The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, August 28, 1989, Image 51
The Battalion es Some that •vertfr or” dei assets e othen the | a) the i: WELCOME BACK AGGIES! We Have “Everything you’d expect” from Baskin-Rohbins. Imagine all the taste, all the flavor and all the fun you expect from Baskin-Robbins. Now in frozen yogurt. Because we’ve taken everything we’ve ever learned about ice cream and put it into bringing you the best tasting, fullest flavored frozen yogurt you’ve ever tried. Smooth and creamy. Pure and natural. Frozen yogurt that’s really as good as our ice cream. From the people who ought to know. 601 University Dr. (Northgate) 846-4288 603 Villa Maria (In Manor East Mall Parking Lot) 822-7970 t'r ‘4 ©1989 Baskin-Robbins incorporated BUY ONE err ONE FREE! Any frozen yogurt item (excluding pies & bulk) with the purchase of any item of equal or greater value. Offer good with coupon only. Not good in combi nation with any other offer. One coupon per visit. Otter good only at location(s) listed. Void where [just *1.49T Banana Royale Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt Offer good with coupon only Not good in combi nation with any other offer. One coupon per visit. Offer good only at location(s) listed. Void where Inhibited or restricted by law. JUST 99* Regular Frozen Yogurt Sundae Offer good with coupon only. Not good in com bination with any other offer. One coupon per visit. Offer good only at location(s) listed. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Monday, August 28,1989 Page 7E Aggie senior ring glistens with traditions, folklore By Kelly S. Brown Of The Battalion Staff An Aggie in an airport reaching for his luggage no tices someone staring at his hand. Conversation begins something like this: “My name is Lynn Walker, Class of ’61.” The raised eyebrow reply — “. . . T.J. Smith, Class of’80.” This happens all the time — Texas A&M folklore has volumes of tales involving a senior ring bringing to gether Aggies who once were strangers. The tradition of the senior ring began in 1894. The ring, as long as it is worn, is the one thing that always will distinguish an Aggie from anyone else. One of the things that makes an A&M ring unique from other school rings is the accomplishments a stu dent must have undergone before the ring can be slipped onto the finger. A&M requires students to have completed 95 hours. If students have transferred to the University, they must have taken at least 30 of the 95 hours at A&M. A cumulative GPR of 2.0 is mandatory. The Senior Ring Committee reviews these qualifica tions before a student can file an order for a ring. Veri fication takes three days to complete. Although prices of school rings are generally the same as at other col leges, most universities have no requirements to get a ring. Rings must be paid for when ordered, and students can choose between the traditional and rose styles. Car olyn Swanzy, director of the ring office, said most stu dents order the rose style. The only difference in the rings are in size, quality of 10 or 14 karat gold and the finish. Prices for the basic 10-karat gold ring range from $145 to $150 for the smaller woman’s ring and $248 to $260 for the larger men’s ring. The costs fluctuate with the price of gold. The Student Financial Aid Office has loans specifically for senior rings. Swanzy said eight to ten orders are placed with the L.G. Balfour Company each year (the next order will be sent Sept. 15). The rings arrive several months later and the celebration begins. Some initiate their rings at the annual Ring Dance, where seniors turn their rings around so the number faces the world to say, “I am an Aggie.” Many others “christen” their rings in a different manner. Christening rings is a tradition that E.C. Jones, Class of 1894, probably didn’t have in mind when he de signed the first senior ring — the dropping of the ring in a pitcher of beer at Northgate. This particular tradition most likely never will find its way onto the senior ring as one of the engraved symbols representing a major part of the University’s, as well as Texas, history. A leaflet printed by the Association of Former Students explains the meaning of each symbol on the ring. On the top of the ring is a shield symbolizing protec tion of the good reputation of the alma mater. The 13 Christening rings is a tradition that E.C. Jones, Class of 1894, probably didn’t have in mind when he designed the first senior ring — the dropping of the ring in a pitcher of beer at Northgate.” stripes in the shield refer to the 13 original states and symbolize the intense patriotism of the graduates and undergraduates of A&M. The five stars in the shield refer to phases of development of the student: mind or intellect, body, spiritual attainment, emotional poise and integrity of character. The eagle is symbolic of agil ity and power and the ability to reach great heights and ambitions. Each side of the ring has a meaning as well. On one side, the seal of the State of Texas; a five- E ointed star with a wreath of live oak leaves