FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

[Music] Even in this age of fantastic technology, man is still the main spring of progress. And the man in shortest supply is the rare individual with both technical skills and leadership ability. The need for trained leaders was recognized early in Texas. The pioneers who settled Texas were men of no small dreams. They saw the great potential of this land. But they knew that education was the key that would unlock the storehouse of the state. In 1871, plans were drawn for the first public institution of higher education in Texas. The school was to be open to all promising students, regardless of wealth or family position, a center to advance the frontier of knowledge, to train the strong men needed to direct the state's material development. Today, almost a century later, the fondest hopes and dreams of this state's pioneers are a reality at Texas&M [Music] University. Come with me on a visit to this oldest public university in Texas. Rich in heritage, yet modern as the space age. A university with its emphasis on excellence and its focus on the future. [Music] Thousands of success stories have had their beginning at Texas A&M. Many of the leaders of Texas and of the United States receive their preparation for life's great struggles on this campus. The faculty is truly outstanding. Each professor is an expert in his field. Many have earned international acclaim for their genius. [Music] There are first class facilities and equipment including hardware not found at many other universities and many plus factors&m graduates are above the average as are their opportunities. A typical senior may receive three or four excellent job offers and a starting salary of $500 to $700 a [Music] month. Leadership training begins in the classroom and the laboratory. Students choose their major course of study from 60 departments. There are programs of preparation for every occupation from aerospace engineering to zoology.&M has accredited departments in the liberal arts, in science, in education, business administration, geoscience, architecture, as well as the longestablished studies in agriculture, engineering, and veterinary medicine. There are programs for men who will sail the seven seas and future explorers of the wild blue [Music] yonder. With studies ranging from oceanographic exploration to the bottom of the sea to aerospace engineering dealing with flights to the moon,&m has programs to fit every interest. Good facilities and equipment are essential for teaching space age subjects. The tools for teaching here are second to none. Take the data processing center for example. This is the most sophisticated computer located on a university campus. A $4 million electronic brain. It does math problems at the rate of 250,000 a second. Television teaching is another new technique at&m. Studio produced programs and on the scene programs provide new vistas for learning. Nuclear engineering was pioneered in the southwest by Texas A&M. The research reactor was designed by the department of nuclear engineering. It's only one of a hundred space age sciences taught at Texas [Music] A&M's activation analysis program is one of the most advanced in the world. These Aggies are designing an instrument to analyze the moon's surface. The sky is not even the limit for study and research at Texas A&M. In the agricultural sciences, students have amazing facilities for study. With artificial sunlight, man-made rain and humidity, agriculturists can duplicate growing conditions of any area of the world. Studies in animal science range from genetics to nutrition to the preparation of products for the table. &M meteorology students learn the science of weather prediction and they are studying means of using computers for forecasting. Aggie engineers are prepared to improve our way of life. Civil engineering students participate in continuing research to make transportation faster and safer. Graduate engineers are at work throughout the nation in research and development activities for industry and government. In physics, as in many departments, students work with researchers who have written the textbooks on their subject. M was the first school in the nation to enlarge its aeronautical engineering program to include flight characteristics in space. The shape of tomorrow's world is studied inside this building. Programs in design and construction provide fundamental training for the architects of the future&m has the only college of veterinary medicine in Texas. Aggie veterinarians prepare for practice as animal doctors and a variety of other occupations in public health. The department of wildlife science offers training for future fishery managers and wildlife specialists. Like many departments, mathematics serves in a supporting role for engineers and scientists and also provides material for a major field of study. A&M offers pre-professional programs for law, medicine, and dentistry. Many of the nation's top chemical and petroleum engineers, including the presidents of several major oil companies, receive their training here. Students interested in advanced degrees will find programs to meet the entrance requirements of the best graduate schools in the nation. The graduate enrollment is growing at the rate of 20% a year.