The next time you’re cheering on the football team at Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium or buying a piece of purple and gold attire at the bookstore, you may stop and wonder, “What exactly is a Briton?”
Trajan Dubiel, a former Albion employee and one of the main creators behind the mascot, said,“In 2010, there was talk about finally getting a mascot. The Briton, being a latter day resident of England, was the overwhelming vote winner.”
Time for a history lesson.
The Britons, by origin, were the Celtic inhabitants of Great Britain from the Iron Age to the end of the Roman takeover. Perhaps the most recognizable Briton was the great King Arthur, whose stories are often told through folklore and modern legend. According to these tales, Arthur led the Britons against Anglo-Saxon invaders during the fifth century. Not to be confused with the one in search of the holy grail, this King Arthur fought for Britain to remain a territory of the west. This may help explain our mascot’s combat-esque appearance
Since the Britons settled in the earliest regions of Great Britain, it is only fitting to allude to one of the earliest known names for the British island: Albion. Contrary to popular belief, this college campus is not the only Albion that has ever existed. From its Oxford definition, the name “Albion” is still used as a literary term to refer to England.
All history aside, the students here at Albion College certainly take pride in being Britons and embody what it means to be a Briton each day. Just as the Britons were doing in latter day England, students are apt to make new discoveries. Day in and day out, students work hard in the classroom, on the field and in the community.
In telling your colleagues that you’re a Briton, always do so with passion. Bulldogs and Knights definitely don’t have history on their side.
Photo by Albion Communications Department
Was the bulldog ever a mascot? I have a friend who says he wore the bulldog costume at games there in the early 70s.