The Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 14, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 8, 1945 Page: 1 of 4
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The Rice Institute
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HOUSTON, TEXAS, 8 FEBRUARY. 194S
Number 14
Cest It
Well, boys and girls, here it is!
The last biff donee of the semester—
the iPALS' Celestial Ball. When
some1 of you navy boy® axe out there
studying the heavenly constellations
sometime in the near future, per-
haps the memory of navigation at
the Celestial Ball will be just the
manual to consult.
Page One will tell you that the
Celestial Ball was held at the Rice
Terrace on Saturday, 10 February,
1945. There'll be the familiar mem-
ory of piling into the cars two or
three deep, rushing to pick up dates
inevitalbly l!ate, weaving around in
the Saturday night traffic, and some-
how arriving at the door after
spending hours in the line to check
coats. Plage Two announces that you
spent $2.65 for a date ticket (or
$2.40 for a stag)—it may sound like
a lot but with chin in hand someday
you'll say, "Well, it was worth it!"
(And the PALS are determined to
make it so!) ^
" Page Three records actual time of
operation as four hours from 2100
to 0100. Log records time wellspent.
Page Four announces that the Navy
Orchestra added another great eve-
ning to their reputation. You will
remember those jitterbug numbers
that made you swing into new steps
without even thinking about it and
those dreamy songs that made you
look everywhere for just the right
girl. (Even if you didn't find (her
until the last few seconds!)
Page Five records all the details
of the decorations that you begin to
notice because Martha Nunn, Louise
Loose, and Pat West worked with
especial care to move heaven and
earth to the Rice Terrace, the back-
grounds for a night of celestial navi-
(Continued on page 3)
0
Owl, Plus Exams
Makes Life Hard
For Poor Students
As usual, exam week around Ye
Olde Institute brings more than one
type of trouble to the already over-
burdened students. As if having to
submit to the indignity of sitting
through medievalistic torture for a
week is not enough, the Owl will also
appear.
The Thresher has received no ad-
vanced notice of its proposed con-
tents, but as usual we may disre-
gard such relatively insignificant
matters. It has long been recog-
nized by the intelligentsia (the
Thresher staff and some few others)
that the Owl continues to be pub-
lished merely because alumni of
many years absence nostagically re-
call that a magazine of that name
made indefinite appearances during
their days on the campus. Naturally,
they have (had time to forget the
evil and remember only the name.
The current issue (expected to last
six months if you are conscientious
about the fuel rationing rules) will
no doubt reach a new low in the an-
nals of journalism. This has been
a traditional Owl policy for some
tint*.
"C'est la guerre," writes Malcolm
Wallace, president of the Student
Association of Texas University. It's
the same old familiar phrase used
these days, and now concerns the
All-Student Conference that was
planned to be held at Austin on 9
and 10 February. "It is very dis-
heartening to those who had looked
forward to a very beneficial meet-
ing," writes Malcolm, "but first
things must be put first."
The O.DT is responsible for the
cancellation. A directive was issued
by it discouraging all conventions
not directly connected with the war
effort, and hence that the Congress
should not be held. The Texas U.
president again says, "Since our
first duty is to support the war ef-
fort, there is only one decision to
reach: No Congress. Perhaps, after
the war, the meeting can be held. I
hope so."
Sincere regrets and apologies were
extended by President Wallace that
he could not know of this decision
sooner so as to inform those plan-
ning to attend before they had gone
so far in thear preparation.
So, with this word from the T. JJ.
campus, our delegates from Rice will
not make the aforesaid Congress this
year. All delegates please note.
One of Rice's most familiar men
in blue, Eric S. Simmons, Chief Gun-
ner's Mate, will sihove off for San
Diego in the near future. Chief Sim-
mons, who has thirty-six years of
service, was one of the first navy
men to report to the Rice Institute
N.R.O.T.C. Unit on 18 June, 1941.
At this time, Capt. D. D. Dupre was
the commanding officer. Thus, the
Chief hias watched this unit grow
from one of the greenest organiza-
tions in the country to a unit which
was recently judged one of the best
of all R.O.T.C. units.
