Squashing Tradition of the Indian
Allison Wagner, Newmag Editor-in-Chief
January 23, 2013
Filed under Opinion
When the idea of changing the school mascot was leaked, controversy swarmed the school. Students began campaigning to keep the Indian while others campaign to destroy its existence.
Change can be a good thing, but when it squashes tradition, it needs to be reconsidered. Even before Lake Central opened its doors in 1963, the previous school Dyer Central used the Indian mascot. For over 50 years, the Tri-Town has used the Indian as a mascot, creating a tradition that many teens hope to one day be a part of.
The Indian head is a symbol of honor, pride and courage; traits all LC students are encouraged to take part in. A mascot needs to resemble what a school wants for its students as well as the area the school is in. The football field was an Indian burial ground and skeletal remains of Native Americans were found at Kahler Middle School, concluding that Indians were in the area, making sense of an Indian mascot for the school.
The Indian represents the area we are educated in and encourages a sense of pride we all have. If the mascot were to change, the sense of pride and tradition would be buried. Current underclassmen would have to find money for new lettermen jackets and spirit wear, while alumni may forever lose the sense of what it means to be a Lake Central Indian.
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We live in Indiana. Maybe they’ll change the name of our state next…
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I think they need to just keep it as it is. I agree with the article. Not only would kids have to buy new clothing with the new logo, what about the kids who have graduated and now their mascot is different. Plus it would cost so much money to change all the clothing, the sign on the school, letterhead in the office, and so many other things. My son just graduated from there in June and he said that everyone he had talked to said it doesn’t bother them in the least bit that the mascot is an Indian. I think it’s just a small group of people that are so worried about being politically correct that’s causing the problem. Some groups of Native Americans still use this gear for ceremonies honoring their traditions in some areas, so I don’t understand why it could be considered offensive.
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As a Lake Central Indian from the class of 1987, I am hoping that the school’s mascot remains as is. It would be a shame to see it go. Keep fighting, Indians!
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