Thorpes – Pine Ridge (SD) School

Noun, “a village or hamlet.”

Unlike last post’s Tarriers, this one actually makes a little sense. 

The first thing you need to know, though, is that Pine Ridge is on an Indian reservation. The mascot simply recognizes Jim Thorpe, the legendary Native American athlete.

Interestingly, the name was changed back in the pre-PC year of 1957. Even more interestingly, the former mascots had been the definitely-non-PC Indians, Braves, and Scarlet Warriors.

Pine Ridge is the largest city in the Rine Ridge Indian Reservation, as well as tribal headquarters of the Oglala Sioux. It’s in the northwest part of the state, right on the border with ND. The current population is 3,100 or so. 

The town’s probably most famous for a 1975 shootout between Native Americans and the FBI. There were 3 deaths, with Leonard Peltier being convicted of 2 of them (and becoming something of a cause celebre).

The school dates back to 1879, with the current building erected in 1995. It has 700 students enrolled in a full K-12 program, and features a Lakota language full immersion program. The athletics department features all the typical sports except for baseball. 

And, yes, the girls teams are known as the Lady Thorpes.

Unfortunately, they don’t appear to have a physical mascot.