Date: Fri 16-Feb-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Indian-mascot-reaction

Full Text:

Mascot Issue Brings A Strong Response Throughout Newtown

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Last week's decision to abolish Newtown High School's traditional Indian

mascot has been the talk of the town.

They're talking about it at George's Deli and at the Fireside Inn. It's the

topic of conversation at Dunkin' Donuts and at the Newtown Health &

Racquetball Club. No doubt about it, NHS Principal Bill Manfredonia's

faculty-backed decision to come up with a new mascot was the favored topic of

conversation in Newtown last week.

While some have applauded the high school's initiative in parting with the

Indian, many others have voiced strong opposition.

Nevertheless, NHS is expected to have a new mascot by June, and Mr Manfredonia

says the termination of the Indian is a done deal.

"This has been something that I've thought about for a long time. My decision

is absolutely final," he said earlier this week. "I'm fighting tradition, I

know. I don't want to fight tradition; it's just that we want to have a mascot

that serves to unify the school Á instead of dividing it."

Mr Manfredonia said he's tried to be democratic in his attempts to resolve the

controversial issue ever since it surfaced seven years ago when a handful of

community members came forward calling the mascot a dishonor to Native

Americans. However, the NHS administrator said the Indian was not serving its

purpose, actually dividing the student body and faculty.

Mr Manfredonia explained that though he consulted with his staff, it was his

decision alone to terminate the Indian.

"I felt I had to make the call to make a decision one way or the other. I felt

this was the best decision to make," he explained.

The best decision? Not in the eyes of hundreds of residents and former NHS

students who feel Mr Manfredonia's judgment was way off base. They say they'll

miss the Indian and question Mr Manfredonia's authority in parting with the

mascot, which many alumni still hold dear to their heart.

Mr Manfredonia's announcement of the Indian mascot's fate February 8 prompted

a sharp response by students who gathered in the school lobby to protest the

decision. About 200 of them made their way to the football field to exclamate

the demonstration and many returned to the lobby for a sit-in.

Since then, community opposition has manifested itself around town in a

variety of other ways.

The Newtown Bee last week asked its readers to call in with their reaction to

the decision. The reaction was lopsided: 160 callers phoned in opposition of

the decision, while only 10 callers supported it.

The Bee also received more than a dozen letters to the editor on the issue,

including two letters favoring the change that were accompanied by petitions.

One of the petitions circulated department by department to high school

teachers and was signed by 55 educators. The other was a petition signed by 54

students.

Longtime NHS sports enthusiast Pete Samoskevich believes the decision is way

off base with community sentiment. "They think the Indian should stay. They

don't think the principal has the authority to change it," he said.

Former NHS students Brian Leavitt ('88) and Dave Samoskevich ('87) showed up

at the high school at last Friday's boys' basketball game clad in their

varsity jackets and football jerseys. Both said they wore their Indian apparel

to show support for the mascot they grew up rooting for.

"We wanted to represent the alumni by wearing our Newtown varsity jackets that

we earned as Newtown Indians. We're proud of being the Indians," Mr Leavitt

explained. "Twenty years from now, if you asked me who I played high school

ball for, I'll tell you the Newtown Indians.

Mr Leavitt said he would have liked to have seen an actual town vote to help

determine the best outcome on the issue.

As for the students Á it appears they've taken three sides on the issue: those

who believe the Indian should stay, those who believe it should go, and those

who really don't seem to care one way or the other.

NHS student Craig Schoenbaum believes a better conclusion could have been

reached.

"I think they should have done more to try and compromise. I thought Mr

Manfredonia was really closed-minded in his decision," he said Wednesday.

Mr Schoenbaum's classmate, Mike Powers, disagreed.

"I just think, if it's going to be a problem, that something as meaningless as

a mascot should be changed," he stated.

Mr Manfredonia said he expected some backlash by students over his

announcement last week but pointed out that nearly 900 members of the student

body remained in class during the protest.

Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed supports the high school's decision.

"I've watched the dialogue on this issue for many years and agree with Mr

Manfredonia," Dr Reed explained.

Newtown's school chief pointed out that with two-thirds of the people wanting

the Indian to stay and only a third wanting it to go, it only better

illustrates just how much the mascot has served to divide.

"The bottom line now is that he's made the decision. I honestly believe the

purpose of the mascot is to unify. It's time now to move on," he said.

Mr Manfredonia met with the NHS Leadership Council Monday to discuss how the

school can best go about selecting a new mascot. Judging from the strong

reactions to the demise of school's traditional mascot this week, the Indian

may be on the minds, if not the varsity jackets, of Newtown students and

alumni for some time.