WEATHER
FORECAST for SATURDAY:
he Battalion
Mostly cloudy and much warmer.
Widely scattered showers.
Cooler Sunday.
HIGH:67 LOW:45
/ol. 88 No. 93 USPS 045360 10 pages
College Station, Texas
Friday, February 10,1989
Photo by f)ean&
Brazos Land-.;
a fine arts low
VWAWWM
I
m
m$k
flYADS,
IUTREAL
VYWEIGHIS
EN RESUtlS
iLY coin
ush speech focuses on domestic policy plans
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi-
Ident Bush proposed more money
for domestic programs and restraint
lof the Pentagon budget Thursday
night as he summoned the Demo
cratic Congress to work with him to
“ensure a better tomorrow.”
In a well-received, 50-minute ad
dress to a joint session of Congress,
the president vowed to proceed with
caution in his dealings with Soviet
leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Still, he
added, “We will not miss any oppor
tunity to work for peace.”
Bush devoted most of his speech
to domestic issues, as he sketched the
outlines of a $1.16 trillion budget.
He called for $2.6 billion in reduc
tions from President Reagan’s Pen
tagon spending plan and modest in
creases in selected domestic
programs such as education and the
environment.
He repeated his longstanding vow
of no new taxes. <’
Less than one month on the job,
the new president echoed the cam
paign of 1988 with his declaration
that he wants to be an education
president, wants the death penalty
for drug kingpins and favors a cut in
the capital gains tax.
He made a notable bow to the en
vironmentalists with a call to sus
pend three oil leases; and another to
the anti-abortionists with his call for
an increased ta^ break for parents
who adopt a child.
He called for a society “free from
discrimination and bigotry” and
threw a bouquet in the direction of
Democrat Jesse Jackson when he
said — as Jackson did to kids in the
inner cities — “Keep hope alive.”
Above all, he summoned the
Democratic Congress to join with
him in solving the deficit problem.
“The people didn’t send us here
to bicker,” said the new president.
“It’s time to govern.”
Bush also voiced his personal sup
port for making Puerto Rico the na
tion’s 51st state and called on Con
gress “to take the necessary steps to
let the people decide in a referen
dum.”
And he said he would set up a new
Task Force on Competitiveness,
chaired by Vice President Dan
Quayle. Saying, “The most impor
tant competitiveness program of all
is one that improves education in
America,” he traced a number of
schooling initiatives.
The Bush speech was not a State
of the Union address — but it stood
for one, touching upon key foreign
policy issues as well as a wide range
of domestic concerns.
“I don’t propose to reverse direc
tion,” he said. “We are headed the
right way.” Nonetheless, he pro
posed a string of initiatives that sig
naled an end to some of the re-
i matter what
ve go to say
ill, our Class!-
; can help you j
the big job.
talioi
ssifiei
5-2611
Aging brains
get new life
from drug
WASHINGTON (AP) — A drug
approved for some stroke patients
also may reinvigorate sluggish, aging
brains with the quick-witted learning
ability of youth, a group of Chicago
researchers reported Thursday.
In tests on groups 6T young and
middle-aged rabbits at Northw r est-
ern University Medical School, re
searchers said that a drug called ni-
modipine was able to correct age-
related mental slowness so that the
older rabbits could learn as well as
the younger ones.
“They (older rabbits receiving the
drug) actually learned at the same
rate, if not a slightly faster rate, than
the young rabbits,” said John F. Dis-
terhoft, an associate professor of cell
biology at Northwestern, who di
rected the study. “Two-thirds of the
control group (older rabbits not re
ceiving the drug) never did learn the
task.”
He said although the experiment
used only a laboratory test of learn
ing, there is every reason to believe
the results also would apply to hu
man learning skills.
The Northwestern experiment,
reported in Friday’s edition of the
journal Science, was conducted us
ing four groups of rabbits. Two of
the groups were about 30 months
old, about middle age for rabbits.
The other two groups were young
adult rabbits.
Nirnodipine was administered to
one of the older groups and to one
of the younger groups. The others
were kept free of the drug to pro
vide control, or comparison, groups.
To test learning ability, all of the
rabbits were exposed to the sound of
a tone, immediately followed by a
mild burst of air against the eye. The
air burst causes the eye to blink.
This process was repeated 80
times a day. The researchers mea
sured how soon and how often the
rabbits learned to anticipate the
burst of air by closing their eyes at
the sound of the tone. Each group
received 15 training sessions.
Disterhoft said four of the six
older rabbits who did not receive ni-
modipine never learned to blink at
the sound. The other two did learn,
but at a slower rate than the older
rabbits receiving the drug.
“All of the aging nirnodipine ani
mals learned the task in less than
eight days of training,” he said, and
this was very slightly faster than the
learning rate shown by both the
groups of young rabbits. Disterhoft
said nirnodipine, however, did not
make the younger rabbits any
smarter. The drug appears to help
only the aged brain.
