Tooele High has a white buffalo costume donned by an anonymous student at various school activities, but lately the old costume has been looking a little ratty. The character had a personality no one was depressed enough to resist, but the atrocious costume ruined the effect. So it was decided it was time Bingo the Buffalo received a makeover, and fundraising efforts began.

The THS cheerleaders successfully completed the project and unveiled the new costume during the grand climax of the Homecoming game’s half-time show last Friday.

The hoopla caused me to think: Where exactly do all these mascots come from? What’s their purpose?

Buffalos, Wildcats, Mustangs, Cowboys, and next year, Stallions. These Tooele County mascots are expected to embody the collective student body, and inspire school spirit. Parents and teachers want the mascot to say something about the community, while students want a mascot they feel is superior to those of other schools. Plus, many schools ask that the school’s mascot contain catchy alliteration — the Stansbury High Stallions or the Rose Springs Rattlesnakes, for example.

Despite the care taken when selecting a new school’s mascot, most of these monikers don’t quite make sense. When was the last time anyone noticed a buffalo roaming Tooele? Most Granstville Cowboys live in growing suburbs and have parents who commute into Salt Lake every day. While the mascot for Stansbury High School was still being debated, many wanted the local wildlife to be represented. Yet Stansbury ended up as the Stallions instead of the Mosquitos or Crawdads or even the Frogs — the only “local” wildlife in Stansbury Park beside the stray dogs.

However strange some of the mascots may be, they often apply to the student body in ways probably not thought of during the naming process. Although it could be romanticized, a buffalo really is nothing more than a large herbivore who sits around all day. While students at THS may not be herbivores, some are notorious for doing little more than sitting all day long. The same can be said of the Granstville Cowboys, whose maverick skills at sweeping Tooele girls off their feet are legendary — and a sore spot for many Tooele boys.

While it may be impossible to find a perfect mascot for each and every high school, students will find ways to adapt their mascot to their own personalities and traditions.

For new schools like Stansbury, this is an opportunity to begin from scratch and build up the Stansbury Stallion’s identity. Schools already established in the community, such as Granstville and Tooele, not only have the responsibility to uphold those traditions left by past generations through projects such as Bingo’s makeover, but to enrich their schools with new ideas and activities.

Emma Penrod is a junior at Tooele High School.