CHINK AND CHINKLETTE

Pekin Community High School District 303 includes Pekin and some nearby areas. The district's high school is Pekin Community High School. The school teams were known as the Pekin Chinks from the 1930s until 1980 when the school administration changed the nickname to the Dragons.[14] The team mascots were a male and female student dressed as Chinese persons wearing traditional Chinese attire. An earlier attempt was made by a visit of Chinese American groups to change the name from Chinks during the 1974–1975 school year; this was voted down by the student body. The event received national attention. Pekin "Chinks"......WHAT???? Well this post is a sort of "fess up" message which also contains more truth than most would like...Particularly my liberal friends. I am a graduate of Pekin Community High School.....Pekin, Illinois....proud Class of 1961! The fun part is that Pekin High's sports teams and thus their students are today known as "Dragons", actually a rather natural name given the name "Pekin" which supposedly was short for "Peking", the Chinese city which was supposed to be half way round the Earth from Pekin. In 1961....and for many years prior to that and until 1967 or so.....we were the Pekin Chinks. No lie!......Our radio program broadcast by students, including Moi, five days weekly, was Inside Chinkland, and we wrote, produced and spoke the words of the 15 minute daily show on a local station. (eventually led to my 8 year radio-TV newsman stint!) Each year we elected the Chink and Chinklette who appeared at sporting events and welcomed the other team.....in their Chinese costumes and coolie hats! I look back today, in this time of "political correctness" and am amazed we did it..... We interpreted Chink to be a term meaning "worker", and we were proud "workers" for Pekin High. I still have the glasses, letter sweater, etc. proclaiming our heritage. Know what? Inspite of the renaming of the team, and the era of political correctness.....we are still Pekin Chinks and shall be forever........ In fact, in the right small shirt shop in Pekin, in a back room to which access is controlled, you can still purchase bright red tee shirts that proclaim Pekin Chinks; and, of course, I have one! Next year, 2006, I plan to attend our 45th year reunion in Pekin, and join my fellow Chinks as we enjoy our heritage. At the Friday night social we'll all be wearing memorabilia from PCHS! Duke of DeLand.......A Chink Forever! If I find a picture of Chink and Chinklette I'll post it.

Oh, yeah I do have one of Chink. Just don't have Chinklette.