HomeMy WebLinkAboutTexas Aggie March 1994 I
Th �
., r
,,, , „.,. . ...„,..,, , ....",..,.;,.. Aggies Helping Everyone � J?".'' „...„. .. ., .. „„,...,„, ,. r -* y A iii Vi e. ' ,.`
"We have never turned down . , } _
anyon w a need. ° �` 1,7 may.
, � rs t
ver the past decade The Big Event has become one of ^ ,
Texas A&M University's finest traditions. The Big Event is an t' a* ' � annual community service project in which thousands of * '' , Aggies lend their time and talents to help improve the ” ' ^� / , •
Bryan/College Station community. , ,, �< * if �.;
For 11 years the project has united students with the R .� t
local area in what is surely one of the largest single v " � - `. `^
volunteer community help programs in the nation. For , 4, -.. '� A Reveille V
Aggies, it's a way to show the age -old tradition of Aggie ` ,. joins The Big
friendliness and repay the main " � "' Comm'
community for all of its difficulty now Comttee in
im�itut ,A
support through the involves finding enough projects to
,,, to help folks
years. keep all the volunteers busy.
This year, to Financial and material support for everywhere on
April 9.
. celebrate
Big the Event 12th the project comes from merchants
annual , throughout Aggieland. Most of the paint and supplies is
Texas ASYM's Big donated so that residents and community organizations with
Event C ommittee is limited resources aren't burdened. "Projects are handled on a
:r in viting all A&M priority basis, but we have never turned down anyone with a
: former students to need," stated Big Event Co Chair Molly Linscott.
' get involved in the Anyone needing information,. wanting to help or needing
spirit and tradition
�,; P to coordinate their local effort wth The Big Event should
F by conducting contact Molly or Paige Atkins in Texas A&M's Student
„ , ,- programs in their Government office at 409/845 -3051.
B
and
own communities.
AbiM Clubs
individual Aggies
Keeping tabs are urged to -
on workers select a project to ".:�
and jobs is a work on e same day ABtM's Big ( 1
full -time Event, April 9.
task. Projects completed by the Big Event
program • the past decade include F L
repainting houses, refurbishing the r of hses, .
demolishing storage sheds, landscaping a retirement r,
community, cleaning streets, pruning trees and bushes,
cleaning yards, building fences, helping with church projects
and sprucing up local youth centers. w
Last year, over 4,500 Texas ABM de unselfishly Aggies move
volunteered their time and effort to complete stunts more than dirt at a Bryan
4,500 projects. This 's even branching out Little League
into communities surrounding Bry Event an/C ollege Station. The
TEXAS AGGIE • MARCH field.
1994 1 3
TH As L o F. S 1 MARCH 1994 • VOLUME 75 • NO. 2
, ,,, , , 1 i ar- pill'
.... .„,,, . ., . .
x
T H E A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E O F TEXAS A S T M U N I V E R S I T Y
r ' ; 4 , ..i. , ;,,„ , . ' ,4 " m
.
' .5'. -. , S a ". .
! T •. ° �
.4.- 77 ............. iv:1
' '''''',4,'S., '',.::::.---:, , ° , - 4, 41,* t *it
-.,.. iprillil
.f P _
t ititio
---• --
"111111111b '
0
ra
A M
, ' ,,„ 9
iiiiimslimasiiil D
EXAS AGGIE BAND
I
Oft Olb
( ;y
.A 1 FT 1 .
P i I
z .. 8 9
or BA D
4 s, 4 ,„,,,,„■itti. T ,.
4 C ENTENNIAL
k
f A &1 A
KRUGER LEADS ASSOCIATION BOARD • 1993 ANNUAL FUND REPORT
I
m
1 ‘
CilliiiL
steP „,... ", F?r �, -,nom �,- . ,
....
'* 111...-..7.,, : . ,.7 , '
.... ,,,, ,, . „„„,
,..,..,..,
, _
. ,., .,„. pe- ° ..
V
{
•
Off .., 1
4.. f
0 Irk k
4
HUftO
. By Donald B. Powell '56
Fight Texas Aggie Band
Celebrates 100 Years
"Ladies and gentlemen! Now forming at the north end of Kyle Field, the
nationally famous Fightin' Texas Aggie Band!" The fans gathered in the
venerable stadium join the announcer in repeating the last words of that
equally famous introduction. A loud cheer erupts and then silence as the
crowd listens for the drum major's command.
