Valparaiso High School - Valenian Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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Our school colors — Green and White Mr Homer Jesse, junior high and high school principal for about 38 years, is responsible for Valparaiso High School’s colors — GREEN and WHITE! Coach Ralph Powell is respon- sible for Valparaiso High School’s nickname— VIKINGS 14 At the annual Valenian-Valpost Banquet in May, 1962 Mr )esse was asked to speak on our school colors According to a special issue of the Valpost on May 1, 1962, basketball ' s arrival in V alparaiso demanded that the school have some color to distinguish it from other teams. Maroon and white were the colors adopted The first competitive game, back around 1912, drew a crowd of three. Among the spectators was Mrs. Homer lesse. Back in the early days basketball was unpopular and little talked of. The 1912-13 season was even canceled by the su- perintendent of schools. However, with the backing of the game by mothers (the boy ' s fathers took little interest) and the school board (who opposed the superintendent), basket- ball gained ground. In 1914, the school board rented an abandoned little white church and used it for gym Dribbling wasn ' t in the rules so floor condition didn ' t matter. Of the few gyms of the time, some had pillars in the middle of the floor. To acco- modate the growing crowds, the boys built a bench along one side and one end of the court. Referees were scarce, so coaches often refereed half a game each But the major need of Valpo during these times was a team uniform. (Even though the school colors were suppose to be Maroon and White) they had so many different outfits, it looked like a moving quilt. Mr lesse explained that he was delegated to go to Chicago and find some type of inexpensive uniform. In a Chicago shop he located a custom made team outfit rejected by a YMCA team because the side seams were too wide ' They were beautiful, ' exclaimed Mr. lesse, ' and I was offered a special price if I would take them. ' The suits were of the finest flannels and wool. But, he explained to the clerk, they were the wrong color. The clerk again cut the price and Mr. lesse was sold. He took them home to see what the boys would say. They were crazy about them even though the color was wrong. The crowds came to see the team play in their new uniforms (104 gate in 1917) not knowing about the color change. When the team came out, everyone, gasped with pride, but ended Mr. lesse, ' No one ever mentioned anything about the change of color toCREEN AND WHITE! ' When Coach Ralph Powell became coach of both football and basketball at Valparaiso High School in 1929, the foot- ball team had no nickname, but the basketball teams were known as the Bounding Brownies after the previous coach, )oe Brown. Coach Powell and his football boys chose the name Vikings for their 1929 football team. Since then all athletic teams have been known as Vikings. Later, the Viking head was designed for a school flag. The design was then recopied for the class rings.

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The evergreen trees shown here have grown and today block this view looking northward through the breezeway The breezeway and greenhouse are seen before the new addition to the school in 1957

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Bucci responsible for school song August Bucci wrote our school song while a teacher here in the early 1930 ' s The first school song written in 1930 was The Fighting Vikes by Harry Wark and his collaborater, James Perry. Mr. Wark later composed Hail Vikings. But neither of the songs ever reached the prominence of our present school song, The Green and White. According to the Valpost of May 1, 1962, the composer, Mr August Bucci, was a graduate of Valparaiso University where he wrote the music to V.U. ' s On to Victory. After graduating from V.U. he came to VHS as a band instructor. Because of his known abilities he was asked by many to compose a school song for the Vikes. He did just that; he wrote song and music for Green and White. A career with much success in future ' s hold came to a tragic end on May 5, 1935 August Bucci had gone to Evansville for the State band contest. He was elected president of the Band and Orchestra Association. Coming from Evansville that night, he was killed in a car accident near Boswell, Indiana. Today The Green and White remains our school song in his honor The Green and White The Valparaiso High School Victory Song Oh! Green and White arise to glory, to summits of envied fame Fight on ev ' ry field and never yield exalting your honored name Vikings marching on to vict ' ry with courage and pluck and brawn Fight! Fight! Green and White now win the day. Then on to vict ' ry Valpo, On! One of the first copies of The Green and White was published in 1930 by Mr August Bucci