WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2020 STUDENT MEDIA
Silver Taps
Nicholas J. King Apr. 14, 2000 - Feb. 7, 2020
Cameron C. McNeff June 30, 1998 - Feb. 15, 2020
Roel I. Prado June 3, 1999 - Feb. 13, 2020
TRIBUTES ON PAGE 5
Reveille I revealed
PUBLICATION NOTICE This week’s print edition of The Battalion is printed on Wednesday in preparation of students leaving for Spring Break. The Battalion will not print during Spring Break, and print will resume on Thursday, March 19. Over Spring Break, readers can follow thebatt. com and The Battalion’s social media feeds for breaking news and updates.
WHAT WE KNOW: SUPER TUESDAY
Kaylee Cogbill — THE BATTALION
Brazos County voters form a line through the second level of the MSC on Super Tuesday.
PROVIDED
Eddie Chew Jr. stands with the statue of Reveille I in the Sanders Corps of Cadets Center. His parents Eddie Chew Sr. and Settie Mae were the original owners of “Puppy” or “Blackie” before she became Reveille I in 1931.
Aggieland’s first mascot originally belonged to African American groundskeeper, equipment manager By Hollis Mills @sillohsllim
A
t a home football game in the fall of 1931, the very first First Lady of Aggieland hopped onto Kyle Field with the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. Unbeknownst to those in the crowd that day, the black and white female cur’s first steps on the field would create one of Texas A&M’s most cherished traditions. While a crowd of over 2,000 attendees wel-
comed their new mascot, the team’s assistant groundskeeper and equipment manager, Eddie Chew, stood on the sideline and watched in disbelief. The puppy that vanished from his property six months prior was now wagging its tail alongside the Corps of Cadets. Following his retirement from the Air Force and administrative law, Willie E.B. Blackmon, Class of 1973, works on a committee for the preservation of historical markers in Bryan-College Station. Blackmon said he has spent a lifetime fighting for minority causes. In 2013, he convinced A&M administration to place Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Clarence Sasser, Class of 1973, into the MSC Hall of Honor. Black stories punctuated by distinguished service to Aggieland are the kind of narratives Blackmon enjoys putting a spotlight on. For this reason, he remembers the exact moment a colleague brought the story of
Reveille’s origin to his attention. “One day we were talking about the historical markers we were approving for the city,” Blackmon said. “By the end of the meeting she asked, ‘Judge Blackmon, did you realize that Reveille I was once owned by a black man named Eddie Chew?’ I said, ‘That’s not true. If it had been true, I would have known it by now.’” But Blackmon found the truth was stranger than fiction, as his colleague handed him an April 22, 1942, excerpt from the Bryan-College Station Eagle. “I was shocked,” Blackmon said. “A story dated 1942 by Eddie Chew talked about how they found out he was Reveille I’s original owner, he and his wife. Once it came to my attention, I started researching more and interviewing other people in the African American community in what became REVEILLE I ON PG. 6
During Super Tuesday, 14 states, including Texas, hold primary elections. Held on March 3 this year, Super Tuesday’s impact is large due to the number of delegates at stake. The democratic and republican candidates with the most state delegates at the end of all primaries will win their respective party’s candidacy. With 228 delegates, Texas could help determine the race. For the democratic candidates, early polling has favored Bernie Sanders with Joe Biden closely behind. Historically, Texas has been a red state, but there is speculation of it becoming “purple,” which would make it a crucial swing state. Voting in Brazos County was available in several locations, including the MSC. A long line trailed through the building on Tuesday as people prepared to vote for presidential and congressional candidates. Since incumbent Rep. Bill Flores announced his retirement, Super Tuesday voting will determine the republican and democratic candidates for the District 17 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Coronavirus outbreak prompts trip cancellations A&M-sponsored travel suspended to countries with Level 1, 2, 3 travel risk By Brady Stone @bradystonex Weeks after the university canceled non-essential, university-sponsored travel to China, Education Abroad trips to Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong for the remainder of the semester have been suspended due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. “Texas A&M is canceling university-sponsored student education abroad spring programs to Level 1, 2 and 3 [travel risk] countries,” a campus-wide email from the university read. “Any student, faculty, staff or visitor traveling from or through Level 2 or Level 3 countries must self-isolate for a minimum of 14 days before returning to the Texas A&M campus.” In a Feb. 28 email addressed to students with a planned study abroad trip to Italy during Spring Break, the program coordinator stated: “Spring 2020 Italy program has been canceled due to the coronavirus. Each of you will receive a full refund of your program fee. The refund process may take some time, but I will keep you posted as soon as I find out when the refund is issued to your accounts. Thank you for your understanding and stay safe.” On the same day, another email was sent to students currently studying in Italy assuring them their trip had not yet been canceled. The email sent to students in Italy stated: “At this time, the CDC is not recommend-
Via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The coronavirus has spread to several countries including Italy, Australia, United States, Japan and South Korea.
