Last night, the 11 pm Ch. 4 news reported that the MIAA may soon prohibit state high school teams from having Native American mascots. There are actually still teams in the state known as the "Red Men" and "Red Raiders," etc.
In making this prohibition, the state would be following the lead of the NCAA. As is true in so many innovations--though unbeknownst to many--L-S led the way among state high schools.
The issue first arose among colleges in the 1970's, with Dartmouth and Stanford giving up their Indian mascots. There was a precursor to their controversial action: the emergence of the American Indian Movement in the late 60's and early 70's, which itself was inspired into being by the Civil Rights Movement.
The effort to change the sports mascot at L-S began in 1974 and continued off and on for more than twenty years, erupting, then disappearing, etc. At one point the auditorium was packed during a debate. Outside, exhibits were set up showing L-S sports clothing with demeaning caricatures of native Americans.
When the fortunes of the L-S football team began to turn around in the 80s, the team began to appear in Super Bowls, and school spirit reached a high pitch. At one bowl game, a cheerleader dressed up in Indian garb proceeded to run up and down the sidelines hooping and hollering, vocalizing what she believed to be Indian sounds. Some Native Americans in the stands were offended and wrote to the school to protest. At that time we had a human relations coordinator who was part Native American.
The proposal to change the mascots was now revived, and this L-S effort was now supported by the Boston Indian Council and the Native American Parents of Minnesota, a state which has hundreds of teams with Indian names.
Finally, in 1988, the school committee decided on a compromise: to keep the name "Warriors" but to separate it from any and all symbols of a living culture (appearing, say, on athletic uniforms). Later, students voted on a Roman warrior symbol. However, one can unfortunately still hear strains of the a nonsense-sound Tomahawk Chop Chant at some games.
As a direct result of L-S changing its mascot, Cambridge Rindge & Latin followed suit. But some, including Brookline High School--also the 'Warriors" --still uses Indian symbolism.
Perhaps we could now also re-consider our mascot name, and change the whole enchilada. My main knock on Warriors is that it so unimaginative. Teams with that name are all over the place, including even in our own dual country league (Wayland).
Let's consider a really different kind of mascot name for a really different kind of place. How about "The Poets"? At first glance, it may not seem a great name...not aggressive or war-like enough. And what would poets do on the field of athletic battle? Write sonnets? Hug each other?
But maybe not. I know of only one other school that uses that mascot/name. It is Dunbar High School, a a tough inner-city school in Baltimore. The Dunbar Poets are perennial state champs in basketball and have sent more players to the NBA than any other high school in the country.
So here is one vote against cliche and a lack of imagination...and one vote for...the L-S Poets!
And just maybe it would freak out the other teams to our advantage!
Bill Schechter
Feb. 8, 2007
