Warrenton's Community Newspaper since 1978
Feature Story, February 5, 2010 edition
By Bruce Dustin
You know that Indian statue, that symbol of the machismo and chutzpah of not only the current student body, but of countless generations of former Warrenton High School alums, that iron-willed statue that stands out in front of Warrenton High School's front flood gates?
Well, you might also have known that a couple of years ago it was under intense attack by the Native American Mascot Advisory Committee, a committee convened by State School Superintendent Susan Castillo.
You don't remember why? Fifteen schools with honorific mascot names, names like the Warriors, Braves, or the Indians were being chastised for their use of seemingly stereotypical and racist symbols for their institutions.
Well, the attack has been halted; their troops have been pulled back.
"We continue to solicit, in particular from Oregon's tribal nations, but that process has been a slow one, and we don't anticipate any immediate action in this area at this point," said Oregon Department of Education Spokesman Jake Weigler, as quoted on the internet's OregonLive.com.
Craig Brewington, Warrenton-Hammond School District's superintendent, admits to a sigh of relief upon hearing of this news.
"I don't think they anticipated the amount of opposition they would incur from those fifteen school districts. As almost an after-thought they finally called us into the formula. It would have caused us a great deal of money and time if the special interest groups had gotten their way."
The "powers that be" in the state department have admitted to surprise at not only the local, rural opposition, but also the muted response from Oregon Indian tribes.
"School pride was very strong when I was going to Warrenton High," responded local Warrenton historian and WHS alumni Diane Collier. "I am a Native American, a Clatsop Indian, and no one in our tribe ever voiced any concern or opposition to using American Indian names for school mascots. I've never found anything derogatory about the Warrior mascot. It's always been a very honorable thing to me. I have always been proud to be a Warrenton Warrior."
Although they've shelved the case, an appropriate lasting effect was the erasure of the comic-book caricature of an Indian on the WHS gym wall.
Located at the mouth of the Columbia River, The Columbia Press is the independently-owned weekly newspaper for the city of Warrenton, Oregon. Since 1978, The Columbia Press has covered local community news and events throughout Warrenton, Hammond and Clatsop County. The Columbia Press is the official legal public notice publication for the City of Warrenton and the Warrenton-Hammond School District.
E-mail: editor@thecolumbiapress.com
160B N.E. 5th Street P.O. Box 130 Warrenton, OR 97146
Phone: 503-861-3331
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