The Battalion
(USPS 045 360)
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Loren Steffy, Editor
Marybeth Rohsner, Managing Editor
Mike Sullivan, Opinion Page Editor
Jens Koepke, City Editor
Jeanne Isenberg, Sue Krenek, News Editors
Homer Jacobs, Sports Editor
Tom Ownbey, Photo Editor
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper oper
ated as a community service to Texas A&M and Bryan-College Sta
tion.
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 Regents.
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students
in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Depart
ment of Journalism.
1 he Battalion is published Monday through Friday during
Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday and examination
periods.
Mail subscriptions are $17.44 per semester, $34.62 per school
year and $36.44 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on re-
. quest.
Our address: 'The Battalion, Department of Journalism, 'Texas
A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4111.
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, De
partment of Journalism, Texas A&M University, College Station
TX 77843-4111.
A school system that teachei
students to follow, not lead
Acid rain dance
President Reagan’s “annual acid rain jig” in Ottawa with Ca
nadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney came up dry. But that’s no
surprise — hence the name “annual acid rain jig” coined by a U.S.
congressman.
Despite numerous meetings on the subject, the United States and
Canada have not been able to reach an agreement about how to stop
the problem, which is responsible for the acidification of 14,000 Ca
nadian lakes. As a result of acid rain produced from U.S. coal-burn
ing plants, 14 Nova Scotia i ivers are dead — meaning they no longer
support wildlife — and 300,000 more Canadian lakes are in danger
of becoming acidified, not to mention the historic buildings that lit
erally melt a little more every time it rains in Canada.
Acid rain drifting from the Midwestern United States into Can
ada also is stunting Canada’s forest growth, threatening that nation’s
largest industry.
So why hasn’t anything been done in the United States to stop the
selfish practices of our coal-burning businesses?
The answer most probably is that Americans are slow to respond
to problems that don’t directly affect their daily lives — let alone
their country — and the Canadians don’t have the means to make
the United States develop a social conscience.
It seems the American way is to ignore problems until it’s too late
to do anything about them. But this is one evironmental concern the
United States must deal with before it sterilizes natural resources in
this country as well.
Thinking scares
people. Especially
if that thinking
leads to learning.
Actually the think
ing itself isn’t as
'scary as the possi
bility that students
will think for
themselves. That’s
why, in an effort
to reform and im
prove education.
came in, spewed forth their lectures, as
signed homework that was more busy-
work than instructional, gave tests and
assessed grades. (Who says high school
is different from college?) I’m told I re
ceived a quality education, that CSISD is
one of the better districts in the area. 1
never would have known if somebody
hadn’t told me.
the time you’re a senior in highs
you’re developing political
and personal philosophy. Its at
question authority, not adhere to 4
word and whim.
Lauding the benefits of freeei
Loren
Steffy
we have allowed public schools, and to
some extent universities, suffer a severe
side-effect — the blanding of the class
room.
To illustrate this point, we need look
no farther than A&M Consolidated
High School in College Station. Almost
a year ago, a petition was circulated pro
testing the teaching methods of an
A&M Consolidated government tea
cher.
The issue resurfaced in the local
school board elections held over the
weekend, but the real implication is not
political. Who circulated the petition
isn’t as important as what it said.
The petition claimed “the general at
mosphere of (the teacher’s) class is that
of criticism and dissatisfaction with our
governmental institutions and our free-
enterprise system.” It also claimed the
teacher allowed his personal political
convictions to bias classroom presenta
tions.
One of the few teachers who did care,
who put forth the extra effort to actu
ally teach us something, was the govern
ment teacher mentioned in the petition.