ing canceling or postponing worldwide travel. We have decided not to cancel spring semester or summer term programs in Europe or Japan. However, we have decided to cancel spring break trips to countries with the CDC Level 2 Travel Notice. This includes official university travel to Italy and Japan. The decision to cancel the spring break trips is due to
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the WHO recommendation that travelers to Level 2 countries should self-quarantine upon return to the U.S. As such, we feel that imposing the self-quarantine on spring break travelers would negatively impact the remainder of their spring semester.” Shortly after this email was sent, the CDC raised the Travel Advisories for Italy to a Lev-
el 3 warning, and the university followed up with a Feb. 29 email stating A&M is relocating all faculty-led programs currently in Italy back to College Station. This decision to suspend the current Italy Education Abroad trip and the planned Spring Break trips is in accordance with University OUTBREAK ON PG. 2
NEWS
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The Battalion | 3.4.20
OUTBREAK CONTINUED
Courtesy of Camryn Lang
Students currently on Education Abroad trips in Italy are having to make arrangements to return to the United States two months early. Upon returning, they will finish their coursework after a two-week self-quarantine.
Rule 3.1, which states undergraduate students are not permitted to travel on university business to countries or regions on the Travel Advisory List. Kinesiology sophomore Nadia Navarro planned to take an Education Abroad trip to Italy over spring break and said although she is disappointed with this outcome, she understands the university’s decision. “I just can’t believe that this happened literally five days before we would leave,” Navarro said. “It’s just a sad situation because as much as I hated receiving the email, I know it’s probably what’s best.” Camryn Lang, an English junior currently in Italy on a faculty-led Education Abroad trip, said the students on her trip should be back in the U.S. within the week. “I know that the university wants [us to come back] as soon as possible, but the problem is rescheduling our flights because we have to go through a travel agency,” Lang said. “There has already been one student who left this last weekend, and some people are just booking flights and getting out on
[March 3].” Lang said the university is requiring students returning early from their Italy Education Abroad trip to self-quarantine for two weeks and said they will be able to complete their courses once they return to College Station. “For people that are going home to grandparents or people that have respiratory problems, A&M has offered to do some kind of housing for quarantine for them, but we aren’t aware what that is going to look like yet,” Lang said. “A&M has also offered to give us housing for the rest of the semester if we can’t arrange anything else because even though it isn’t confirmed, it looks like they are going to want us to be in College Station to finish the remainder of our classes.” The university stated if a Texas A&M Education Abroad program is canceled by the university due to the coronavirus, they will work to ensure students receive a full refund of their program fee. This is a developing story and will be updated on thebatt.com as we receive more information. Editor’s note: Camryn Lang is a former assistant news editor for The Battalion.
Senior Boot Bag Samantha Mahler, Editor-in-Chief Hannah Falcon, Managing Editor Sanna Bhai, News Editor Julia Potts, Asst. News Editor Brady Stone, Asst. News Editor Hannah Underwood, Sports Editor Jackson King, Asst. Sports Editor Hollis Mills, Life & Arts Editor Rebecca Morris, Asst. Life & Arts Editor Lexi Ellis, Engagement Editor
Jane Turchi, Special Sections Editor Meredith Seaver, Photo Chief Kaylee Cogbill, Asst. Photo Chief Henry Mureithi, Opinion Editor Cole Fowler, Arts Criticism Keagan Miller, Asst. Arts Criticism Robert Castro, Multimedia Editor Vatsal Modgil, Asst. MM Editor Cori Eckert, Page Designer
THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2020 spring semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of StudentAffairs.Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.
