Cheerleaders Matt Truex, left, and Camryn Branson, are pictured in standard gear before the Goshen community made the mascot switch. (Photos by Mike Deak)

GOSHEN — It was a hard-fought battle for some when the beloved Redskin chief mascot was pulled from Goshen Community Schools. According to Goshen High School Principal Barry Younghans, the alumni of the schools fought hard to keep their tradition intact and unchanged.

Although the topic was brought before the school board for many years, it finally came to a head in July 2015 when the board made the decision to cut the mascot and move on to something new after 90 years.

“In July, there was a lot of angst and a lot of concern about it,” said Younghans. The alumni were fearful there would be a loss of tradition, and felt uncertain about why the change needed to occur. “These alumni saw the Redskin as a term of pride and strength,” said Younghans, and the school system had to find a thin line to tread on honoring the wishes of the modern community versus alienating or embarrassing those who had known and loved the mascot for the past almost century.

“We’ve known for a long time that whoever took it on, it was going to be a divisive issue in the community,” said Younghans. Some saw the Redskin name as a derogatory term, not granting enough respect to the Native American families and ancestors in the area. Younghans said the school board and the schools had to consider the long-lasting effects of a name and mascot change. “We can’t afford to alienate anyone,” said Younghans. Continuing to draw students and parents to Goshen School Corporation was topping the list of priorities.

Goshen High School cheerleader Malea Woods-Cross is pictured here in the new RedHawks gear. Like Cross, many of the cheerleaders choose to sport a low-slung headband as a reminder of the traditional Redskins gear.

After taking into consideration the rich history behind the Goshen Redskins, the school decided to create a memorial hall for the logos, photos and other memorabilia. Construction will begin on the memorial hall in the summer, and Younghans said he hopes to be completed on the project by the time students return in the fall. The mini-museum of sorts will be located in the main athletics lobby at Goshen High School, and will showcase years of tradition and pride within the community.

Younghans said the transition from Redskins to RedHawks was a tough one. “It was a lot of stuff to do,” said Younghans. Jerseys needed to be changed, logos on the floor and wall of the gym had to be painted over and redone. The principal referenced other local schools who chose to continue using the old uniforms after changing logos, but Younghans said he felt like that wasn’t something their school district could do. Although some uniforms had been simplified years ago to exclude the logo, freshman and junior varsity gear had to be replaced.

“We wanted to honor the alumni,” said Younghans. “It meant too much to too many people.” He said many of the alumni felt the old photos that pictured the mascot would simply disappear, leaving no trace of the school’s proud history. He assured those worried individuals photos and memorabilia would hold a special place in the memorial hall. Another large part of the school’s history, the 9-foot-tall Chief, has been inducted into Goshen’s Athletic Hall of Fame where it will continue to be on display.

The school has supported the construction of the display through several donations offered and through the sale of a commemorative T-shirt. GHS also hosted an open house Saturday, Feb. 20, where the public could view the site of the memorial hall and view some of the memorabilia that will be included in it.