Historic Beaver Mascot to be Replaced
Senior administrators and faculty members at Shore Country Day School announced on April 1 that they are considering changing the school’s historic mascot, the beaver.
According to Assistant Head of School and Head of the Upper School Ben Kennedy, “The history and symbolism of the beaver are the subject of some controversy in academic and scientific circles, and we feel the time is right for a change. We want a mascot we can all feel good about.”
The beaver, in various depictions, has served as Shore’s mascot since the school’s founding in 1936; in school materials, the semiaquatic rodent has often been shown chewing at a large cut in a tree. Some critics view beavers as a cause of deforestation and flooding , especially where the animal is an invasive species.
A committee of administrators, teachers, and students was assembled earlier this year to look into the issue and select new mascot candidates. Currently under consideration to become the school’s new mascot are species including the New England medicinal leech, the bladderwrack seaweed, the soft-shell clam, the cotton-top tamarin, and a baby hedgehog.
Said committee member and history teacher Noah Clarke, “We really wanted to challenge the notion of an aggressive and potentially destructive mammal as mascot.” Clarke noted that a candidate such as the bladderwrack is “a supportive, community-building species essential to the health of its coastal ecosystem. That’s very much in line with the goals of our school.”
On the other hand, Jody Johnson, Director of Advancement, is a strong supporter of the medicinal leech as Shore’s new mascot. “These leeches are incredible,” says Johnson. “They are among the largest and rarest of the species—they can be up to five inches long, and have 30 or 40 teeth, which they use to suck blood from animals. How cool is that?” The medicinal leech, argues Johnson, “balances gross, scary, and blood-thirsty—it’s the perfect symbol of strength.”
Head of School Larry Griffin has long advocated for the soft-shell clam as Shore’s mascot. “There’s nothing I like better than a potful of steamers over an open fire in the summer,” said Griffin, referring to the traditional preparation of soft-shell clams. “Dip them in a little melted butter, and you have the most wonderful of New England delicacies.” Though Shore’s Head of School added that some like to add lemon juice, beer, garlic, shallots, parsley, or wine to their steamers, “if we adopted the soft-shell clam as our mascot, melted butter would be it. I like to keep things simple.”
Lower School Head Sara Knox took a different approach as a member of the mascot committee. “I asked the students,” she revealed. “I had teachers take a poll, and the results are telling.”
The top mascot pick in Shore’s Lower School? “The baby hedgehog,” said Knox. “You can’t argue with cute. And I think it’s a wonderful choice—we want children to love the school mascot, and who doesn’t love a baby hedgehog?”
The top mascot pick in Shore’s Lower School? “The baby hedgehog,” said Knox. “You can’t argue with cute. And I think it’s a wonderful choice—we want children to love the school mascot, and who doesn’t love a baby hedgehog?”
The Upper School’s Kennedy, along with theater arts teacher Sarah Carlin and student committee members Daniel Blundin and Abi Borggaard, rallied behind the cotton-top tamarin as the beaver’s replacement. “The cotton-top really captures the energy and intelligence - and, yes, occasionally the mischievousness and hyperactivity - of my students,” said Carlin.
“It’s certainly a unique choice,” added Kennedy. “It will undoubtedly have the element of surprise with our opponents on the sports fields.”
“It’s certainly a unique choice,” added Kennedy. “It will undoubtedly have the element of surprise with our opponents on the sports fields.”
For Blundin and Borggaard, the tamarin is a no-brainer. “The cotton-tops have been extensively studied for their high level of cooperative care, as well as altruistic behaviors,” they explained. “Communication between cotton-top tamarins is sophisticated and shows evidence of grammatical structure. The choice is clear,” they argued.
The official mascot will be chosen from among these final candidates in an all-student jump rope competition to be held on the last day of the school year.
Shore Country Day School’s mission is to provide an education that inspires a love of learning and encourages children to embrace academic challenge. We seek to build character, cultivate creativity, and value diversity as we help our children become healthy, compassionate citizens of the world.
The School admits qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law, and extends to them all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its admissions, scholarships, and loans, and its educational, athletic, and other programs.