School History

Did you know we have a rich history at Lincoln High School?  Listening to some of our folks that were born and raised in Lincoln, they are very proud of the fact that they graduated from Lincoln High School.  They were cheerleaders, student body officers, athletes, and even received good grades.  Some may have moved away only to return with their family.  They are here to stay and have or are giving back to their community.  Many alumni are business owners, teachers, lawyers, police officers, firemen,  school board members, ranchers and even a few have been the mayor of Lincoln.

What do you remember about high school?  LHS could probably tell some great stories about past alums, if only these walls could talk.

How did we become the Zebras?  How did our colors change from red and white to blue and gold?  Who is the oldest surviving graduate?  Who had to join the service and never did receive his diploma?  Do you remember Captain Zebra?  Remember when the track ran right through the softball field?  Who was the coach of league championships?  Which coach had a 4-peat softball team? 

Whenever you see banners, plaques or name plates around the school, remember that generation after generation are a part of the rich history of the Lincoln High School Fighting Zebras  

HOW DID ZEBRA MASCOT COME ABOUT?

From the Lincoln Messenger:

I am a fairly new resident of Lincoln and have a curious question that I don’t know of anywhere to find an answer except The Messenger.

How did the zebra become the mascot for Lincoln High School? I have lived in many parts of the country and have never heard of a zebra as a mascot. Usually something or some activity indigenous to the area is chosen. What process ended with the “fighting Zebras” as mascot? This does not seem very intimidating to opponents. I think the zebra is a relatively docile animal. I have never seen them fighting.
-- Jerry Salyer, Lincoln

How Lincoln High became the Zebras
As told by Ellis “Park” Schuler in an August 1995 letter to The Lincoln News Messenger. Park Schuler was a 1928 graduate of Lincoln High School.

“Having been in Lincoln High from ‘24 to ‘28, I was in a position to see the name (Zebras) unfold. During those years of no-pro basketball, basketball was Lincoln’s game along with Sunday baseball, and there existed a town team league in basketball. Teams were made up of fellows who were out of school but young enough to have fun playing.

“The league consisted of teams from Lincoln, Auburn, Roseville, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Marysville and others. On Lincoln’s team in the ‘20s were LaMar Schular, Art Leavell, John Brown, Roy Wheeler, Manuel Perry and others. In 1927, when I was a junior in high school, the town team decided on some new playing suits. They ended up with white and blue vertical striped uppers that truly looked like Zebras and the name “stuck.”

“That same year, the high school team (Dick Mason, Sid Smith, Park Schuler, Pete Siefert, Bob Savage and Giff Stafford), and coach Dick Lee asked the town team members if they had any objection to new suits similar to theirs, of which there was none.

“The same salesman then sold the high school the same suits but used the blue and gold stripes rather than the white and dark blue. From there it seemed just automatic that the school team be named the “Zebras” in blue and gold, a name that has stuck for 80-plus years. “I was there.”