it, and has been calling it in articles all week, a “corps hazing ritual.” As one letter to the editor in the Chronicle so aptly put it, if a fraternity had done this with the same results, it would have been shut down. And criminal charges would be in the works the next day. Stonewall this affair, Col. Burton. Stonewall this affair. The Battalion. Stonewall this affair, Aggies. Forget it. It didn’t really happen. Bruce Goodrich’s death showed that something, I’m not sure exactly what, is wrong here. But we don’t want to be told that something can be wrong with some of our hallowed traditions. Rest easy people, we can forget the whole af fair. We don’t have to deal with it. Because the newspapers and tele visions of the rest of the nation remem ber it for us. Do you think we can convince the Goodrich family to forget it as easily as we can? Scott Swearingen EDITOR’S NOTE: The stories that appeared in Friday’s Houston papers were essentially the same as the story that appeared 24 hours earlier on the front page of The Battalion. Parent says Corps lacks supervision EDITOR: As a parent with two children pres ently attending A&M, one having just entered the Corps, I am as alarmed as I am grieved for the cadet whose life was so mindlessly wasted. My alarm comes from a false parental assumption that into more detail than the supplement had. Wrong-o. A flash of brilliance prompted me to glance at my neighbor’s book ... only to discover that I had at least four pages of diagrams missing from my book. As a result of not having those four pages, I had labeled an entire stem anat omy of a monocot in primary growth as a herbaceous dicot in primary growth. (If this sounds confusing to you, think of how I felt). H€ m By CA the one I had after this one par that’s another story. My day was not over, as 1 stilli task of going to the grocery stoit of me. I would have blown ito: for the fact that my body requira tional substenance to function,* hunger pains in my stomach wen me blatant hints that it was I fumed all the way back across the tracks. What good is a lecture SUPPLE MENT with missing pages? After sitting through four classes in a row, I still wasn’t feeling any belter. The fact that I had gone to bed at 2:30 a.m. the night before had taken it’s toll by the third lecture. I found it physically im possible to pay attention, and for some strange reason my notes weren’t making a whole lot of sense. (Remind me to get the notes I missed from somebody). Classes finally over, I worked my way to Reed McDonald. Things surely would be better there. Wrong again. The Battalion at 2 p.m. is havok. The mail on my desk resembled a small mountain (all of it boring, all of it dry, dry, dry reading). Staff reporters were impossible to find after a late- breaking story came across city desk. Budget meeting was late. The telephone rang approximately every ten seconds. At one point I picked up the phone and answered it. Now, this is not unusual, it's part of my job, but when it hasn’t even rung yet... that’s unusual. Anyway, by the time I left the office my head was spinning, and the head ache I had could only be comparable to It was when, finally, afterwk have been the yuckiest — notil* just the yuckiest —day of my8 something happened to MAKE* I was sitting in my fiancee’stm successfully trying to cross a section when it happened. Hot and miserable, I practici hanging out the side of thetrud to get some air (my fiancee dos lieve in air conditioning if it's tint degrees) when a small bluecardi! with a little lx>y in it. He caught my eye and smiled first... then he waved. Now, this little boy doesn’t esc me, and he successfully made nr that I had had such a yuckydav t more, this little boy has no idealt made me feel. Thank-you little boy in thehb Thank-you wherever and whoen A succ herpes \ vided ini tely coui and othe in huma Connell School oi Dr. Sa ciil virolc Medicint which M at A&M. Swine afiect ho similar ii anti abili fections, lier press “In for develop! cines wil preventii dons in chicken ] pcs,” Kit McCo with Kit penmen lot looking method sarily a < ready ha M “This intended nowing comes to hitmans) another come up pie.” i Even may be t< I Sever; herpes v Maybe someday I can pass a wave and the smile, and givesooi' with the yuckies a little sunshine. Sull By P Shelley Hoekstra is The Bk {o *l* n *™ City editor. bers becon help impr tween the < dent leac the conduct of campus activities — whether in civilian dorms, classrooms, the athletic field or on the campus — be properly supervised by adults. Teen agers playing “crap out” with other teenagers at 2 a.m. does not speak of maturity, adulthood or supervision. My false assumption of proper supervision has caused me to support my son’s in- ‘ tent to vacate the Corps. Permit this grieved parent — who still has his Aggie son and daughter — these suggestions: 1. A thorough physical for every cadet before the first push-up is initiated — not now required. 