Indian has had utmost respect

To the editor:

Regarding the team nicknames and mascot at Southeast Missouri State University: There is a deep history shared between the university and the Indian culture. An Indian statue was once placed on top of Houck Stadium. The statue was given to the university during my term as president of the board of regents. When the statue was donated, students and faculty members considered it an honor to have it there. It stood strong without any complaints until it broke of natural causes 10 years later.

As a former football player at Southeast, I recall a man dressed as an Indian at all of the games. He was an inspiration to the players and the fans. I will never forget the moments during the game when he would stand tall on the hill behind Kent Library and all of the lights would shine on him. His presence marked the hope of victory for the players.

The yearbook that was published at Southeast was named after a Native American leader. This once again shows how the university has always used the name of Native Americans as a token of pride and not of ridicule. I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep the team nicknames the same. It is never right to take away the foundation of a person's memory.

KENNETH LEE DEMENT

Cape Girardeau