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BY TRAVIS IRBY
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ed wo>r;*- r Roommate’s Death,” “The Pur-
J final kuB I loinecl Kidney” and “The Angry
12th Sa'« ^ Student” are among the most pop
ular stories in America. Everybody and their
tationalB 1 ^ ^ nows at * east one heart. But these
Course* 8 aren 1 liste d on any bestseller list, and
ew MexictHL 6 are likel V t0 b e found in a library,
iked are urban legends, modern society’s
continuation of the oral storytelling tradition.
*'rban legends are considered a national
nomenon, but A&M has some of its own
ends. ”
ome of the tales unique to A&M include
nted buildings and architectural pranks,
r. Thomas Green, an associate professor of
iithropology, has written and edited several
publications on folklore and urban legends,
e said many urban legends sum up con-
. ^Biporary fears and concerns.
r ^4thP la ®c: 0 ii e g e students seem to be ripe with
these oral anecdotes. Some of the most fa
mous urban legends involve universities.
’ aBfhere is the legend sometimes referred to
td fOffwB'The Roommate’s Death.”
* c °b e g e student returns from a night of
86 ' partying, too tired to do anything but crash in
B bed, so tired she does not even bother
■ning on the lights. The next morning, the
^ ■ wakes up to find her roommate slaugh
tered and “Aren’t you glad you didn’t turn on
m the lights” written on the wall in blood.
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Another famous college-conceived tale is
“The Purloined Kidney.”
It starts with a guy clubbing around town.
He meets a beautiful woman, and they share
some drinks.
They go to his place, and the next morn
ing he wakes up in a pool of his own blood.
He sees a note with “Call 911 or Die” written
on it. Apparently, the woman drugged him
and stole one of his kidneys.
Green said such stories have a special
place with students.
“Many people are away from home for the
first time, with strangers they know nothing
about,” Green said. “The legends warn about
real, potential dangers by exaggerating them.”
Not all the tales have to do with death and
violence; one tale might inspire a sense of em
pathy in some students.
Photo IllustrationJP Beato/The Battalion
In “The Angry Student,” it is final time in
a class of 400-plus students. The professor no
tices one student cheating. The professor de
cides to wait until the end of class to take ac
tion. When the student turns in his test, the
professor confronts him. In his defense, the
student asks the professor if he knows the stu
dent’s name.
The professor replies no. The student takes
his test and proceeds to shove it in the mid
dle of the pile. He then takes the pile and
throws it up in the air, scattering all the tests.
Green said this particular story is one of
the most commonly told, by both students
and professors alike.
“I have heard it told by both faculty and
students,” Green said. “The perception of
right and wrong is different depending on
who tells it.”
A&M does have its own legends, but ac
cording to Green, they are technically not ur
ban legends.
He said an urban legend is a story that cir
culates across the country and has no local
history, although many people will localize
the legends.
“I have had many people come up to me
and swear one of these occurrences happened
to a friend of a friend,” Green said.
Such semantics do not keep Aggies from
coming up with their very own campus legends.
The elevators in the Animal Industries build
ing supposedly are haunted by a professor who
lost his life in one. He was slaughtering animals
late one night when he accidentally cut himself
with a saw. No one was around to help, so he
tried to use the elevator to get help. He bled to
death in the elevator.
As a result of the gruesome death, at night
elevators in the building go up and down
without any passengers, at least any live ones.
There are many legends involving campus
architecture.
The Reed-McDonald building is rumored
to have been built by a sneaky University of
Texas graduate. He wanted to play a joke on
the Aggies by hitting them where it hurt most,
their spirit. When he finished the building, he
chose a maroon paint for the building. When
it first dried it looked maroon, but as time
went by the color changed, leaving a burnt
orange building on the A&M campus.
Dr. John Hoyle, a professor of educational
administration and the author of the Good
Bull books, is an expert on Aggie legends and
traditions. Each year he visits many groups
talking about these legends.
He said legends and traditions are part of
who Aggies are.
“These stories bind the Aggie community
together,” Hoyle said.
