page_title: Albert Sidney Johnston High School
section_title: School Mascot
hierarchical_section_title: Albert Sidney Johnston High School / School Information / School Mascot
caption_attribution_description: English: The head of King Ramses I (the former mascot of Johnston High School in Austin, Texas) which used to hang in the office of the school
context_page_description: Albert Sidney Johnston High School served as a comprehensive, coeducational high school in the Austin Independent School District from 1960 to 2008. Located in Austin, Texas, the school was named after General Albert Sidney Johnston, who served as Secretary of War for the Republic of Texas and as a brigadier general for the Texian Army of the Republic of Texas, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army.
  From its inception in 1960, Johnston High School was well known for a wide variety of vocational and technical programs that prepared students for work in such fields as cosmetology, printing, auto mechanics, industry and business. Primarily a school for the Hispanic and African-American students of East Austin, Johnston High School grew to be a 5A school and weathered the challenges of desegregation, forced busing, and the end of desegregation.
  From 1988 to 2002, Johnston High School housed the signature Liberal Arts Academy, a college-preparatory liberal arts magnet program that brought students to Johnston High School from throughout the Austin Independent School District.
context_section_description: The mascot of Johnston High School was the ram.
  
  The program for the school's 25th jubilee in 1985 shares that “students of the new school chose everything. It was their school, …and the principal, Mr. Bailey, was determined that they should have a voice in selecting everything from its mascot to its yearbook name.”  The school's 1985 yearbook shares that “rumors circulate that a ram was selected since a ram once roamed free around the school when it was first built and nothing but cow pastures surrounded the school. Another version accounting for the name was that since the Los Angeles Rams were a popular and powerful football team at the time Johnston was seeking a mascot, the Rams were a likely choice.”  The program for the school's 25th jubilee confirms, “The students selected the Ram as their mascot because the Los Angeles Rams were a powerful football team at the time.” 
  School yearbooks suggest that during the school's first year, the Fall Student Council led an effort to purchase a ram, named “King Ramses I,” which accompanied students to athletic competitions. During the school's second year, the Boys’ Service Club was formed to take care of the mascot and to transport it to and from athletic competitions. After the death of King Ramses I in 1964, the Boys’ Service Club mounted its head in the front hall of the school, and a new mascot by the same name was purchased.
  The program for the school's 25th jubilee in 1985 offers a slightly different history: that “many high schools had live mascots in the 60’s, and Johnston was no exception. A live ram was given to the school by a student’s father; he was promptly named Ramses. He was kept at a student’s house, but he went to all football games. At one game, another team was represented by a live horse with a student rider. The horse was spooked by Ramses and nearly threw his rider. The school board then ruled that no school could have a live mascot. So Johnston had to get rid of Ramses! A student group at the time, perhaps the Boys’ Club, decided to slaughter him and use the cooked meat as a fundraiser. The feast was held at a local restaurant, and Ramses’ head was stuffed and mounted and hung in the main hall of Johnston. The head was taken down in 1983 because of its dirtied condition and is being cleaned.”
  
  The program continues: “After the demise of Ramses, the school was adopted by a second ‘mascot.’ A small black-and-white dog decided he would be Johnston's mascot, guard dog, and general care-taker. His name seems to be lost in the caverns of individual memories; some people claim he was called ‘Ramsey,’ others ‘Ramses II,’ and others say he was simply ‘Ram.’ At any rate, he was allowed to roam the halls and eat in the cafeteria. He had enough sense not to disturb classes, and the students had enough sense not to take him to football games. Ramsey and Johnston were very happy together until—one day, the circus came to town. And when the circus left, Ramsey was gone. Whether he was dog-napped, was killed, or voluntarily left for excitement and adventure was never known. But Johnston has not had a live mascot since.” 
  The school later purchased the costume of a ram for a new mascot, which was named “Rambo" after the protagonist John Rambo in the 1980s film series starring Sylvester Stallone. By 2001, the costume had suffered enough wear that a new Rambo costume was purchased.
  Because the school mascot was the ram, the school was often referred to as “Ramland,” and students and athletes alike were often referred to as Rams and Ramettes.
caption: The head of King Ramses I (the former mascot of Johnston High School in Austin, Texas) which used to hang in the office of the school
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