The Johnny Reb statue has been standing in the entrance hall of Southside High School for more than 40 years.
Because of the mascot change, Johnny Reb was scheduled to head to his "vacation" home today, but the statue's creator and school officials decided to keep him in the school hallways until the end of June.
"This year I think there are three graduating classes that want to have reunions and all of them have said things to me about 'let's have it somewhere where we can all take pictures with it,'" statue creator Greg Whitsitt said.
Whitsitt, who made the statue for an art project in 1977, said he does not want Johnny Reb to be forgotten.
"The Rebel is something that a lot of people, obviously they see it, they recognize it immediately," Whitsitt said. "I don't want it to disappear into the back, dark halls of a museum somewhere that might be stored for months and months and months,.
As for the statue's future, Whitsitt said they want to put it in a place that will be accessible to the people of Southside.
"The general, not public, but the population of Southside, to be able to maybe utilize it for now and for years to come," Whitsitt said.