Change name of Flathead High School? It's not the Brave thing to do ...

I am writing in response to a letter recently written by Mr. Steve Eckels. Mr Eckels is a very accomplished guitarist and teacher of his trade. He has enhanced many students’ lives by sharing his skills and talents. He currently lives in the Kalispell area — an area widely known as “the Flathead.” Music is his vocation, and his contribution to mankind. Stepping out from that to what seems to being critical of our local culture is not an especially endearing quality to some of us who were raised here and live in the Flathead Valley.

Kalispell is a Salish Indian word meaning “flat land above the lake.” Flathead is the name given to the entire valley and surrounding area which include the largest freshwater lake in the northwestern part of the United States. The name denotes that the area Indians here refrained from the cultural practice of skull alterations which was used by other Indian tribes in the Columbia River areas. The name possibly came from the misinterpretration of sign language for the tribal name Ootlashoots — pressing the hands on both sides of one’s head as if flattening it. This is according to a journey log of Lewis and Clark, which was presented in an edition of the National Geographic.

The name is not derogatory in any sense of the word. It has been used to identify the special area that we live in from the very beginning of the time it was first inhabited and settled by other than the natives. It has been used to denote the valley, the lake, the river, the county and many establishments we have lived in and loved. We are proud to be a part of “Flathead” history.

The local high school was established in the late 1890s. Originally it was a county high school and remained so for many years, and then became just Flathead High School. The current location was established in 1903, and though it has been remodeled several times, it still is Flathead High School. The colors of the school have always been orange and black, and we have always been the home of the Braves. Thousands have passed through its halls and back out again into the world to bigger and better things. Most of us cannot conceive of wanting to change our traditions, our colors, our names or our motto. We are proud of our heritage.

For Mr. Eckels to suggest that just because some structural changes are to be made, we should change everything we have been a part of is preposterous!

Why is it that whenever someone moves to our beautiful area from somewhere else, they want to start making changes to the very things that drew them here in the first place? If they valued their old home that much, maybe they should return there. The very idea of our beloved school being called “Love High School,” the team name “Home of the Angels,” the colors changed to blue and white, and the logo “wings” makes me gag. We will always be the Home of the Braves, our team the Braves (as in brave men fighting to keep honor in our ranks), colors the vibrant black and orange. And if someone wants to wear a feather in their cap at graduation excercises ... it’s OK with me. It is a feather in each person’s cap to be a graduate of Flathead High School!

Go Braves!

Sharon (Connelly) Albiston, of Kalispell, is a member of the FCHS class of 1959.