WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2018 STUDENT MEDIA
Remembering former First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush 1925-2018
Barbara Bush to be buried in College Station Leaders at Texas A&M and around the world express condolences By Luke Henkhaus & Taylor Fennell Barbara Bush died Tuesday evening with her husband, former President George H.W. Bush, by her side. “A former First Lady of the United States of America and relentless proponent of family literacy, Barbara Pierce Bush passed away Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at the age of 92,” the official statement from the Office of George H. W. Bush read. Wife of the 41st president and mother of 43rd President George W. Bush, Barbara Bush had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure, leading to a series of recent hospitalizations. On Sunday, the office of George H.W. Bush announced the former First Lady had decided to forgo additional medical treatment in favor of comfort care. Barbara Pierce was born in Manhattan in 1925 and raised in Rye, New York. She met George Herbert Walker Bush at a Christmas dance when they were teenagers. The two were engaged shortly before he began his service as a naval aviator in the Pacific Theater of WWII, and were married on Jan. 6, 1945, shortly after his return. At the time, she was 19 and he was 20. An update on the 41st president’s feelings in the wake of his wife’s death was provided by his chief of staff, Jean Becker,
Tuesday night. “He of course is broken hearted to lose his beloved Barbara, his wife of 73 years,” the statement said. “He held her hand all day today and was at her side when left this good earth (sic).” The former president appreciates the outpouring of support and well-wishes and remains determined to be there for his family, the statement said. “It will not surprise all of you who know him and love him, that he also is being stoic and strong, and is being lifted up by his large and supportive family,” the statement said. During her time in the White House and in the years that followed, Barbara Bush was especially dedicated to improving nation-wide literacy through a variety of reading education programs for children and adults. The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library became a home for some of her literacy outreach programs, including one in 2015, in which children from across the globe tuned in to hear the former first lady read a book and answer their questions. The former first lady’s lasting influence on Texas A&M was described by University System Chancellor John Sharp in a statement on Twitter. “Today, the Aggie nation is mourning a family member,” Sharp said. “In a very real sense Barbara Bush was a mother figure to all Aggies because of her towering example of selfless service to family and nation. She endeared herself to us forever.” Student Body President Bobby Brooks
also took to Twitter, expressing gratitude and paying respects to the former first lady. “Condolences to the Bush family during these tough times, and I am thankful for all that they have done for Texas A&M University,” Brooks said. “I admire Barbara for being able to pass with such dignity.” Barbara Bush’s most recent appearance in Aggieland was in 2017 at the Deep From the Heart hurricane relief Concert in Reed Arena. She attended alongside her husband and eldest son, as well as the three other living former presidents and a lineup of musical guests, including Lady Gaga and Lyle Lovett. She is survived by her husband, George H.W. Bush, and children George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, Neil Bush, Marvin Bush and Dorothy Bush Koch, as well as 17 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and her brother, Scott Pierce. Following a public memorial in Houston on Friday, a private funeral service will be held on Saturday, with around 1,500 attendees expected, including several former presidents and first ladies, according to ABC 13. The body of Barbara Bush will be transported to College Station for a burial ceremony at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Saturday afternoon. During the library’s planning process, the former first lady and her husband chose a burial site on the library grounds to be their final resting place. She will be laid to rest alongside her daughter Pauline Robinson “Robin” Bush, who died of leukemia in 1953 at the age of 3.
CREATIVE COMMONS
Former First Lady Barbara Bush passed away on Tuesday at the age of 92.
Student led vigil honors former first lady Over 100 gathered to remember Barbara Bush By Jordan Burnham @RJordanBurnham
Courtesy of Texas A&M University/Mark Guerrero
Students organized a vigil at the George H.W. Bush Library in memory of Barbara Bush.