MOVIE REVIEW
Urban Legend
Starring Jason Leto and
Alicia Witt
Directed by Jamie Blanks
Rated R
Playing at Hollywood 1 6
If audiences want to be on the
edges of their seats, half scared
half laughing and enjoying every
minute, then Urban Legend is
the movie for them.
The stories told around
campfires and at slumber par
ties are brought to life in this
fun flick, which ranks up there
with the scariest movie of the
’90s, Scream.
College students are systemat
ically killed off by a mysterious
killer using a vast knowledge of
hometown legends.
Add a mix of inside jokes, and
audiences get a movie that covers
many facets of entertainment.
Urban Legend makes audi
ences jump, scream and laugh.
It is a thrill ride that begs for a
sequel.
Audiences will check their
backseats before getting in their
car after seeing this movie.
It is a definite must-see for
lovers of scary movies every
where. (Grade: A)
— Katie Mish
College Ski S Soowtoard Week
4 Resorts lor the Price of One!
Luxury Condos, tills, Centals, Lessons, Air, Bus & Parties
aEi
utonn^er-
725B University Drive
TICKETS GO ON SALE MONDAY 5PM
www. agcftecen tral. com
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Texaslillc l Services for
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Tuesday, Sept. 29, 1998
Kol Nidre Services at 8:00 p.m.
Weds., Sept. 30, 1998
Yom Kippur Services start at 10:00 a.m.
Yizcor about 5:30 p.m.
Break-the-Fast after sundown at the conclusion of
the Neilah and Havdalah.
All holiday events are free of charge and occur at Hillel,
located across from campus at 800 George Bush, CS
Please contact Hillel for more information at telephone
# 696-7313 or e-mail us at: <HilleI@startel.net>
Names for Yizcor must be received in the office by Sept. 28, 1998
MON
Sep 28
TUES
Sep 29
WED
Sep 30
CHEM
101
Dr. Pock
6-9
PM
CH
1,2,3
CH
4,5
PRAC
TEST
MATH
151
9PM-
MID
Part I
Part II
PRAC
TEST
LUaulri Ljnu Ul j ie
ta pLarj a game?
Coffee Talk
Come out and join Dr. Southerland and Laurie Nickel
for a cup of coffee, cookies, and conversation!
Sefttevn&etv 2%: / f :30<z#tc- ? t*t (Cre / 2t/z
Gcta6efi 22: f f :30cu*t- / :30yM*t
'7tove#ti6en, f 7: f f :30<ztn-f :30fe*pt, t&e
D ecember
Graduates
Official Texas A&M
Graduation Announcements
1
on sale
August 31 - October 9, 1998
For Information and to place your order
access the Web at:
http://graduation.tamu.edu
All orders must be placed over the Web
All payments must be received by October 9
4r MSC Box Office
845-1234
Mon-Fri 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
WHO’S WHO AMONG STUDENTS
IN AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
1998 - 99
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
neali
iy]-”
Who’s Who applications are now available for both undergraduate and
graduate students in the following locations:
Commandant’s Office (Military Sciences Building)
Student Programs Office (2nd floor MSC)
Student Activities Office (125 John J. Koldus Building)
Sterling C. Evans Library
Office of Graduate Studies (125 Teague)
Office of the Dean of each College
Office of Graduate Studies (128 Teague)
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (IOth floor Rudder)
lompleted applications must be received by the Student Activities Office no later than 5:00 pm on
tiday, October, 2 1998. They may be hand-carried to the Student Activities Office, sent through
lampus Mail, or sent through U.S. Mail. (See application for addresses.) Questions may be addressed
o Sandy Briers in Student Activities at 845-1133.
Attention
INFO & CPSC majors
nFORM
Technology, LLC
Company Presentation
September 29th, 1998
7:00 PM
College Station Hilton
Ballroom #1
Come hear about a new and exciting business
and systems consulting company!
Attire - Business Casual
www.enformtech.com
Things that Aggies do!
Donate Plasma
Donating Plasma, you sit back in a lounge
chair & read, study, talk or dream in a place
filled with friends. In 60 minutes you’re
up & away, cash in hand.
Westgate Biologicals
700 University Dr.
268-6050
Come...it’s that easy.