A lone figure strides forward and turns to face the assembled military
unit. With a voice both loud and clear the command rings out,
"Band, attention! Recall! Step off on Hullabaloo!" Each word of the
command is drawn out for full effect. The crowd yells in anticipation. "`
The drum major's whistle blows; the baton is raised. Three hundred 1 c, . ? ,
instruments snap to playing position and 12 silver bugles with maroon, ` �`�y l j
,
and white banners flash in the light. The baton moves and the traditional ;,� , �, ,
bugle herald known as "Recall" echoes across the playing field as a « t
prelude to another performance of the largest and most outstanding i
military marching band in the nation. ` ;
"Hullabaloo," the first word of "The Aggie War Hymn," moves the band , .... _ ir,
down the field at a deliberate 104 beats per minute. Sharp turns and smooth
countermarches are greeted with ever increasing cheers. The precision is a t
unbelievable. The marching is perfect as the cavalry boots on the senior
band members move as one. There is no break in the music as the "War
14 TEXAS AGGIE • MARCH 1994
v" r .In
and
Hymn" ends and the band moves directly into a stir
patriotic military march. The music is bold, brassy, an
beautiful.
1;; Another march, another impossible maneuver, another
loud response from 70,900 spectators. Now even the fans
who came to root for the other team are cheering and
applauding the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.
The sound of the "Wa r Hymn" is heard again as parts of
t band flank le and right and a huge "T," the signature
of the band, appears on the field. The "T" moves down the
field and countermarches in the opposite directi n.
o
Suddenly, the music stops; but the band continues
marching at the same deliberate pace. Finally, on the drum
t major's signal, the 300 musicians break the precise
x ` formation and run from the field. The crowd is on its feet.
The nationally famous Fightin' Texas Aggie Band has won
•
` another half w
time.
" Fr om The Fightin' Tex Aggie Band
E Texas ASYM U n iversity Press
The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band has been in r
ning
I
halftimes for 100 years. And now that Texas Governo
Ann Richards has proclaimed 1994 as "The Year of the
Texas Aggie Band," this outstanding organization
begins a year long centennial celebration. Various
events will pay tribute to 100 years of excellence and
to the more than 7,000 young men and women who
were toug enough, and proud
enough, ann.. ood enough to be
the "Noble Men of Kyle."
,..
g. +� �- "Noble Men of Kyle" is the title
MI
of the march that has become the
'� - 39 % .� band's signature piece. It is one of
tv
tit �'�' \� `° i several marches comp he band by osed
\" v "�'" especially for t Col. Joe T.
e . A, `r� "� '� Haney'48, who directed t band
he
'*^� from 1973 to 1989. Haney updated
� +t ^ , „ +�.., the music and wrote the marches that
. `�`' �' ` _ take a of the band's heavy
�,� , r s component o brass instruments. B
'R5. � � gi n
the tradition of excellence in the , i 9,P � � � t �S � ' °� � Fightin' Texas Aggie Band began long
s ' �. .A b efore Haney arrived as a freshman band - t" t
f � ,, � member in 19. 44
The band began in 1894 w hen the
, college boot tart Joseph Holick asked
for permission to start a band. He sent out
a call for volunteers and with the help of
Cadet Arthur Jenkins found 13 cadets
t
7 .
'�` willing to give it a try. One of those c
t J.K. Woods, ason
inning, w
found some instruments in his
t hometown of Del Rio, and a mathematics professor donated $100 to get the
e organization started. The band was a success from the begith the
1895 yearbook noting "...we are all p roud of our band. And we have. re
to be; for though as yet no o ne year old, the organization is one whch will
R' reflect credit o n the college anywhere."
but ��, 2 In its early days the band was limited to 30 members, b after World
�� r < .12
War 1 the r estr i ct ion was lifted and the band began to grow. By 1920 the
re
TEXAS AGGIE • MARC 1994 1 5
r
i"
were 45 members and they were confident enough to challenge the
University of Texas Band in the November 20, 1920, issue of The Battalion,
saying "our forty -five pieces can, and will, make their hundred pieces sound
like a bad headache." This was, perhaps, the beginning of the tradition of
always winning the halftime. Y
Even though the band had grown in size to 45 members it was still INA , ::, , , . .
