Schools to abandon Indian logo
Daily News Transcript
Norwood, MA
Patrick Anderson
Daily News Staff
May 1, 2007
DEDHAM - The screaming Native American face that has served as the Dedham High School sports mascot for 30 years is being retired and the fate of the Marauders nickname will be decided by students later in the month.
Anthony "Juju" Mucciaccio, a member of the Dedham High School Boosters Club, said yesterday that Superintendent June Doe and high school Principal Alan Winrow had agreed with the Boosters' idea to eliminate the Indian head logo from team uniforms and school facilities.
The Boosters will sponsor a contest to come up with a new mascot and logo this month. The creator of the best design will win $100.
"I think it is way past time to change," Mucciaccio said. "That was not a happy Indian."
Mucciaccio said students will vote on whether to keep the team name Marauders, though he said the logo will change. If students decide they don't want to keep the name, another contest may be needed to come up with a new one.
Mucciaccio said the Boosters had not received any complaints about the name or logo from Native American groups or from Dedham residents. He said they had received complaints from people outside the town who believe the logo is in poor taste.
At Dedham High School both the Indian logo and the name Marauders date back to the 1970s.
"This is really something new," Mucciaccio said. "I think people are really more attached to the name the nickname then when I was growing up."
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines maraud as "to roam about and raid in search of plunder."
During last week's Student Town Government Day, School Committee Chairman Tracy Driscoll said the school had stopped ordering uniforms and clothing with the Indian logo. She said the students she had spoken with wanted to keep the name Marauders.
The School Committee must approve a new name.
The Indian logo will have to be removed from several locations on school property. No one from the superintendent's office was available to comment yesterday on how much it might cost or when removal would begin.
In March, Natick High School announced it would stop using the name Redmen for its sports teams after protests from Native American groups.
Macciaccio said he was not sad to see the Indian mascot go, but hoped students would keep the name Marauders.
"I like the name Marauders," Mucciaccio said. "The Indian going doesn't bother me. After awhile you get sick of looking at it."
Daily New staff writer Patrick Anderson can be reached at 781-433-8336 or by e-mail at panderso@cnc.com.