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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 2000)
Page 9 ~Fime for refl additional 51 end to Quad 8111 |J yst. Anniversary of Bonfire collapse cause for remembrancey renewal ov. 17, 1999, was a night of °*'m>at debate for me. •6-8793. ■ , . . n . . —~—M I was a student at Texas A&M + 1,'2bills. drm/2bth apa' bath. availaA ■5706. at (lalveston. All semester 1 had planned on going to College Sta tion to work on push for a couple of days. I This was going to be the best time for me to go and contribute to Bonfire. But that night I was study ing for a test to be taken on Thurs- 2ba house, ft* posits. C:'! day. My plans were to leave Galve- (of spnnj ston f or College Station around 7 ——^Bn, work through the night, then leave for Galveston at 10 the next mo roombaf morning to get back in time for my -exam. I I did not feel like 1 knew the “0,^ n^imaterial we H enough to do well on */2 specia l'the exam and decided late Wednes- 'IZlZMy n ight to stay in Galveston and ,.go to College Station after I took dmubthi*:. myexam. Little did I know that seeing bate . g on f ire t i ie wee k en d before would i house, w/d be my last time to see it standing in ^ Jjp majesty. I woke up the next fc torning in mv dorm to hear news Bonfire’s fall. i 694-9766, 1 I immediately turned on my television, and was speechless. My cal Amani| rst j nst j nc t was to jump into the Car and go help rebuild, but as time progressed and a death count -iounted, I knew that was not go- '"Cto happen. I took my test that Bteinoon, skipped my other class- ISmTar® and came to College Station. icker, female, fcg ^gj-g was no wa y \ C o U l(j S t a y —rr—r in Galveston knowing that my 2-poois, c; tamily, the Aggies, was in crisis. 1 Walked around the site in disbelief, ^"3| ad y t0 help tit the drop of a hat. _Jhe ceremony in Reed Arena that j|ght was an experience I will nev- n campus. 2 ^ f or „g t 250/mo. eadi« . T1 . fireplace,^* At that time, 1 knew exactly ariiaiiy fuu-i W | lat j t was ]ik e to be a part of the pjiggest and best family in the jtiiities. 6804 v: world. The grief was intense, the Bespair immense and the rallying ES ol a family unmatched. ) ,s-of-fun,La»;| True is the saying, “From the wnt. Mirfiiitside looking in you can’t under- iside 8P Ba(itf'H an d it; from the inside looking jwest price a mit, you can’t explain it.” 846-6117 --fT F Andy Hancock is a senior journalism major. he last year has not been an easy one for the Aggie com- ■-*- munity. We have had to LBruggle with the realities and all 1-800-^; reper cussions of last year’s Bon fire collapse in front of the eyes of the world. In spite of all the trials and tears, this community remains un bowed. At the release of the Bonfire commission’s report last spring, a Houston reporter asked me, “How does it feel to know that they said you guys screwed up?” That was the first time the idea of blame crossed my mind. I did not care who was responsible, be cause there were more important things to worry about. People looking in from the out side would be more than happy to point fingers and assign blame. Ag gies had to bury their dead, con sole the bereaved, and then console them selves. We are all the keepers of the Aggie spirit, and this was our ultimate test. Out siders have been quick to point to the squabbles of the past year to say the Aggie spirit was fading. They could not have been more wrong. While we ar gued about the possi bility of an off-campus bonfire and Dr. Bowen’s decision to discontinue Bonfire until 2002, we still were all Aggies. We still were true to each other. Indeed, the spirit of the 12 and “the spirit that can ne’er be told” has canned us through the year. Despite the adversity we have faced, our spirit has stayed strong. Saturday, we will dedi cate a fitting memorial to the 12 who have passed on, and let them know we love and miss them. But the dedication of the memorial will prove to be more than this; it will show the world that we still love each other. It will be proof for all to see that the Ag gie spirit stands strong, through right and through wrong. Mark Passwaters is a senior electrical engineering major. Aggies while the rest of the na tion slept, oblivious to the fallen logs. It was only a dream until 4:30 Thursday morning when I got the call. The voice on the other end spoke only two simple, yet devas tating words: “Bonfire fell,” and then there was only silence. Unsure of what I had heard, I mumbled for clarification, but the words were the same, with more anguish. The next thing I knew, every thing became loud and all I heard was a persistent tone pounding in my ear. I hung up the phone, still half-asleep. I did not confront the magnitude of what was told to me until the sun rose and the newness of morning