Grafton schools slowly replace remnants of the former Indian mascot

Grafton High School may now be “The Swamp” for the Grafton Gators, but remnants of its former Grafton Indian mascot still linger at both GHS and Grafton Middle School.

While the logo was removed from the high school gym last year, replaced with the now-standard “G,” other remnants of the controversial mascot of the past remain. Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings told the School Committee Tuesday night the school department received some estimates (cost undisclosed) to replace several others:

• 21 championship banners inside the high school gym
• The Indian logo on the floor of Grafton Middle School (formerly Grafton High School)
• The Indian logo on wall mats in the GMS gym
• A few remaining signs, including some used on the field and some championship field signs
• Indian heads crafted from concrete used as cornerstones outside of the GMS library.

Cummings said several of the initial costs were high, shaking his head over the estimates to replace the wall mats in the GMS gym. However, he met with representatives from MassCor, a vocational program for state inmates, which gave figures that were half the cost for the banners and gym mats.

Other items that included the former mascot, including team uniforms, had been phased out to incorporate the inoffensive “G” even before the mascot change was approved.

“Do we really need to do all this stuff now?” School Committee member Elizabeth Spinney asked, specifically expressing concern about the potential costs of removing the concrete pieces.

Cummings said he and Facilities Director Tony LeMay had made a list of the remaining logos at the schools to see what items could be tackled next. The GMS gym floor is now scheduled to be done over the summer.

Cummings said the School Committee can discuss what will happen with the concrete when a cost is determined.

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