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SPORTS
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The Battalion | 3.4.20
Kaylee Cogbill — THE BATTALION
After finishing the season tied for third in the SEC, Texas A&M women’s basketball has a double bye for the SEC Tournament.
A&M seeded fourth in SEC at conclusion of regular season Aggies automatically qualified for quarterfinals, which start March 6 By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo With a 10-6 record against conference opponents in the regular season, No. 12 Texas A&M women’s basketball earned the No. 4
seed for the SEC Tournament, the league announced on Sunday. Along with the seeding comes A&M’s second consecutive double-bye heading into the tournament, automatically qualifying the Aggies for the quarterfinals. The Aggies will take on either Auburn, Vanderbilt or No. 5 Arkansas at 1:30 p.m. on March 6. The winner of the Auburn-Vanderbilt match will then play Arkansas, with the
winner of that game set to face A&M. The Aggies are coming off two consecutive losses to conference opponents after they fell to No. 1 South Carolina, 60-52, and Alabama, 76-63. The Aggies’ 10 conference wins this season marks the third consecutive year they’ve earned double-digit victories in the SEC. A&M started off SEC play with two consecutive wins over Arkansas and Ole Miss,
but an ankle injury sustained during the LSU game on Jan. 9 forced junior All-American guard Chennedy Carter to miss seven games. During that span, the Aggies went 4-3. The last time the team was the No. 4 seed was in 2013, when the Aggies won the SEC Tournament. A&M is seeded behind No. 1 South Carolina, No. 2 Mississippi State and No. 3 Kentucky.
All-Conference Aggies Women’s basketball earns two spots on All-SEC First Team By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo With the SEC Tournament kicking off at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the league announced its First and Second Team selection on Tuesday. A pair of Aggies made the First Team list. Juniors guard Chennedy Carter and forward N’dea Jones made the cut, becoming the first pair of Aggies to make the list in the same season. The duo marks the 18th and 19th All-Conference team selections in Texas A&M women’s basketball history, making this the seventh of the last eight years that an Aggie has made the team. Carter earned the recognition for the third consecutive time, despite missing seven games during the Aggies’ regular season conference slate. The All-American is second in the SEC with 21.3 points per game and is 30 points away from becoming A&M’s all-time leading scorer. She is also 40 points away from her 2,000th career point.
With her selection to the SEC’s first team, Carter is one of two Aggies in program history to earn the recognition three times, following Courtney Walker, who earned the honor in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The pair join Lisa Branch and Takia Starks as the only Aggies to be selected to their conference’s first team three times, as the latter were selected to the Southwest Conference and Big 12 Conference First Teams respectively. Jones made the list for the first time in her career after leading the conference in rebounds (340), rebounds per game (11.7) and defensive rebounds per game (8.0). She is second in the SEC with 15 double-doubles, and 17 consecutive games of double-digit rebounding. Against conference opponents, Jones has averaged 13.1 rebounds per game. She is bound for a spot in the A&M record books as she is 60 rebounds away from 400 this season, which would make her the second Aggie to reach the mark. Carter and Jones will lead the Aggies in the SEC Tournament, starting with the quarterfinal game on March 6.
Kaylee Cogbill — THE BATTALION
Juniors Chennedy Carter and N’dea Jones were awarded All-SEC First Team.
ARTSCRITICISM
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The Battalion | 3.4.20
Creative Commons
“Promising Young Woman,” “Cut Throat City” and “Violet” are a few of the movies being premiered at South by Southwest.
