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How Hart High Students Became the Indians in Only 2 Paragraphs.



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Two paragraphs. That appears to have been the entirety of the contemporary news coverage of the decision to adopt "Indians" as the nickname of the Hart High School student body. And only two sentences within those two paragraphs actually deal with the name.

It didn't make the front page. It was buried on page 6. It didn't make a headline. It wasn't even a Signal news story. It was included in a weekly high school report from Joan Looney, secretary-treasurer of the Class of 1949 — the famous '49ers. They would become the first graduating class of the first high school that the Santa Clarita Valley could call its own.

But this was done in 1945-46 when they were freshmen. There were around 80 of them. Without knowing how many choices they had, there's no telling what small percentage of those 80 selected the name.

Never mind that the school board had renamed the district and the school for a cowboy actor about four months earlier. (The school facility wasn't yet built; classes were held at Newhall Elementary, but the school existed in name.)

What we've written here is already longer than those two paragraphs, so here they are:

Last Thursday [January 10, 1946] the mottos and nicknames for the school were voted on. Friday they were presented to the students. For the mottos, "We Are Always Striving to Win and Learn," entered by Jim Craig, won first place, and "We Will Beat Them Yet," entered by George Koller, won second place.

For the nicknames, "Indians," entered by Carl Clymore, won first and "Buckaroos," entered by Harry Kidder, won second. The prizes were $2 for first, and $1 for second.

Yes, it really was that simple.

Talk about some wordy mottoes. At some point, "We Are Always Striving to Win and Learn" gave way to "Alive with Pride."

But the name "Indians" endures.

The proponent, Carl Clymore, was the son of the local Ford dealer.

At least he didn't suggest the "Hart High Super De Luxe Convertibles."


HART HIGH SCHOOL 1940s-1960s

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"Indians" Nickname 1946

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1948 Yearbook

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Lester Dalbey 1948

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Class of 1949

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Gwen & Dean Gallion Collection 1949-50

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1949 Yearbook

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1949 Graduation

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1950

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1950 Yearbook

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1951 Yearbook

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1952 Yearbook; Auditorium Const.

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Auditorium Dedication 9/12/1952.

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Auditorium 1952

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1953 Yearbook

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Mid-1950s

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1954 Yearbook

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1955 Yearbook

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Joe Kapp (1955), 2005

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1956 Yearbook

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1957 Yearbook

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1958 Yearbook

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1958 Commencement Program

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1959 Yearbook

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1960 Yearbook

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1960 Girl of Year+

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1960 Commencement Program

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1961 Yearbook

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1961 Commencement Program

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1961 Lettergirls Banquet

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George Harris, C.M. MacDougall, Ronald Reagan at Hart 1960s

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1962 Yearbook

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1963 Yearbook; Supt. Irvin Shimmin Bio

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1964 Yearbook

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1965 Yearbook

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1966 Yearbook

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1967 Yearbook

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1968 Yearbook

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1969 Yearbook

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Class of 1969

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Class of 1969: Commencement, 10yr Reunion Programs

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Louden Stanford, Newhall's John Muir

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