In 1968-69, the first year of a full student body of four classes, Carondelet fielded teams in volleyball, basketball and tennis. For the first time "Conquistadors" appeared in print in the first yearbook, KALEIDOSCOPE. The headline: Conquistadors Conquer on the Courts.
At that time the name Conquistadors seemed to be in keeping with Carondelet's early history. "The school's spacious campus, brick buildings, and gracious columns and balconies suggest the Spanish origin of the word Carondelet, a settlement outside of St. Louis, the first home of the Sisters when they came from France." (from the School History)
A Conquistador (English: Conqueror) was a Spanish soldier, explorer and adventurer who took part in the gradual invasion and conquering of much of the Americas and Asia Pacific, bringing them under Spanish colonial rule between the 15th and 19th centuries.
Carondelet teams were establishing themselves, trying to overcome the stereotypes that inevitably occur with all new creations--especially a private, Catholic, single sex high school in Concord.
Did you ever try to fit the word Conquistadors into a school cheer? Sometime during the 1976-77 year, it occurred to Emmelie Sabatte '77, Senior Publicity Chairperson, that something needed changing. As a member of student council, Emmelie proposed to Sister Kathleen Lang, Activities Director, that "Conquistadors" was an impossible, inappropriate (and possibly politically incorrect) mascot for a Christian, all-female student body. With Principal Sister Barbara Cotton's approval a student body vote was taken and the Conquistador somewhat reluctantly ceded to the Cougar.
A Cougar graphic, almost as fierce as the verbal concept Conquistador, appeared
on the center of the gym court as well as on the school's presentation folder.
For almost 30 years this attacking, cunning and intimidating Cougar embodied the CHS mascot, symbol of school spirit.
Finally, through negotiations with Sister Kathleen Lang, CSJ and Mitch Ward, a new cougar emerged at the 2007 Welcome Rally.
Grace, pride, strength--a creative legacy for a school whose name, pronunciation and spelling still defy many who come to compete on Carondelet courts and fields.
The evolutionary process is long and arduous. But let us hope we have come to a time when our school mascot truly embodies what our fielded teams---now numbering 31---represent in the larger community--grace, pride, strength.
Designer Margo Perez-Bruhn writes of her project, "I am honored to have participated in the development of the new Carondelet HS Cougar Mascot. The artwork was inspired by the leadership of Carondelet, and the grace, pride, and strength of its students.
During the development, my daughter (Lauren Bruhn '09) and fellow CHS students shared their insights and offered perspective for its refinement. I am proud to have contributed to this creative legacy, and strived to interpret and render the grace, pride and strength that is Carondelet High School."
Go Carondelet Cougars!
Margo Perez-Bruhn