Looking forward to South by Southwest Film Festival Arts criticism editor Cole Fowler discusses his most anticipated films for the Austin conference Cole Fowler
T
@thecolefowler
he South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin may not have the international attention of larger festivals, such as the Sundance Film Festival or Festival de Cannes, but the SXSW programmers’ unique approach of selecting an equal mix of Hollywood blockbuster premieres and American independent directorial debuts creates a diverse range of film voices at the festival. Historically speaking, the festival opens with a red carpet premiere from the “Headliners” section— a selection of big-budget, Hollywood films stock full of stars— and this year is no different. Judd Apatow’s “The King of Staten Island,” starring Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson in a somewhat biographical depiction of his life, is this year’s first premiere and will no doubt be one of the biggest Hollywood releases of 2020. David Lowery’s “The Green Knight’’ and Spike Jonze’s documentary “Beastie Boys Story” will also debut in this category. Usually, the films in the main festival competition receive less publicity than big-budget films at the festival. However, despite SXSW’s heavy promotion
of their “Headliners” category, the true art of the festival lies within the other, smaller sections. Here are some of the films I look forward to watching at the festival: “Pink Skies Ahead” Written and directed by Kelly Oxford In her feature film debut, Kelly Oxford tells the story of a young woman struggling with anxiety after dropping out of school. Oxford previously worked as an author, with her novel “Everything Is Perfect When You’re a Liar” reaching the New York Times Best Seller list. It will be intriguing to see how well she transitions to film. “Shithouse” Written and directed by Cooper Raiff In Cooper Raiff’s debut, he stars as a young college freshman trying to fit into his new, confusing environment. As a 22-year-old from Dallas, Raiff is one of the youngest filmmakers at the festival. He describes his film as “deeply personal,” so hopefully his film will resonate with audiences across the festival. “Violet” Written and directed by Justine Bateman Justine Bateman’s work on the 1980s television show “Family Ties” received multiple Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, but she has since decided to transition into the filmmaking scene. Her feature film debut stars Olivia Munn and follows a woman struggling with her
inner voice. Bateman’s previous experience as an actress, paired with Munn’s incredible ability, should make for a captivating film. “Cut Throat City” Written by Paul Cuschieri, directed by RZA RZA, famous for his membership in the 1990s hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, has been acting in films for years now, but he is still emerging as a filmmaker. His latest film follows a group of young men dealing with the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. RZA has worked with numerous master filmmakers over the course of his career, so it will be interesting to see how his vision translates on screen. “Promising Young Woman” Written and directed by Emerald Fennell Emerald Fennell has worked as an actress in television and film over the past decade, but she recently transitioned to behind camera work as a writer for the BBC America show “Killing Eve” in 2019. Her debut feature premiered while I was at the Sundance Film Festival a few months ago, but I missed the screenings. The film follows a young woman dealing with the effects of a mysterious event and stars Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham and Alison Brie. “Charm City Kings” Written by Sherman Payne, directed by Angel Manuel Soto Sherman Payne has pioneered virtual
reality film over the past few years, but he is jumping back into traditional filmmaking for his latest film. With screenplay assistance from Barry Jenkins and produced by Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, Payne’s exploration of Baltimore youth was one of the most talked-about films at this year’s Sundance. “Relic” Written by Natalie Erika James and Christian White, directed by Natalie Erika James Another film that debuted at Sundance, Natalie Erika James’ film is screening under the “Midnighters” section of the festival. The film follows the haunting effects on a house after the family matriarch goes missing. SXSW usually has a strong genre film selection. Hopefully this film is no exception. “Yummy” Written by Eveline Hagenbeek and Lars Damoiseaux, directed by Lars Damoiseaux Also premiering in the “Midnighters” section of the festival, Lars Damoiseaux’s film promises “blood, violence and fun.” The film follows a young couple stuck in a zombie outbreak in Eastern Europe. The Dutch director has directed horror shorts for nearly 25 years now, so his feature debut is exciting. Cole Fowler is an English senior and arts criticism editor for The Battalion.
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SILVERTAPS
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The Battalion | 3.4.20
Silver Taps April 14, 2000 — February 7, 2020
NICHOLAS JOSEPH KING An outdoorsman who always wore a smile By Hannah Falcon @hannahfalcon_
N
icholas King always reached for the stars. The geology sophomore had the lofty goal to work for NASA and one day go to Mars. He had many accomplishments, but friends and family recognize his drive to work hard and improve above anything else. Nicholas came to Texas A&M by way of Tarleton, where he was an honors student. While on paper Nicholas stood out as a varsity swimmer and academic, his true passion lay in protecting the environment. Stephanie Braughn, Nicholas’ mother, said he always valued his experiences in nature, from hunting and fishing to exploring national parks, more than anything else. “Ever since he was really, really little when we moved to a place in California where we were right on a river,” Stephanie said. “He would go out into the backyard and throw rocks and just play like crazy. I would garden and he would be out there with me all day long. Ever since then, for his birthday … he didn’t want a bunch of gifts, he was always about nature and fishing and that kind of stuff. It made so much sense when he chose that he wanted to be a geologist.” His family noticed the hard work Nicholas put into everything, and they said that is what made him stand out. “Everything that he did was kind of hard for him, but he really, really persevered,” Stephanie said. “He couldn’t snowboard worth a darn, but he just kept going and going
PROVIDED
Nicholas King was close with all of his siblings, including his sister Grace Braughn.
