Thursday, February 20, 1986TThe Battalion Page 5
interest in Latin growing at A&M
tidying classical languages part of new national trend
iUniversity News Service
Superabimus,” said a Texas
Btudent, speaking Latin to his
smates: “I will overcome.”
H students were not thinking
lit next year’s warfare on the
mall field. They were doing bat-
jnsttad with a list of Latin conju-
ions and declensions and mem-
[ing phrases such as “Cogitabo de
|phis,” or “I will think about
Jpy-”
iorr A&M students than ever are
ling up to study Latin, to the sur-
lelnd delight of University offi-
5#l:o were unfortunately forced
■ away dozens of students last
when the classes filled to capac-
■)aniel Fallon, dean of the col
lege, said Latin has become one of
the most popular subjects offered in
the College of Liberal Arts. He said
so many students were unable to en
roll in an introductory course last
fall that college officials are now of
fering the classs for the first time in
the spring.
Fallon said the new zeal for Latin
is part of a growing nationwide in
terest in classical languages among
University students, as well as a re
flection of the burgeoning numbers
of liberal arts majors at A&M.
Among entering freshmen, liberal
arts majors increased by 33 percent
from the Fall 1984 to Fall 1985.
“People are beginning to realize
you can study liberal arts at Texas
A&M, and the liberal arts (pro
grams) are strong,” he said. “The
word is getting out.”
Dr. Craig Kallendorf, an assistant
professor of English who teaches
several of the Latin classes, said
many of the students signed up for
the practical help Latin could offer
them in fields such as medicine, nau
tical archeology and theology. Oth
ers are English majors seeking to im
prove their understanding of word
origins and usage.
And still others enrolled for pure
enjoyment.
For Holly McGuire, a graduating
senior from Dallas majoring in En
glish and Spanish, it was her last
chance to study something she never
had the time for until now.
“I always wanted to,” she said.
“It’s kind of important — it’s basic to
a lot of things.”
Interest in classical languages has
expanded to include Greek. Al
though the University offers no
classes in Greek, Kallendorf said a
number of students are so eager to
get started that he formed an inde
pendent study group for them.
“Whafs taken place is a diversity
among our students,” he said.
“They’ve become more sophisticated
and cosmopolitan. You can’t do any
serious work in the arts, history or
philosophy of English literature
without bumping into classical stud
ies. As more of our students go into
liberal arts areas, we have more peo
ple who find that out.”
ichener, 79,
|cuperating
liter operation
Associated Press
wrf‘ SllN ~
Iner, whose
/in
Author
ames
most recent
Her is the novel “Texas,”
uperating in stable condi-
Bednesday at Seton Medical
[ev after undergoing a heart
iss operation.
Ipital spokeswoman Linda
I'iand said Michener, 79, au-
5><>ailBf mo re than 30 books, was
(||c,Bpli/ed Saturday after com-
Tig of chest pains.
said doctors performed
j-y Sunday to by-pass five
id arteries.
I did not have a heart at-
■ McFarland said. “They did
1 some blockages, and the
s decided now was as good
I as any to perform the by-
stirgery.”
igeons encountered no com-
lons during the operation,
sad.
[hener was resting comfort-
ednesday and was sched-
io be transferred out of the
pital’s intensive care unit,
p Kings, an associate of
lier’s, said the author had a
on of heart problems and
iffered a heart attack about
years ago.
I
Court reverses lie detector ruling
ssaii
time
imefs
-1
Associated Press
AUSTIN — A state appeals court
Wednesday rejected the argument
that a lie detector policy adopted by
the Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation was
invalid because it violated employ
ees’ common law rights of privacy.
The 3rd Court of Appeals, how
ever, sent the case back to the Austin
trial court to determine whether the
regulations are invalid on other
grounds.
The Texas Civil Liberties Union
claimed “at least a partial victory” in
its efforts to ban polygraph testing
by state employees but indicated the
TCLU would appeal the court’s rul
ing to the Supreme Court.
Justice John Powers’ majority
opinion in the court of appeals said
it may not be reasonable “to order an
employee at an agency institution to
surrender his privacy in favor of the
public interest when a single empty
beer can is inexplicably found at a
place frequented by employees dur
ing working hours.”
"On the other hand,” Powers’
opinion said, “it may be reasonable
to require all such employees to yield
their privacy interests in favor of a
greater state interest when a series of
unresolved murders in an institution
has created panic that must be al
layed quickly if order is to be main
tained, safety is to be secured, pa
tient care is to be continued and
public confidence is not be under
mined.”
