Bomber Mascot Crisis Issue # 10 ~ 08/03/01 ******************************************** ******************************************** Today's comments submitted by: Keith Maupin (47), Morgan Miller (53) Jerry Martin (57), Missy Keeney (59) John Adkins (62), Jim House (63) Jerry Lewis (73), Marjo Vinther (77) Aaron Johnson (82), Jenny Smart (87) ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: Keith Maupin (47) To Chuck Monasmith (65), The reference to the Rebel "Stars and Bars" was an argument by analogy, and in many ways a good one. Both the bomb and the flag are strong symbols. Both came out of wars that totally involved the entire nation. And both continue to stir up strong emotions. You seek evidence that the bomb is appropriate. There was no question if it was appropriate in 1945, when a practice bomb became the Bombers' first mascot. It is certainly more appropriate than the bombers [B-17's] on the mural. The 393rd Bomb Squadron appropriately displays the mushroom cloud (a derivative of the bomb) on its shoulder patch. The Air Force Academy displays a B-52 and four fighter jets appropriately on its campus. Many other schools have adopted weapons as symbols used to generate school spirit; schools such as "The Toledo Rockets", "The Castle Rock Rockets", and "Jets", Sabers", "Rifles", and "The Gettysburg Bullets". "The Gettysburg Bullets" were founded in 1924, sixty years after the battle in which there were 48,000 casualties. Their campus is quite near the hallowed battleground. The school is affiliated with the Pacific Lutheran Conference and stresses the importance of strong moral convictions. What appears to be a paradox is resolved when one understands that a symbol is not what it resembles, but rather what it stands for. "The Bullets" are not ammunition and "The Bomb" is not a weapon -- it is a symbol, a totem, an icon, used as a rallying point, used to generate spirit and to focus allegiance. -Keith Maupin (47) [Ed Note: Keith is author of the privately published "The BOMBER, The BOMB, And The BOMBERS" (Feb 7, 2001); copies of which are available at the Richland Public Library. The subject matter is the origin of "Bombers" as the Nickname/Mascot of Columbia (Richland) High School.] ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: Morgan Miller (53) Subject: Letter to Superintendent Semler ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Mr. Semler; I am a 1953 graduate of Columbia High School. I have not been back in the area since graduation when I enlisted in the armed forces during the Korean War. In the past forty-eight years I have traveled and lived in many parts of the United States. During those forty- eight years I have been involved with many high schools, through my ministry, raising of my four children and my eight grandchildren. In all those years I have never seen a school that has had the pride in a school and it’s traditions as the students and alumni of Columbia High School. You will find Alumni all over the United States and all of them are proud to have graduated from Richland. The Bomb as our mascot is something that we are very proud of. Students came to Richland from all over the United States during the major construction and the activation of the plant, some left and others settled in your area, but all have a bond that you may not realize. I was at a large gathering in Tampa Florida some years ago, and there was a vender who had a very large collection of memorabilia badges on display and right in the middle of the display was a three inch green and gold Richland Bomber badge. It sure brought back great memories. Please consider the thousands of alumni and the multitude of students who will be attending Richland High School in the future before you make your decision. The alumni have served and fought for our country to uphold the constitution and traditions of the greatest country in the world. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Rev. Morgan Miller (53) Richland Bomber Pensacola, Florida ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -Morgan Miller (53) ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: Jerry Martin (57) If the school board stayed up all night for a month they couldn't come up with a more pathetic excuse for why the Bombers shouldn't retain the history of their parents and the generations of Bombers that have attended the grand school of Richland High. I would assume that the Board Members and the Superintendent were either absent from the history classes taught at their school or just failed them. I would hate to see someone try to take down the Statue of Liberty because France didn't like us anymore. Or maybe we should forget that there really was a "Pearl Harbor", "Nazi concentration camps", or better yet, let's just forget the whole darn WWII. I don't think that Viet Nam was a politically correct police action either. So we should forget Danny Neth and all the other brave Bombers who gave their lives and are part of the Bomber history? My parents ran the Hi-Spot Club for many years and were so proud of the Bomber name, the history and traditions that were founded at Hi-Spot and the school. I know for a fact that they would be in your face on August 14, 2001, to ask you how you would ever, in your wildest dreams, question the presence of the bomb at a basketball game, or at a Hi-Spot dance. My father (deceased) would ask you and the other members of the school board, what right do you have to devalue the traditions and history of the Alumni of the Richland Bombers? I ask you the same question, as a graduate of the Great Class of 1957 Bombers. I respectfully expect an answer. -Jerry Martin (57) ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: Missy Keeney Baker (59) I guess I stand corrected. Please forgive me and continue with your frenzy!! -Missy Keeney Baker (59) ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: John Adkins (62) Subject: SAVE THE BOMB YARD BANNERS There is a supply of Green and Gold Printed signs -- large enough to be staked in your front yard -- proclaiming "SAVE THE BOMB". If you want one call me (I am listed in the Tri-Cities phone book). Today (Friday) I will probably be home most of the afternoon. If you feel "moved to do so", you may feel free to make a contribution to offset the cost of having these yard banners printed. If you want one mailed to you -- I will ask that you pay the postage. John Adkins (62) ~ Richland ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: Jim House (63) While attending Col-Hi I don't recall even thinking about the origin of "Bombers". I liked the airplane on our cheerleaders' jackets and I loved seeing them present the bomb at assemblies and games. (OK, admittedly I would have loved the cheerleaders even if they wore propellers on their hats.) But the cloud on our class ring and our graduation announcement made us unique. If Miss Brown taught me right, that means we are one of a kind and very special. As years go by that becomes even more evident. That is certainly how I feel about our school. I was sorry to recently learn that a classmate always hated the cloud. It never occurred to me that OUR Bomber symbols would be viewed as a celebration of killing. I am certain that most Bombers, especially fellow Richland veterans who also answered the call to duty, did not and do not intend to glorify killing in any form or for any cause. To some, the U.S. Flag represents a massacre in My Lai in 1968 and the Confederate Flag represents racism today. People should not assume those are evil symbols if they do not know WHY they are being displayed. I have no trouble explaining our name or symbols at my office or at the grocery store. To me, they represent a special school with a special spirit and many very dear friends, and nothing else. Yes, Miss Brown, we are unique. The plane, the bomb, and the cloud are my birthmarks that cannot be removed, even by the Richland School Board. -Jim House (63) ~ Houston, TX ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: Jerry Lewis (73) 'Crisis'? Really? I'd reserve the word for something more threatening than a teapot tempest about the placement of a 'statue'. But I may be missing something since I don't have time to read 18K or so of daily discussion on the topic. -Jerry Lewis (73) ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: Marjo Vinther Burt (77) Kathie Moore (69) mentioned some gifts that have been given to the Bombers before that haven't required approval. I think, maybe, that the difference in this situation is that this was a large, heavy, tall object that was bolted to the ground inside a facility where lots of people walk around. In that case, I can understand why there would need to be a more formal review and approval process -- for safety and building code reasons. Anyone of you who has ever worked at Hanford knows that you can't put nothin' nowhere without getting everyone's approval first, especially if you're going to bolt it to the ground! Hopefully that's all it is. Of course, since school is out right now, there was really no dire need to cut the bomb out before the 8/14 meeting either. That made no sense at all! Anyway, I'm hoping this is all a big misunderstanding. I guess we'll find out on the 14th! And to Aaron Johnson (82) -- you said it perfectly! -Marjo Vinther Burt (77) ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: Aaron Johnson (82) To: Carolyn Schneider (81) I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I had written anything regarding the "threat of losing the beloved Bomber name." As to "I believe this issue has nothing to do with history itself but merely a school name," perhaps you still don't get it. Where do you suppose the name "Bombers" came from? It was based upon a historical event! Upon finding out the role they had played upon the historical stage, and the subsequent pride felt by the residents from that part, they promptly changed the name of the mascot. Could I perhaps make it any clearer that this issue has everything to do with history, and nothing to do with our ability to "move on"? I don't feel (and my personal mailbox is full of Bombers who've written me telling me I'm right) that I was raving on and on. If the other alumni are raving, perhaps it's because the issue is near and dear to their hearts, and you have absolutely no right whatsoever attacking them for their passion. Many of these people you have attacked suffered personal hardship, loss of loved ones, and deadly illness from the period of time you so heartlessly termed "unimportant". As to your statement "I would have no attachment to it", I ask the question: then why do you write into an internet newsletter which celebrates the pride in the name "Bombers"? If you have so successfully "moved on, as I've had to do with many MANY things and people in my life" why are you on this page at all? I personally am saddened that you've been able to "move on" and "let go" of what you describe as a vast number of things and people. I may be able to continue on with my life very happily after the few losses I've suffered, but I certainly don't forget those people by "letting go". Those people and things are what has shaped me as a person, and dictate in many ways how I conduct myself as a person now and in the future. Such bitterness is truly saddening. Please refrain from subjugating us here with this bitterness; you've made your point that you don't care about what occurs here in a town you've "let go" of. (Or have you? You're still writing to us.) -Aaron Johnson (82) -- and damn proud of it! Richland, Washington -- and damn proud of it! ******************************************** ******************************************** >>From: Jenny Smart Page (87) Subject: The "Paperwork" Just wondering if anyone has actually taken the time to fill out the "required" paperwork for a gift to the school. [Yes Jenny, the paperwork was submitted by Roy Ballard on July 18. I have a copy of it; anybody desiring a copy can stop by the RSD offices and get one. It is a short form; very simple, really. --ed] There's all this hub-bub about it, and yet I am failing to recall anything where anyone has done what the district says needs to be done! Maybe we need to stop ranting and raving for two hours, get the necessary forms, fill them out PROPERLY and ACCURATELY, and turn them in a timely manner prior to the 8/14/01 meeting so there is ample time for them to be processed by the district. It'll do no good whatsoever for 200 angry alums to show up at the board meeting if we haven't followed "the rules". -Jenny Smart Page (87) ~ West Richland ******************************************** That's it for today. Keep the faith! Nuke 'em! ******************************************** Send RHS Nickname/Mascot entries to: <rhsnickname@richlandbombers.com> Back issues: <AlumniSandstorm.tripod.com> ********************************************