Origin of Homecoming

Although homecoming is many students’ favorite part of the school year, not many students actually know its origin or the original traditions.
It is said that the first homecoming was held at The University of Missouri in 1911.
An intense football rivalry between the Missouri Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks was to be played on the Missouri campus for the first time. To ensure a good turn out, the athletic director invited all of the alumni to “come home,” therefore giving homecoming its name. A parade was also held before the football game.
Bob Timmerman, a Mankato High School graduate, had his 50th anniversary last year and got to come back to West to experience homecoming once again. “When we came back, everyone thought we were so old, but we didn’t think so. Everyone looked the same to us,” Timmerman said. Of   319 people in his class 316 were able to come back, “It was really fun to see everyone.”  
When asked what his favorite part of homecoming was, he replied with “Oh Gee Whiz that’s a hard one!” After some thinking he said, “The dance was big; Rock-n-Roll was a big item!”
Even 50 years later a lot of the homecoming activities have not changed. The queen is voted for; the students  attend the football game and dance, and they really enjoy everything that is homecoming.
Timmerman gave some insight to students; after winter break is done time goes really fast. “Everyone either had draft notices or was going to college, and if they went to college they would get drafted afterwards.” Although we won’t be drafted, Timmerman said, “high school goes by really fast.”