Homecoming is an exciting part of almost every high schooler’s life in America, for most people it’s fun and exciting to get asked out and then to get dressed up with friends and partners to go to the dance and take pictures but have you ever taken the time to think about why exactly we have homecoming and why
it’s in the beginning of the year and not the end?
Homecoming began at colleges as a celebration for the first football game of the season. The history of homecoming can be traced back to the early 20th century, and its origins are rooted in various traditions and cultural shifts. The concept of homecoming is closely tied to American football. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, football became a popular sport in colleges and universities. Schools would often schedule their most important football games against rivals for the occasion (first game of the year).
The University of Missouri is credited with hosting the first recognized homecoming event in 1911. They invited alumni to attend the football game against the University of Kansas. The tradition of homecoming quickly spread to high schools, especially in the United States. High school homecoming events typically revolve around a football game, but they often include additional activities such as parades, dances, pep rallies, and crowning a homecoming king and queen. Over time homecoming became less attached to the first game of the school year and became its own independent event now schools often have a spirit week before homecoming where students dress up according to different themes each day.
Homecoming is an opportunity for schools to highlight their spirit and pride. Schools often decorate with school colors, mascots, and banners while students wear school-themed clothing to show their support.
In the early to mid-20th century, schools started incorporating the tradition of selecting homecoming queens into their celebrations for homecoming. This was often inspired by similar traditions in other cultures and events like beauty pageants. Originally, homecoming queens were typically young women elected by other students for their popularity, beauty, later. The roles of homecoming queen and king became more about representing school spirit and rather than just popularity or looks.
