PORT NECHES — Brock Boudoin stood in the foyer at Port Neches-Groves High School with a piece of history in each hand.
In his right hand was a round, wooden shield featuring a painting of an Indian carrying a football and a staff. In his left hand he held a purple and white feathered piece that was once part of the Indian Spirit uniform.
“It’s pretty incredible,” Boudoin, the 2011-2012 Indian Spirit for the high school, said. “These items are what possibly started our honor, pride and tradition and I will be part of this next year.”
The mascot items were part of the first official Indian Spirit uniform designed and donated to the school by Jimmy Girouard. Girouard, now of Houston, wore the uniform in 1964, Pat Briggs, student activities director, said on Wednesday.
The items which are symbols of high school football in Port Neches-Groves are to be part of a special exhibit titled “Texas High School Football: More than the Game” to be housed at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin.
Paige Stringer, curatorial assistant at the state capital was tagged with transporting the loaned items.
“High school football is something all Texans can relate to,” Stringer said. “The exhibit tells the history of high school football in Texas.”
Friday night lights shine on more than the gridiron. Drill teams, cheerleaders, twirlers, bands, mascots and dedicated fans pack stadiums during football season each year which is why the exhibit takes in much more than the game ball and helmets.
Briggs walked over to a large purple wooden locker of sorts featuring an ornate drum major headdress. A sign inside the locker listed the names of three of students who wore the headdress — Kaylyn Thomas, Jaclyn McKey and Hailey Murdock. The locker, and headdress, were loaned to the exhibit from the school’s band department, she said.
“I think these items are great and will definitely show the spirit you guys have here,” Stringer said. “I think this will be a great addition to the exhibit.”
Another piece of Indian memorabilia is a framed certificate from the Cherokee Nation granting PN-GISD permission to use the Indian name and likeness.
PN-G High School Principal Marc Keith was on the scene as the items were carefully packed and loaded into a van destined for Austin.
“This goes right along with our honor, pride and tradition which is not only state wide but nationwide,” Keith said.
The chain of events leading to Wednesday’s memorabilia loan started during the summer at a high school reunion, Briggs said. Girouard was in attendance and began talking about the historical uniform he created 47 years ago and how he wanted to donate the uniform to the high school.
Some months later Briggs was contacted by Tom Wancho, exhibits panning assistant, regarding the spirit and traditions of PN-G, she said.
“He came to a pep rally and a football game and decided he wanted to work with us,” she said.
The exhibit will be on display at the museum from July 30 through Jan. 22, 2012.
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in downtown Austin tells the “Story of Texas” with three floors of interactive exhibits, the special effects show, The Star of Destiny, in the Texas Spirit Theater, and Austin’s only IMAX Theatre, featuring the signature large-format film, Texas: The Big Picture, according to the museum’s website.
For more information about the exhibit: http://tinyurl.com/5wbxeoc
Source: http://panews.com/local/x930492837/PN-G-Indians-to-be-featured-in-Bob-Bullock-museum
