The History of William Mason High School’s Crest
In
spring 2007, our school’s official crest was unveiled by graduating
senior, Lisa Morozova, during a speech given by her at the Class of 2007
Commencement Ceremony. Morozova, along with committee members David
Allen, Kevin Bright, Tracey Carson, Marianne Culbertson, Sherri Federle,
Tim Keeton, Kathryn McCann, Aaron Roberts, Jerry Schrock and Danielle
Waggoner collaborated to present MHS students and staff with options for
their approval though secret ballot. The crest you see displayed today
is the one selected by the committee and students. It has been a part of
every commencement ceremony since 2007. Also, the crest is used to
officially welcome each incoming freshmen class.
Symbolism and Meaning in the Crest
At
the center of the crest is a torch to symbolize our commitment to
knowledge. A globe reflects our connectivity with the world outside of
our school’s walls and a pen helps visualize our staff and students’
commitment to scholarly pursuits. All of these symbols were placed onto
an open book to stress our continuous acquisition of knowledge. Two
sheaths of wheat were added to honor our community’s agricultural roots.
Our name, William Mason High School, is shown proudly on the banner.
William Mason was the American Revolutionary War veteran who, in 1803,
purchased the 640 acres that is now Mason and gives his name to our
school. The date 1805 is shown because that is the date William Mason
built our first school, a log cabin built within the original acreage so
that his children could get an education. Below the date, seven stars
are shown. These stars represent the seven members of the very first
graduating class of MHS. The original commencement ceremony, held at
Mason’s Opera House (where 5/3 bank is located in downtown Mason today)
in 1886, featured all seven graduates delivering a commencement address.
At the top of the crest are the pillars: Honor, Knowledge, Service, and
Achievement. The pillars represent the goals and aspirations of staff
and students. At the base, a block M, the official logo of Mason High
School supports the crest. Included in the background of the crest are
kelly green and white stripes, the official colors of our school.