Wallace Middle School’s incoming 6th grade class will be the 50th graduating class with the ‘Jack C. Hays’ Ranger as its mascot. Because the Ranger mascot, originally home to Jack C. Hays Junior High, has traveled to three additional locations, took four different school names and is ‘just a Middle School mascot’, he lives in the shadow of his alter ego the Jack C.Hays High School Rebel mascot. The halls of Wallace Middle School are adorned with various renditions of the Ranger including a 1987 Mural in the gym that looks like the brother to the HHS Rebel mascot. Wallace Middle School is looking forward to our incoming 6th grade class and the opportunity to promote the history of our ‘Jack C. Hays’ Ranger Mascot.
History of the Wallace Ranger
Laura B. Wallace Middle School’s mascot has had quite a history. It began in the summer of 1967 when Buda, Kyle and Wimberley schools came together to form the Hays Consolidated School District. The 1967-68 school year was the first year of Jack C. Hays High School and Jack C. Hays Junior High School. During that school year, the respective student council members chose their mascot and school colors. Of the choices given, Hays High School chose the Rebels and Hays Junior High School chose the Rangers.
In 1968, the Jack C. Hays Junior High (7th & 8th graders from Buda & Kyle) was located in the old Buda High School. Their school colors were blue & gray and their mascot was The Ranger.
The school’s mascot is named for John Coffee “Jack” Hays, a Captain in the Texas Rangers.
In 1970, our mascot moved to the old Kyle High School (currently the home of Kyle Elementary).
In the Spring of 1974, our mascot moved to a new facility on the South Campus of Hays High School and was renamed Hays Middle School. The Wimberley students joined the Buda & Kyle students in this new facility. 7th & 8th Graders from all three cities were now together as the Hays Middle School Rangers.
Eventually, the three cities got their own campuses. In 1986, the Kyle students moved to a new location, our current campus, and was renamed: Kyle Middle School Rangers.
In 1993, our campus changed to Kyle Intermediate School and was home to a younger group of Rangers: 4th-6th graders.
Finally, in 1999 our school was renamed Laura B. Wallace Middle School and became home to 6th-8th grade students in Kyle, Texas.
Four campuses & five name changes and one thing remains consistent:
We are the Mighty Rangers!
Deannette Niedzielski
Kyle
