Junior College and Athletic Nicknames
Dixie Normal College simplified its name to Dixie College in 1923.[1] The school continued to grow and attract new students. It was sometime in the early 1920s when the school began to use its first prominent team name, the Flyers.[2] The name was used by the basketball team at least as early as 1924 and was extensively used by the school shortly thereafter. Both the high school and college male basketball teams were called Flyers.[3]
The 1928 yearbook featured an airplane on the front cover and multiple references to the Flyers.[4] The high school jersey had an airplane flying through the letter D. The college team that year featured coach Leland Hafen’s young son Keith as the mascot standing behind a small deer named “BIMBO The Flyer.”[5] Not much else is said about the deer. A 1924 yell included the lines “We’ve got the Bimbo,” but it’s unclear whether this was related to a deer.[6] Keith Hafen later played basketball for Dixie High School and Dixie College. He became an actual “Flyer” (pilot) but was killed serving in World War II.[7]
Dixie Junior College (1933-1971)
In 1933, Dixie College became part of the state system, and the name was changed to Dixie Junior College.[8]
During the 1930s and especially into the 1940s, college enrollment continued to grow, and new housing was created to accommodate demand.[9]
The Rebels (1951)
By 1951, Dixie Junior College and Dixie High School had long been using “Flyers” for both the high school and college teams. There was student debate about separating the teams and, if so, who would keep the “Flyers” name.[10] In December 1951, the school announced it would change the name of the college’s teams because of difficulties with scheduling and marketing.[11] A “name-selection” committee chose seven names from student submissions that were voted on by the students.[12] The eventual victor was “The Rebels.”[13] According to the Washington County News, "Athletic teams of Utah’s ‘Deep South’ college now bear a ‘Deep South’ name...‘The Rebels’ was the popular choice of students and faculty members of the college.”[14] Dixie High School kept the “Flyers” nickname.
There is little reference to “Rebels” in school yearbooks in the first few years after the change.[15] The student newspaper, however, quickly embraced the new nickname for athletics, clubs and events.[16]
For decades, students embraced Confederate iconography for branding, differentiation, fundraising, and themed events on campus and in the community.[17] During much of this period, the college and community did not generally acknowledge, or possibly even recognize, these images and acts as potentially unpatriotic, demeaning, or harmful.[18]
The student council and later the college board of trustees eventually revoked use of the Confederate flag as a school symbol in 1993.[19] The Rebels nickname and the name Dixie were later changed.[20] Each circumstance met heated and continuing debates about heritage, identity, tradition, and social responsibility.[21]
High School Separation and a New Campus
After the question of State sponsorship was determined in the 1950s, Washington County resident and Utah State Senator Orval Hafen and the Dixie Education Association pressured the State legislature to better fund Dixie Junior College.[22] This included beginning the process of constructing a new and larger college campus east of town – the current campus location – and physically separating the high school and the college. The first construction for the new campus was a much need gymnasium. A fine arts center and many more buildings followed. The new campus officially opened in 1963 and marked the final separation of the college and high school. This was not without its challenges. Separating the college and high school meant dividing staff and faculty, many of whom had been teaching both high school and college classes.[23]
Dixie College (1971-2000)
The campus continued active construction, and enrollment grew dramatically in the 1960s and 1970s.[24] The name was changed back to Dixie College in 1971.[25] Campus additions continued in the ensuing decades. The Hansen Stadium was completed in 1983.[26] Football had previously been played in the Dixie Sun Bowl, a multi-use arena. A large new venue, the Dixie Center, was built in partnership with local communities in 1987, featuring the Burns Arena and the Cox Auditorium.[27] These later became important campus buildings. Other campus additions included the Udvar-Hazy School of Business and the Gardner Student Center.[28]
Citations
[1] "Commencement Program, The Dixie," Washington County News (St. George, UT), May 24, 1923, 1, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6x36bqr.
