HOMECOMING

'Homecoming' is an annual tradition of the United States. People, towns, high schools and colleges come together, usually in late September or October, to welcome back former residents and alumni. It is built around a central event, such as a banquet or a game of American football, basketball, or ice hockey. When celebrated by schools, the activities vary widely. However, they usually consist of a football game played on the school's home football field, activities for students and alumni, a parade featuring the school's marching band, and the coronation of a Homecoming Queen (and at many schools, a Homecoming King). Related "Homecoming Dances" can be either boy ask girl or Sadie Hawkins style.

Contents

History

Homecoming Queen and King

Other traditions

Parade

Tailgate

Dress-up days

Rallies

Homecoming dance

Competitions

Joke candidates

Smaller school homecomings

Criticism

See also

References

History

The tradition of Homecoming most likely evolved from alumni football games held at colleges and universities since the mid 1800s. Many schools lay claim to having the first Homecoming, but three seem to have the strongest claims. The NCAA, Trivial Pursuit, and Jeopardy! give the title to The University of Missouri's 1911 football game during which alumni were encouraged to attend.^[1] Baylor University and The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign both claim to have held homecoming-like events in 1909 and 1910, respectively. All of these events had homecoming-like characteristics such as a football game, visiting alumni, and a parade. It's likely that the traditions at these schools and others merged and spread nationwide. By the 1920s homecoming was widely celebrated across the nation.^[2][3]

Homecoming Queen and King

The Homecoming Court usually consists of seniors. In high school, 17- or 18-year-old students in their final year are represented; in college, students who are completing their final year of study, usually between 21 and 23 years old.
Classmates traditionally nominate students who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to contribute to their school. Other times, students vote for the most attractive girl to be the queen. Once the Homecoming Court candidates are announced, the entire student body votes for the Queen and King (by secret ballot).
Local rules determine when the Homecoming Queen and King are crowned. Sometimes, the big announcement comes at a pep rally or school assembly one or more days before the game. Other schools crown their royalty at the Homecoming football game or dance or Basketball game.
Often, the previous year's Queen and King are invited back to crown their successors. If they are absent for whatever reason, someone else – usually, another previous Queen or King, a popular teacher, or other designated person – will perform those duties. Usually, the Queen is crowned first, followed by the King (for schools that have both kings and queens). The crowning method also varies by school.
Homecoming court members who are not crowned king or queen are often called escorts. They are often expected to participate in the week's activities as well. At some schools, a Homecoming Prince/Princess, Duke/Duchess etc. (often underclassmen nominated by their classmates) are crowned along with the King and Queen; sometimes, middle school and junior high students may partake in the high school activities.

Other traditions

Parade

Many Homecoming celebrations include a parade. The grand marshal can be the leader of the parade. The parade includes the school's marching band and different school organizations floats created by the classes and organizations. Every class prepares a float which corresponds with the Homecoming theme. In addition, the Homecoming Court takes part in the parade. The parade is often part of a series of activities scheduled for that specific day, which can also include a pep rally, bonfire and other activities for students and alumni.

Tailgate

At most major colleges and universities, the football game and preceding tailgate are the most widely recognized and heavily attended events of the week. Alumni gather from all around the world to return to their alma mater and reconnect with one another and take part in the festivities. Students, alumni, businesses, and members of the community set up tents in parking lots, fields, and streets near the stadium to cook out, play games, socialize, and even enjoy live music in many instances. These celebrations often last straight through the game for those who do not have tickets but still come to take part in the socializing and excitement of the homecoming atmosphere. Most tents even include television or radio feeds of the game for those without tickets.

Dress-up days

Throughout the week, schools (particularly high schools) engage in special dress-up days, sometimes called "Spirit Week", where students are allowed to wear clothing suitable to the theme (e.g., toga day, nerd day) leading to the homecoming. Students traditionally wear clothing with their school's name, or clothing and makeup of their school's colors on Friday.
At many high schools, especially in the southern United States, homecoming dates exchange "mums" on Homecoming Friday, to wear to the game and the dance. These are very elaborate corsages (for the girls) or garters (for the boys, worn on the arm) that consist of a large flower (usually a chrysanthemum) surrounded by a ribbon ruffle. Long ribbons, decorations and trinkets are hung from the mum which indicate the students' date of birth, name, class, interests, and messages towards other people.

Rallies

Many schools hold a rally during Homecoming week, often one or more nights before the game. The events vary, but may include skits, games, introduction of the homecoming court (and coronation of the King and Queen if that is the school's tradition), and comments from the football players and/or coach about the upcoming game.
At some schools, the Homecoming rally ends with a bonfire (in which old wood structures, the rival school's memorabilia and other items are burned in a controlled fire.)

Homecoming dance

The Homecoming Dance – usually the culminating event of the week (for high schools) – is a formal or semiformal event, either at the school or an off-campus location. The venue is decorated, and either a disc jockey or band is hired to play music. In many ways, it is a fall prom.
The Queen and King traditionally have at least one slow dance together, after which they are free to dance with whomever they wish.

Competitions

While at the high school level, students generally compete by grade level in events such as the spirit days and parade floats, the competition at the collegiate level is mainly between Greek-letter organizations and, to a lesser degree, residence halls. At most larger schools, fraternities and sororities compete on parade floats, house decorations, skits, talent competitions, and even service events such as blood drives or food drives.

Joke candidates

At some high-schools, traditions have existed to nominate a "joke candidate" for one of the positions on the Homecoming court. Such a candidate would usually be a notorious outsider, usually recruited from the social grouping most openly opposed to the corporate values of the school, which are expressed by the choice of homecoming royalty. The Joke Candidate was often elected and of course not really expected to participate in the ritual. As a result the homecoming court would be composed both of those thought to represent the paragons of the student body, as well as one representing all the opposite values.

Smaller school homecomings

While most schools schedule their Homecoming activities around football, smaller schools that do not field a football team or whose football program is weak plan the annual event at another time of the year. In these instances, basketball or ice hockey serves as the "big game" for students and alumni. Often in smaller towns with smaller populations, the parade is omitted.
At schools without athletic programs, the centerpiece event is usually a banquet, where alumni are recognized. This format is also used for alumni events of high schools that have either closed or consolidated with other high schools; the high school classes continue to meet and celebrate their years at their now-defunct alma mater.

Criticism

Some communities have been forced to deal with pranks resulting in unintended consequences, large-scale vandalism, underage drinking and other activities such as drugs and unsafe sex during homecoming. In some well-publicized instances, school administrators have followed through with threats to cancel the event, only to reinstate it after a series of administrator-led meetings. Along with this, many students find it difficult to deal with the added pressure of fitting in at such large formal events.

See also

★ ''Festa das Latas'', a homecoming at the University of Coimbra, in Portugal.

References

1. http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2006/10/20/traditions-beginnings-mysterious/
2. http://www.baylor.edu/homecoming/index.php?id=28755
3. http://www.admin.uiuc.edu/homecoming/history.pdf