More than 30 years ago, Eastern Washington State College, as the school at Cheney was known then, changed the name of its athletic teams from “Savages” to “Eagles.” The issue simmered for a full year before it was resolved. For two weeks, the school had no mascot at all.

It was a trustee from Bellevue who noted that the mascot name that had been in use since about 1925 was demeaning to American Indians. Still, faculty, students and alumni voted overwhelmingly to retain the previous name (the distant second-place finisher was “Braves”), and even a vote among Native American students on campus favored it.

But Trustee Ronald E. Robinson persisted, the change was finalized in July 1973, and Eastern’s athletes have been Eagles since – even as debates rage across the land over other teams with mascots that raise sensitivity issues in Indian communities.

With that local history in mind, the Spokane Indians professional baseball team deserves credit for reaching out to the Indian tribe whose name it has adopted. The minor league club, owned by Brett Sports and Entertainment, is retaining its name, but this week it announced a new logo that was designed in consultation with tribal leaders and intended to honor their history. Richard Sherwood, chairman of the Spokane Tribal Business Council, expressed hope that the team’s approach would set an example for other teams and organizations.

The harmonious nature of this week’s announcement did not avert criticism from other corners. Vernon Bellecourt, president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media, was sharply critical of tribes that lend support to any mascot application of Indian names.

All of which goes to show that Native Americans are no more monolithic than any other cultural group. As was the case in 1973 at Eastern, individual opinions are likely to differ. Bellecourt’s reaction was predictable, and there probably will be other voices who dismiss the exercise as political correctness.

The main thing for now is that the Spokane Indians – the tribe and team directly involved – arrived at a satisfactory conclusion based on respectful attitudes.

That approach won’t end the conflict at the national level. It probably won’t assure universal or lasting accord even in this region. But the effort to anticipate sensitivity and deal with it constructively and cooperatively was an admirable beginning.