Disterhoft said the experiment
was suggested after German doctors
noticed that stroke patients seemed
to recover some learning losses when
they were treated with nirnodipine.
The drug, manufactured by Miles
Inc., was approved by the Food and
Drug Administration last December
to treat impairment among patients
who have suffered a ruptured vein
in the brain, which is a type of
stroke. Bob Quick, a Miles spokes
man, said the drug is marketed un
der the name Nimotop. It is ap
proved for use now only by some
types of stroke patients.
straints set by the Reagan
administration.
Bush received a standing ovation
when he entered the House cham
ber, packed with members of the
heavily Democratic Congress, the
Supreme Court, his Cabinet and
staff and guests. Barbara Bush
joined in the applause from her seat
in the gallery.
The president shook hands with
several lawmakers as he made his
way down the center aisle on his way
to the speaker’s rostrum. Among the
g uests seated prominently on the
oor were John Tower, his confir
mation as Secretary of Defense in
jeopardy.
The president’s budget plan,
which features a one-year freeze on
scores of federal programs, calls for
roughly $5 billion more spending
than the budget submitted by Rea
gan last month and carries out
Bush’s oft-stated vow of not seeking
any increase in taxes.
The freeze on these non-military
programs is tougher than the Penta
gon freeze. The non-military pro
grams are frozen at current spend
ing amounts, but the Pentagon
budget rises to take inflation into ac
count.
He said his offer to freeze Penta
gon spending was conditioned on
reaching an overall agreement with
Congress that included budget re-
Bush budgets oil industry incentives
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush proposed
three tax incentives to revitalize the struggling domestic
oil industry in his budget recommendations. Sen. Phil
Gramm announced T hursday, hours before the budget
was to be released.
“This represents an important package aimed at en
hancing our ability to find and produce oil here at
home,” the Texas Republican said. “It’s an important
first step toward establishing a national energy policy.”
While welcomed by an industry official, the measures
must still clear a Congress wrestling with a budget defi
cit and not known for rushing to the industry’s defense.
“It’s going to take work,” said Barney White, a vice
president of corporate affairs at Zapata Corp. in Hous
ton. “You’ve got a budget deficit that’s a black hole, and
it’s difficult to give tax incentives to J.R. Ewing. That’s
how it plays in the public mind.”
Gramm said Bush’s package includes a tax credit to
enhance tertiary recovery — a research and devel
opment tax credit aimed primarily at stripper wells, or
those with low production, or where it is dif ficult to ex
tract the oil from the earth and takes the injection of
steam or fluids to make it flow.
It also contains a tax credit on intangible drilling
costs, those not directly associated with drilling a well —
such as hauling equipment — which will be exempt
from the minimum tax.
The final element is a tax incentive package to en
courage independent producers to find new oil.
Gramm said the measures would encourage domestic
production of oil, enhance national security, and help
“preserve the vitality of the oil and gas industry.”
White said Bush’s proposals would “certainly help”
the foundering industry, which has been battling low
prices for several years.
forms. He proposed that the govern
ment go to a two-year budget proc
ess, rather than one year, and asked,.
as Reagan did before him, for the
power of a line-item veto. Bush’s
first presidential speech mixed cam
paign promises with expressions of
budget restraint and new overtures
toward bipartisanship.
Initial reaction from congressio
nal leaders was cordial.
“The Democratic Congress wants
to work with this president in every
way that we can,” House Speaker
Jim Wright, D-Texas, said in a taped
response to Bush’s speech,
“We’ll give him our sincere coop
eration,” Wright said. “That does
not mean obedience. It does mean
our honest help and our very best
advice.”
Bush reiterated a vow from his in
augural address to extend a hand to
Congress. “My team and I are ready
to work with the Congress, to form a
special leadership group, to nego-
“The Big Thaw
The recent trend of warmer temperatures relieved more than just
people. Like the students, the renovated fountain outside the
Photo by Frederick D. Joe
Clayton W. Williams Alumni Center, being cleaned here by cam
pus worker Walter J. Tubbs, thawed out Thursday.
tiate in good faith, to work night and
day — if that’s what it takes — to
meet the budget targets and to pro
duce a budget on time.”
Bush also promised to pursue de
velopment of a space-based missile
defense shield, the so-called Star
Wars concept, and declared that
chemical weapons should be banned
He also said the United States must
persevere in its support of anti-com
munist freedom fighter movements
around the globe.
Bryan bank
reopens under
new ownership
WASHINGTON (AP) — First
Bank & Trust of Bryan was one of
three Texas banks reported closed
Thursday. The bank, at 1716 Briar-
crest Drive, will reopen today under
new ownership.
The Board of the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation approved
the assumption of deposits and fully
secured liabilities of two Houston
banks as well, bringing the state total
to 12 failures so far this year.
First Bank’s deposits and liabilities
will be assumed by First American
Bank, a subsidiary of Adam Bank
Groqp Inc., Bryan. Citizens Bank
and Citizens Bank-Houston will re
open as Deposit Guaranty Bank,
Dallas.
