West Aurora changing look of Blackhawk logo

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Artist Gareth Curtiss talks about the inspiration behind his sculpture of Chief Black Hawk on Friday during a dedication ceremony at West Aurora High, which was attended by direct descendents of the chief. Jeff Cagle / For Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 22, 2012 10:36PM

AURORA — Starting next year, the Blackhawk logo at West Aurora High School might look a little different.

Principal Ross Truemper, who led a committee on the school’s symbol, announced this week that the high school would begin phasing out the current Indian logo with a full headdress. The phase-out will be in favor of a more accurate representation of the Indian leader Black Hawk.

“As we move forward we want to replicate Black Hawk,” he said. “We’re pointing to a person.”

Some places where the current Indian is being used may start to change as early as next school year, Superintendent James Rydland said. They will be developing a full list of places where the current logo exists and a priority for switching to the new logo, Rydland said.

The new logo will look similar to the statue which was recently donated to the school, that attempts to accurately depict what Black Hawk looked like. There are several drafts of the logo, but it is not complete, Rydland said.

The phase-out will be gradual, however. Students will be allowed to wear their current athletic wear with the current logo. They just will not be using it going forward, Truemper said.

“We’re not going to eliminate that old symbol,” he said.

The school adapted the Blackhawk name back in 1937, when the high school was on Blackhawk Street in Aurora. They wanted to represent some of the things that Black Hawk stood for, Truemper said.

Board member Angie Smith noted that the Indian logo with the full headdress may be around for awhile yet.

“We’re never going to control all of it, because they can sell things at places like Wal-Mart,” she said.

The committee Truemper worked with is made up of various generations of West Aurora graduates, and is working to address the logo design, the places that the logo should be used, and where a recently donated statue of Black Hawk should go.

The committee did not want to see the new logo placed in places that could become dirty, such as a football field, football helmets or a gymnasium floor, Truemper said. In those locations the school could still use the “W A” letters.

Rydland said that many of the changes are to keep a promise made with members of the Sac and Fox Nation, that the school would honor the Black Hawk name.

“I think we need to be thoughtful in acting on that promise,” he said.