At first, his class started out the same
way as all the others: read the text, writ
ten by an insomniac in search of a cure,
talk about the book in class, answer
questions for homework, take a test.
prise is not enough to truly undent
it. Criticisms must be studied as «|
the classroom is to transcend the
rally mentality and move into therei
of learning. Studying democraqs;
out comparing it to other forms of*
eminent gives students a limited*
spective of government and ig®
concepts of workable international is
lions.
| Alt!
try is si
ami re
orgam
macok
The petition didn’t include the other
side of the story. During my high school
years, I had only a handful of teachers
who cared. For the most part, teachers
Once UDon a time in Aaaieland
Wildcat — Dec. 20, 1920
For several weeks there has been much thought of choosing some animal as an Aggie totem or mascot. Up to date
none have been suggested other than “wildcat” and this is the one we are boosting. Colleges and institutions the country
over have some animal which represents them and A. and M. has felt this need for many years. That we have had none
up to the present serves as no argument, for neither have we had a real college song although it has long been urged
that some one write an appropriate one for A. and M. We hope to see this need soon filled. And why not choose our
animal totem? We have been called “Aggies” and “Farmers” for forty years, which is all very good. It is not necessary to
discard these names. But the animal is needed with these. We suggest and support the “Wildcat.” For many years this
name has been symbolic of A. and M. in music. Why not in reality. No other animal fits better with the A. and M. tem-
perment. Having talked with numerous students and faculty members on the subject, we have found none to deny that
we need such a mascot and that the “Wildcat” is more appropriate than any other. Only one other institution in the
United States has this name. This is in the north and refers to entirely different conditions. The “Bat” will gladly publish
suggestions of other animals, or approvals of the “Wildcat.” Think the matter over. If we are ever to have an animal now
is the time to make our selection. Boost the Aggie “Wildcats.”
Purifying Athletics — Feb. 5, 1924
It is high time that rumor affecting sportsmanship in Texas colleges be given the lie or definitely established.
Too long insidious gossiping has been going the round, discrediting student bodies and alumni of Southern Meth
odist University and other colleges in Texas, who, of course, want their inter-collegiate teams to win, but never at the
expense of violating conference rules regarding “methods” of attracting athletes from the high schools.
These rumors are persistent and continue to gain circulation, if not credence. No less a fairminded man than D. A.
Franks, executive councilman of the Ex-Students Association of the University of Texas and editor of that association’s
publication, the “Alcade,” speaking editorially in the December issue of that magazine has fallen a partial prey in these
unfounded and perniciously mimical mouthings.
After an able discussion of the situation upon the possible hypothesis that such a condition may exist, Mr. Frank
concludes that, “If the charge is untrue, the schools that are accused ought by sufficient evidence prove that they are not
guilty, but that they are entirely innocent of any violation of the rules.”
For once the Dallas Times Herald feels constrained to differ widely with Mr. Frank . . .
“The burden of proof lies not within the colleges attacked by the malicious and unsponsored reports, but upon
those persons who believe that such illegal and unsportsmanlike practices exist...” — Dallas Times Herald:
Once upon a time in Aggieland features old columns and editorials that have been printed in The Battalion. The
material in the feature is selected by the Opinion Page Editor and are not edited for grammar or style.
But a couple of weeks into the class,
things changed. We had mock trials,
mock elections, a trip to Washington
and guest speakers. We had what’s
called hands-on learning. We experi
enced, we learned, we applied what we
learned and, most importantly, we re
tained.
;tei Imic
The only homework I did during my
senior year in high school was assem
bling my legal briefs for the defense in
the mock trial. I spent hours working up
notes in my room and collaborating with
the other mock defense attorneys. My
parents thought I was ill.
But what I learned from that class
had a more practical impact as well. My
freshman year in college, an English
prof took an hour to explain how a vot
ing machine works. I was the only one in
the class who already knew, thanks to
that government class.
Everyone in the school knew this tea
cher’s political convictions, but everyone
looked forward to his class. Not because
he filled our heads with thoughts of sub
version, but because he made us fill our
own heads with thoughts. We had to
think for ourselves.
J Dr.
Jiemi?
Hhite
■)riai
But ou
I his is not a value judgmentotB 5 .’ w
templed indoctrination, it iscom[Hr4 testlI1 §
educ ation. But such deviation from®
ditional rote learning incites fearrq
than support. Fear of free
only a panic away from the OretlJ
motto that ignorance is strength.
I his f ear of thought is not lira
high schools. At the college levdi
have Accuracy in Academia tode(o|
students too timid to defend their:
thoughts.