All depositers automatically will
become depositers of the assuming
banks subject to approval by the ap
propriate court.
First Bank & Trust, a subsidiary
of United Bankers, Inc. of Waco,
was found to have engaged in ag
gressive lending practices and an
over-concentration in real estate
loans. The depressed economic con
ditions in real estate values and inad
equate supervision by the board con
tributed to the bank’s failure, Texas
Banking Commissioner Kenneth W.
Littlefield said.
Littlefield attributed the Houston
bank failures to insider abuses.
Education leaders stress equity funding needs
AUSTIN (AP) — Texas Educa
tion Agency Commissioner William
N. Kirby said Thursday state law
makers need to raise at least $500
million in new funds to begin to ad
dress the problem of unequal fund
ing in public schools.
Several State Board of Education
members backed Kirby with remarks
aimed at lawmakers and state lead
ers.
“There has been absolute silence
from the legislative leadership and
state leadership. I mean you could
go over there and hear a pin drop,”
on the issue of equity funding for
poor school districts, board member
Will Davis of Austin said.
Kirby said the Legislature must
take steps to help poor school dis
tricts reach equal funding with
wealthy school districts.
“The board ought to do every
thing it can to encourage the Legis
lature to exercise their prerogative
and to see that, in fact, we take a step
forward in equity,” he said.
The state’s method of funding
public schools is being challenged in
the courts by poor school districts.
Public schools are funded largely
through a combination of local
property taxes and state aid.
School districts with low property
values filed suit in 1984, saying their
students do not have the same edu
cational opportunities because the
districts are unable to raise as much
in local funds as wealthy districts to
enrich school funding.
A state district court judge ruled
in favor of the poor districts, saying
the state’s education financing sys
tem was unconstitutional, but the
3rd Court of Appeals reversed that
decision, saying the Legislature
should decide the issue. The case has
been appealed to the state Supreme
Court.
“We’ve got to move forward with
equity,” Kirby said after outlining
the public school budget, which calls
for about a $5 billion increase in
funding. This includes $500 million
for equity funding and $300 million
to take care of increasing student en
rollment.
Board member Carolyn Crawford
of Beaumont said the education
budget proposal “is not a pie in the
sky. It is not a wish list. It is a realistic
budget about what it will take to
have quality in all our schools.”
Kirby said that without the addi
tional equity funding, law'inakers
must make the decision to redistri
bute money that is already in the sys
tem.
Under such a plan, some school
districts would lose millions of dol
lars in state funding. The Dallas
school district would lose $21.8 mil
lion; Houston, $21.5 million; Austin,
$9.7 million; and Plano, $4.1 mil
lion.
Black History Month sheds light on old foe
By Richard Tijerina
STAFF WRITER
At a time when they are reflecting on their
accomplishments, blacks also are faced with
the same stumbling block that has plagued
them throughout American history.
Racism.
February is Black History Month, and it
gives blacks across the country an opportu
nity to enjoy the achievements they have
made in American society.
For blacks at Texas A&M, it is a time to re
flect on the progress they have made during
the past 20 years. Through events hosted by
organizations such as the Black Awareness
Committee, A&M students are able to learn
more about the contributions blacks have
made.
Wendell Gray, chairman of BAG, said
Black History Month gives all students a
chance to learn about the significant impact
blacks have made on America
“It’s going to be as phenomenal
for me to see my kids and the
strides they’re going to be making
as it is for my parents to see the
strides I’m making. ”
— Wendell Gray,
chairman,
Black Awareness Committee
“I think it brings accomplishments into the
limelight,” Gray said. “I think it enlightens
some of the people to some of the things they
don’t know. Hopefully, it gives the whole stu
dent body a sense that blacks have contrib
uted more to America than just being slaves.
“Hopefully, it brings to all the black stu
dents on campus a sense of pride, because we
have done several important things. If they
had the same public school history that I’ve
had, they don’t know the achievements blacks
have made throughout history.”
Gray said the month gives him time to en
joy the progress blacks have made in fighting
for civil rights — a fight that started in the
1960s and continues today.
“Being a black American means several
things to different people,” he said. “To me,
it means being proud of who you are and be
ing proud of the obstacles we overcame. It’s a
prideful time. We’ve made enormous strides,
but we’ve also got so much further to go.”
Ruth McMullan, adviser to BAG, said
Black History Month offers a chance to learn
more about black culture. She said black cul
ture is not taught properly in school, and the
month helps in fixing that.
“I think it showcases the beauty and intelli
gence of the black people that mostly is hid
den,” McMullan said. “You’re not taught well
in the white history classes that you attend. It
shows how in-depth the black culture really is.
It makes black people more proud of them
selves.”
Gray said being a black youngster was not
easy because of the many incidents of racism
he faced. However, he said his father’s gener
ation suffered more than his
“It’s going to be as phenomenal for me to
See Black history/Page 6