In 1972, O.J was Alive and Well

This letter from a PCW Sophomore was published in the student opinion section (the “Patriot Pipeline”) in November of 1972. The commentary sparked response from the school community as shown here.

Ever since a certain Editorial entitled “O.J. Is Dead” appeared in the Patriot Pipeline last issue, we have been having rebuttals to that article.We thought that it might be of interest for you, the student, to have these available. So instead of just picking out one certain letter, we decided to have all of them represented.So here they are. Hopefully, they will clear up a few misunderstandings.

Editorial Editor,
Jill Riley

To all misinformed students:

We feel a clarifications needs to be made about the difference between O.J. Bumpkin and John Paul Patriot.First of all, John Paul is a material person who represents the entire student body. John is in the glass case in the front of the school, in the floor by the concession stand, on the gym wall, as well as in several other places.The face on the patriot did nothing to change what he stands for, nor does his color. Should all pictures of John Paul be faceless?

O.J., however is the spirit of Putnam City West. He is faceless, has no physical features, and cannot be contained in a glass case. He is the sixth player on the basketball team, another tuba player in the band, or a Student Council representative. He cannot be seen or touched, only felt We think that a better understanding of these two important facets of our school will help make both more relevant to every patriot.
Sincerely,
The Stuco Officers

I am writing this letter in hopes of awakening the sophomore who considers O.J. as being dead.When I first came to P.C.W. this year, I heard about O.J. at one of the pep rallys. I first thought it was ridiculous for high school students to have an imaginary friend to give them initiative and motivation.My school last year didn’t have anything like O.J., nor was our spirit anything like West’s either.The mannequin by the north door is a Patriot, and not O.J. Bumpkin. O.J. is a spirit and cannot be represented in any shape or form. O.J. is not dead, but alive in the minds of those who believe in him, just as he has always been.

O.J. lives!

Keath Korper (class of ’73)

To Gary Schilling

I am writing in regards to your letter in the newspaper. The man standing in the glass case is not OJ. He He is a Patriot. He is not one particular figure, but represents a shared concept of a traditional patriot.

The time is not gone that when all can see O.J. Bumpkin the way they want to, O.J. is a spirit, our spirit. He doesn’t have physical features because he only exists in the mind.

O.J. is truly alive to all who will believe in him.

Loyal to “The Bum”
–A Senior

“OJ Is Dead.” That headline appeared in the last issue of the Towne Cryer raising an important question to all Patriots. Is OJ. Bumkin, the spirit of PCW, really dead? OJ was born out of a dream of one of our coaches at West four year ago. From there it grew to be the symbol of pride and unity among Patriots.

According to that editorial, there are some people who think that OJ has died and become meaningless. I wonder if it’s just a coincidence that these people are usually the same people who are always talking about the problems but never working to solve them; the same people who you can never get to attend an early morning pep rally or who just sit and do nothing at pep assemblies; the same people who never work on class floats, are the first to complain if their loses. Maybe OJ is not the who is dead but them. It’s just like anything else in life… You get what you put into it.
If you are one of these that think OJ is dead and gone, get in and do something about it. If you didn’t like the last assembly, help plan the next one. Get involved in school activities such as clubs, concerts, basketball games or float building and you’ll find that OJ is not dead but definitely alive!