It must be the chill in the air that makes me think of Football.
Homecoming is this week. I recall that we had different kind of days during homecoming week. One day was orange and black day and one day was probably dress up day. I have heard of some schools having a pajama day or a hat day but I do not recall that we had them. Far Guy says that he remembers a dress up day, but he didn’t dress up any different, when I asked him about orange and black day he didn’t “do” that one either.
The different classes would decorate store windows downtown and there was a contest for the best window and the class would get together and make thousands of kleenex flowers to tuck into chicken wire on a hay wagon for a homecoming float…and we would hope it did not rain.
The Thursday night before homecoming there would be a huge bonfire in the old parking lot of the High School (now a parking lot on the east side of Hugo’s grocery store) wood would be piled up and a dummy dressed in an old football uniform would be burned. There was also some kind of snake dance where you grabbed the persons waist in front of you and danced around the parking lot. I only went to the Thursday night Bon Fire once and that was with my best friend Cathie who lived in town.
This is an old photo of the Class of 1968 Football Players. I knew two of these guys really well #79 and #82 I sat between them in Study Hall. Back then I should have had them explain the rules of Football to me…as it has always been a game that escapes me. I went to football games purely for the social interaction. I knew enough to cheer when someone made a touchdown or kicked a goal. FYI I never dated anyone in the above photo.
Here we have the entire team in the fall of 1967, it has players from the Classes of 1968,1969( my class)and 1970. Teachers, Chefs, Pawn Store Operators, Lawyers, Business Owners, Doctors, Bankers, Executives and even a Farmer. I did have a date or two with the Farmer. I would get to know #76 quite well as he lived next door to Far Guy…sadly he died in a car accident June 14th 1970.
14 comments:
Yes, homecoming was always a big thing and I remember making those tissue paper flowers to stick in the chicken wire for the floats. I think a small town homecoming is more exciting and I love when they decorate the windows. Here it is so hot I can't imagine how those players can stand the practices and games in 90 degree weather! There's supposed to be a chill in the air and hot cocoa or apple cider in the stands while watching the games! LOL! So sad about your friend dying so young. We had several in our class too. Have a good day and I hope the hand is healing!
In high school, I was bashful and never attended football games or Homecoming. When I married John, our first home was behind the high school I attended and we could hear the Friday night games from our porch!
Oh! Sad! RIP #76 But the bonfire thing was fun, wasn't it? I grew up with them too. Sadly my daughter and granddaughter never had Homecoming bonfires. After football games, the smaller of our two gyms was turned into an informal cafe of sorts. It kept everyone safe and in the same place. We had a popcorn machine, a milkshake maker, and record music played on 45s. Oh my gosh! The Klennix flowers! Small town goodness, right? We did that too... not in the store windows, but for the one float parade. Good times.
Was the pawn shop operator Fuller? I have always gotten a laugh from the sign on the door "Remove ski mask & unload gun before entering."
Yes, Royce is a nephew of the Fullers and kept the name of the Pawn Shop the same. He is #61 in the photo.
Wow! Your school really made Homecoming an all week event! I remember that I could hear the band and the crowd from home because I only lived about a block from the school. I went to the home games for maybe half of it (unless it was a close game). Mainly because I was in Pep Club and because I wanted to take advantage of a Slack Day. So I had to wait to walk home until after I could see they had checked me off as having attended the game (or I would be brought into the principal's office the following week to explain why I wore slacks to school and wasn't at the game--and you could get detention--no lie!). Had zero interest in sports (to this day), but liked hanging out with my girlfriends who were in Pep Club. And yet I learned the rules over the years--what I absorbed in Pep Club and because of men I lived with who watched football with such enthusiasm I tried to find out what all the fuss was about. Was not impressed. LOL! ;)
Good times. High school seems like yesterday but for me I finished 60 years ago.
I think Homecoming must be an American thing because I haven't heard of it. Schools have Spirit Week here, where each day has a theme ( like wear a certain colour or maybe wear PJs) . I gather Homecoming is always associated with football?
Always associated with football:)
Fun post. Makes me think back to going to football games during my highschool days.
I don't remember dressing up in school, but I do have a selective memory. You must know something about football now, right? I never knew what it was all about when I was young, but now I follow a couple of teams with real enjoyment of the game. :-)
We always dressed up for school. When I went to high school pants, of any kind, on a girl were not allowed. We always wore skirts and dresses. I don't remember having any special days for homecoming. We always had a float in a parade though. And we always have a dance. At my granddaughters school they have all the different days of the week: career day, maroon day, pajama day, twin day...but no dance. They stayed after the homecoming day and watched a movie on the football field...Blindside!
And basketball here where I live.
No I still do not watch football or understand the rules:)
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