Homecoming

For other uses, see Homecoming (disambiguation).

Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back former residents and alumni of an institution. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America. It usually includes activities for students and alumni, such as sports and culture events and a parade through the streets of the city or town. Additionally, the term can also refer to the special services conducted by some religious congregations, particularly by many smaller American Protestant churches, that are often held annually but sometimes as one-time-only events, to celebrate church heritage and welcome back former members or pastors.

United States

Homecoming is an annual tradition of the United States. People, towns, high schools and colleges come together, usually in late September or early October, to welcome back former residents and alumni. It is built around a central event, such as a banquet and, most often, a game of American football, or, on occasion, 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 sports teams, and the coronation of a Homecoming Queen (and at many schools, a Homecoming King).

Origins

The tradition of Homecoming has its origins in alumni football games held at colleges and universities since the mid-19th century. Many schools lay claim to having the first Homecoming, but several 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.

University of Missouri's first Homecoming game in 1911

The history of the University of Missouri Homecoming can be traced back to 1891, when the Missouri Tigers first faced off against the Kansas Jayhawks in football in the first installment of the Border War, which is also the oldest college football rivalry west of the Mississippi River. The intense rivalry originally took place at neutral sites, usually in Kansas City, Missouri, until a new conference regulation was announced that required intercollegiate football games to be played on collegiate campuses. To renew excitement in the rivalry, ensure adequate attendance at the new location, and celebrate the first meeting of the two teams on the Mizzou campus in Columbia, Missouri, Mizzou Athletic Director Chester Brewer invited all alumni to "come home" for the game in 1911. Along with the football game, the celebration included a parade and spirit rally with bonfire. The event was a success, with nearly 10,000 alumni coming home to take part in the celebration and watch the Tigers and Jayhawks play to a 3-3 tie. The Missouri homecoming model, with its parade and spirit rally centered around a large football game is the model that has gone on to take hold at colleges and high schools across the United States.

Baylor University and The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign both held events similar to modern homecomings 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.

In 1909, Baylor University held an organized alumni event described as a "Home-Coming" whose focus point was a varsity sports match, as well as a concert, pep rally, parade, and bonfire; however, the extensively planned event was isolated and wasn't replicated again at Baylor until 1915.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign credits two senior members of the class of 1910 with establishing the tradition of homecoming at Illinois. These two men were Clarence F. Williams and W. Elmer Ekblaw. According to recollections Williams in 1930, the idea came to the two men in 1910 while they were sitting on the steps of the YMCA discussing ways of contributing to their alma mater. The men's idea culminated in Illinois' first homecoming event on October 15, 1910. The event celebration centered around the football game against the University of Chicago, and it also included various alumni reunions, initiations, and banquets.

Traditions

Homecoming Court

The Homecoming Court is a representative group of students that, in a coeducational institution, consists of a King and Queen, and possibly Prince(s) and Princess(es). In a single-sex institution, the Homecoming Court will usually consist of only a King and Princes (for a male school) or a Queen and Princesses (for a female school), although some schools may choose to join with single-gender schools of the opposite gender to elect the Homecoming Court jointly.

Generally, the King and Queen are students completing their final years of study at their school (also called seniors), while the Princes and Princesses are underclassmen. In high school, 17- or 18-year-old students in their final year are represented by a King or Queen; in college, students who are completing their final year of study, usually between 21 and 23 years old.

Classmates traditionally nominate students who have done a lot to contribute to their school, then students vote for members of the Court from the nominees. Once the Homecoming Court candidates are announced, the entire student body votes for the Queen and King. The voting is often conducted by secret ballot, but other methods may also be used by certain schools.

Local rules determine when the Homecoming Queen and King are crowned. Sometimes, the big announcement comes at a pep rally, school assembly, or public ceremony one or more days before the game. Other schools crown their royalty at the Homecoming football game, a dance or other school event.

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. The crowning method also varies by school.

Homecoming court members who are not crowned king or queen are often called escorts or royalty . 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.