And students do deserve part oil
blame. Maybe some of the reasonm!
■ Unti
not given credit for our abiitvto«—.
pher things tor ourselves is beai* ou i { |
we’d rather be complacent thanojdfoi em
disagree with an instructor. lawm
Students who simply swallow
professors and teachers spoon-(t®hnl;i
them aren’t really learning. If their! 71 ICV
away from exploring a newpenpsB^
because it might be liberal orconseT | s s
live, they miss the higher understarcBshe
that comes from knowing — alibBlug-te
not necessarily agreeing with-nijcourts,
dif ferent \ ic*ws are coining from. ® er ‘ 1 '
Hie.
Finding out what others thinL®i S w
why is not nearly as dangerous as irasd!. sh<
ing what others have to say forb® I he
hearing something you dont at®P ns<
with.
But education today is shifting away
from getting students to use their own
minds. “Educated” thought is becoming
prefabricated.
In Mobile, Ala., textbooks recently
were pulled from classrooms because
they failed to mention conventional reli
gion. The reason they didn’t? Textbook
publishers are afraid to mention reli
gion for fear their books will be pulled
from classroom shelves.
Sooner or later, though, there
be petitions and classroom monitcj
protec t us. Sooner or later we’re pi
is fora
t,” si
us. Sooner or
to be* out in what is known onedi
campuses as “The Real World."
Then we will have to decideho»j
interpret things for ourselves.Thai
will be glad for classes like that go™
merit course I took in high school-:!
because they teach what to think, bull
cause they teach how to think.
Students aren’t given credit for being
able to decide things for themselves. By
Loren Steffy is a journalism piki
and editor /or The Battalion.
Mail Call
Formal invitation
EDITOR:
It is unfortunate, Bob Breene, that you have chosen to ridicule mein
some of my strongest suits. As for DNA and genetics, you should have
attended our last meeting when the topic of amino acid evolution was
discussed and seen to be unfeasible. You could have learned a lot moreabow
protein synthesis and the interplay of gene systems. Furthermore, Breene,as
for speciation being a basic tenet of evolution, come to our meeting on April
16 to find out what the factual evidence supports.
Frank Lawrence
President, Students for Scientific Creationism
So, you're the scum?
EDITOR:
I am writing in response to the cartoons run in The Battalion March27 I
and 30 dealing with the problems of the PTL Club. I find it very sad when
find ourselves preying on the shortcomings of others all in the name of
humor. When the news of the PTL Club first came out, I found it veryeasvK 1
point my finger and say, “What scum!” But what slowly overcame mewasa I
deep feeling of guilt. Who am I to criticize others when realizing the shipof I
perfection has surely not reached my shores, either? I was the “scum.” 1 sat I
this not to condone the actions of those of the PTL Club. The Bible says in I
Romans 3:10 that there is none righteous, no, not one. The PTL Club,along I
with all other Christians do not claim perfection, but only the perfection of I
God and his son, Jesus Christ.
We all make mistakes, and we all fail, but these shortcomings only make® I
more aware of our dependency in a greater power which saves us from
ourselves and our failures, the Lord Jesus Christ. Through himeomestrue I
forgiveness and love, not condemnation in which mankind has become so««I
practiced.
Sure, some will say, “"T hey’re getting what they deserve!” And maybetbcj I
are! But who appointed us as imperfect beings to be the mode by which they I
are prosecuted? This same situation arose in the time of Jesus. The religion; I
leaders brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus and said thatthela | ’|
said the woman ought to be stoned. Jesus said, “He that is without sin cast the I
first stone.” Needless to say, everyone left.
I would again like to say that I am not trying to justify the actions of the I
PTL staff, nor did Jesus condone the actions of the woman. But don’t you I
think that if we’d take our eyes off the faults of others and concentrate on the I
goodness and the love of God that we could do a Ic lore edifying and alot I
less tearing down . . . even if it’s in the name of humor.
Brent Steadman ’88
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit ItW
for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must l
must include the classification, address and telephone number of the writer.