Changes To Come For S. Garland High School's Crest
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GARLAND (CBSDFW.COM) - South Garland High School wears its southern history proudly.
The Colonels Marching Band plays "I Wish I Were In Dixie" as the school's fight song. For 50 years, the school's original crest, known as the Libertas, which sits in the middle of the campus, adorns the Confederate flag as one of four symbols of the crest.
But this school year brings a change. The fight song will no longer be used. The Libertas, added to the school's flooring in 1968, has been removed, until the flag portion can be replaced.
"We are a minority-majority school now. We are here to unite, not divide", Chris Moore, spokesman for Garland ISD said today.
Years ago, South Garland High retired the waving of Confederate flags at football games, changed the school logo to detach it from its southern confederacy tradition and switched its mascot's uniform from Confederate Grey to Union blue.
But "Dixie", the song of the old South, remained as the foundation for the school's fight sound lyrics. "We"re using the Texas Tech song now, and we are working on new lyrics," Moore announced.
Not everyone is happy with the changes. Graduates from decades past said the school has done away with vestiges of intolerance, yet kept the value of its history.
"That is South Garland's fight song. The Libertas is about school heritage," said Stephen Stanley, class of 83', and current Garland City Council member.
Stanley said many grads are not pleased with directive to remove the original Libertas from school district Superintendent Bob Morrison without input from alums.
Today, most images of the Libertas on campus show a crossing of swords where the flag was displayed. One prominent example can be found in the school cafeteria.
School officials say the rendering actually covers another controversial image from the school's: a painting of a plantation, complete with working slaves. The South Garland High School of old is changing again.
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