Los Altos High School receives an iron mascot

By Clyde Noel

Town Crier Staff Writer

Laura Godden, president of the Los Altos High student body, artist Hardy Jones, center, and Principal George Perez, welcome the totem eagle as the school mascot.

The eagle has landed. The soaring, powerful bird now sits close to the Los Altos High School principal's office and overlooks the quad. It was officially dedicated as the mascot last Wednesday afternoon.

The eagle sculpture was made by Los Altos resident Dr. Hardy Jones of Found Art Sculpture. A former successful orthopedic surgeon, experienced in matching bones to specifications, Jones now welds interesting creatures from plowshares, faucet handles and railroad yard fittings.

Jones creates sculptures from yesterday's machinery and salvaged broken tools, rearranging and welding them together as animals or warriors. In this assemblage, a totem eagle will serve as the Los Altos High School mascot.

"This is a good way to identify the school with its mascot," said Laura Godden, president of the student body. "It's a good way to make the school more complete."

"An eagle -- I love it," said Rich Fischer, superintendent of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District. "Ever since I got here I've been a Hardy Jones fan."

Jones has additional sculptures placed throughout Los Altos schools. Almond Elementary School has "Circles in Motion"; Springer Elementary School displays "On Your Mark. Get Set"; the "Loyola Lion" is at Loyola Elementary School; and the "Bob Cat" is featured at Santa Rita Elementary School.

Jones' "found art" for the eagle consists of tractor wrenches representing the eagle's legs and talons, horseshoes representing the feathers on the body, a double-bladed woodsman's ax representing the beak, cut circles representing the eyes, and a beam from the rafters of a barn making up the body.

"Both my children graduated from Los Altos High School, and it is a pleasure to give this to the school," Jones said. Los Altos High School Principal George Perez made a short acceptance speech.

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