Chief Simmons' transfer will be
effected when his relief arrives at
Rice. The transfer came at his own
request because of physical disabil-
ity. Since he desired to remain ac-
tive for the duration, he asked for
a climate more suitable to his health,
possibly New Mexico or Arizona. He
also wished to remain in N.R.O.T.C.
work. Therefore, he is being sent to
San Diego for reassignment.
In closing his interview, Chief
Simmons said, "No matter where I
go, I will never get an assignment
as congenial as this one." He con-
(Continued on page 3)
Advice fo' Chillun
Finals Once Again Stalk
These Hallowed Halls
By Marie Virginia Barrett
•Now is the time for all good stu-
dents to come to the aid of their
pals. For, as you may have de-
duced by now, provided you're sharp
as a tack like the Thresher staff,
that dread bugaboo of FINAL
EXAMS hovers gloomily on the hor-
izon. Some people, of course, arrive
at the Institute with full-fledged
ideas on the proper conduct of their
college careers, exam sand all. We
hope for the sake of the grand old
traditions of our school that these
are in .the minority. What would
mid-term be without thirty per cent
flunkage ?
On the other hand, two rings and
a hang—no! that's from the other
script—on the other side of the fence
we have those lucky, lticky people
for whom this article is written. By
now it will have occurred to these
forsaken souls that the moment has
arrived when the entire fate of their
education hangs in the balance. It
is to their rescue that we come with
a flourish, presenting for the first
time in print, ADVICE FOR THE
UNINITIATED, or HOW TO STAY
IN RICE FOR SIX YEARS.
Vibrant Expose
You will find six carefully select-
ed types of preparation, classified
as to character, intellect, and gen-
eral ambition. So pick your type and
go to work.
1. SAD SACK: You probably
know the whole course now, but your
species ihas to spend at least twenty
hours studying for each exam in or-
der to maintain your reputation, so
lock the door, take the phone off the
hook and start in early.
2. WEARY WILLIE: Don't be
bitter! Don't be discouraged! Hire
a coach that has seen the exam sheet
and go to work memorizing those
things you don't understand.
3. HOPEFUL HARRY: It's all
right for you to wait till the last
minute. Polish up your rabbit foot,
buy a package of NoDos, sit up all
night with your notes, and the next
(Continued on page 2)
0
EBLS Annual Formal
To Be on 3 March
At Rice Terrace
"The Elizabeth Baldwin Literary
Society will present their annual
formal at the Rice Terrace on Sat-
urday, 3 March from 9 'til 1," stated
Martha (Shaw Bailey, general com-
mittee chairman, recently.
This dance will be the first of the
new term when the approaching
fatal finals are finished, but also the
last dance for those 46 lucky en-
signs witih new commsisions safely
tucked in their pockets, who'll be
taking leave of their Rice friends.
The various committees are head-
ed by: Mary Jane Ellis, place; Eve-
lyn Burke, orchestra; Katherine
Shaub, tickets; Muriel Wicks, pub-
licity; and Annette Gano, decora-
tions. The latter will be assisted by
Anne Bray, Oamille Dockery, Mar-
gee Scott, and Mary Jane Ellis.
The decorations will be in red and
white candy-stripe as the club has
decided to call the dance "A Pepper-
mint Party," so all you 'hep-cats
make plans now to get in some "hot
locks" and start off the new term
with a bang at the EB dance!
Navy Club Queen,
Named Saturday,
Is U. of H. Belle
Highlight of the N.R.O.T.C. din-
ner-dance last Saturday night came
at midnight When Miss Wanda Lee
Coley was presented as Navy Club
queen.
In the long 'hackneyed fashion
Tom Flanagan did the honors and
Miss Coley became queen for the
coming year, succeeding Miss Ellen
Hopkins, queen last year.
Miss Coley is not a native Hous-
toniian but moved to Houston in
July, 1943, from Akron, Ohio, where
she graduated from Central High
School. She is a sophomore student
majoring in dramatics at the Uni-
versity of Houston, and is a member
of the Collegiate Dramatie Society,
Red Masque Players, Choral Club,
French Club, and was a beauty in
the Varsiity Variety.
