The Battalion
)ber 29,
Wednesday • October 29, 1997
A f_ :
student adds a touch of Scottish
. , V
lulture to campus by playing bagpipes
By Travis Irby
Staff writer
A s the afternoon stretches into dusk, the
kxkM't Wi h\ cool fall air is filled with the sound of bag-
tfa CoHSifeJB JLpipes. It is not Scotland, it is somewhere
‘ y] ET J c D n ? tnlheTejcas A&M campus, thanks to the efforts
)f jbhn Scholl, a freshman history major.
Scholl has been playing the bagpipes since
te was in grade school.
My school was a small private one encom-
Dassing grades K-12,” Scholl said. “Our band
anly really had the bagpipes and the drums, so
chose the bagpipes.”
choll said he has had many years to hone
[skill with the pipes.'
|‘I have been faithfully practicing since the
grade,” Scholl said.
he bagpipes are not a common instru-
ent for American high school kids, even
though the instrument’s imagery is apparent
l^-.n society. Films like Braveheart and Rob Roy
Have romanticized the musical instrument
■M'along with kilts.
{[{jjHcody Lemons, a senior nuclear engineering
major, said the sound is a unique experience.
Scholl enjoys taking listeners to another place.
“My favorite thing is performing,” Scholl
said. “If the conditions are right, I’ll be there.”
Scholl said he has performed in numerous
places around campus. He has played in front
“I think for many people
who enjoy bagpipes, it takes
them to another place, so
to speak.”
CODY LEMONS
SENIOR NUCLEAR ENGINEERING MAJOR
think for many people who enjoy bag-
bipes, it takes them to another place, so to
sueak,” Lemons said.
MM
of his residence, Hart Hall, the Northside Quad
and many others.
Scholl said one of his favorite performances
took place a couple of weeks ago on campus.
“Several weeks ago I played at Rumours,”
Scholl said. “It was great just to get up there
and play.”
While the pipes can play both lively upbeat
music as well as slow melacholy tunes, they can
be hard to learn and handle.
“It is different from your typical wind in
strument,” Scholl said. “You have to fill the bag
with air and as you expel the air, manipulate it
through the reeds. If you don’t do it correctly, it
just isn’t going to work.”
Scholl said when he plays depends on
the weather.
“If it is very cold, it is hard to get a feel for the
reeds,” Scholl said. “If it is rainy, the reeds and
bag might get damaged.”
While avoiding bad weather is a practical
reason, Scholl’s preference for playing during
the day has a more personal one.
“It’s no fun to play in the dark,” Scholl said.
While many may marvel at the exotic nature
of Scholl’s musical choice, he said he thinks of
himself as just another guy with an instrument
who enjoys making music.
“It really isn’t a big deal to me, I just like to play
and I’ve been doing it for awhile,” Scholl said.
Ian Supak, a senior English major, said he
enjoys hearing the bagpipes.
“It is veiy cool to hear them playing, it is
something unique on this campus,” Supak said.
Supak said while the music is not for every
one, many people like it.
“I know some people think the sound is akin
to fingernails scratching on a chalkboard,” Su
pak said. “I really like the sound of bagpipes.”
BRANDON BOLLOM/The Battalion
John Scholl, a freshman history major, learned to play the bagpies in grade school.
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AN OPEN LETTER TO STUDENTS
CONSIDERING APPLYING TO LAW SCHOOL
Dear Student,
The quest for diversity in education has been a challenge for Texas law schools recently. In the aftermath of
Hopwood, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals case which determined that race or ethnicity could no longer be used as a
factor for admissions purposes, law schools in Texas have seen a troublesome decline in applications by minority students
- a decline we hope is temporary.
As deans of Texas law schools, we are concerned that the publicity flowing from the Hopwood decision is mislead
ing. Here is the truth: we want you to apply to our law schools, which provide welcoming and supportive environments
for all people of all cultures and beliefs.
A minority presence in our law schools allows a variety of interpretations on legal issues. Students of color, of vary
ing cultures and socio-economic status, bring to the classroom perspectives drawn from their varied experiences. People
of diverse backgrounds bring different interests, ideas, values, and causes that serve all members of society. Law schools
thrive on the free and constructive exchange of differing viewpoints.
Admissions policies and financial aid policies will be continually reviewed and fine-tuned to help us achieve the
diversity we feel is important to legal education. Minorities are needed in Texas law schools and in the legal profession.
We urge you to apply.
Dean Bradley Toben
Baylor University School of Law
Dean Stephen Zamora
University of Houston Law Center
Dean Harvey Wingo
Southern Methodist University School of Law
Dean Frank T. Read
South Texas College of Law
Dean Michael Sharlot
University of Texas School of Law
Dean Frank Newton
Texas Tech University School of Law
Dean Frank K. Walwer
Texas Weslayan University School of Law
Dean McKen V. Carrington
Thurgood Marshall School of Law