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Show Page Two - The Springville Herald EDITORIAL Fly our flag often For the past six months we have seen patriotic Americans fly the stars and stripes everywhere as our nation rallied in support following the terrorist attacks of September II, 2001. The past few weeks we have witnessed the flags of many nations waving in our state and community during and 2002 Olympics and Paralympics. We have seen citizen athletes from those nations stand proudly saluting their flags with tears in their eyes as we do our own. When did humans raise the first flag? No one knows for sure but archeology reveals pictures and sculptures of flag-like objects which date from the earliest days of organized society. American history reveals that there were flags of many designs in this land before Congress adopted the red. white and blue of the stars and stripes. It was not until June 14, 1777, almost a year following the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, that the Continental Congress approved the basic design of the flag we have now. The red color in our flag symbolizes sacrifice and courage; the white reflects purity of purpose. The blue represents unity of effort by the states. These are all things that citizens of this great nation have exhibited to make this country free and powerful. When we salute our flag, we show our patriotism, love, loyalty and respect for our country and what it represents. The flag also symbolizes the sacrifices made by millions of Americans to keep our freedoms and way of life secure. A recent nationwide poll indicated that 49 percent of Americans said they value the flag more following the terrorist attacks of September 11. In younger Americans, 18 to 24 years old, 65 percent of them report that they value the flag more. This is good. We hope that all citizens will continue to fly Old Glory often. One cannot drive through the streets of our community when our flags are being displayed without feelings of appreciation for our land of freedom. Our flag symbolizes so much of good, hope and opportunity. We feel that our young people will continue to value our flag if we, as adults, show our patriotism by flying it often. The man I calL.Dad Editor: livery game. ..I went to them. When he gets home from the games he is always in a gxd mood even if they lost. I always went to his practices. He tried so hard to teach his boys how to play ball. And at practices the kids are so good. Hut in the games they just didn't have enough power. Some think that is why he resigned. But that is not why. He loved the boys, but the Mascot for Kditor: I would very much like to see the SI IS mascot changed to a symbol that would more appropriately appro-priately represent the students. A school mascot should be a noble symbol that students can look up to and be inspired by. A mascot doesn't create school spirit anyway. any-way. It is the students who do. And a different mascot that is appropriate would foster just as much school spirit and loyalty as am embarrassed Editor: Can I just say how embarrassed embar-rassed I am for Springville. I live in Springville and have lived here for about 95 of my life, and I have never been more embarrassed embar-rassed to say that I am from Springville. Please, please, please, don't let this go to the national media (1 read an article about the Red Devil issue on msnbc.com). Do people even realize that they are making us look like freaks? If you are a good parent, do you really need to worry that your kid is going to be a devil (USPS 513-060) Published Weekly by Art City Publishing Co., Inc. 161 South Main Street Springville, Utah Publisher.... Martin W. Conover Editor Patricia Conover Periodical Postage Paid in Springville, UT 84663 Postmaster send change of address notice to: The Springville Herald, 161 S. Main. Springville, UT 84663 - Subscriptions in Advance per year $20 Out of County Subscriptions per year $23 Per Copy 500 delivered by carrrier. per month $2 Member Utah Press Association - March 20, 2X)2 boys would fight. They lost three-years three-years in a row and he thought if they would get a new coach they might not lose so much. 1 think it is sad because he would give up his favorite job for the team to win, and all the parents blamed him but it was only the kids they always swore because they messed up. But my dad never gave up. Samae Smith (age 9) all to cheer the Red Devil mascot has-if not more, because then all " could cheer whole-heartedly. I think it is completely possible possi-ble to find a mascot that everyone could support and be unified by. I strongly feel that it is time for Springville to choose another mascot to replace the Red Devil symbol. Susan Bradford Mapleton worshiper? And if someone else chooses to worship differently than you do, is that really any of your business? The Red Devils are named after a cement company for hell's sake! Oops, I must be a devil worshiper because I said "hell." Why don't you make it so places that sell vacuums in Springville cannot sell Dirt Devils-surely that company worships the Devil! All I can say is OH MY HECK!!! Rachel Burt Springville Alumoni and students .should, decide Editor: Although I no longer live in the community. I am still an avid supporter of the Springville High School Red Devils. I recently attended a Nebo School District board meeting and I was glad to see the number of people in attendance supporting the Red Devil mascot. It would be a shame to alter the foundation upon which this city has built its school pride tor more than seventy seven-ty years. ii!v to satisfy a small minority t the community. Keep the Red Devil SHS Mascot Editor All this talk about changing our mascot is a waste of time. All you people who think we should change it should ask the students, because I koow there is