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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1993)
MMmMmmmmmmsm. Wednesday, September 1,1993 The Baitalion Richland High students agree school's Rebel flag offensive The Associated Press ; NORTH RICHLAND HILLS - After years of de eding the right to wave the Rebel flag as a symbol i [(school spirit, some Richland High students are jady for a truce. Many students said they now recognize that the I symbol they considered a part of school spirit and (tide might be a source of pain and resentment to [fliers. The students have got- Itnrid of symbols that «identified the school vith the Confederacy. In stead, they have con structed a banner of blue aid gray with the name Jebel on it. They think Ms will soon foster the same school pride as its stedecessor. However, the school's [linny Rebel mascot will still be on football fields at salftime. He will still wear the uniform of a Confed- siate officer, but he won't be carrying the Confeder- ilebattle flag. < "The general consensus was that we live in a time (hereracism is getting out of hand, there's too much liiolence and segregation,” said Rick Mauderer, fac- Jtysponsor of the school's student council. In November 1990, Southwest High School in Fort Worth changed its name from the Rebels to the Raiders after school trustees ordered the change. A group of students — the student council, foot ball team and several spirit organizers — spearhead ed the effort at Richland High and went to the school officials and asked that the new banner be adopted. "I know a great deal of people who have been of fended by the flag and now those people can go to Richland and participate in school activities comfort ably,” said senior cheer leader Tanya Scoggins. "Wherever we went there had been problems. That's been a history thing,” Principal Annette Keller said. "They (the students) wanted a ban ner that can fly at every game without a problem. They didn't want to start the new year out with anything negative.” Others said the new banner won't change the habits of fans who bring the flag to games. "I think that it is a strong blow against our school to take away our symbol of pride and how we fight to the end, said junior Charles Davis. "People will still wave the Rebel flag in the stands and we will still be the Richland Rebels.” "The general consensus was that we live in a time where racism is getting out of hand." - Rick Mauderer, student council faculty sponsor Haiti receives new prime minister The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Far from isdestitute homeland, Robert lalval, a 50-year old business man, was installed Monday as Mian prime minister, promising uivork for national reconciliation d the restoration of democracy. With deposed President Jean- Sertrand Aristide looking on ap- irovingly, Malval assumed his w duties with a stark reference llothe forces in Haiti who may try [block the country's democratic tebirth,'' "You may kill us but you will Her kill the dream of the people [(Haiti to get their freedom," (lalval said. He is scheduled to return to flaition Tuesday. The setting was a sweltering, gb-ceilinged second floor recep- iroom at the Haitian Embassy, iere about 100 diplomats and er dignitaries gathered for the minute ceremony. The Clinton administration was represented by the top State Department official for Latin America, Alexander Watson. Malval was not sworn in but was "installed,” consistent with Haitian tradition. Tine transfer of power occurred when Malval took possession of a weighty "dossier" from Rene Preval, who served as Aristide's prime minister during his seven- month presidency. Malval insisted that the instal lation ceremony take place in Washington because he wanted Aristide to preside. It was 23 months ago to the day Monday that Aristide was ousted in an army-led coup. As part of an agreement worked out by international medi ators on July 3, Aristide himself will take charge of the country on Oct. 30. "Today is a sign that the return to democracy will become a reali ty," said Aristide, who personally chose Malval to head the interim government in Haiti. Malval, who has studied in Mi ami and Paris, was interrupted re peatedly by applause during his 20-minute remarks, delivered mostly in French. "My government has one goal — restore democracy as of today,” he said. "My government has one dream — to reconcile the country with itself." The ypbeat mood of the cere mony, which featured champagne toasts, contrasted sharply with the economic devastation that has oc curred in Haiti over the past two years, partly as a result of interna tional sanctions designed to pres sure the coup leaders to allow democracy to be reinstated. Another major problem has been political repression. The In ter-American Human Rights Commission said in a statement Friday that 300,000 Haitians have been driven into hiding and 1,500 have been killed since Aristide's ouster in 1991. Bond amendment would finance housing program The Associated Press AUSTIN — Texas Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry and band Commissioner Garry Mauro asked voters Tuesday to support bond amendments which would finance agricultural businesses and a veterans housing program. Sixteen proposed constitution al amendments, including four bond issues, will be before voters Nov. 2. Perry is trying to garner votes (or Proposition 16, which would bring to $100 million the