[2] A.F.W., "Tourney Sidelights," Ogden Standard-Examiner (Ogden, UT), March 6, 1924, 9, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s61n92mp.;
H.L.R., "Dixie Aspires to B.B. Championship," The Dixie News (St. George, UT), December 29, 1925, 1, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6sj75x0.
[3] "Basketball," Washington County News (St. George, UT), December 29, 1927, 1, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s67w7sfn.
[4] The Student Body, The Dixie 1928 (Salt Lake City: Paragon Printing Company, 1928), Utah Tech University Library Digital Collections, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/691#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.
[5] The Student Body, The Dixie 1928, 90-93.
[6] "Hello Dixie Yells," The Dixie News (St. George, UT), November 18, 1924, 3, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6m09rsx.
[7] Douglas V. Allred, "The Life and Contributions of Lee Hafen to Athletics at Dixie College," (Master's thesis, Utah State University, 1968), 8, 46-48, https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3877&context=etd.
[8] Dixie Junior College, H.B. 58, 20th Legislature, Chapter 50 (1933), 90, Hein Online, https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.ssl/ssut0133&i=102.;
"Dixie College Becomes Part of the State System," Washington County News (St. George, UT), March 23, 1933, 1, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=21781866&q=appropriation+dixie&sort=rel&year_start=1931&year_end=1934&facet_paper=%22Washington+County+News%22.;
Joseph K. Nicholes, “President’s Annual Report 1932 - 1933,” President Joseph K. Nicholes Collection, UA-021, box 4, folder 17, 5, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://archives.utahtech.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/18398.
[9] "Appropriation Approved for Trailer House Camp," Dixie Junior College Student Newspaper (St. George, UT), November 16, 1945, 5, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s61w11dz.;
"Trailer Homes May House Student Vets at Dixie College," Washington County News (St. George, UT), September 13, 1945, 1, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6kh22n2.;
"G.I. Joes," Dixie Junior College Student Newspaper (St. George, UT), September 20, 1946, 9, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s62p0nmz.
[10] Jack Seitz and Willa Nita Brooks. "Should the Flyers Change Their Name?," Dixie Journalist Chatter (St. George, UT), November 30, 1951, 3, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6zh2cn6.
[11] "Dixie College Students Change Name of Upper Classmen Sports Team," Washington County News (St. George, UT), December 20, 1951, 1, Washington County Library (St. George, UT).
[12] "Dixie College Students Change Name of Upper Classmen Sports Team," 1.
[13] "Dixie College Athletic Teams Choose New Title Of Deep south Heritage," Washington County News (St. George, UT), December 27, 1951, 1, Washington County Library (St. George, UT).
[14] "Dixie College Athletic Teams Choose New Title Of Deep south Heritage," Washington County News.;
"’Rebels’ New Name for Teams At Dixie College," Iron County Record (Cedar City, UT), December 27, 1951, 6, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6f77b0r.;
For a general history of the history and change from the Flyers Mascot to Rebels, see Heber Jones, "Interview with Heber Jones," interview by Nancy Ross, Nancy Ross Oral History Collection, April 25, 2019, audio, 14:00-23:00, Utah Tech University Library Digital Collections, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/809#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.
[15] This and the following sentence are based on text searching and general browsing through Dixie State University Student Newspapers in Utah Digital Newspapers (https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/search?q=rebels&sort=rel&year_start=1951&year_end=1953&facet_paper=%22Dixie+State+University+Student+Newspapers%22) and Dixie State University Yearbooks 1951-1957 (https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/browse?collection=17&page=2).
[16] This is based on text searching and general browsing through Dixie State University Student Newspapers in Utah Digital Newspapers (https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/search?q=rebels&sort=rel&year_start=1951&year_end=1953&facet_paper=%22Dixie+State+University+Student+Newspapers%22) and Dixie State University Yearbooks 1951-1957 (https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/browse?collection=17&page=2).;
’North’ Plans ‘Secesh’," Dixie Sun (St. George, UT), January 25, 1952, 2, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6q00w8c.