struggling when Lt. Col. Richard J. Dunn arrive to become its director in
1924. Dunn had declined an offer to become a member of John Philip {
Sousa's band because he wanted to be an Army band master, a goal he
accomplished in 1911. When contacted by Texas A&M, however, he
resigned from the Army to take charge of the Aggie Band —and take charge ° '�,
he did. By the end of his first year he had increased the size of the band to
100; under his leadership the number eventually reached 250. He added ` .
white belts to the uniform and created the bugle rank and the bugle • if banners
Dunn also added formations to the halftime drills and created the
marching block "T" in 1920. By 1931 the band's reputation was secure. The
December 9, 1931 Battalion noted: "This year the band has succeeded in
putting drills on the football field that have never before been attempted by
any band in the conference."
Dunn told one of his band members, E.V.
Adams '29, to keep up his work on the
cornet so he could come back someday to
direct the band. In 1945, he wrote Adams TEXAS AGGIE BAND
and said, "Come home, Adams, I'm tired."
E.V. Adams came home and directed the
Aggie Band for 27 years, longer than Dv .. „,
anyone else. He improved the band's style — -----„„s
\ 411. ,
( ',(�,u;
still further. He made the bugle rank all -
.seniors and supervised a new design for the A M
bugle banner. He created the famous '
maneuvers — including the "impossible”
cross - through —that are still performed A
today. 8 9
As Adams began to create more intricate
movements for the band, other band
directors started to notice. According to a i
former news reporter, another band BA D '
director of that period said, "What is so i `; t•Zal,� 1 ��' r
humiliating is to see the Aggie Band do ' ll�; � `fi ;� 1 j 0 1 aV� '
1 things band directors talk about as being il �'Id(�a1 i
impossible, and do them perfectly. It takes
two weeks to recover from the trauma." CENTENNIAL
By the time Joe T. Haney arrived in 1972 ' '
to serve one year as Adams' assistant, the
Fightin' Texas Aggie Band's style and
reputation was well established. The As =,;"
addition of Haney's music, and his further r
refinements on its marching style, just made it better.
The current director is Lt. Col. Ray E. Toler, who arrived on campus in
1988 after a successful career as Director of Air Force Bands. Toler has ,..
maintained the tradition and the reputation of a band that has grown to �`
more than 300 members. Assisted by Maj. Jay O. Brewer '81 and Lt.
Timothy B. Rhea, Toler will supervise a busy centennial year.
The band's performance at the Cotton Bowl and the announcement of the
Governor's proclamation was just the beginning. Three new marches have
been written to celebrate the centennial and all are part of a new recording,
"Texas Aggie Band Centennial," which is available on compact disk and
1 6 TEXAS AGGIE • MARCH 1994
cassette. A spring concert tour begins February 25 in Rudder Auditorium
on the Texas A&M campus and continues at Myerson Symphony Center in
Dallas on February 26. Also included are performances at the Music Hall in
Houston on March 14 and at Fiesta Texas in San Antonio on April 9.
The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, an illustrated history of the band, will be
published by the Texas A&M University Press early this fall. The book
contains details of the history and traditions of the band, 150 -plus
r f photographs and the names of the more than 7,000 young men and women
: i 3 *" who have been members of the band during its first 100 years.
The major event during the centennial year will take place September
a 22 -25 during the weekend of the Texas A&M vs. Southern Mississippi 134414 ' y football game, when former band members will gather on campus. Many of
Si: f those former members will participate in the Grand Centennial Band as
R they "step off on Hullabaloo" once again to pay tribute to what the Texas
Aggie Band has meant to them, to Aggies everywhere and to the people of
o the State of Texas.
fi* o For further information on centennial activities or merchandise, or to be sure
rz `. you are listed as a former band member, please contact Texas Aggie Band
' I. ` Association President Dr. Donald B. Powell '56 at 409/845 -5287 (work), Fax
409/845 -1203 or 409/693 -8582 (home).
()arid
Concert Tour
Feb. 25 Rudder Auditorium 7:30 p.m.
