Labor (Day) Intensive High School Nicknames Get the Job Done …
Granite Diggers, Grape Pickers, Shipbuilders, and Almost 200 Other Occupations Give U.S. High Schools Their Working Identities
from David Winder, for GreensboroSports.com…..
Lake Jackson, Texas — — There are close to 200 jobs used as high school nicknames. These represent more than 1,100 U.S. high schools. Cowboys, Generals, and Lumberjacks are some of the more popular occupations.
As people gather this Labor Day to honor the contributions and achievements of the American worker, many U.S. high schools use their nicknames to commemorate past and present professions throughout the years. David Winder, the author of ‘Where Are The Fighting Giraffes?’ found there was a close correlation between high school nicknames and local businesses and industry.
Take This Job and Love It
There are also many unique monikers that honor a variety of those in the labor force (past and present), including:
Appleknockers (Cobden HS, IL)
Auctioneers (Mullins HS, SC)
Barristers (Marshall HS, Los Angeles, CA)
Beetdiggers (Brush HS, CO; Jordan HS, Sandy, UT)
Cheesemakers (Tillamook HS, OR; Monroe HS, WI)
Exporters (Brazosport HS, Freeport, TX)
Granite Diggers (Mellen HS, WI)
Grape Pickers (North End HS, PA)
Harpooners (Point Hope School, Tikigaq, AK)
Muckers (Tonopah HS, NV; Virginia City HS, NV)
Shipbuilders (Bath HS, ME; Lincoln HS, Manitowoc, WI)
Working for the Weekend
Where Are the Fighting Giraffes?: A Guide to the Ordinary, Odd and Outrageous Nicknames of U.S. High Schools, a new book from David Winder and Feigenwinter Publishing, has a section on Occupations and Other Languages, Space, Vegetables, and many other genres. In total, the book includes over 900 high school handles – none of which is the Fighting Giraffes.
“The industries and jobs that are important to the history of many towns live on in high school nicknames,” said Winder. “It’s great to see names like the East Hampton Bellringers and the Danbury Hatters remain a vital part of the schools and the surrounding area.”
What a Way to Make a Living
Where Are the Fighting Giraffes? A Guide to the Ordinary, Odd and Outrageous Nicknames of U.S. High Schools, is currently available at Amazon in both print and e-book formats. Fighting Giraffes e-books focusing on Texas, California, and Florida high schools are also available at Amazon.
About David Winder
David Winder is a former sportswriter who believes the world needs more fun nicknames for schools, teams, and individuals. His high school is the Wildcats.