Tuesday night, at the Presidential Pond beside the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, a vigil was held to honor the memory of the late Barbara Bush. Students from the Bush School were the primary organizers of this event, and decided to plan this vigil upon hearing about the passing of Barbara Bush. The vigil brought over 100 students and community members together with the lighting of candles,
singing of hymns and a moment of silence to honor the legacy of the former first lady. Morgan Gray, public service and administration graduate student, was one of the primary organizers of the event. She spoke of the significant impact the late Barbara Bush had on students. “I think I speak not only for myself but for the rest of the Bush School student population when I say that we very much admire the Bush family in general, and in all that we do we strive to replicate their devotion and public service,” Gray said. Gray said students are grateful for the time and selfless dedication Barbara Bush committed to the school. “We all owe a lot to Mrs. Bush,
especially she has embodied what it means to be a true public servant for her entire life,” Gray said. “We all very much admire her, and she herself has left a lasting legacy that all Bush students strive to embody in some way.” A moment of prayer and reflection was offered to attendees of the vigil, which Gray said was an important aspect of the event. “We felt it was not only necessary, but it would be quite wrong if we didn’t come together and pray for the family,” Gray said. Elizabeth Thomas, public service and administration graduate student, said she came to the vigil to pay her respects to the Bush family. VIGIL ON PG. 4
CREATIVE COMMONS
President Trump signed off on 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum on March 15 to makeup for workers who lost their jobs.
Texans eye Trump’s tariffs How executive order could affect business in Texas By Taylor Fennell @TaylorPaige1299 Although President Donald Trump’s new 25 percent tariff on steel was designed to support steel workers who lost their jobs to automation, some Texans are arguing they may be hurt by the new trade policy. On March 2, the president tweeted, “... trade wars are good, and easy to win ...” Less than two weeks later, on March 15, he signed an executive order implementing a 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent tariff on aluminum, which would go into effect 15 days later. Some Texans, including Senator John Cornyn, are keeping an eye on the tariffs and watching for unplanned repercussions. During his visit to College Station on March 28, Cornyn said he trusts the president’s instincts on the economy and business, but is concerned about some of the trade policies com-
ing out of the administration. “Some of the trade actions could well have unintended consequences,” Cornyn said. “When I met recently with the Texas Farm Bureau, they were concerned that some of the markets that had been opened up to the things we grow and produce here in the United States would be cut off, because of retaliation and of course, those costs for aluminum and steel ultimately get passed on down to the consumer [and] increase the price of those goods.” Raymond Robertson, professor and holder of the Helen and Roy Ryu Chair in Economics and Government, said research shows steel tariffs can result in major disputes. “There’s some evidence that suggests economic conflicts, like a trade war, can lead to physical conflicts, which we definitely want to avoid,” Robertson said. “Having said that, a trade war is in nobody’s real interest, so we hope that cooler heads will prevail and that we can stop the tariff TARIFFS ON PG. 3
Alyssa Denson — THE BATTALION
The opening of newly constructed White Creek Community Center has been scheduled for April 2018.
White Creek awaits new facilities Community center to open at the end of this month By Diana Paredes @paredesaguilera Residents of White Creek Apartments have waited for a new facility to open on their side of campus. The opening of White Creek Community Center, scheduled for near the end of the month, has been on the radar for students and residents of the area. This building, which will be closer to the
apartments than other facilities, will house numerous services for students on the west side of campus, including dining, a community learning center, recreational areas, tutoring and a convenience store. Sara McCoy, coordinator for Academic Support Initiatives, said students who go to the new community center will be able to enjoy a wide range of activities that help promote a diverse college experience. “I think the students will most appreciate the proximity of all the amenities that will be offered in
the White Creek Community Center,” McCoy said. “There will be a brand new Community Learning Center (CLC) with 36 open access computers connected to Aggie Print and a variety of individual and group study spaces. There will be a game room area with things such as pool tables and video game consoles, as well as basketball and volleyball courts outside.” McCoy said there will also be a large academic support center open for all students. “Residence Life’s Academic WHITE CREEK ON PG. 2