Cooperstown Central School is the only district left in the state still employing Redskins as their mascot, according to a list compiled by the state education department, but community members, by and large, see no reason to change along with the times.

Last April, state commissioner of education Richard Mills sent all school board presidents and district superintendents a letter asking them to initiate a community discussion about use of Native American mascots, symbols and nicknames. Mills will be formally assessing the matter within a year.

The six-person committee, chaired by Terry Bliss, originally included three students.

"Due to their busy schedule," said Bliss, "none of these students were able to make it to any of the meetings."

The public hearing was a chance for the committee to listen to what the public had to say, Bliss said, with no opportunity to pose questions. The committee made no statement regarding their current opinion, if any, though their research began several months ago, and have had five or six meetings, Bliss said, since September. Bliss said he didn't want the forum to "dissolve into a debate." The committee, he said, is searching for "pieces to the answer."

Roughly thirty people turned out for the hearing, and only about ten spoke. A two minute time limit was placed on remarks. Stephanie Bauer of The League of Women Voters officiated the evening, and Nancy Potter kept time, waving thirty and ten second warning signs for speakers.

Paul Clark, a staunch advocate for keeping the mascot, spoke first, identifying himself as a "proud native son."

Like several of the speakers in favor of keeping the mascot, Clark said he spoke to "many Native Americans who say it's an honor."

School board member Anthony Scalici read a letter from someone who is "against a school board acting in this politicial trophy hunt."

Walter Bennett Jr. said, "We've always been the Cooperstown Redskins, that's the only thing in this town that has stayed the same....When a team in our nation's capital changes, then we can look to change."

Katharine Lloyd was one of two people who spoke in favor of changing the mascot. She dropped the bombshell of the evening when she likened Redskins to the word "nigger" which may have been acceptable one hundred years ago, she said, but certainly now it's a term white people wouldn't use.

"It's a demeaning sterotype," she said. "By demeaning someone else, it demeans us all."

Mark Takefman, who spoke next, used the same word. He said we change words in our language, and this is an important cultural aspect of our lives.

"Redskins belongs in an old world view," he said. "It identifies with genocide and hatred of a group of people."

Katherine Busse, wearing a Redskins tee-shirt, said the topic had been discussed at her high school reunion, and a "poignant letter" had been written by classmate Frank Trosset as a result.

Trosset said the Redskins are "our identity," and the rallying cry, "we are the Redskins, the mighty mighty Redksins," was a popular chant in his high school days.

The Redskins, he said, make Cooperstown a "special place to attend and a special place to grow up."

Rich Busse said, "In their naivete, my kids feel no animosity about the name. But I can also understand the other side and I appreciate and respect the people who got up here tonight. It's a tough decision. Good luck."

Bob Moglia put both sides into perspective with his brief comment.

"I'm tired of all this political correctness," he said, "but it's only a name. If the kids are attached to a name instead of their school, then they're missing the point."

Only one student spoke at the hearing.

"If you are going to change our name, then at least let us vote. Let us have a say in what it is if you're going to change it," Kate Johannesen said.