not one student who agrees with you. The students are proud to be Mighty Red Devils and want to be Red Devils 4-liV-R! So let the students vote, or shut up about it because I don't think it is your decision to make in the first place! A student who is proud to be a Red tkuV. Caleb Perkins Thank you! Editor: On behalf of the 2002 Choir Dinner Committee, we would like to thank all those who made this year's dinner one of the most successful events ever! We would like to recognize the many businesses busi-nesses and organizations that donated goods and services. They include: Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Reams, Cracker Barrel, Brook-side Brook-side Market, food for Less, The Great Steak, Costco, Macey's Meadow Gold, Charisma Dance Studio and SHS Drill Team. We would also like to extend gratitude to the many individuals and businesses that donated goods and services to the silent auction, and to the generous bidders who helped raise funds for the Spring- ville High School choir program! ( The evenings were a great success, suc-cess, the menu was delightful and the entertainment was out of this world! Thanks to all who participated! partici-pated! 2002 Choir Dinner Committee Students should decide Editor: In reference to the big MASCOT MAS-COT FRENZY, I . have some very simple solutions that I feel would benefit all parties involved. in-volved. I low sad it is that a few people peo-ple in our community lack strength in their own faith, so much so that they actually feel tormented by a simple mascot. Some of you have actually expressed ex-pressed fear when walking on the Springville High School property because of the Red Devil. How very sad for you that you have given Satan so much credit and actually empowered him by linking him to our Red Devil Mascot. You see it is not the Red Devil Mascot that empowers em-powers Satan to actually enter our lives; I think it is the lack of faith in those of you who truly believe that Satan's presence is near. So for those of you poor souls who live in fear of the DEVIL, on a daily basis, I propose the following solutions: Move out of the Springville-Mapleton Springville-Mapleton area as fast as you can, or if you must be on Springville High premises at any time, do arm yourself with the following protection--a garlic necklace, an oversized crucifix, and a large vial of holy water. And shame on those of you: for allowing this matter to get taken out of the hands of the students. Changing a constitution is very serious; especially with such a lack of proof and evi-. dence. Only the voices of a few are choosing to make this a reli-' gious issue when it is not. If there was something in our " community that was truly harming harm-ing our children we would be the first to stand against it; but this is ridiculous. Corey and Tabatha Merideth The alumni of Springville High School and its current students should determine whether wheth-er or not a change in mascot is appropriate. At the board meeting Red Devil critics quoted scripture, scrip-ture, speaking of Satan and their redeemer, Jesus Christ. This debate has nothing to do with good and evil or Christ and Satan. It is about a high school mascot. There is a time and a place for religion, and a school district board meeting is neither COMMENT whoare i the real "Patriots"? Editor: The supporters of the Red Devil mascot, including myself, would welcome a binding vote by the voters of Springville and Mapleton and the Springville High students. We know full well t what the result of such a vote would be. The proponents of the name change, however, want no vote. It is dear that their tactics all along have been to use any and all methods except a vote. Since a motion to put it to a vote by a single board member died for lack of a second, it is clear that the majority of the board may well have succumbed to the MM p)iuiir own tasoiniess! Editor: Enough already! We've had a diet of "Red Devils should change their name," for years, but lately it has become absolutely absolute-ly ridiculous. You would think with all the really serious problems prob-lems our nation and community face, such as being in a war that is killing Americans, being besieged be-sieged by terrorists, having Geneva Gene-va close, Novell laying people off, drug use on the increase, etc., we would not be in such an Editor: I am a former student of Springville High whose mascot is the Red Devil. Let me tell you what happened to 110 of' those Red Devils who graduated from Springville High in 1950, the year I graduated Approximately 110 graduated. Out of those 110, 30 graduated from college. Out of the 30, 22 became teachers, three became school principals, one became a dentist, another a lawyer. The other three became successful in other professions. .Sixteen of the 110 served in the military during the Korean War, one gave his life in Korea, another was taken Editor: I would like to make a few comments on the controversy going on in Springville over their mascot. 1. I feel bad about the woman who said she couldn't bear to step foot on the high school property because of the Red Devil looking at her. I shudder to think what might happen to the poor woman when she is offered a piece of devil's food cake, a deviled-ham sandwich or a dev Proud t6be'&ReVWvill Evi How om si voS be Mr? Editor: So we vote on the Red Devil mascot issue! No continued debate de-bate for or against the Red Devil Mascot is likely to change anyone's any-one's opinion. 