consumed me. I had not comprehended those two words spoken to me before, and all I could determine was that the newness of morning was gone and had been an eternity for students at Texas A&M. Something told me to turn on I remember it like it was yester day. A&M already had con fronted the reality of the lost the television, and there it was — the reality I dreaded. Texas A&M Bonfire fell, said the reporter. The result had been four lost loved ones. Little did I know the number would only grow throughout the day as more people confronted the reality A&M al ready knew. Cayla Carr is a junior speech communication major. T here is a University that many of us know, a universi ty with grand buildings and strong minds. Within this magnifi cent University there lies a blank stretch of grass where just a year ago stood an unbreakable tradition. Horribly, it did break. Just 12 short months ago, this stretch of grass was filled with joy quickly changed to grief, and this remarkable University was left in chaos. Twelve brilliant, strong and spirited lives were lost and the stretch of grass was changed forev er. The magnitude of this loss could be felt by all when thou sands came to the little stretch of grass to mourn. They stood in stillness, and the silence was profound. The little patch of grass burned, not with the mighty tradition, but , with the flames of those in anguish. We will forever mark that tragic day in our mem ories. We will pause and be silent. We have found our new tradition. This grand University will always continue some tra ditions, for they have become our ideals. We will continue to show up at midnight on Fridays and fill the stands of a grand football field in the middle of the massive University. There are traditions that possess little yalue — surrounded by laugh ter and joy — but in significant to the val ue of human life. Now, we have cre ated a new and sad tradition and this Fri day night we will gather once again on that stretch of grass in the heart of this great University to mourn the fallen 12. When you are there, listen’ to the silence ... be still, be silent, and listen. Sunnye Owens is a junior journalism major. O ne of the questions circulat ing the Texas A&M campus in the months following Bonfire’s collapse has been, “Where do we go from here?” Every one seems to have an opinion on this decision. The official response came from A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bowen in May, but other individuals and groups like Keep The Fire Burning have their own stances on the future of Bonfire. In rolling through my own mem ories of the event, one thought stands out that Aggies should keep in mind when debating the future of Bonfire — we are not alone. Our decisions and behavior in shaping the future of the tradition are being watched and scrutinized by people and universities across the nation. A recent look at the archived Bon fire memorabilia, and events at two other schools have opened my eyes to how what happens in College Sta tion affects other schools. One of the items in the anthro pology department’s archives that jumped out at me was a large board full of messages from University of Texas students. Immediately, I spot ted a note from a high school friend, wishing Aggies all the best. On Nov. 17 and 18, the UT Tow er will remain dark; UT has also put orange, maroon and white ribbons around on-campus trees, and the flags at Main Mall will fly at half-staff. Thousands of miles to the north west, in Hanover, N.H., students at Dartmouth College are being en- u couraged by Dean James Larimore ,£ to “take a step back and think about our own bonfire.” The Dartmouth ^'bonfire is-significantly different from A&M’s, but Dartmouth’s ad- minfstfation has arranged for a con struction and engineering firm to su pervise its bonfire’s construction this . year — all because of last Novem- , ber’s Aggie Bonfire collapse. The collapse of Bonfire and its aftermath attracted the attention of people across the country. Aggies have a tradition of respect, and that tradition needs to be remembered as the nation is watching. That means no renegade bonfires, no bickering and no petty arguing that the Uni versity is trying to hurt the tradition. There are proper avenues for shaping Bonfire’s future. If we use them and act with respect and decorum during the transition to ward Bonfire 2002, the nation will take notice. Eric Dickens is a senior English major. , 11:2017*.