Tickets $10 and $5
MSC Box Office 409/845 -1234
Feb. 26 Myerson Center, Dallas, 2 p.m.
Tickets $15.
Send check with return envelope to:
r
*pit Dallas County A &M Mothers' Club
P.O. Box 796212,
Dallas, Texas 75379.
,
e • _ Mar. 14 Houston Music Hall, 8 p.m.
Sponsorships up to $2,500 available.
Tickets $ 12.50.
Call: Houston A &M Mothers' Club at
713/771 -1041 (FAX 771 - 0816).
i Apr. 9 Fiesta Texas, San Antonio, 1:30 p.m.
'two Tickets $19.50 and $ 15.50.
Write San Antonio A &M Mothers' Club,
.1 P.O. Box 1197, Helotes, TX 78023
or call 210/341 -1393.
ch
TEXAS AGGIE • MARCH 1994 1 7
tf
i
cassette. A spring concert tou
on the Texas A&M campus at
Dallas on February 26. Also it
H ousto n on March 14 and a
The Fi ghtin' Texas Aggie Bat
f pu blished by the Texas A &M
contains details of the history
�� ° '` photographs and the names o
x *' w ho have been members of tle.
'r
The major event during the
a S 22-25 those during the weed of
ken b
r A tr
's--1 '--- vost P 1 34.; football game, when former
' t hose former members wi11 pa
� _ 1 x � t " step off on Hu en "
d = a Aggie Band has meant to then
„, , v the State st Texas.
� t� pp For f Info Irlation O U
° ,: p you are listed as a form ban
Ass ociation President Dr. D onc
� " 409/8 -120 or 409/693-8 58
IE BAND
, ..
,,
Ag
co
Feb. 25 Rudd
Ticke
9 MSC
1
9 Feb. 26 Myer
lip
Ticke
D
RI i
4 Send
ti���
Doll'
. P.O.
Doll.
TNIAL
mot. 14 �s
r
J d� { r. Ho
� Spon
w Y
;, `� ,°- _ _ Ticke
' - - CaII:
q � v
Apr. 9 Fiest
a.. _ 713/
Y tF
/ - 1 °° Ti
Writ-
t i P.O.
N
�A� i w or c•
-, } a
s
0
I ° ' '%.____,/----■•
„
...,
IttA .
%*'' \' / e tiii
o
by Allison Seale
O
U
U \l
early 180,000 Aggies have called Bryan - College A&M. "I started coming here in 1936," she says, "and I've
Station home over the years. And, more and more, always done my shopping here and gone to the Aggie football
many are returning to the area after retirement. The games. I just love the area; it's home to me."
draw is what Money Magazine found in 1991 when it ranked
the area as the third best place to live in
the United States and continued to give A Place T o Live \Well
it high rankings in subsequent years.
What Money discovered was a vibrant From providing technical assistance to farmers and
community with all the benefits of a is "'T ranchers to offering a variety of cultural programs, the
major city — excellent health care, fine Y ' = University has been a good neighbor to the area for
arts, superior educational years. And, as A &M continues to diversify and
opportunities and accessibility of enhance its academic and extracurricular
public transportation — but, that's 4 , , programs, the community benefits as well.
not so big that it's lost its small town One way the University has contributed to
atmosphere. t f _ ` day ' the quality of life is in the arts. Few
"It's the kind of town where the '. o communities with a population of just more than
people...say,'yes, sir' and 'no, sir, "' ; .,-.''.. o 100,000 are home to as many museums, galleries and •comments an individual who chose - 4 performing arts as are available in Bryan- College
Bryan - College Station as his retirement x Station. From university programs, such as the
home. "It may sound like a little thing," „t University Chamber Music Series, to community
e
he adds, "but in a world where .4 1. groups like the Brazos Valley Symphony
traditional values seem to be going ° Orchestra, the area is rich with cultural
by the wayside, it's nice to come to opportunities.
a place like this where you're One of the best examples of collaboration
somewhat insulated from it." between the University and the community is with
It's all about quality of life, , ` the university's OPAS program. Each year OPAS
and many people in the Brazosnr 4 presents a season of internationally acclaimed
Valley think they've cornered 4 ,, orchestras, soloists, small ensembles and theatrical
the market on it. *; productions. The Society has also been successful
"I just love Bryan- College `' in attracting some of the best dancers in the
Station," says Valma ' world — most notably, Mikhail Baryshnikov in
Fischer. "The University December of 1992.
