Most folklore stories begin... "Once upon a time" and it all began in 1902 when Clifford Berryman, an American cartoonist, drew a cartoon showing President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear. The people of the United States became infatuated with Bear stories and folklore.

About the same time, Morris Michtom, a part-time toy maker, wrote Roosevelt asking permission to use the name Teddy in connection with his American made stuffed bear.

Bears were everywhere!

The significance of bears was not new. Ancient native people assigned the bear to be the symbol for teachers, healers and leaders so this was a resurgence of a very old story.

Old-timers tell the story about how in 1920 a PJC student secured the black bear cub from a touring circus for $25.00 and brought it to the newly organized Phoenix Junior College. Now the college had a frisky mascot bear cub and the athletic teams took the name "The Bears."

Unlike the UofA Wildcat, ASU's Sun Devil and NAU's Lumberjack, mere figures, PJC had a real Black Bear Cub representing school spirit.

Two heavy chain leashes were fastened to his leather collar and the cub came to all the early football games with an escort on each side.

Almost by instinct, he knew when the going was rough on the grid and would stand on his haunches and bellow.

It seems that the student body forgot that he was a living thing with the capacity for growth, for when classes convened the following year, everyone was astonished at the size of the full grown bear.

He still went to games; but he was much harder to control. Reluctantly, the students and administration realized that the black bear was no longer safe to bring to the games and sadly concluded that he might be happier somewhere else -- perhaps at a zoo.

Now the students had need of a different bear mascot, or at least a symbol of one. The PC Bear, sumbol of the college Spirit, has taken at least five different forms during his 47-year history.

From 1925-1927 some of the students would steal the plastic bear displayed in front of the Igloo Ice Cream Parlor located on 7th Street and the owner would mail a notice to the administration that their bear was missing again -- thus giving the students an opportunity to "search" for the plastic bear. Almost always before an important event or crucial game, PJC students would "borrow" the plastic bear and bring him on campus.

In 1931, a PJC student, Don Marquess, also worked for Standard Stations, Inc. When the company decided to discontinue using the Zerolene Oil Bear, Don asked if he might have a bear to present to the college. It was this bear that became the first permanent mascot at Phoenix College and in 1935 Gertrude Mack, a student, christened the bear "Bumstead."

The 900 pound concrete and porcelain bear statue moved with the student body in November 1939 from the 7th Street Campus to the 15th Avenue-Thomas Campus in a blue and gold truck escorted by 75 blue and gold decorated cars. The parade made its way through downtown Phoenix before ending on campus.

The Bear was a school tradition and was placed on an octagonal shaped pedistal near the flagpole (the present Library occupies this location).

Over the years, the bear was painted over 36 times, tar and feathered and stolen by opposing sports teams. Once he was missing about six weeks and upon his return it was decided he would be anchored in cement.

In 1947 vandals attacked the bear decapitating him with a sledge hammer. "It was a Saturday night," Dr. Smelser recalls. "My wife and I had just stepped out of the Auditorium during the intermission of the play inside. I heard an enormous explosion." The vandals were never caught.

The students were angry at the sight of a beheaded bear statue and a reconstruction project was begun immediately.

Richard Rogers, a student, proposed to mount a new head on the bear, but a faculty committee appointed to study the problem said it would be impossible.

Rogers and Dr. Virginia Botsford searched for weeks to find a suitable replacement for the statue; and were successful at Desert Wells, Arizona.

T.J. Dorman of Desert Wells helped Miss Botsford and Rogers secure the plaster, smaller-than the original bear for Phoenix College. Rogers and Eldon Hamblin, another student, made a mold of the new statue and took it to E.M. Adams of the Arizona Iron Works to cast the statue in a strong aluminum and steel alloy.

While the new bear was being molded, it was discovered that Bumstead could be repaired. Mrs. Madeline Blake, Mr. Amos Hoff, and a student, Richard Hoff (no relation) pleaced the new head on the bear's shoulders.

"It worked," said Mr. Hoff, "but shortly after he was repaired, the larger plaster statue was attacked again and broken into many more pieces." It stood in ruins as late as 1949 and was mutilated beyond salvation. About the same time, the smaller plaster and metal bears also vanished.

In 1966, over 17 years later, the small plaster bear was found in the rafters of the Administration Building by J. Lee Thompson, dean of the College. Thompson took the bear to the Art Department for a fresh coat of plaster and paint. The metal bear was also found but soon disappeared again. Then in 1967, Ed Bardo or A.L. Darnell of the Maintenance Department found the 200 pound metal bear under saw horses and lumber in a storage area.

So by 1968, The Bear Tracks staff and the Associated Men Students began a campaign to reinstate the Bear's rightful place as the Keeper of the PC Spirit by soliciting funds for a larger statue. Although this venture failed, Bear Tracks, the official PC newspaper, displayed the smaller metal bear in their office.

In 1982, a short history of the Phoenix College Bear was added to a national publication called, What's in a Nickname?, a collection of the oldest and most colorful college, animal mascots in the United States.

Again in 1995, the Bear made by E.M. Adams was found in the college archives and was featured on the college's daily channel television program, PC Magazine and a bear article appeared in Bear Tracks, the college newspaper.

Now in 1996, Phoenix College, "The Home of the Bears" located in the heart of the city is still going strong.

Serving an ever changing diverse population, "The Home of the Bears" offers a multi-facited lifelong learning environment through credit and non-credit academic courses, caring staff, student activities and clubs, fitness center and collegiate sports. And...a place to meet and know interesting people from all over the United States!

In a conscious effort to provide academic (mental), psychological (emotional), physical and cultural (spiritual) learning components, this college continues to educate the teachers, leaders, and healers of the future.

Recently receiving its 10 year accreditation from the North Central Association, Phoenix College moves into the 21st Century as a leader in integrated learning.

We have not heard the end of the PC Bear and its investment in todays students and their contribution to society and the culture of tomorrow!

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