and laurel raves surrounding it, representing strength, but the desire to use this strength peacefully. The other side shows a cannon crossed with a saber and rifle representing the Texas determination to fight for home and family. Also on this side, the U.S. and Texas flags are joined together to symbolize unity. Orders are accepted the first two weeks of September in the Association of Former Students Center on the corner of Bizzell and Jersey Streets. Aggies 'undying love’ for A&M bums forever in Eternal Flame By Melissa Naumann Of The Battalion Staff Fire typically symbolizes warmth and passion. At Texas A&M, the Eternal Flame follows suit, standing for students’ undying love for the school. The Eternal Flame, located just north of Kyle Field, was a gift of the Class of ’83. Although it was in tended to symbolize the intense and never-ending spirit of that class, the flame has not always burned as strong as it does now. Beth Castenson, a class agent of the Class of ’83, said the University promised to assume full responsibil ity for keeping the flame lighted. Af ter the first year, however, the cost became too much, and the flame was extinguished. A Sept. 22, 1987, issue of The Battalion said the cost to fix the flame would be between $3,000 and $4,000 and maintaining the flame would be $500 a year. The Class of ’83 decided to create an endowment fund, the interest of which would pay the gas bill for the flame. It was relighted in April 1988. The original purpose of the flame was to light candles for Muster and torches for bonfire. “We wanted to have something eternal that encompasses all tradi tions,” Castenson said. “It’s a living memorial to Aggies.” The flame, designed by an A&M student, burns in a bronze bowl on top of a black granite pyramid near the graves of Reveille I, II, III and IV. The Aggie Eternal Flame symbolizes Aggies undying love for A&M. It went out temporarily but was re-lit in April 1988. Financial aid provides thousands in needed funds for college students Of The Battalion Staff Not everyone can afford the cost of a college education, but when the chips are down for some, Texas A&M offers a variety of ways to help pick them up and pay for the rising prices of tu ition, fees, housing and books. “There are millions and millions of dollars of aid available to students,” Dawn Derr, assistant director of student financial aid at A&M, said. But only about 5,000 A&M students have applied for and been awarded various types of financial aid for the fall and spring terms. The types of financial aid available to those who qualify are: • Scholarships, which are amounts of free money awarded on the basis of academics only or any combination of academics, financial need, campus or community activities, leadership posi tions and work experience. • Grants, which are gift funds awarded on the basis of financial need. • Student loans, for students who need finan cial assistance. Students must meet eligibility re quirements of the various programs, must be in good standing with the University, and be mak ing satisfactory academic progress. Derr said long-term student loans are the most widely available and most popular type of aid. This is because the scholarships and grants come from sources with set budgets, whereas the stu dent loans can come from the federal govern ment or from individual lenders that have much more money to disperse. The first step to applying for financial aid is to ick up a financial aid form (FAF) on the second oor of the Pavilion, fill it out and send it off to the College Scholarship Service. The CSS ana lyzes the information, estimates each applicant’s need for aid based on individual and family fi nancial status and sends the University the re sults. Students should receive a letter from the Uni versity telling them whether or not they qualify for financial aid. If they do, an award letter will be sent to them, at which time they may either ac cept or decline the specified amount of aid. The entire process takes about three to four months to complete. The maximum loan amounts per year are $2,625 each for a freshmen or sophomores; $4,000 each for juniors or seniors; and $7,500 each for graduate students. When tuition is due, Derr said, students re ceiving financial aid don’t have to pay their fees until the week prior to school because the fiscal office is not able to disperse funds until that time. After graduation, applicants that have ac cepted a loan are given a six-month grace period before interest payments begin. Loan payments must be completed in ten years. Derr said the financial aid office is still taking applications for loans and will continue to award aid to those who qualify throughout the semester. For those who do not qualify or only need a little bit of help, A&M also offers three types of short-term loans: the Emergency Tuition and Fees Loan, the Short Term Loan and the Little Loan. Students interested in finding out more about these or any of the many types of aid offered should go to the financial aid office on the sec ond floor of the Pavilion.