&M offers 90 different M's degrees and 50 at the PhD level. The 5,000 acre campus of Texas A&M is already being pushed into shape for the future. One of the projects is a $3.5 million library expansion. Completely airond conditioned, as are most class buildings and laboratories, the library is the center of a new academic quadrangle. This $6 million Cyclotron is the fourth Atom Smasher to be operated by a university. The Cyclron is another example of the fabulous facilities at Texas A&M. The Space Science Center houses many of the university's research activities for NASA and others probing this new dimension. The Institute of Statistics also has its headquarters in this ultramodern building. In 1964,&M completed five new aironditioned dormitories to house an additional 2,000 students. Renovation and air conditioning of older dorms is also underway. For married students, the university operates 800 family apartments. There are a number of new commercial facilities in several price ranges adjacent to the campus. Excellent facilities for recreation and relaxation are available. There are two swimming pools, an 18-hole golf course, bowling alleys, baseball and football fields, handball courts, and a complete gymnasium. There are a variety of clubs and organizations to stimulate and develop extracurricular interests. Activities outside the classroom foster fellowship and provide practical experience in leadership. There are organizations for the musician, the hobbyist, the speaker and the [Music] dramatist. One such organization that has gained national recognition is the annual student conference on national affairs. Scona attracts the top students from colleges around the country and international experts in many fields for a 3-day discussion on timely subjects. It's an opportunity to exchange ideas with the world's leaders of today and the leaders of tomorrow. There are 50 departmental clubs and organizations. Students with similar career interests often meet with professionals to learn from these experts. One of the best known student activities at Texas A&M is the core of cadetses. Students who elect to join the core find it provides strong training and leadership and develops a keen sense of responsibility. Both Army and Air Force cadets receive substantial assistance to meet college expenses, clothing allowance, scholarships, and pay. Senior cadets may take flight training at no cost and earn a private pilot's license. The core teaches the importance of vigor and teamwork. Men learn first to follow, then to lead. Outstanding core upperassmen are invited to join the Ross Volunteers official honor guard for the governor of Texas. Members of the core don't spend all of their time in strictly military maneuvers. There is a dance on the campus almost every weekend. Class dances, military balls, and the ring dance for seniors and many informal activities for students and their dates. Membership in the core provides a foundation for good citizenship and prepares men to fulfill their military obligation to their country. General Omar Bradley summed up&M's proud military tradition with these words. The men of Texas A&M can stand up to any men in the world and compare favorably in their education and training for leadership. Leadership in the pursuits of peace and if it comes to war, leadership in [Music] battle. Since character building is among the principal aims of student life, it is not surprising that religious activities are given importance at&m. Programs in the Campus All Faiths Chapel and in nearby community churches strengthen and renew the faith in God that marks a real leader. At the dedication in 1876, then Governor Richard Ko decreed that the board of directors bring down to the lowest figure the cost of an education which shall be thorough, liberal, and practical. In keeping with this admonition, fees have been kept low within the reach of all who seek education. M also provides a thousand scholarships, loans, and part-time campus jobs to students needing financial assistance. Serious students with a desire to work their way through college will find Texas A&M offers many forms of assistance. [Music] All the screws they think so but there's a spirit in every is the spirit of love. [Applause] [Music] The Aggie spirit is as hard to describe as it is easy to recognize. More than just a school tradition, the spirit unites students with each other and with their alma mater for their entire lifetimes. It's a link between men who may come from widely different backgrounds, but who have shared common goals and ideals. [Applause] You can feel the spirit in Kyle Field where the legends of John Kimbro, Joel Hunt, Jitterbug Henderson, and John Crow still roam. The comradeship of the university is evident whether the athletic teams win or lose. Stand united. That's the Aggie theme. Even when the going's rough and tough. [Applause] The spirit is visible in the fun of midnight yell practice before home football games and at silver taps for a fallen comrade. The annual Thanksgiving bonfire is a symbol of the Aggie spirit that burns within the heart of every graduate. The spirit of Aguiland is another plus factor in the whole man training for leadership at Texas A&M. [Applause] If you are thinking seriously about the future, if you are looking for preparation for the challenges of tomorrow, you may well have been in mind when pioneering Texans founded Texas&M. Rich in history and purpose and yet as modern as the space age. If you are looking toward leadership, the place to begin your success story is Texas A&M. [Music] [Music]