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15th Annual Healthy Heart Run
benefiting the
American Heart Association
presented by the
A&M College of Medicine
10k, 5k, and 1 mile walk on
February 28 at 9 a.m.
Location: Reynolds Medical Building
Registration forms at Barnes &C Noble,
Copy Korner or online at
hsc.tamu.edu/admis/funrun.html
Rudder Auditorium • 7 p.m.
$ 8 Pre-sale / S 12 at the door
L
V
»CORVAcj
March 31-
April 4
845-1234
CMsc
0PAS
Opera & Performing Arts Society
sBattauon
Tiffany Inbody, Editor in Chief
Helen Clancy, Copy Chief
Brad Graeber, Visual Arts Editor
Robert Smith, City Editor
Jeremy Furtick, Sports Editor
James Francis, Aggielife Editor
Mandy Cater, Opinion Editor
Ryan Rogers, Photo Editor
Chris Huffines, Radio Producer
Sarah Goldston, Radio Producer
Dusty Moer, Web Editor
Aaron Meier, Night News Editor
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at
Texas A&M University in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of
the Department of Journalism. News offices are in 013 Reed
McDonald Building. Newsroom phone: 845-3313; Fax: 845-2647; E-
mail: batt@unix.tamu.edu; Website: http://battalion.tamu.edu
Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or
endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display
advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, call 845-0569.
Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald, and office hours are 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-2678.
Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas
A&M student to pick up a single copy offbe Battalion. Mail subscrip-
tions are $60 per school year, $30 for the fall or spring semester and
$17.50 for the summer. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or
American Express, call 845-2611.
The Battauon (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through
Friday during the fall spring semesters and Monday through Thursday
during the summer session (except University holidays and exam peri
ods) at Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College
Station, TX 77840. Postmaster: Send address changes to The
Battalion, 015 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University,
College Station,TX 77843-1111.
Illk Ilf T he Battalion
Nation
Wednesday • February 25,
What's Up
Wednesday
ATM Womens Rugby: Come join! No experience need
ed. Practices are from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the pitch on
the corner of Texas Avenue and University Drive. Call Nik
ki at 694-0084 for information.
Aggie Habitat for Humanity: A meeting will be held at
8:30 p.m. in 229 MSC. Call Rosalyn at 268-1067 for de
tails.
Aggies For Life: There will be a speaker from the Hope
Crisis Pregnancy Center at 5:45 p.m. in Rudder 401.
Reformed University Fellowship: There will be a large
group Bible study in MSC 292B from 8:30 to 9:45 p.m.
For details call Jud at 695-0675.
TAMU Snow Ski Club: A meeting will be held at 8:30
p.m. in Rudder 410. Call Chuck at 694-2726 for details.
Catholic Students Association: “Hot Topics” discussion
session from 6 to 7 p.m. in St. Mary’s Student Center
Library, followed by Newman Mass at 7:15 and a Bible
Month
Continued from Page 1
the biracial democracy, which was briefly
brought to power in Texas by black political ac
tivism in the late 1860s and early 1870s.”
Gaines was removed from the Senate after a
questionable conviction for bigamy. The Texas
Supreme Court reversed the charges, but a spe
cial committee of the Senate ruled him ineligi
ble for re-election because of his criminal past.
In a state widely discontent with the end of
slavery, such events were a regular occurrence.
The “carpetbagger” myth tarnished the reputa
tions of the black lawmakers of the day.
Bivin Howell, director of marketing for the
Black Awareness Committee and a senior busi
ness analysis major, said Gaines made an im
pact in education that crosses racial lines.
“Gaines’ contributions are important to all
people,” Howell said. “He was an important
study in Rudder Tower.
TAMU Anthropological Society: There will be a general
meeting and guest lecture tonight at 7 p.m. in Room 130
Anthropology Building. Dr. Lee Cronk will discuss “Daugh
ter Favoritism Among the Mukogodo”. Call Judy at 693-
7870.
