Though many people immediately label Francis Howell as the home of the Vikings, there was one other mascot claimed by Howell prior to the settlement of Scandinavian seafarers in suburban St. Charles. The mascot students of Howell know has been a part of its 134-year history for about 55 years, which is less than half of our school’s existence. From the time our school opened in 1881 until the late 1960’s, students of Francis Howell were Dragoons. Not the oversized, fire-breathing reptiles, but the 18th century soldiers of the French army. More specifically, Dragoons were horse-mounted, infantrymen who were trained in combat skills and horse riding. Francis Howell kept this mascot for, roughly, 80 years.

After making the transition between two historical, European cultures, Francis Howell established a mascot trend among the other Howell schools. The three high schools are the Vikings, Spartans, and Knights, which were all responsible for protecting their countries and conquering their enemies.

“Vikings come off as strong and insanely brave,” senior Trystan Stevens said. “They’re the type of people who are always willing to fight for what they want and not give up until they have it.”

writer: Kristen Landon