Walter Johnson High School adopted the Wildcat as its official mascot following its merger with Woodward High School; however, some students were still upset at having to give up their beloved Spartans.
WJ seniors would traditionally climb to the chimney to paint their names, but after several accidents occurred, the administration decided to relocate this tradition to an athletic shed instead.
The Wildcat
As part of an unsuccessful strategy, football players may use the Wildcat formation to keep defenses guessing about their next play. It’s similar to spread-option offense but with multiple players running the ball instead of one single quarterback being responsible. Unfortunately, this strategy can be dangerous and result in severe injuries for those involved.
Though not an entirely novel idea, the Wildcat formation has quickly gained in popularity among college teams over the last decade. Its success can be attributed to its versatility and ability to surprise defensive opponents while being more accessible to execute than many other offensive plays.
Walter Johnson adopted the Wildcat as its mascot following its merger with Woodward in 1987. Mighty Moo had become an iconic fixture at WJ, yet the school needed something that represented its growing student body better – such as athleticism. As such, Walter Johnson chose The Wildcat and placed its visage beside each Spartan on campus; new lockers, trophy cases, portable classrooms, and lockers were also installed as part of its expansion program.
In 1914, the University of Arizona football team first gained the moniker “Wildcats,” thanks to a Los Angeles Times columnist’s comparison between their fighting spirit and that of a wildcat. Since then, this name has stuck, becoming widely associated with fierce competitors on the field and various athletic programs at Arizona.
Wilbur the Wildcat and Wilma the Wildcat are revered mascots at the University of Kentucky, entertaining thousands of fans at Commonwealth Stadium and Rupp Arena during UK football games and other events. As well as dancing and singing for fans at Commonwealth Stadium and Rupp Arena during UK games and events, these friendly representatives wear blue cowboy hats, cardinal bandanas, and vests in honor of Arizona’s Old West heritage.
They wear holsters to carry their BB guns while attending games and are designed by a team of students and alumni. Furthermore, the mascots appear at various academic and community events hosted by the UK.
The Spartan
The Class of 1972 knows all too well what it means to be a Spartan. These alumni were the ones responsible for introducing Mighty Moo to Walter Johnson and advocating for its inclusion on the school chimney, an idea eventually abandoned after renovation work took place on its building; instead, Mighty Moo was covered with white paint and became known as Wildcat instead.
Before that came the Spartans. Sparta (also called Lacedaemon) was an ancient Greek city-state in southern Greece that focused heavily on military matters. Following Dorian invasions, which ended Mycenaean rule and began the “Greek Dark Ages,” Sparta under Lycurgus changed dramatically by emphasizing military issues through emphasis on self-restrained or disciplined male warriors known as spartans; women considered property were expected to marry early and produce multiple sons to replace fallen warriors lost in battle; women were expected to marry young and make numerous sons so their male warrior counterparts could continue fighting the fight in war – women considered property were expected to marry young and have multiple sons so their sons could replace fallen warriors who died on battlefield.
Spartans were trained from birth for military service. Boys as young as six would wander day and night secretly to secure food sources; Plutarch recounts an incident in his Life of Lycurgus where one spartan boy managed to defeat another by sneaking up behind them while they both wandered together, sneaking attacks behind their back.
At its height in the 4th century BCE, Sparta was one of Greece’s most potent polis (or city-states). Subduing several states and even invading Anatolia, Sparta soon saw its population diminish to around 9,000 citizens amidst constant warfare that increased wealth amongst aristocracy while impoverishment took hold among helots (or serfs).
At the launch of MJOLNIR, there were only four known living Spartans; SPARTAN NOLA, SN00, and Nicole-458 were still among them – in addition to Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, who died during Operation: TREBUCHET on Installation 08 above Installation 00 in early 2525.
Mighty Moo
Cowpens, South Carolina, is abuzz this week as it hosts its 41st Annual Mighty Moo Festival. Beginning Wednesday with gospel singing and continuing through Saturday at Veterans Park and other locations around Cowpens, its mission is to honor both veterans and crew members from two U.S. Navy battleships: World War II-era USS Cowpens CVL-25 known as Mighty Moo, and modern-day USS Cowpens CG-63 battleships.
The festival serves to commemorate Cowpens and its residents, who take great pride in their military heritage. A parade on Saturday features the Moo Crew – a team of service members that compete against Little Leaguers each year in lighthearted baseball matches – while other activities include Woodfin Ridge Golf Club hosting an 18-hole golf tournament on Friday and Miss Cowpens Mighty Moo Beauty Pageant taking place Thursday.
Mo made his professional MMA debut at K-1 Dynamite!! USA in June 2004 against Ruben Villareal and was able to dominate him and force the referee to stop it after one round. Four months later, he competed again, defeating Paul Slowinski but rebounding with wins against Keijiro Maeda and Justice Smith before progressing further to reach the semifinals of the K-1 World Grand Prix.
On Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm at Veterans Park along Brown Street, there will be arts and crafts vendors selling handmade wares, food concessions, and carnival rides available. There will also be a car and bike cruise-in from 9 AM to 2 PM held in Cowpens First Baptist Church parking lot while children???? The parade starts at 10 AM.
Do you want to learn more about your family members who attended Walter Johnson High School? Ancestry offers 17 yearbooks that could shed some light. Start searching by entering your first name, last name, and location into the search box, followed by selecting the school from the results list. Finding your loved ones in these yearbooks should be simple – and perhaps as an added gift idea, too!
The Class of 1972
WJHS is named in honor of legendary baseball player Walter Johnson and serves Bethesda, North Bethesda, Potomac, Rockville, and parts of Garrett Park. As part of Montgomery County Public Schools, it provides students with an inclusive learning and growth experience within a safe environment that fosters academic excellence, respect, trust, open communication, and productive risk-taking; diversity, curiosity, and responsibility are valued traits at WJHS.
Even during the rigorous challenges of dental school, members of Knox College’s Class of 1972 formed tight bonds. Together, they worked and supported one another as they strived for graduation with diplomas in hand. Their close bonds remain evident today when class members attend reunions or other Knox College events and even recreate some memorable senior moments they may have shared as seniors.
John Penilla, director of alumni and parent giving at the college, reports that Reunion Weekend was an immense success. According to him, everyone rekindled old connections, made new ones, and had an incredible time! John adds that classmates still have many ways of staying connected between Reunion weekends; for instance, they can join their class in Davidson Connect – an alumni network portal that enables alumni to share professional accomplishments as well as networking with fellow graduates – or they could join other types through Reunions weekends like Reconnect or Reunion weekends!
The Class of 1972 may no longer play practical jokes on each other, but their friendship remains strong. Their generosity has enabled Knox College to expand facilities over time, with 19 new classrooms recently added.