Study Abroad Programs Office: An informational meet
ing to promote the Italy Spring '99 program will be held
from 9:30 to 10 a.m. in Room 154, 161 Bizzell Hall
West.
Canterbury Episcopal Student Center: Meets every
Wednesday night at 6:15 p.m. at 902 George Bush Dri
ve. There will be Holy Eucharist followed by a dinner. Call
Fr. Mark Crawford at 696-0774 for details.
What’s Up is a Battalion service that lists non-profit
student and faculty events and activities. Items should
be submitted no later than three days In advance of the
desired run date. Application deadlines and notices
are not events and will not be run in What’s Up. If you
have any questions, please call the newsroom at 845-
3313.
part of A&M’s history. Although he may have
not been there to start traditions, he and others
had the idea of the University.”
Howell said the struggle for equality during
those times proved difficult on Gaines and oth
er black legislators.
“Gaines and other legislators initiated the
movement for a public institution but they were
still degraded,” Howell said. “Others attacked
their credibility and reputation, which was a
struggle within itself. It is important for people
to recognize that because of their dreams, we
now have this university.”
Vergel Gay, former architect in Facilities
Planning and Construction for the A&M sys
tem, worked on a project to recognize Gaines’
contributions to the University.
“Gaines was one of the leaders that started
public education in the state,” Gay said. “He was
an outspoken and committed person that im
pacted this state in a great way. Because of his
leadership, Texas A&M is here today.”
Lights, camera, action
JAKE SCHRICKUNG/TheBt
Dave Fulton, an assistant electrician for A Chorus Line, adjusts the lights forTuesdaj
night’s show.
Clinton pummels public education
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi
dent Clinton Tuesday decried high
school seniors’ poor performance
on an international math and sci
ence test as a larger failure by the
generation of adults responsible for
educating them. “There is no ex
cuse for this,” he said.
In a speech before the National
Council of Jewish Woman, Clinton
said America’s showing among the
lowest of 21 nations on the Third In
ternational Mathematics and Sci
ence Study is “a leading indicator”
of the real problems with public ed
ucation, and Congress must act
quickly to correct them.
“I am hoping and praying that
we can put aside partisan politics
when it comes to education,” Clin
ton said. “It is so important to our
future.”
Clinton rejected arguments that
some students did not perform well
because they come from poor fam
ilies or are troubled by social prob
lems. He said the “sophisticated
conversations” about water quality
that he had with inner-city kids dur
ing a recent visit to a Baltimore ma
rine life program proved that is not
true.
“But it is true that too many peo
ple are not learning,” Clinton said.
“There is something wrong with the
system, and it is our generation’s re
sponsibility to fix it. You cannot
blame the schoolchildren. There is
no excuse for this.”
Education Secretary Richard Ri
ley also decried the test results,
which showed that even top high
school seniors taking the toughest
math and science courses per
formed far worse than similar stu
dents in most other countries.
Test your
knowledge
American high-schoolers’ math
and science scores are well
below those of their
counterparts in Western
countries. Some blame
teaching methods. A few
sample questions:
Mechanical
2. The figure shows a common
plastic bottle filled with water (1L)
with three holes in it, so that the
water runs out of the holes.
Explain what is wrong with the
figure: j—i
U.S. average: 41%
International average: 70%
1. A jar of oxygen and a jar of
hydrogen gas are at the same
temperature. Which of the
following has the same value for
the molecules of both gases:
a. The average velocity
b. The average momentum
c. The average force
d. The average kinetic energy
U.S. average: 49%
International average: 41%
3. Stu wants to wrap some ribbon
around a box as shown below
and have 25 centimeters left to
tie a bow. How long a piece does
he need?
wnswers:
1. d 2. The pressure will increase with depth due
paths. 3. e
8 cm
U.S. average: 32%
International average: 45%
to water above, so the water jets will have other
Source: Third International Mathematics and Science Study, 1994-95
“This is unacceptable,” Riley
said.
