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Class of '31 set major traditions

At 21, Queen Anne finally chose its mascot

"Not many classes at Queen Anne have left such a durable mark on our school as did the Class of 1931, 60 years ago. They gave us two lasting traditions by adopting our school mascot name of "Grizzlies" and by choosing to be the first class to wear caps and gowns at commencement.

"The KUAY Weekly of November 5, 1930 records the historical selection by student vote of the school mascot name Grizzlies. Prior to that time, the QA sports teams were referred to in the press as the Kuays, the Hilltoppers, or just the Queen Anne team. From a preliminary vote on a large list of suggested name submittals, including such interesting ideas as silver marmots and caribous, the three highest were chosen for a final vote in students' homerooms. Grizzlies, Cougars, and Pirates were voted on. It was no contest, however, as Grizzlies won with 70 percent of the vote and the other two names each with 15 percent.

"It is interesting to note that the "Grizzly Inn" preceded this choice of school mascot name by at least four years, leading to the conclusion that we are named after a hamburger joint. A good thing there were no McDonald's. As to why the Grizzly Inn had its name? The general mythology is that a bear was seen on the slopes of Queen Anne Hill in the early years of the twentieth century and that George Lamoreux, '24, who bought the Inn in 1926, pushed for the name and the mascot as well. Prior to Lamoreux the Inn, located at 214 Galer St., had been called 'Louie's Place.' 

Reprinted from The KUAY newsletter of Sept., 1991

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