2. A formal written statement from the University and the Corps presented to each cadet advising him of his rights — not done now. • No abusive physical games or exer cises at unusual hours. • Duty to refuse any physical rigors not attended by responsible university personnel or not attended by a mini mum of five or 10 classmates. The statement should be strong enough to advise cadets of their duty to the integrity of the Corps to report vio lations. 3. A simple formal procedure to reg ister complaints which must be an swered by the Commandant and Uni versity Presdident. The university has an obligation to “read their Rights” to incoming cadets; to advise them that departure from Corps standards is punishable and must be reported. As guilty as those three up perclassmen were, they are innocent: they learned what they did from their Corps environment. The University failed to advise incoming corpsmen — my son included — what indignities they are protected from. Frankly, the administrations omissions in this case suggest a liability which, if satisfied through the courts, will serve no one well. The Corps has lost my son, the Uni versity has lost much National respect and the Goodrich family has lost the most. We all now look to the University to demonstrate that as the seat of intel lect and considered judgement, no such omission will ever again occur. Lambda Si society and be Sponsor The tal! sium, will I between 1 ] brary. However, the Library ii sponsible l<>i the c opicrs. V. operated by the Univenity 1 ^ l * ie Center. Whenever complaints* taUie - T “' ceived about the machines, the) ferred to the Printing Center.It perience a problem, youshouldi!: to the Copy Center on the firsift the Evans Library. They servicet* chines and handle all refunds. Irene B. Hoadley Director, University Library The Battalion CISPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Asmk iation Southwest Journalism Confertut ONL\ L 1 1 / Cou 600 U Colie The Battalion Editorial Board In mrmoriam Bill Robinson, 1962-1984, Editor Stephanie Ross, Ac ting Editor Patrice Koranek, Managing Editot Shelley 1 loekstra, City Editor Brigicl Broc kman, News Editor Donn Friedman, Editorial Page Edit! Kelley Smith, News Editor Ed Cassavoy, Sports Editor The Battalion Staff Assistant City Editors —I Melissa Adair, MicheP Assistant News Editors - Bonnie Langford, Kellie DworaczyG Assistant Sports Editor... Entertainment Editor Assistant Entertainment Editor TravisTit Bill Hit Senior Reporters Roger A. Heller Aggie Parent Library not to blame for broken copiers EDITOR: The University Library is aware of the continuing problems with the coin-op erated photocopiers in the Evans Li- Staff Writers Tammy Bell, Shawn Bek Cami Brown, Dena Brown, DainahBii Leigh-EUen Clark, TonyCor* Suzy Fisk, PatriciaH Kari Fluegel, Kathy WiesepZ Bob Mcdohon, Karla Mr Sarah 0' Jan Perry, Lynn Rae Povec, James R.W Make-up F.ditor JolinHk Copy Writer KarenBh Copy Editors Kathy Breard, Kaye Pahtf Photographers Frank Irwin, PeterRo- John Ryan, DeanS* Furr welcome is ready needs w Sale or prices, while the 5 pc Dii 7 pc Din Bookca: 3 pc cot Lamps Bedliai Full size Chests Dresser Nile sta Sofa & c 5 pc Liv Texas Editorial Policy 77ie Battalion is a non-profit, self-siipponin( sotf operated as a community service to Texas A&Minlb' College Station. Opinions expressed in I hc Battalion are those ofilt : torial Board or the author, and do not necessarilftt^ the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, fecii/i;! 1 Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory nettspip students in reporting, editing and photograph)'d* within the Department of Communications. United Press International is entitled exclusiveljH' use for reproduction of all news dispatches credild 1 Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein nstt'f' Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in W The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters Ii’'' and length but will make every effort to maintain ill 1 thor’s intent. Each letter must lx- signed and mustiiP the address and telephone number of the writer. . The Battalion is published Monday through Frith 1 ' ing Texas A&M regular semesters, except forholiil> ,t examination periods. 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