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Cinco de Mayo
Expert compares day in U.S., Mexico
{tilt's not a major national celebration. However, it is one of
the very biggest here.
// _Dr. Henry Schmidt,
A&M history professor
By Susan Maguire
The Battalion
Cinco de Mayo is a festive day,
but the focus of the Mexican hol
iday has changed in the United
States, said a Texas A&M history
professor.
Dr. Henry Schmidt, an author
ity on Latin-American history,
said over the past 20 or 30 years,
Mexican-Americans have
changed Cinco de Mayo into a
celebration of the Mexican-
American community, while
Mexican citizens continue to
concentrate on the patriotic
meaning of the holiday.
Historically, Cinco de Mayo
commemorates a battle between
Mexican rebels and a French
army at Puebla, Mexico, on May
5,1862.
The French were in Mexico to
gain the Mexican throne and set
up a puppet government. At
Puebla, the French had a 3-to-l
advantage over the rebels.
The Mexicans, under Gen. Ig
nacio Zaragoza, armed them
selves with machetes and de
feated the invaders in hand-to-
hand combat.
The French did not leave Mex
ico until 1897, but the battle for
Puebla bolstered the rebels' mo
rale and heightened the people's
resolve for an independent Mex
ico.
"In the 19th century, Mexico
was a very weak country,"
Schmidt said. "It was constantly
being threatened by other coun
tries. The Mexican victory was a
very important moment for Mex
ican nationalism."
Besides different reasons for
celebrating Cinco de Mayo, the
types of festivities are different
in America, Schmidt said.
"It is a general Mexican-Amer
ican fiesta here," he said. "In one
town there may be music and
dancing, another might have po
etry, and another might have a
celebration for the charro, a Mex
ican cowboy."
In Mexico, along with the gen
eral merrymaking, there is a re
enactment of the battle, parades
and speeches.
Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in
the United States more than in
Mexico, Schmidt said.
"Cinco de Mayo has lost quite
a bit of meaning in Mexico," he
said. "It's not a major national
celebration. However, it is one of
the very biggest here."
University presents Distinguished Achievement Awards
Twenty-two members of the
Texas A&M faculty and staff
were presented Distinguished
Achievement Awards — the
highest honor given by A&M
and the Association of Former
Students — at the annual spring
faculty-staff meeting Wednes
day.
A $4,000 cash prize, com
memorative watch and plaque
were presented to each award
recipient by Bill Youngkin, As
sociation of Former Students
president, at Wednesday's cere
mony.
Traditionally, the identity of
the award winners is kept secret
until announced at the meeting.
The 1991 award winners are:
Teaching
□ Dr. David Armstrong, pro
fessor of educational curriculum
and instruction.
□ Dr. Forrest Burt, professor
of English, was recognized with
the first posthumous Distin
guished Achievement Award.
□ Dr. Newton Ellis, Class of
'54, professor of industrial engi
neering.
□ Dr. Mark Holtzapple, as
sistant professor of chemical en
gineering.
□ Dr. Make McDermott Jr.,
associate professor of mechani
cal engineering.
□ Dr. James Sanders, Class of
'68, associate professor of ani
mal science.
□ Dr. David Schob, associate
professor of history.
□ Dr. Jane Sell, Class of '74,
associate professor of sociology.
□ Dr. Winston Shearon Jr.,
associate professor of account-
in 8-
□ Dr. Aydin Akgerman, pro
fessor of chemical engineering.
Q Sir Derek Barton, distin
guished professor of chemistry.
□ Dr. Greta Fryxell, a profes
sor of oceanography.
□ Dr. Michael Hitt, professor
of management and holder of
the T.J. Barlow Professorship in
Business Administration.
□ Dr. William Johnson, dis
tinguished professor of math
ematics and holder of the Ar
thur George and Mary Emolene
Owen Chair in Mathematics.
□ Dr. Henry Taylor, profes
sor of electrical engineering, di
rector of the TEES Institute of
Solid State Electronics and
holder of the Irma Runyon
Chair in Electrical Engineering.