and going until he got it.” David King, Nicholas’ father, said he was most proud of his son’s perseverance on the high school swim team. “He barely made the [swim] team as a sophomore,” David
said. “The coach told him he made the team because he didn’t want to get out of the water.” Nicholas didn’t win much his first year on the swim team. David remembers encouraging him to keep improving when Nicholas was getting down on himself. When it came time for the district meet, the swim team needed someone to swim the 500 freestyle. “One of the captains went over to the coach and said, ‘I think Nick could do it,’” David said. “So they let Nick give it a try, and he ended up placing in the top few in the district and getting a varsity letter for it.” After that meet, Nicholas stuck with swimming, and his family said he continued to improve and become a leader on the team. Nicholas was very close with his three siblings. He adored his sisters, Katelyn Ness and Grace Baughn, but he was especially close with his older brother, Mitchell Ness. “His brother Mitchell was his best friend,” David said. “Just this last couple years, him and Mitch really bonded. They were really close, doing a lot of things together, work around the house, helping with the dog and just spending time together.” Their father remembers the brothers bonding through skiing and hunting trips they all took together. David said he wants people to remember Nicholas for his joyful demeanor. “Nick always had a smile on his face,” David said. “That’s what I want him to be remembered for. He was a happy person, he always had a smile on his face and he set a great example.”
June 30, 1998 — February 15, 2020
CAMERON CHRISTOPHER MCNEFF A passionate Aggie with a desire to help others By Samantha Mahler @mahlersamantha
C
ameron Christopher McNeff was a multitalented individual with a passion for cooking, music and computers. However, his family remembers him for his kind heart and love for serving others.
As a computer engineering and computer science senior, the Aggie core value Cameron most embodied was selfless service, since Cameron enjoyed building and helping others customize their computers. Cameron was always eager to help out around the house and was the middle of three brothers. Cameron’s mother, Sheri McNeff, said he wanted to do whatever he could to make others happy. “I think I had maybe one argument with him his whole life,” Sheri said. “He wasn’t someone to argue unless it came to politics, and so we just didn’t talk about politics.” Furthering his love of music, Cameron played in his high school band and during his freshman year at Blinn College. In addition to playing the tuba in band, Cameron learned to play the piano, as well as the electric, bass and acoustic guitar. “He picked them up immediately, in fact taught himself to play piano and was great at it,” Sheri said. “Just a very, very talented musician.” In addition to music, Cameron was becoming quite the
PROVIDED
Cameron McNeff enjoyed building and customizing computers for others.
chef. Sheri said Cameron enjoyed researching and planning meals for the week, though they weren’t typical college student creations. “If he made tacos, he made the shells himself,” Sheri said. “If he made a deep dish pizza, the crust was from scratch made the day before because it has to rise. He did everything completely
from scratch.” Cameron was known among his friends for his collection of cargo shorts and Texas A&M t-shirts. He wore the combination almost every day, and Sheri said she cannot imagine how many Aggie t-shirts he owned. “He wanted to go to A&M from the time he was eight or nine, and it was the only school he applied to,” Sheri said. “He was looking forward to earning his ring the end of this semester.” Cameron was known for his humor, even if it sometimes got him into trouble. One instance he was proud of was during his freshman year at Blinn. The dorm he stayed in had designated one hour to for its residents to get the loudness out of their systems before they had to be quiet to study for finals, known officially as Loud Hour. “Cameron being Cameron decided to test the limits of that and took his largest guitar amp on the balcony and proceeded to play ‘Crazy Train’ and all kinds of rock songs with the amp at the loudest volume,” Sheri said. “It is rumored the Dean of Housing for Blinn himself came to the unit to tell them to turn it off. They never had another Loud Hour again.” No matter what new task Cameron decided to take on, he never quit. Sheri said this dedication is something she has learned from Cameron. “When he decided to do something, he didn’t do it a little bit,” Sheri said. “He did it all the way and stuck with it until he got it, whether that was learning a new instrument or it was learning to cook.”