I he mental health department
enacted regulations providing that
its employees, under certain condi
tions, may be required to submit to a
polygraph examination in the course
of an agency investigation of alleged
employee misconduct.
The regulations also provide that
an employee may be dismissed if he
or she refuses to submit to such an
examination, or refuses to answer
certin questons related to the em
ployees’ official duties.
Powefs said the regulations “are
not invalid on the grounds they pur
port to authorize unreasonable con
ditions of state employment by per
mitting invasions of employee
privacy in contravention of the com
mon law of the state.”
“We therefore reverse the
judgment of the trial court declaring
the regulations invalid on these
grounds,” he said.
Border relief cut off; volunteers still work
Associated Press
HARLINGEN — An organization
that distributed food to impov
erished border residents has decided
to cease operations, but a former di
rector says he will continue the work
started by a man who dedicated his
life to helping the poor along the Rio
Grande.
Frank Ferree, who in 1956 started
the non-profit Volunteer Border
Relief to deliver food and medicine
to the poor along the U.S. — Mexico
border, died in 1983, but five Mexi
can volunteers have continued his
work.
Agency directors this week de
cided to discontinue the operation
after program coordinator Robert
Schofield resigned earlier this
month.
Schofield, saying he couldn’t work
with rules proposed by the new
board, resigned Feb. 7. But he said
he and another worker would re
sume weekly food distribution trips
to Mexico later this year.
Before his death, Ferree and a
group of volunteers went to grocery
stores, bakeries and homes to collect
food, clothes and medical supplies to
take to the Mexican border cities of
Reynosa and Matamoros twice each
week.
When agency directors told Scho
field that he would have to fire a
paid worker and work with the vol
unteers, he resigned, leaving behind
an offer of $3,000 and a van to con
tinue operations.
wnui up
Thursday
ASSOCIATION OF CARIBBEAN STUDENTS: will be hav-
: : ing a Caribbean festival at Rudder Fountain on Parent’s
Weekend — but we need your help. Do you have any musb
cal or dancing ability? If so please call Raren, 260-5381.
STUDENT ART FILM SOCIETY; will show the film “Lolita"
at 7:30 p.m, in 103 Soil and Crop Sciences and Entomology
Bldg. New members welcomed- For more information call
Mary, 260-0827.
MSC CEPHEID VARIABLE; will show “The Day of the Dol
phin" at 7:30 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. in 601 Rudder. Tickets
are $1.50.
DATA PROCESSING MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION:
will hold a general business meeting at 7 p.m. in 130
Blocker. .
ATARI USER GROUP: will hold an organizational meeting
for all interested Atari computer owners at 7:30 p.m. in
101 Teague Bldg. For more information call Bill, 845-
4054. '
MSC HOSPITALITY/MISS TAMU SCHOLARSHIP PAG-
: EANT: will hold a contestant fashion show at 12:30 p.m. in
the MSC lounge* C •
SNEAD TRANSPORTATION SEMINAR/CIVIL ENGI
NEERING; James E. Morehouse, Vice-President of A.T.
: Kearny, Inc., will present a talk on international logistics at
2 p.m. in 503 Blocker.
GREENPEACE COALITION; will hold an organizational
in 504 Rudder. For more information
SIGMA DELTA PI: will show Antonio Saura’s video, "Car-
:| men.” For more information call Alexander, 764-6829.
TAMU FENCING CLUB: will hold a meeting followed by
: : V practice at 7 p.m. in 267 East Kyle...
CORPUS CHRISTI HOMETOWN CLUB: will hold a meet
f, ing to make final plans for the Somerville trip at 8:30 p.m.
in 401 Rudder.. For more information call Dwain, 260-
2139. • : p ••
ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT PLANNERS: will sponsor a
'.T- lecture bv Gall McMillan, Community Development Coor
dinator for Bryan, at 8:30 p.m. in 205 Architecture Bldg.
•U-? •‘C , < fcar more information call 845-8756.':
TEXAS A&M EMERGENCY CARE TEAM: will hold a
meeting at 7 p.m. in 402 Rudder, For more information
' call 84m4321.' t|gf§
Friday
GRADUATE STUDENT CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP: will
hold a bible st ud y on t he book of Haggi at 8 a.m. in the Me-
f: diation Room of the All Faith’s Chapel. For more infor-
main call Steve, 845-4032.:.
UNITED CAMPUS MINISTRY; will bold a Bible study at
6:15 p.m. in Mike’s office at the A&M Presbyterian
Ll Ch urcn. For more in formation call Mike, 846-1221.
CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST; will bold a weekly
: meeting at 7 p.m..in 108 Harrington, /•
TAMU CHESS CLUB: will continue its chess tournament at 7
I .m. in 402 Rudder. For more information call Luis, 846-
903,
•NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS; wih hold
By a screening Friday arid Saturday for contestants m the
11 ’‘Battle of the D J .’s" contest in Rudder (check monitors: for
...Other information). Deadline for registration is Friday. For
SB more information call 260*4276 or 260-6021. .
literate adults learning to read with help of newspapers
Associated Press
Jl'KIN — For illiterate adults being
ghtioread by Dr. Maryjane Cable, “See
}Run” could mean that Speaker of the
■ Tip O’Neill had changed his mind
1 i| seeking re-election to the House of
Msentatives.
tanning juvenile “This is a fish”-type
fefial usually used to teach reading, Ca-
p&ds with her students in the newspa-
Ber each lesson.
hler new method being used at the
Mi Adult Learning Center, student
tl teacher alternate pronouncing words
|te<l in the paper, the student reading
■he has mastered with the instructor
inlin as needed.
■at is what is totally unique as far as I
pw, Cable said. “Most of the programs
will train an adult to read only in the
materials that are available at that center.
But if you look around at what the readers
are reading, they are reading newspapers,
magazines and books.”
A 320-page guide, “The Reading Hand
book,” compiled by Cable last year, con
tains 100 lessons that begin with simple
words such as “I,” “a” and “an” and pro
gresses to difficult but practical vocabulary,
according to Cable, such as “socioeco
nomic,” “polyunsaturated,” “radioactivity”
and “electroencephalograph.
“The words that 1 chose were words I
felt would be useful to know.”
Cable said there is yet another character
istic that distinguishes her technique from
others.
“I teach the reading of a letter according
to mouth position and sound production,”
she said. “It eliminates a lot of problems.”
Take the word “sat,” for example. Cable
begins by instructing the student to place
his tongue behind his teeth and make a his
sing noise by blowing air through them.
Next, she describes how to make a throaty,
short “a” sound and finishes by demon
strating a “t,” produced by flipping the
tongue off the palate behind the teeth.
“Now say it like a word,” she prompts
the student, and praises him if the word is
correctly pronounced.
“All the way along the line the student is
encouraged and complimented,” Cable
said. “It is essential.”
Bob Quillin, director of the center,
called Cable’s work with his students a
“godsend.”
“I was jumping up and down on the tele
phone,” he said about Cable’s offer to em
ploy her method at the learning center, be
gun last December. “We are just getting
started with it but this is going to make a
significant impact on our being able to
reach the people that need help so desper
ately.”
Having had experience in teaching adult
illiterates himself, Quillin said they are dif
ficult to reach.
“Their self-image and their expectations
are low,” he said. Both he and Cable
agreed that their satisfaction comes when
the student undergoes a personality
change and begins to gain confidence in
himself.
“It really is a kind of high, I guess you
would say,” Quillin said. “Most of the tea
chers are here for the feeling of seeing the
students blossom.” .
Cable said it took about a year to com
plete “The Reading Handbook,” written
after a study of adult illiteracy and avail
able teaching materials revealed no “how
to” books were available to teach reading to
this growing population.
“I kept thinking in the back of my mind
that I wanted to write a book that would ex
plain everything,” Cable said. “I thought,
‘Somebody ought to tell them how to figure
out the perceived reading needs of an
adult.’
“It tells how to prepare yourself for tea
ching, how to locate the student, how to in
terview them, and address the student’s
needs.
• • • • •
MTV • • • • •
OPEN Feb. 20,1986
.RAZOS vlj
VALLEY '
GOLF .'•■i
IVING l/T
JiANGE
Mon.-Fri. 12-9 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sun. 1 a.m.-8 p.m.
696-1220
pt Bypass and Hwy. 30 Service
I Road Going South Vi mile.
THE
EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
& STUDENT CENTER
Announce
CLASSES FOR
THOSE INTERESTED
PREPARING FOR
CONFIRMATION
M or learning more about the
Episcopal Church
CLASSES MEET
IN THE CHURCH
Beginning 8:00 p.m.
Thur., Feb. 21
906 Jersey
College Station
(So. Side of Campus)
Ph. 696-1726
Juniors, Seniors,
Vets, Meds & Grads
Last chance to have
your picture taken
for the ’86 JLggieland.
Photos will be taken until February 21 at Yearbook
Associate’s studio, above Campus Photo Center at
ETorthgate. ' ^
Office hours 8:30-12:00, 1:00-4:30
ITo pictures will be talcen at tne Pavilion tlris year