Bumstead Reigns In Full Glory

Bear Tracks October, 1978

From service station to Junior College campus in less than a decade. Sounds like the success story of a local yokel, but it is only the tabloid version of the life of Bumstead Bear, Junior College mascot.

What casual observer, or J.C. student, for that matter, would ever guess that the multicolored masterpiece who sits by the flagpole was ever a snow-white polar bear advertising Zerolene motor oil for a local Standard Oil station? That was the beginning of his career. Soon his advertising value had departed and he was pushed aside by a mouse--Mickey Mouse, to be more specific--the rat who's doing Standard Oil advertising now.

Bumstead--that is one of the bear's numerous cognomen--didn't stay out of circulation long. Someone built a stand across from P.U.H.S.--a stand called Igloo, and built it in the shape of an Eskimo's little ice house; they built icebergs around it just for the atmosphere----But something was lacking. The upkeep on real live Eskimos or Huskie dogs was far too great, and they could not have a dog team without dogs, --so, that is where Bumstead came in--came in and stayed until he was noticed by a talent scout from Junior College (which was then only down the street a way). "Hmm," thought the scout. "If only he were black! Hmm!"

And so it came to pass that Bumstead was the officially designated mascot of Phoenix Junior College. Of course, he had to have his paint job changed, and soon the Junior College students forgot that one change of paint was sufficient. Since that first fateful tint, he has been every color imaginable and a few that were too horrible for even the wildest imagination to grasp.

Last year Bumstead was pulled by the roots and taken to his new kingdon here on Thomas Road where he now reigns in state in the shadow of our lofty flagpole.

Part of the Phoenix College website. Rendered on 8/12/98.