Rupicola

Funny word, Rupicola...

By today's definitions, rupicola is defined as a noun, which means:

Rupicola - tropical bird of northern South America the male having brilliant red or orange plumage and an erectile disklike crest

The Cocks-of-the-rock, which compose the genus Rupicola, are South American cotingid birds. The Andean Cock-of-the-rock is the national bird of Peru.

They are found in tropical and subtropical rainforests close to rocky areas, where they build their nests. Like some other cotingids, they have a complex court behaviour, performing impressive lek displays.

The males are magnificent birds, not only because of their bright orange or red colors, but also because of their very prominent fan-shaped crests. The far duller females are overall brownish. They are wary animals and primarily feed on fruits and berries.

SHS's Rupicola

So, how did Spencer High School come to use the word rupicola?

The answer is found in the History of Spencer School District, written by Laban White (full text) which says:

Spencer High School has many fond traditions. The name of its school paper, “The Cliff Dweller,”originated from the beautiful cliffs which grace the campus of the high school. The high school year book, “Rupicola,” had its origin from the location of the high school building upon the cliffs. “Rupicola,” means, according to Webster to whom we go when in trouble, “the house on the cliffs.”

Clicking the images below will open the respective document; they are very large files.

We have extra copies of the 2000 and 2005 edition of the Rupicola; contact Mr. Steve Cooper by phone or use the feedback form to get a copy.