June 3, 1999 — February 13, 2020
ROEL ISRAEL PRADO A loving son, dedicated brother and friend to all By Hollis Mills @sillohsllim
A
s a loving son and brother who had a passion for singing, smiling and friends, Roel Israel Prado will always be remembered for the kindness he extended to others every waking day. Born and raised in San Antonio with four siblings, Roel never experienced a shortage of fun. His mother, Isabel Prado, said he always hoped to get married and have a family of his own. “He was a very compassionate, passionate, empathetic, loving and sensitive individual,” Isabel said. When he was not showering his sisters and brother with appreciation, Roel took on a role most brothers do: the lovable jester. “He had a very humorous side,” Isabel said. “He was always making a joke or pulling a prank. Whenever he saw anyone that he thought was sad, he would always make it his mission to make them laugh or smile, whether it was somebody he knew or somebody he didn’t know.” Of course, not every joke is golden. But Isabel said where the slapstick humor may have come up short, Roel’s laugh won over a room. “He had this unbelievably infectious laugh,” Isabel said. “It was so infectious that you would start laughing because he was laughing.” Roel always enjoyed having an active part in his siblings’ lives. From being the best man at his older brother’s wedding to being his older sister’s pupil for grade school track, he wanted nothing more than to be a good brother. As an older brother, Roel took pride in setting the perfect example for his two younger sisters. “He always took on the responsibility of caring for them,
PROVIDED
Roel Prado had a passion for music and was a member of the Singing Cadets.
leading them,” Isabel said. “He used to drive them to school when he was in high school and walked his baby sister to class when they were in elementary school.” Isabel said Roel’s youngest sister is adopted, but she will always be family to him. “I remember when she was about 18 months old and he said, ‘Mom, sometimes I forget she’s adopted,’” Isabel said. “He just loved her so much, and he was willing to do anything with her that she needed.” However, Roel’s generosity extended far beyond his family. As a member of the Singing Cadets, Roel found a way to pursue his passion and gain friends along the way. At his cele-
bration of life services and burial, current and former Singing Cadets gave Roel a melodic send-off. “He absolutely loved being a Singing Cadet,” Isabel said. “He had such camaraderie with the group. He loved rehearsal and spending time with the guys. He said they were like his brothers, his family. They brought him so much joy.” Isabel said nobody was a stranger to her son, not even complete strangers. “His first year here at A&M, he had seen a lady outside of a store who looked very lonely,” Prado said. “He asked her if she needed anything. She said, ‘Yes, I need a ride.’ And he put her in his car and took her where she needed to go without knowing who she was or anything about her.” When Isabel asked her son why he was not concerned about giving a ride to someone he did not know, he responded as only he could. “He just said to me, ‘Mom, she wouldn’t hurt me. She needed somebody to take care of her,’” Isabel said. “I was just so overwhelmed with his compassion.” Isabel said what made her son so special was the way he understood the unspoken hardships people face everyday and that all anyone needs is a shoulder to lean on. “He wanted to help those that were struggling,” Isabel said. “He knew what it felt like to be depressed and to have anxiety, and he wanted to help other people and make sure that they could get help.” By leading a life of selfless service, Isabel said Roel’s kindness will never be forgotten. “It has now really encompassed our family, each and every one of us,” Isabel said. “We want to carry on his legacy of spreading the awareness of mental health and being vocal of — as difficult and as painful as it is — spreading suicide awareness. Even if it means my son and his face will have to be the face of that illness, we want to save the lives that he wanted to save. We want to make the difference for friends and family that he wanted to make.”
LIFE&ARTS
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The Battalion | 3.4.20
Courtesy of Cushing Memorial Library Photostream
Found by cadets in 1931, Reveille I served as mascot until her passing in January 1944. It is said that when Reveille laid in a cadet’s bed, they would have to sleep somewhere else for the night.