^ 50 9:45 to*".'; HOO® 5 * ' ,54:10 705* JO 4:55 7* f 1:50 2:45 A" 59:35 IOt'0" 4-30 5:40 7*' 10:30"' ,4:00 I*'! ; 5:00 73! Students remember their fallen friends It is hard to believe it has been one year since the Bonfire collapse. I wonder how the families of the 12 fallen Aggies are feeling and what they are thinking about. As I read the articles about the col lapse, I find myself thinking of the emotional trauma every Aggie was going through last year. People were watching and waiting to see what we thought, how we reacted, and what we planned on doing in the future. These same people ques tioned our tra ditions and our Aggie spir it and in the end realized they could not under- Mail Call stand the bonds that fellow Aggies have. I am proud to be a part of this great University and to see and feel the Aggie spirit. This University was built on traditions that only Aggies can understand and only we can miss. I will stand alongside my fellow Aggies with a saddened heart this Saturday at 2:42 a.m. to reflect on this tragedy and remember those who lost their lives. I will leave a stronger person and be prouder even still to be a Texas Aggie. Dawn Self Class of '01 Tomorrow morning, the FHK complex will walk out to the Polo Fields, silent with our pots in hand —just like a year ago when we were headed to our stack shift. Unlike last Nov. 18, we will be three short. Although Mike, Chad and Jamie will not be walking with us, they will be there. Just like every other day that has' passed since the accident,\hey will be there — at the piano in the Memorial Student Center, dancing at the Texas Hall of Fame, the annoying wildcats ever. Each one of them will always have a special place in our hearts. We are so grateful to have those memories and to remember our friends together. The Aggie spirit will never let their memory be forgotten. S A&M 20 TEHAS 16 Softly Call T he following staff editorial was published in The Battal- - ion by the Fall 1999 Editori- ; al Board on Nov. 19, 1999 — the day after the Bonfire collapse. Even today, its poignancy is sharp. Consider some of the events surrounding Bonfire in the past year— Texas A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bowen’s decision to post pone Bonfire, the efforts to hold an off-campus bonfire and the bicker ing over how Bonfire will be con- staicted when it returns. This editorial puts it all in somber perspective. David Lee is a senior economics and journalism major. ] The feeling was not unlike waking up to news that the sun had failed to rise. A mid-November morning with out the stack was only slightly less surreal than a dawn without a daybreak. Unfortunately, the tragic facts — at least nine dead, dozens in jured — are only too real, and the weight of sadness on campus is almost tangible. Such a heavy burden cannot be lifted by mere words, and little can be said about this 90-year- old tradition that will be remem- 1 bered in another 90 years. But to say nothing would do a disservice to the memories of our friends. To those who knew them, we know you are hurting, but we can never know how much. The families and friends of all those affected deserve and have our sober thoughts and prayers. To those who did not know them, we know you are hurting too. Long after we know how it happened, we will still be wonder ing why. In the meantime, it is impor tant to remember that this is a time for condolences, not quarrels. The lives lost ore worth much more than angry argu ments, and respectful ; reflection should not give place to wran- glings over traditions. ; * Much will be said in the com- ‘ ing weeks that would be better left unsaid. For this is not the time to point fingers of blame or speculate about the future of Bonfire. What is appropriate instead is silence. It would be wrong to turn this tragedy into an opportunity for loud debate. The lives lost are worth much more than angry ar guments, and respectful reflec tion should not give place to wranglings over traditions. If there is a lesson to be learned from this horrible acci dent, it will strike at the very heart of who we are as human beings. It will remind us of the in evitable fragility of life and the en during stability of friendship. And it will teach us more than we ever knew about the indomitable strength of the Aggie spirit. What remains, then, is not to despair, but instead to discover our true worth — to do better with the lives we have been given in honor of the lives that have been taken. There is nothing else to do. Already, the A&M community has exemplified the truism that the worst of times bring out the best in people. Concerned students, staff and community residents have gener ously provided resources of hope and shoulders of help. But Aggies expect no less, and we know we will recover from this blow with the dignity and de termination that make this Uni versity great. Flags flying at half-mast are not indicative of half-hearted Aggies. Our hearts are full and hopeful. • It will take time to come to terms with what seems so sur real. But in the end, we will have learned that in life, the real stuff I is the rough stuff. And the rough stuff makes us ; stronger.