offers so much action In 1990, the world-
with programs like ' Texas A &M's renowned Bolshoi ballet
those presented by OPAS (Texas A&M's Opera and OPAS program chose A &M for a world
Performing Arts Society), and I love the young people. There has featured premier of "The Nutcracker."
is a world of activities for seniors here." world - class per The company was so pleased
Fischer, who retired in Bryan - College Station seven years formers such os by the reception and
ago, has strong ties to A&M. Her husband was the nephew of Mikhail hospitality they received in the
Marvin Mimms, the man who wrote the words to "The Spirit Baryshnikov. community that they returned
of Aggieland," and 16 members of her family have gone to the following year. In
18 TEXAS AGGIE • MARCH 1994
t,, care hospitals offer state -of- the -art care; from
cardiac catheterization, angioplasty and open
A = heart surgery, to the latest in imaging
Community technology, including nuclear, mammography,
favorite is t i CAT scans, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
College
Station's ' ` Laser surgery, which greatly reduces hospital
stay and recovery time, and non - invasive
Jazz ► ' techniques, such as the non - surgical removal
Festival. 1 _ �• t ,
,
-:., ' of kidney stones, are also available. A sleep lab,
new to the area, has been successful in the
/ At ;, ( . tr a , diagnosis and treatment of a number of sleep
November ` a ;; ,',1 � ' disorders.
and l01 , ' � In addition, Bryan - College Station is home
December 4 to Scott & White Health Clinic, Desert Hills t o
of 1993, the Ph courtesy City of College Station• psychiatric center, four nursing homes, two
famed retirement centers and the Brazos Valley Rehabilitation
Moscow Classical Ballet followed the Bolshoi's lead and Center. Many area doctors have appointments at Texas A &M
staged the world debut of its interpretation of "The University's School of Medicine, assuring that the
Nutcracker" on the A &M campus. community benefits from the latest in medical science.
The cities do their share of providing entertainment Continuing education is another amenity many seniors
opportunities, too. Several festivals and special events add to seek in selecting a retirement community. Both cities, as well
the community's cultural mix. In October, Bryan hosts a as Texas A &M, offer residents an opportunity to learn more
tribute to the arts with FestiFall, an event that attracts some about genealogy, photography, or even to pick up a second
30,000 visitors to the city's downtown historical district. And language in their community education classes held twice a
in April, College Station's annual Jazz Festival fills the air year. The hospitals have seniors clubs that offer chartered
with music in beautiful Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater. Both trips and exercise classes, among other benefits. And there
cities have several movie theaters, including a new, easily are also more than 200 clubs and organizations to fit almost
accessible, 16- screen, state -of- the -art complex on Highway 6. every special interest, be it gardening, barbershop singing or
Numerous art galleries on campus and around town anything in between.
feature both local and touring exhibits. Some of these include The area's temperate climate is ideal for staying active out -
the Arts Council's Local Color Gallery in College Station and of- doors. With some 81 holes of golf within the cities' limits
the Brazos Valley Museum in Bryan. A &M's Memorial and more than 100 public and private tennis courts, many
Student Center and several other campus buildings house participate in golf and tennis leagues. In addition to the
rotating and permanent exhibits. public facilities, two private country clubs feature 18 -hole
All of the cities' major traffic arteries have seen expansion golf courses. One also has six tennis courts and a swimming
and improvements over the past several years, and the pool.
University has added three new parking garages.
Health care services are a foremost concern, particularly A for retirees, when assessing the quality of life in any A P l a c e To Call H o m e
community. As a regional medical center, virtually
every medical, dental and When Dick Aldrich retired from a 38 -year career with
t. psychiatric Mobil Oil, he found the crime and confusion of big -city life
specialty is in New Orleans unbearable. He and his wife, Rella, started
represented looking for a community with a quieter pace, but not lacking
hre. in the amenities that big cities offer. Their youngest son,
Two Steve, who graduated from Texas A &M in 1978, had settled
r' ' ,. major acute - in Bryan - College Station and made it his home. He seized the
-4=1. opportunity to invite them to Aggieland for a look. He
thought Bryan - College Station offered everything his parents
d . Messina Hof could possibly want in a retirement community.
