Why Panthers?

When Pleasure Ridge Park High School first opened in the Fall of 1958, it was up to those first students, grades 7 through 9, to vote on the school colors and mascot. In keeping with custom, the mascot had to begin with the same letter as the high school (for example, Butler Bears, Valley Vikings, Western Warriors, Doss Dragons). The choices that the student body came up with for the letter "P" were Pirates, Pythons, and Panthers. Luckily for posterity, the winner was the Panther, with the color red joining the obligatory Panther black. And the Panther makes for a great mascot costume.

After all, could we really sing along with a straight face if Joy Mitchiner '62 had been forced to pen the words: "We are the Pythons thick and long / of Pleasure Ridge High School..."