‘Indians’ honors our natives

I believe that I speak for the vast majority of the graduating class of 1957 from North Central High School that eliminating “Indians” as a symbol of the school would be a mistake for the following reason. The fact that the Native Americans/Indians were the original and first ever humans residing in North America is an extreme and exclusive honor to those thousands of courageous souls that endured unimaginable hardships just to survive.

To eliminate the symbol “Indians” from our school’s identity, I believe, would be a step in the direction of losing for future generations the memory of these historic people. I believe with all my heart that the past, present and future Native Americans would, and will, want the memory of what they meant to the great land preserved. Seeing it included with the name of a major high school of education in Spokane, Washington, will serve this end as long as it remains.

P.S., I was a “paper boy” for The Spokesman-Review 70 years ago in the Audubon District.

Dan Stansbury

Oak Harbor, Washington