Parade

Many Homecoming celebrations include a parade. Students often select the grand marshal based on his/her service and support to the school and/or community. The parade includes the school's marching band and different school organizations floats created by the classes and organizations and most of the sports get a chance to be in the parade. Every class prepares a float which corresponds with the Homecoming theme or related theme of school spirit as assign by school administrators. In addition, the Homecoming Court takes part in the parade, often riding together in one or more convertibles as part of 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, snake dance, 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, binge drink, 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.

Picnic

Sometimes during the school week, a dick suckin click. The picnic is very similar to the tailgate party, but it occurs after school or during the school's lunch period.

Dress-up days

Throughout the week, many 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, (cowboy day), nerd day, pirate day, Rat Pack 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.

Mums

A tradition that has been in place for almost a century at many Southwestern American high schools, especially in Texas and Oklahoma, homecoming dates exchange mums on Homecoming Friday, to wear to the game and the dance. These are very elaborate [[ stupid bitcher ass ]]) surrounded by a ribbon ruffle. Long ribbons, decorations and trinkets are hung from the mum. These decorations are carefully chosen to indicate the students' class, homecoming date, activities, and interests, in addition to commemorating the homecoming event with decorations related to the school and the homecoming game.

Riots

Occasionally, students at various high schools or colleges have engaged in violent or destructive riots. Common rioting activities include the burning of furniture or cars, rallying noisily in the streets, hazing (throwing pennies/attacking seniors) and/or vandalizing the school of the opponents. Schools generally denounce these activities.

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.) Many colleges and high schools no longer hold bonfires because of accidents that have occurred surrounding these events in the past. The most well known accident took place in 1999, when 12 students were killed and 27 others were injured at Texas A&M University when a 40-foot-tall (12 m) pile of logs that had been assembled for a homecoming bonfire collapsed.

Homecoming dance

The Homecoming Dance – usually the culminating event of the week (for high schools) – is a formal or informal 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. Homecoming dances could be informal as well just like standard school dances. At high schools, the homecoming dances are sometimes held in the high school gymnasium or outside in a large field.

Since most colleges are too large to facilitate a campus-wide dance, these events are usually handled instead by student organizations such as fraternities, sororities, and residential colleges. Because football and alumni events are the focal points of collegiate homecoming, dances often take place during a different week when schedules are more permitting, or not at all.

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. Sometimes on coronation night, some schools have games that they play between classes. Such events include the pyramid, the 3 legged race, the pop chug, and tug of war.

Smaller school homecomings

While most schools schedule their Homecoming activities around football, smaller schools that do not field a football team may 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.

Courtwarming

In some parts of the country, high school basketball has gained a homecoming celebration of its own. Often referred to as Winter Homecoming, Hoopcoming, Coronation, Snowcoming, or Courtwarming (the latter is especially prominent in parts of Missouri), it usually includes rallies, dress-up days, special dinners, king and queen coronations, and other winter-friendly activities typically associated with football homecoming.

Similar events

Some schools have Homecoming like events during the school year. Many of them have similar traditions to homecoming events such as the big game, dress up days, dance, etc.

Homecoming outside the United States

Canada

Homecoming celebrations are uncommon at universities across Canada. The best-known and largest homecoming weekends are held by University of Western Ontario, McMaster University, Queen's University, University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University each year. Canadian homecoming weekends are often centred around a football game but are also filled with events such as "pancake keggers" and parades.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, communities have a "Come Home Year" where people who have moved away from their town come back from across Canada. In 2000, there was a provincial "Come Home Year", where many people came back to visit their various communities.

Homecomings are not popular among Canadian high schools, and it is rare to find one that celebrates homecoming. Newmarket High School and London South Collegiate Institute are the only known schools in Ontario to arrange homecomings. Upper Canada College also has a longstanding homecoming tradition, although it calls the event A-Day (Association Day).

Other

The term "homecoming" can also refer to the special services conducted by some religious congregations, particularly by many smaller American Protestant churches, to celebrate church heritage and welcome back former members or pastors. They are often held annually, but are sometimes held as one-time-only events, to celebrate the occasion.

Homecoming should not be confused with prom, as they usually occur at different times of the year. Homecoming usually occurs in the fall, and prom usually occurs in the spring.

See also

• Prom
• Winter Formal