Forty-Six Ensigns
To Be Commissioned
At Palmer Memorial
"Forty-six eligible NROTC first-classmen are to receive
their commissions as ensigns this month," stated Lt. Comdr.
C. M. Alvord, U.S.N. (Ret.) Tuesday. The commissioning cere-
mony will be held at Palmer Memorial Church here in Houston,
but the date originally scheduled as 28 February is still indefi-
nite because of the various as-
ignments of duty.
Lt. Comdr. Alvord will preside at
the ceremony. There will be a tra-
ditional presentation of awards: the
award for leadership, the award for
highest marks in Naval Science
classes, and the award to the cadet
attaining the highest average score
on matches fired by the rifle team.
Mr. A. D. Simpson will make the
principal address.
The highlight of the service will
be the preesntation of commissions
by Comdr. V. F. Rathbun, U.S.N.
(Ret.), and the administering of the
oath of office by the officer in
charge of the eighth naval district.
This occasion' will be similar to
one exactly a year before, 28 Feb-
ruary, 1944, when sixty-four NROTC
juniors were commissioned.
The forty-six prospective ensigns
include: John G. Andrews, Gene
Atkinson, M. Graham Bolton, James
J. Bresnahan, Eugene K. Brink, Rob-
ert A. Brown, Glenn E. Bryan, Don-
ald A. Buckner, J. Richard Bunker,
William C. Chandler, and Marlyn L.
Cooper.
William R. Davidson, Woody E.
Dryden, George E. Grininger, James
A. Hand, Albert L. Head, Edward
L. Hogan, Wilbur G. Holmes, Thom-
as Hopkins, Charles I. Kaplan,
Charles M. Kapner, and James D.
Lindsay.
Robert A. Little, Henry C. McCall,
Joseph A. Mclver, John C. McKallip,
William T. McNair, Jack Mahan,
Udell Matthews, Charles J. Meyers,
and Harold G. Morris.
Nathan C. Morrow, Innes A. Nel-
son, Hamilton J. Nichols, Grover C.
Noonan, Henry F. Peebles, Alfred
H. Plyer, DeWitt C. Redgrave,
Adrian A. Ringland, and Thomas G.
Roach.
Richard W. Roessler, William R.
Roof, Daniel J. Scherer, John S. Van
de Mark, William J. Way, and Wil-
liam W. Wolcot-t.
Grininger, Hogan, Kaplan and
Little intend -to transfer to the Ma-
rine Corps, where they will be com-
missioned as second lieutenants.
Dr. R. A. Tsanoff
To Lecture at Reed
College in Oregon
Dr. Radoslav A. Tsanoff, profes-
sor of philosophy here, has been
asked to deliver a series of lectures
at Reed College in Portland, Oregon,
during the last week in February,
which will take him from the cam-
pus during exam week. For this
reason, exams in his classes will be
held on 17 February over a week
earlier than they were scheduled.
This is an annual practice of the
college, bringing competent persons
to deliver lectures on current topics.
Among the subjects to be discussed
by Dr. Tsanoff are problems based
on conviction and tolerance, moral
problems in international relations,
Russian literature and national char-
acter, and several informal groups
of other nature. One of the series
will be sponsored jointly by the col-
lege and Portland public library.
Dr. Tsanoff will return to Rice
afte rthe lectures are over to resume
lectures 6 March.
-0-
THRESHER NOTICE
Due to the coming mid-semester
exams, The Thresher will not appear
again until Thursday, 8 March, 1945.
CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK
SATURDAY, 10 February PALS Dance
9 to 1 P M Ricc Tgit&c6
WEDNESDAY, 14 February Rice-Texas Basketball Game
8:15 P. M.—High School Gym
SATURDAY, 17 February Rally Club Dance
9:00 P.M.—Junior League
WEDNESDAY, 28 February Commissioning Ceremonies
10:00 A. M.—Palmer Memorial Church
SATURDAY, 3 March EBLS Dance
9 to 1 P, M.—Rice Terrace
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The Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 14, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 8, 1945, newspaper, February 8, 1945; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth230644/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.