[17] "Our History," Utah Tech University, accessed January 24, 2024, https://about.utahtech.edu/history/.;
Kaitlyn Bancroft, "Confederate flags, mock slave auctions, minstrel shows: Can Utah's 'Dixie' be separated from past associations?," The Spectrum (St. George, UT), July 17, 2020, https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/2020/07/17/dixie-name-racist-history-confederacy-st-george-utah/5370233002/.;
Dixie College, Dixie ‘63, St. George, UT, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, 98-99, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/1114#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.;
"Dixie College 1951 School Year Movie #2," Utah Tech University Library Digital Collections, Utah Tech Historic Films, accessed March 5, 2024, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/1216.;
Lon Henderson and Carrie Henderson, "Interview with Lon and Carrie Henderson," by Makoto Hunter, Utah Tech University Library Digital Collections, Audio Recording, October 14, 2021, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/1060#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.;
Dixie Secession and Spirit of Dixie Fundraisers, WASH-076, collection, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://archives.utahtech.edu/repositories/2/resources/112.
[18] Heber Jones, "Interview with Heber Jones,” 20:00-23:00.
[19] Aubrey Densley, "Dixie College Redesigns Flag," The Dixie Sun (St. George, UT), October 8, 1993, 2, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6ms9dgp.;
Aubrey Densley, "Despite Opposition, Rebel Flag to be Retired," The Dixie Sun (St. George, UT), November 18, 1993, 1-2, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6034c69.
[20] Whitney Phillips, "'Red Storm Rolls into Dixie," The Dixie Sun (St. George, UT), January 28, 2009, 1-2, Utah Digital Newspapers. https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6kx12sm.;
"Name Change Process to Utah Tech University," Utah Tech University, accessed January 25, 2024, https://utahtech.edu/nameprocess/.
[21] Aubrey Densley, "Despite Opposition," 1-2.; Whitney Phillips, "'To Be or Not to Be? Students Protest the Red Storm Nickname," The Dixie Sun (St. George, UT), February 11, 2009, 1, 3, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6bc9k70.;
Terrell Wilkins, "The Argument Returns: How St. George Kept its 'Dixie' Name and What Happens Now," The Spectrum (St. George, UT), July 2, 2020, https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/2020/07/02/st-george-dixie-debate-returns-history-future-racism-confederacy/5357687002/.;
"Letters to the Editor: Weighing in on the Dixie Debate," The Spectrum (St. George, UT), December 31, 2020, https://www.thespectrum.com/story/opinion/2020/12/31/letters-editor-southern-utah-weighs-dixie-debate/4090140001/.
[22] Douglas D. Alder, A Century of Dixie State College of Utah, 115, 120-124, 130.
[23] Douglas D. Alder, A Century of Dixie State College of Utah, 128.;
Ellen Bonadurer, Personal Interview, St. George, UT, February 21, 2024.
[24] Douglas D. Alder, A Century of Dixie State College of Utah, 133-170.
[25] "Our History," Utah Tech University, accessed January 24, 2024, https://about.utahtech.edu/history/.
[26] Douglas D. Alder, A Century of Dixie State College of Utah, 193-196.
[27] Alder, Century, 183-184, 198-199.
[28] Alder, Century, 236-240.
Images
Confederate 1966 (St. George, UT: Dixie Junior College), Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/1117#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.
Confederate 1974 (St. George, UT: Dixie College), Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/1395#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.
Confederate 1979 (St. George, UT: Dixie College), Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/1400#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.
The Dixie 1925 (St. George, UT: Dixie College), Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/784#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.
The Dixie 1928 (St. George, UT: Dixie College), Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/691#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.
Dixie College 1955-56 (St. George, UT: Dixie Junior College), Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/1107#?c=&m=&s=&cv=.