Friday, April 2, 2004


Associated Press
THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls State is dropping its mascot, a Confederate officer which some feel is an homage to the Old South and the slave era.



The school announced Thursday that it would erase images of the mascot on school buildings and property and get rid of the costumed figure at football and basketball games.



The mascot is often referred to as Tillou, recalling the school's namesake, former Gov. Francis Tillou Nicholls, who was a Confederate general.


Still, university officials said Friday that the school never actually gave the mascot a name, and that the cartoon image was not originally conceived as a Civil War icon.