fot'
The Battalion
Aggielife
Page 3
Tuesday • April 29, 1 997
hese boots were made for
eniors
By Aaron Meier
The Battalion
unning in shorts and boots may
seem like torture, but this time of
JLyear, juniors in the Corps of
adets run laps around the Quadran-
^ eto break in their new senior boots in
"paration for Final Review,
be Fenton, curator of the Sander
s of Cadets Center, and a former
et, said the history of senior boots
s back to 1920. The uniforms adopt-
jnSlat that time were the same uniforms
i by soldiers in World War I. The
«s were used in the mil-
by the cavalry and
sA&M College decid-
glto adopt them.
Several examples of
tiior boots are housed
Ihe curator’s office,
dug the evolution of
IMS]
cie"'If tradition.
me of the first styles is
nvn as the “Tanker.”
16 boot has multiple
_ps instead of the mod-
In single strap. Also, the
loot has laces along the
c op of the foot. As the boot evolved, the
16! Ees were eliminated and varying col-
1 ns pf leather were used.
[The colors of th$ ; . hoots can vary
ion! black to blond, ,v -Fenton said. “It is
matter of what .color you want,
ever, the Holick boot and its color
J(1 g|usdominated the campus.”
b(r: lolick’s, the store that crafts the Holick
has manufactured senior boots since
s fe® wer e adopted by the University.
[^if lianor Vessali, a junior member of
Corps and a biomedical science
major, said Holick’s reputation in boot
construction is unparalleled.
“Holick’s is the place to go to get your
boots made,” Vessali said. “The ideal
thing is to get on the list at Holick’s.
These days it gets so full that freshmen
sign up for their boots during Fresh
man Orientation Week.”
Carolyn Matheson, co-manager and
vice president of Holick’s, said the rea
son cadets sign up so early is the limit
ed calendar for making boots.
“There are so many people these
days wanting boots, and there are so
few people qualified to make them,”
Matheson said. “The
demand is just too
great to keep up with.”
Matheson said the
boots are extremely dif
ficult to construct, and
even professional boot
makers cannot meet
the demanding specifi
cations for each boot.
“In the past four
years, we have hired
four bootmakers and
let three of them go,”
“There is nothing
compared to
wearing your
boots for the first
time and seeing
them sitting in
your room.”
Elianor Vessali
Junior Corps member
Matheson said. “They just
could not meet the high standards the
boots require. For example, if they drag
their finger across the leather while it is
being stretched, the leather is ruined. It
is a tough job.”
Mass production of the boots is im
possible, since each pair is custom
made for the cadet. Boots cost about
$750 per pair.
Branson Washburn, a member of the
Corps and a junior kinesiology major,
said getting his senior boots was a real
ization of his college career.
“It is a huge accomplishment, getting
your boots,” Washburn said. “You are fi
nally on the top of the heap and you
have a good kind of arrogance about
you, like you are a campus leader.”
The first time juniors are allowed to
wear their boots is during Final Review,
but Vessali said some cadets secretly
walk around in their boots trying to
break them in. She said if they are caught
by the senior cadets, they are punished
by having to run a “Bloody Cross” — six
laps around the Quadrangle.
Washburn said the juniors in his
outfit, P-2, make a tradition of getting
caught in their boots.
“All the juniors get caught and have
to run a Bloody Cross together,” Wash
burn said. “It is a class-bonding time
breaking them in, so it is a lot of fun.”
At Final Review, each cadet dons the
uniform of the next class, and seniors
officially retire from the Corps.
Washburn said Final Review is an
emotional roller coaster for all cadets.
“You form the closest bond with the
class above you,” Washburn said. “It is
really sad to see them go, but at the
same time it is exciting to be able to
wear boots for the first time. You expe
rience every single possible emotion at
that time.”
Vessali said her senior boots are the
culmination of all the hard work she did
in the Corps.
“There is nothing compared to
wearing your boots for the first time
and seeing them sitting in your room,”
Vessali said. “It is the best part of being
in the Corps.”
Matheson said seeing the Cadets fi
nally getting their boots is as exciting
for them as for the cadets.
w
“The real joy of the job is to see the
guys and gals pick up the boots,” Math
eson said. “We take pictures, and you
can see in their faces how excited they
are to get their boots.”
Fenton said the pride the seniors
take in their boots is evident.
“When I walked around in my boots I
felt 10 feet tall,” Fenton said. “I never felt
that way in the Army. I never felt that way
in any civilian clothes. For a while there,
I thought I was really something. That is
why I never cease to stop and watch a se
nior go by in his boots.”
Photo by Derek Demere, The Battalion
Leo Beloveskey, a Holik's
employee, fashions a lasting
fora pair of senior boots. The
lasting will be used to mold
the foot part of the boot.
k
Don’t Forget Your Aggie Mom
On Mother’s Day
|v«^99 Ve
lTSfr iTta
-l
Maroon
8 White.
Post Oak Mall WE ACCEPT AC6I E BUCKS tm
764-4444
LEARN TO
AT UNITED FLIGHT SYSTEMS
We’re now located at College Station Easterwood Airport.
Learn to fly the Cessna Pilot Center Exclusive Integrated
Flight Training System at United Flight Systems,
the experienced flight school.
■ Private thru advanced training
■ Aircraft rental, Pilot Shop
■ F.A.A. approved 141 school
41 ■ VA Eligible Benefits
United Flight Systems, Inc.
Easterwood Airport
College Station, TX
409 260-6322
Tuesday Nite: Beat the Clock
Time You Call is the Price You Pay!
(from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
On a Large 2 Topping Pizza
Tips are appreciated
College Station Bryan
764-PAPA (7272) 268-PAPA (7272)
1100 Harvey Rd. 3414 East 29th St.
LOOKING FOR A GREAT JOB THIS
SUMMER?
the 12TH MAN FOUNDATION is
NOW HIRING
FOR POSITIONS IN ITS
1997 TELEMARKETING CAMPAIGN
+ Earn $5.50 per Hour Plus Bonuses
♦ Looks Great On Your Resume
♦ Flexible Hours
♦ Help Support Texas A&M and Aggie
Athletics
Please pick up an application and schedule interview
in the 12th Man Foundation Office, Room 109 of the
Koldus Building before Friday, May 2, 1997
FOUNDATION
It takes the
right
hardware
to develop
great
software.
As a college graduate, you know computers inside and out. Now it’s time to make
ail that effort pay off. With the exciting opportunities at Hughes Training, Inc., you
can do just that
Software Engineers
The selected candidates will gain experience in software modeling, computer
architecture and system integration.
A BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Math or related area is
required. A working knowledge of C, Ada and Fortran is preferred. The ability
to work on multiple projects simultaneously, excellent communication skills
and a strong work ethic are essential.
If interested, send your resume to: Hughes Training, Inc., P.O. Box 6171, Mail
Stop 308, Arlington, TX 76005-6171. Fax (817) 619-3761. E-mail: jobs@link.com
Hughes is an equal opportunity employer.
A HUdHCS ELeCTttONICS COMPANY
U.
Y/TT^ TT^l
^ u. j. j. z
m
Sunday, May 11
WHERE?
Student Rec. Center
WHAT TIME?
10 a.m. - TBA
• Wear a black leotard and black tights with hair
pulled back in a ponytail
• Current A&M students must bring a transcript
• Incoming Freshmen or transfer students must bring a
letter stating their intent to attend Texas A&M
• Candidates will learn a dance in the morning and
try out in the afternoon
• A new team meeting will immediately follow tryouts
Questions? Call Susie @ 696-2904