Because of the nuclear bomb logo, there's an extraordinarily high level of interest in the Richland High School mascot. Today I discovered a conspiracy theory about a forgotten (or perhaps hidden?) mascot.

According to Wikipedia, Richland High had no mascot from 1910-1922, then it was the COLTS until 1937 when it was switched to the BRONCOS until it became BEAVERS in 1944. A year later the BOMBERS mascot was introduced and is still beloved today.

One local man says a high school teacher told him the mascot was, for a time, the "Savages" and even pointed out bricks near the south entrance stamped with a cartoon character of a Native American with a tomahawk raised over his head. Investigating, the man (then a boy) found more of them in the mid 1980s. He even took a picture of some of them... which has long been lost.

That memory prompted another man to say he had seen a photo of the class of 1929 in which a "native" symbol is clearly seen in the background (where a mascot is usually depicted).

A third member of the Facebook group reminded readers Eastern Washington University's EAGLES used to be the SAVAGES and bricks depicting Native Americans were scattered around campus. Perhaps someone mixed up their high school and college memories? Perhaps some leftover bricks were used at RHS? Who knows.

It seems unlikely Richland was too politically correct for "Savages" or somehow ashamed of that period. Will we ever uncover the truth?

 

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