1 think, however, that it is inappropriate to bear testimony and quote from the scriptures at a public meeting. This, is what Satan refers to as the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. Scriptures can be interpreted to support or not any chosen issue. This mixes religion with state which is no better than countries like Iran. I believe all students and citizens in Nebo District should be informed of this vote because their money pays for Springville and Mapleton's vote. NOT one. The only individuals associating associat-ing evil with the Red Devil mascot mas-cot are those who continually bring it up and want it to be changed. Anyone who pretends to be offended by the sight of the school building or its mascot obviously has deeper issues to deal with. To those who have offered donations for the mascot transition, transi-tion, remember, money is the root of all evil. I hope that the school board will deal with this tactics of the vocal minority wanting a mascot change as well. The democratic (and easiest) thing for the board to do would have been to put it to a community communi-ty vote, and the fact that they did not take that route speaks volumes vol-umes of their motives. I find it ironic, if not downright down-right troubling, that the vocal minority wanting a change wants to change the mascot to "Patriots." "Patri-ots." Let's see here. The group supporting the Red Devil mascot wants and would welcome a democratic vote. The group wanting a change clearly does not uproar over anything as insignificant insignifi-cant as the name of a mascot for a high school. During my teen years I attended at-tended two different high schools. Try as I may, I cannot recall the name of the mascot for either high school. I know my memory is bad, but it isn't that bad. It is just that the matter is so inconsequential inconse-quential that I have never put any significance to it. If the names had a profound effect on me, I certainly am unaware of it. Per prisoner and lost an eye due to terrible conditions in the camp. Some classmates became nurses, secretaries, office managers, manag-ers, construction workers, etc. Many started and operated their own businesses. Sixteen served LDS missions. The majority have served and are still serving their church in various capacities. One student, after retiring, joined and served in the Peace Corps for several years. Just recently another anoth-er designed a veterans' memorial for the city of Orem. None that I know of worship Satan or have allowed their children chil-dren to. They have all contributed contribut-ed greatly to the communities in odd (817 .of teMta iled egg. 2. According to those people who want to change the mascot, the students at Springville High will never amount to anything unless they change their mascot. And because of that terrible mascot, all crimes committed in the county will be done by students stu-dents from Springville High. 3. To those who see evil in the mascot, I would like to quote an old saying, "Evil is in the eye of the beholder." FAIR! Should the rest of the district vote because their money pays for the ballots and judges, etc. NOT FAIR! Should the students have a say? (Even thought they already have?) NOT FAIR! They're not taxpayers. What about the loyal Red Devil alumni who don't live in Springville? They should have a say. NOT FAIR! What about whoever? How can we make it fair for everyone? What a can of worms we have opened. I am confident the cver- Scientists discover from 7,000 to 10,000 new kinds of insects every year and believe that from one to ten million kinds remain undiscovered. issue and that their decision will be based upon the will of the students, alumni and the overwhelming over-whelming majority of the community. com-munity. This argument should be put to rest once and for all. It should not have to be dealt with five years from now when someone else with too much time on her hands moves into town. Go Mighty Red "Devils! Shellie T. Knotts Heber, Utah PAGE want a vote. I ask you, who are the real "Patriots" here? Which side would George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abe Lincoln Lin-coln say is the most patriotic? If the Nebo School Board does make a change without giving the community a chance to vote, then I hope they make the voting results public. If they do not allow us to vote on the mascot mas-cot name, at least we'll still get a chance to cast our votes when the school board positions come up again. David Child Mapleton SHS Class of '73 haps that is why I lost my hair early-one of the mascots might have been a bald eagle. It might serve the community more to worry about a community communi-ty motto than what nickname the high school uses. I would suggest for that motto that we adopt MYOB! That would solve a lot of problems. NorleyHall Springville norleyredrock.net which they live. As far as I know, they have all become decent, honest, upright, responsible responsi-ble citizens. I am proud to be part of those Red Devils. I know other classes from other years can boast of their achievements also. But it saddens me deeply to find out now, after 52 years, that we could have become much better adults and accomplished much more if it hadn't been for the terrible influence of our diabolical diaboli-cal mascot. You know the one, the terrible Red Devil! Thera Lue Bird Orem, Utah 4. 1 realize that a lot of people need a cause in their life to give it meaning. But why don't they direct their energies into something some-thing worthwhile, instead of trying to change nothing but a simple, impish mascot into something some-thing else. Springville students have done just as well as any other students in the state. Leave their mascot alone. Verlene Henderson Provo, Utah whelming vote will be to help the mascot. We must encourage friends and neighbors to get registered and vote. I for one will not give up and allow a mascot change (unless the majority votes it that way.). Carol Jensen SHS Class of '68 Patriotic Red Devil Mother of 8 Patriotic Red Devils Wife of Karl Patriotic Red Devil The truly free man is the one who will mm down an invitation to dinner without giving an excuse. ex-cuse. ' . Jules Rcnarrf |