Vineyards is
"The accessibility to the amenities that are here," Steve
�„ r ' home to sev says, "whether it's NCAA athletics, the arts through the
_ -' ercil festivals Opera and Performing Arts Society, or local arts through the
Att
and special Arts Council of Brazos Valley — all contribute to a great
events year -
quality of life.
round. "Add to those the low cost -of- living, golf courses that you
, a Members of the
can get onto without a wait, and quality health care, and it's
Picker's Club" just a wonderful place to retire." Of course, he adds, the fact
- s3 ,," stomp grapes
during Q hOrvesr TEXAS AGGIE • MARCH 1994 1 9
weekend.
"I have a couple of cousins in Sun City," Dick says, "but
w A major draw one of the problems with that is its rigid restrictions.
for many is the " W e also looked around the hill country golf courses,
y ,'- ry at g
It ir
excitement of
b but we couldn't really find anything we liked," Rella adds.
�, J- . I A &M athletics. "We came here on a temporary basis, but now we're here to ELI it. At
• � s
k stay."
:y that two of
� = y his parents' A p
"� grandsons A R e a l Find
are here was
/ a ° q uite a Ahead of most of the state and the nation, Bryan - College
i 1 1 ' . draw as Station has been warmed by the fires of economic recovery
well. for more than two years now. Changes in lending policies
Iiiil ,- Both avid have ensured that the growth the cities are experiencing is
golfers, well - planned and well- researched. Lower interest rates and a
''� Dick and growing student population have only added fuel to the
Rella blaze. Retail and office spaces that once lay vacant are now
P Y
quickly nearing capacity.
Photo by Johnson Photography
found a Over the past two years, many new national chain
home to rent restaurants and retailers have built locations in Bryan -
that backed up to one of the country clubs' golf College Station: Sam's Wholesale Club, Wal -Mart Superstore,
courses. Both joined golf groups and quickly made new The Olive Garden, The Outback Steakhouse, Target,
friends. And, though neither had attended A &M as students, Cinemark Theaters, and the list goes on. All have done
they found the Aggie spirit quite contagious. They joined the extensive market research which seems to indicate that the
Lady Aggie Maroon Club and bought season tickets for A&M community should continue
several sports. to see a stable economic
"It's a combination of the overall environment," Dick environment for years to come. It
says, explaining why he Dick and Rell all adds up to a better quality of
feels the community Aldrich make life for all who live in Bryan and
. suits him and his wife. use of the many College Station.
"It's a nice -sized town excellent golf
and yet you have the courses such as
university and all that this one at the Bryan/College Station, Texas
goes with that to give it i' new Pebble Combined population: 120,000
many things you would Creek Country Median price of a home: $74,300
only expect to find in , Physicians per 1,000 residents: 1.7
larger cities. And, you've , 1 Days over 90° or under 32 °: 125
got good transportation �' Sales tax: 8.25 percent
avenues and connections ' ' �� . Annual Average temperature: 68 degrees
with major airlines." - Unemployment rate: 3.4 percent
"The medical facilities
here are good, too," Rella 58.9 percent of College Station residents above
adds, saying that some the age of 25 have a Bachelor's degree and some
other popular retirement 't post doctoral or professional degrees.
places in Texas are too far
from medical services or, 26.9 percent of residents in Bryan have a
if it's in a larger city, access re Bachelor's degree and either post doctoral or
to those services may be professional degrees.
challenging.
Among the advantages
to life in Bryan - College
Station, they've found they Editor's Note: Allison Seale is the editor of INSITE Magazine.
can insure both of their cars for the price they used to pay to INSITE is a 4-color, lifestyle magazine that focuses on the issues
insure one in New Orleans. that challenge the community and on the people and places that
Though they had considered some of the more popular make Bryan- College Station a great place to live.
retirement destinations such as Sun City, Arizona, or
Albuquerque, New Mexico, they have long since ruled them
out for the community they consider a real find.
20 TEXAS AGGIE • MARCH 1994