David H. Hickman High School - Traditions - Mascot

Mascot

The Kewpie doll has been the mascot of the school for the last 97 years. Hickman is the only known school in the world with a Kewpie as its mascot. The name dates back to the basketball season of 1913 -1914 at what was known then as Columbia High School. Apparently, the school secretary owned a Kewpie doll, as they were popular figurines then, and she kept it on her desk. At one of the first basketball games in December 1913 she placed her Kewpie doll in the center of the court, and the entire game was played around it without it being broken. This was somewhat remarkable since the dolls were very fragile. Because it survived the game and brought a victory, it was thereafter considered the good luck mascot. You can see a picture of that Kewpie doll beneath Sam Church in the team photograph in the 1914 school annual. That team had a straight claim to the state championship of Missouri for 1914 as they had an undefeated season. Coincidentally Sam Church was the Captain of the 1914 Kewpie basketball team and was the first Kewpie to letter in four sports. The school annual, the Cresset of 1914 was the first annual to display a Kewpie. In addition to the doll between Sam’s feet in the team picture a drawing of a Kewpie appeared as a dedication to the team. The dedication said, “To the Basket Ball Team of 1914, whose loyalty to the school and to the Kewpie motto, ‘Keep Smiling’, has won the State Championship, this volume of the Cresset is dedicated.” The only previous known mascot for Columbia High School, which became David Henry Hickman High School in 1927, was the Trojans. It is referenced in the first school annual, the Cresset of 1912. Columbia/Hickman High School has graduated over 35,000 “Kewpies” in its history and they are still honored to be called “Kewpies!”