Date: Fri 02-May-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

NHS-schools-mascot-Klar

Full Text:

Farewell To The Indian -

Painting Newtown High School's

Once And Future Mascot

Newtown High School's new painting commemorating the Indian mascot is held by

the artist, Lynn Klar (left) and student council president Sharon Hufner. It

will hang in the school lobby next fall.

-Bee Photo, Evans

B Y D OROTHY E VANS

When it was decided a year ago that a new school mascot should be chosen to

replace the politically incorrect Newtown High School Indian, reactions ranged

from relief to outrage.

Even after the Newtown Nighthawk was selected as the new mascot and a

student-designed nighthawk logo was chosen by an all-school vote, there were

still many who hated to see the noble Indian go.

"We wanted to do something to appease those people who miss him," said senior

Sharon Hufner, who is also the student council president.

"We thought the Indian needed a nicer farewell than just booting him out the

door. You have to remember your past," she added.

Like his real-life namesake, the Newtown Indian may have disappeared from the

local landscape, but that didn't mean he shouldn't be remembered and honored.

The rest of the student council felt the same way.

Painting Commissioned

The students decided at Christmas time to commission a painting by a local

artist as a lasting tribute that would show the respect and honor due the

mascot symbol that had represented Newtown High for so many years.

Hopefully, the painting would illustrate the transition to the new mascot,

while commemorating the Indian's passing.

"We asked [guidance counselor] Gerry Waterbury for suggestions and she came up

with the idea of going to a local artist, Lynn Klar," Sharon said.

When the students told Mrs Klar what they had in mind, they didn't know

exactly how she would represent the transition.

"You have to have faith in the artist," said Sharon.

Their hopes were answered in full, however, when they first saw the completed

painting a couple of weeks ago.

"It's perfect. We're just delighted. She's so creative," Sharon said of Mrs

Klar.

Mrs Klar offered to do the painting for $300, "a very generous price

considering that she is a professional," said Sharon.

It was paid for by the student council budget, with money raised through

operating the soda machines in the cafeteria. The students also put on the

annual Snow Ball to raise funds, but otherwise, as Sharon said, "we're just a

volunteer organization."

Inspiration

Newtown resident Lynn Klar is not only a successful professional watercolor

artist, she is the mother of two Newtown High School students, Michael Klar

from the Class of 1995, and Casey Klar, a junior.

"I've always been involved in the school, and I was delighted to be asked to

do this," Mrs Klar said Thursday, April 24, as she delivered the large, framed

painting to the school lobby, where it will be hung next fall after the school

construction and remodeling project is completed.

Until then, it will be safely stored in the front office.

Mrs Klar explained that she designed the painting around the artifacts of the

Western Plains Indian, "which I always thought was the model for Newtown's

mascot."

She purposefully did not include a portrait of an Indian who actually might

have used those objects, because, as she said simply, "he was already gone. In

the painting, it's as though he put his ceremonial things down carefully and

then went away and didn't come back."

Painted in earth tones and soft blues, a peace pipe, a painted shield, eagle

feathers and a beaded belt are formally and finely drawn, showing such

decorative details as tiny beads and attached feathers.

The artifacts have the look of a still-life grouping - beautiful but static.

The only active element in the painting is the nighthawk, whose imminent

arrival is foretold by a shadow that falls across the objects.

As the nighthawk swoops down, its shadow darkens but doesn't blot out the

Indian artifacts. Their beauty still shines through, just as the Newtown

students hoped it would.