REVEILLE I CONTINUED College Station.” Chew and his wife, Settie Mae, lived on the outskirts of town off Highway 6. The couple owned multiple pieces of property, but their original home sat at today’s intersection of Wellborn and Holleman. As reported 76 years ago in The Eagle, Reveille I, known to Chew as “Puppy” and sometimes “Blackie,” came from the litter of Chew’s hunting dogs. “She weren’t no huntin’ dawg, but I thought she was kinda cute so I was gonna keep her around the house,” Chew told The Eagle. The night of her disappearance, Chew said he heard a “yelp” and the rumbling of a nearby Ford Model T. The following morning, the dog had vanished. The next time Chew saw her was under a new name but just as excited as he remembered. “Well, she had such a good home when I
found her, and she seemed so happy, and the boys all liked her so I decided I’d just keep quiet and let the Aggies have her,” Chew told The Eagle. “It sure made me happy to think that the boys would want any dawg I ever owned.” For 11 years, Chew and his wife watched Reveille grow to fame in Aggieland without uttering a peep of her original home. However, Blackmon said the couple still found their own ways to take care of her. “Mrs. Chew was a specialist in seamstress and ironing at the campus cleaners, and she always made certain to be the only one to iron the uniform for Reveille I,” Blackmon said. “They didn’t know why, but it’s because she was once the owner of that dog and she had a closeness to it. They never knew.” Though he is not familiar with every detail concerning the story, Eddie Chew Jr., born 12 years after Reveille I, said he remembers how proud his father was to be the rightful owner of the first Reveille.
March 14-15, 2020 Texas Association of Metal Detecting Clubs Comes to Aggieland Admission: $3 at the door, Kids 12 & under are free 5827 Leonard Road Bryan, TX, 77807 March 14 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 15 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 100% of door proceeds will go to the Lions Camp in Kerrville and the Down Syndrome Association of Brazos Valley
Special guest speaker
Michael Bennett,
“I believed it because he was always a dog lover,” Chew Jr. said. “With the story that was told, I put it all together and I said, ‘Oh yes, this has to be true.’” Since discovering the dog’s origin, Blackmon said he has spent the last two years fighting for Chew’s story to be heard. Yet, who wants to hear it is an entirely different question. “I remember when I talked to one of the cadets about the research I was doing and where Reveille I came from,” Blackmon said. “I said, ‘Their story is going to be renowned far and wide very soon.’ He said, ‘Mr. Blackmon, A&M will not allow that story to be printed.’” Startled, Blackmon asked the cadet why that would be the case. “‘Because maybe they don’t want it printed,’” the cadet said. Chew’s story has fallen into obscurity since its initial printing, potentially due to World War II at that time or the prejudice of Jim
Crow Texas. Blackmon grew up his whole life believing people of color were never responsible for good deeds. However, he said Chew’s story has the power to upend that belief. “Minority causes in history are sometimes, by the white majority, hidden and washed aside like they didn’t exist,” Blackmon said. “I fought for the dog’s owners because of that thing about me that always wanted to speak up for minority groups … to say that history should be written as it actually was, not as someone wanted it to be.” Eighty-nine years after Reveille I took her first steps across Kyle Field, Chew Jr. said his father’s contribution to Aggieland may never be topped. “I am overjoyed in the fact that knowing my dad, with his dedication to Texas A&M, had something to do with the beginning of Reveille,” Chew said. “I don’t think that there can ever be another story told that can be compared to what he did.”
N A u C Yo l l ! a t i e hav
. r e m m u S . n u S . l o Scho able summer Take a transfer or online. class in-person
a.k.a, “Nugget Noggin” Other YouTube personalities will be here, too. METAL DETECTING CLUBS MEET AND DISPLAY THEIR BEST FINDS Many interesting booth designs and treasures to see. Antiques, Bottles, Coins, Jewelry, Relics, Civil War and other items. Manufacturers and dealers on hand to show their equipment and answer questions. Several authors will be on hand with their latest treasure hunting books for sale and review.
Free kids hunt on Saturday for 12 & under (1-2 p.m.)
Something for everyone, so bring the whole family. Get information on how to join a local club and find your own treasures.
For more information WWW.TAMDC.ORG
LoneStar.edu/SummerTransfer