Not only did typical American
seniors do poorly, but those who
took physics and advanced math
courses such as calculus and ana
lytical geometry also performed at
or near the bottom when compared
with students in other countries
who took similar courses.
“Our best students in math
ematics and science are simply not
’world class,”’ said William H.
Schmidt, a Michigan State Univer
sity professor and national research
coordinator for the federally sup
ported project. “Even the very small
percentage of students taking Ad
vanced Placement courses are not
among the world’s best.”
Riley and others blamed a
dearth of qualified teachers and
easy graduation requirements.
About half of physics teachers lack
a major or minor in that subject.
Likewise, about half of college-
bound seniors have not taken four
years of science.
Baptist church
excommunicated
DALLAS (AP) —The Baptist General Convention o(Texasonlus
expelled an Austin church that actively supports practicing homos
als and has a gay deacon.
The convention’s 180-member executive board, assembled in
ditorium, supported a motion to disassociate itself from thellmts
Baptist Church.
The motion asks the church to remove any claim of affiliation! I r e|
the convention from its literature and Internet site. The conventioni 1
will no longer accept money donated from the church for mission I
programs. |]
Tuesday’s vote was sparked when top group officials leamedii
month that the University Baptist Web site mentions its affiliation ' |iot|
the convention.
"We cannot approve of churches endorsing homosexual pracwfta|
biblically legitimate,” said Ft. Worth pastor Charles Davenport,head
the committee that drafted the motion.
The church has had a tenuous relationship with the conventions* ; ( j|
it ordained an openly gay deacon, Hans Venable, in 1994. The cltf i 0
also sponsors and invites homosexuals to participate in Open Circle a ]
ministry for gays and lesbians. ff
Executive board members insisted their vote was not a condemn
tion of the church’s acceptance of homosexuals into its ministry andco
gregation. L
“We commend the church for their ministry, and we feel tliatchutti
es should minister (to homosexuals),” Davenport said. “But ntinisteii
to is different than an affirmation of, and we interpret (the church’s*'
tivities) to be an affirmation of.”
University Baptist Pastor Larry Bethune said he doesn’t under#
the distinction.
“I don’t feel very commended as a church lor our ministry to gaysj
lesbians today,” Bethune said after the vote. “The convention has an#
way of showing it.”
In his speech to the assembled board, Bethune said the conven
made only perfunctory efforts to contact him and discuss the disag
ment. He and others in the audience questioned the wisdom of expel'
a church because it has unorthodox views.
“Asserting pressure on the autonomy of a local church by threalfjj
ing disconnection is not Baptist,” Bethune said.
The moderate-controlled Texas convention and more conser
Southern Baptist Convention have long butted heads over the la?]
Convention’s tendency toward expelling churches.
Hurry! Last Chance !
SixidY Spanish in nTexieo
Summer Session 1 -
Nurnrnei- Session l
at
tTniversirfad de
las Americas fn
#*uel>| a
erecttt for
SVAwtS 7.7.T/20T
SPACN 7.7.7./T.O
Limited Spaces !
Applications available with:
U>r. Guadalupe Cortina
202 D. .Academic Bide.
Office Hours: T/TTi 2-3
Phone 845-1773
cortinafafunix. tarnu. edu
Texas A&M Study Abroad
Program Office
161 Bizzell Hall West
Phone: 845-0544
studyab(gfstudyabroad, tamu. edu
PROFITABLE NUMBER! 845-0569
The Battalion Classified Advertising
available now!
...this ain’t your high school’s talent show!
show off your talent at msc variety show held parent’s weekend, april 17
.. applications now available in the msc student programs office
for questions or more info call Stacy at 845^1515 /[SvwL
Presented by: V\TM1 d
^^applications due February 27—THIS FRIDAY!**