The History of Homecoming: Now & Then

Homecoming Now And Then

Table of Contents

Homecoming has become an elaborate celebration for today’s high school students, alumni, and community members but how did this happen and why?

The What

Homecoming game

Each year a sporting event held on the school’s home turf is dubbed the “homecoming game.” Typically it’s a football game played in the fall.

Surrounding this exciting game are the festivities of homecoming week. Dress days for students throughout the week such as crazy hair day, school spirit day, etc., an exciting pep rally, bonfire, parade through the community, tailgating before the game, and high school dance to follow are among the common events that make up homecoming week.

So what is the history of homecoming, how did this all begin, and why do we even make it a big deal anyway?

Back Then

Back Then

The earliest beginnings of homecoming date back to college alumni football games held in the early 1900s to bring everyone back home and boost school spirit. It’s debated who hosted the first official homecoming game.

Notably, the University of Illinois football team was on a losing streak for several years against a rival, The Chicago Maroons. It was believed that if they could bring everyone back and rally behind the team, they could change their luck and pull off a W.

They were successful and beat the Maroons 3-0 in front of over twelve thousand attendees. This was among some of the first homecoming events to be recorded. The traditions of homecoming were quickly adopted by high schools around the country.

Homecoming’s tradition of having a king and queen along with their court came about later down the road through the floats of a homecoming parade. Nowadays, the homecoming court is typically selected by the student body.

Going Steady

Going Steady

Although many of the homecoming festivities are arranged to pump up the team, the homecoming dance has historically taken place after the game. Some say this was acquired through the years for those who were said to be “going steady” to luster in the romance and for others to have an opportunity for the spark to ignite.

Colleges nowadays are too large to have a campus-wide dance but high schools have certainly claimed the homecoming dance and evolved it to be the event of the season. Couples get to publicly proclaim their status and friends gather to join in on the fun that surrounds the event.

From expensive dresses to fancy dinners, the homecoming dance gives prom a run for its money – literally. Even though it’s usually a little less formal than prom, today’s homecoming dance can be quite the expense.

Same Name, Same Game

Same Name Same Game

Although some homecoming festivities have become even more elaborate over the years, the general idea and the main concept has stayed the same. A community rallies behind its team throughout a specific week and cheers them on during the big game. Pretty cool that the homecoming concept hasn’t been lost over the years and it seems to be a strong event that won’t soon be lost among generations.

Do you think the homecoming tradition could be changed, improved or even eliminated in the future? Let us know in the comments below.

Hall Of Fame Plaques Homecoming Signage

If you’re looking to make this year’s homecoming extra special, we can help! With custom banners, yard signs, float signs, awards, plaques and more; the sky’s the limit.

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