bond (unding to the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority. The program, first approved in 1989 with $25 million, could cre ate up to 14,000 jobs with the ad ditional funds. Perry said. So far, TAFA has granted loans lo34 cofhpanics and created 4,700 jobs, he said. "Some look at some of these programs as handouts. This is one ‘hat can stand on its own feet," Ferry said. "It hasn't cost the taxpayers of the state of Texas one dime." Perry said he has more than 500 applications from businesses Miich process Texas agricultural items, such as food and clothing, pending the outcome of the vote. The program generates rev enue for the fund as loans are re paid, Perry said. Judge blocks districts from spending surplus funds The Associated Press SAN ANTONIO — A judge has ordered the state's 188 county education districts not to spend surplus money pending a Sept. 13 hearing on a lawsuit by two Bexar County school districts. State District Judge Scott McCown in Austin granted a tempo rary restraining order Monday after the North East and Somerset school districts in Bexar County sued over the state's proposed dis tribution of $12.4 million in surplus taxes collected in the county. McCown extended his ruling to all county education districts. "We ought to do it the same way statewide," the judge said. In Bexar County, the order keeps money in the coffers of the Bexar County Education District, which was to dissolve at mid night Tuesday, until next month's hearing. Richard Middleton, superintendent of the North East district, said the ruling was a "partial victory." The district sued to block Texas Education Commissioner Lionel "Skip)" Meno's plan for redistributing tax money collected over a two-year period by the Bexar education district. Under the commissioner's plan. North East would have received $777,571 and Somerset would owe the state $834. Under Senate Bill 351, which created the county education districts two years ago. North East would receive $3.8 million and Somerset would receive $40,405. Kevin O'Hanlon, an attorney representing the Texas Education Agency, said Bexar County is unusual in that it had raised such a large surplus. "They raised more than they should have raised," O'Hanlon said. The Bexar education district levied an additional tax that was equally distributed to its member school districts as part of a school equalization plan approved two years ago by the Legislature. But that system was declared unconstitutional, and a state law makers approved a new plan this spring to equalize funding be tween prog)erty-rich and property-poor school districts. The Bexar education district board, representing 12 school dis tricts, last week voted to distribute $12.4 million in surplus funds according to Meno's plan. AGGIE FOOTBALL 1993 Sept. 4 LSU Sept. 18 Mo. Oct. 9 Hous. Oct. 30 SMU Nov. 13 Louis. Nov. 25 Texas AGGIE VOLLEYBALL 1993 Sept. 17 Fla. St. Sept. 19 Fla Sept. 22 Tex Tech Oct. 2 UTA Oct. 6 Rice Oct. 13 Hous. Oct. 15 N. III. Oct. 16 N.E. LA AGGIE SOCCER 1993 Oct. 2 0. Roberts Oct. 15 St. Marys Oct. 17 H. Simmons Oct. 25 St. Edwards Oct. 29 New Mexico Oct. 31 Ark. L. Rock Page 5 Economy doing better, officials say The Associated Press WASHINGTON - The economy is sputtering along so far this year at a substan tially weaker growth rate than in 1992, and the prospect, ac cording to economists, is for only mild improvement. The gross domestic prod uct — the sum of all goods and services produced in the United States — advanced a lackluster 1.8 percent in the April-June period to a season ally adjusted annual rate of $5.1 trillion, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. That followed a barely per ceptible 0.8 percent gain in the first quarter. The increases were slightly better than what the depart ment reported a month ago — 1.6 percent in the second quar ter and 0.7 percent in the first. But they're still far below what analysts were looking for when the year began, and they cast doubt on the strength of the momentum go ing into the second half of the year. "Our forecast for the sec ond half is 2.7 percent. ... It's our forecast and I'll live and die by it but I'm beginning to feel a lot less comfortable," said economist Martin Regalia of the U.S. Chamber of Com merce. "It's becoming a hope as much as a forecast." The Clinton administra tion, too, is scaling back its projections. Laura Tyson, the chair woman of the White House Council of Economic Advis ers, has said that the adminis tration could reduce its 1993 growth forecast from 3.1 per cent to as low as 2.1 p»ercent when it releases its midyear economic review on Wednes day. Live music featuring THE CRY All you can eat BBQ from Gideon's Outdoor Activities, and Games 4ji|| FREE TRANSPORTATION^ Buses will run from fh? MSC to the Amphilheolre from <1-8 pm (\fyvi yob- MSC OfCh \]cwyi Off Com Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater j firnday, fept. 5 4 4:00-8:00 pm W-flAT DoesTr w \ atecwt j ro YOU? Convenience! We'v« always been dose to compos, but our now locution is own closer. Longer hours make it easier to pick up scantrons and lecture notes, place type jobs, or make those last minute copies before a presentation. Starting August 30, we'll be opened 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Friday, and 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday. We're still closed on Sunday. 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