Student Relations
□ Kevin Carreathers, director
of Multicultural Services.
□ Dr. Karan Watson, asso
ciate professor of electrical engi
neering.
Continuing Education
Extension
□ Dr. Edward Smith, Class of
'74, senior lecturer in agricultu
ral economics and the Roy B.
Davis Distinguished Professor
of Agricultural Cooperation.
□ Dr. Michael Tomaszewski,
professor of dairy science and
extension dairy specialist.
Staff
□ Karola Feltz, Class of '81,
administrative assistant in the
Department of Mathematics.
Q Steven Hodge, University
Center manager.
Administration
□ Dr. James D. McCrady,
Class of '52, professor of veteri
nary physiology and pharma
cology and director of special
programs for A&M's College of
Veterinary Medicine.
Regent suffers stroke
Staff and wire reports
A&M Board of Regents mem
ber Billy Clayton was in good
condition Thursday in an Austin
hospital after suffering a mild
stroke, a hospital nurse said.
Clayton, 62, former speaker of
the Texas House of representa
tives and currently a lobbyist,
was admitted Wednesday to St.
David's Hospital.
He was elected from a rural
Lubbock County district to the
House in 1962 and was first
elected speaker in 1975. He
served as speaker for four two-
year terms.
Former Governor Bill Clem
ents appointed Clayton to the
Board in 1989.
Clayton is a Class of '50 A&M
graduate with a bachelor of sci
ence degree in agricultural eco
nomics.
In 1988, Clayton served as
president of the Texas A&M As
sociation of Former Students.
In Advance
Richards, Sharp to speak at commencement
Gov. Ann Richards, State Comptroller John Sharp and Texas
Transportation Institute Associate Director Dr. William Harris
will speak at Texas A&M's spring commencement exercises.
Fred McClure, Class of '76 and a special assistant to Presi
dent Bush, also will deliver the keynote address at the degree
ceremony for doctoral candidates of veterinary medicine at 10
a.m. May 10 in Rudder Auditorium.
Richards will speak at 2 p.m. May 10 in G. Rollie White Col
iseum for graduates and undergraduates in the education and
engineering colleges, and graduates in the College of Medicine.
Sharp, Class of '72, will speak at 7:30 p.m. May 10 in the col
iseum for graduates and undergraduates from the architecture,
science and liberal arts colleges.
Harris will speak at 9 a.m. May 11 in the coliseum for grad
uates and undergraduates from the agriculture and business ad
ministration colleges, and for graduates from the geosciences
and veterinary medicine colleges.
U.S. Navy Adm. Jerome Johnson, vice chief of naval opera
tion in Washington, D.C., will administer the oath to new offi
cers at 1:30 p.m. May 11 in the coliseum.
7 Am a Teacher' author to meet with educators
David Marshall Marquis, a teacher-playwright-actor, will
meet with education students, teachers and the public from 10
a.m. to noon Saturday in 410 Rudder.
Marquis is best known for his one-man comedy about life in
the classroom, "I Am a Teacher." He is expected to perform a
few scenes from his play and visit with students.
HAVE YOU HEARD?
Your Texas A&M Bookstore, in the MSC, is offering
GREAT .prices for your unwanted books.
Come to our Main location or any of our convenient buyback
Maroon & White trailers parked around Campus during finals
to get CASH for your books!
REMEMBER, YOUR TEXAS A&M BOOKSTORE STANDS FOR SERVICE AND RELIABILITY, AGGIE
BUCKS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,
USED BOOKS
CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST SEMESTER BUY BACK CONTESTANT WINNERS!
1st Prize - Portable CD/Tape Player: Kathleen Tavarez
2nd Prize - $50 Bookstore Gift Certificate: Evelyn Nelson
3rd Prize: $25 Bookstore Gift Certificate: Neil Vaughn
THIS COULD BE YOU! Just fill out the coupon at YOUR Texas A&M Bookstore,
MSC or Trailer Locations; WINNERS ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY MAY 10TH!
SUMMER SESSION BOOKS ARE ARRIVING NOW!
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