Caity Healy | Managing Editor

Homecoming — it’s common to see U.S. schools celebrating it, but the history behind the festivities isn’t usually made explicitly clear. As it turns out, the etymology of the term is about as literal as it gets. 

According to Vice, homecoming “got its start on college campuses as a fall celebration of the first football game of the season, for which alumni would return to their alma maters.” While the first homecoming allegedly happened in 1911 at the University of Missouri, the tradition as we know it now didn’t hit Monmouth until nearly two decades later.

“The first recorded Homecoming was in 1939,” said the 1968 edition of The Grove, Western’s 1940–1941 yearbook. With that said, this is likely talking about the festivities we celebrate now. The first mention of a Homecoming football game came in the 1930 edition of The Norm, the 1911-1939 yearbook, which means homecoming began in 1929. On top of this, according to the 1979 edition of The Grove, “the tradition at Oregon College of Education dates back as far as the 1890s,” and also added that “after World War I Homecoming was changed from spring to fall, with an added emphasis on football.” 

In the likely inaugural 1929 Homecoming game, Oregon Normal School — the name of Western at the time — went head-to-head against Southern Oregon Normal School, and it ended in a score of 0-0. However, in our next Homecoming game against Eastern Oregon Normal School, ONS capped an undefeated season, 50-0 under the leadership of Coach Wolfe — the inspiration behind Western’s mascot. Since then, several traditions aside from the football game have graced Western’s campus; some stuck around for years, while others phased out. 

The year was 1951. For the first time, the idea of a “Homecoming Court” hit campus. Since then, it’s been an integral part of the festivities — the announcement of the court was even televised in 1966. How the royalty was presented, though, has changed over time. For several years, the court, wearing their full homecoming gear, was driven onto the field in convertibles. In 1987, when the theme was “The Great Pumpkin Homecoming,” the royalty was driven onto the field in orange Volkswagen bugs to look like pumpkins. On top of this, the royalty used to be assigned by halls — there would be a “Butler Princess,” a “Landers Princess,” and so on.

It’s been a theme in recent years to burn the “W” following the Power Puff game. However, this tradition is one that ages back to early days of Western. Although we burn the “W” now and usually a bonfire as well, back then, the goal was just to build a bonfire as big as they could. Competitions were held between different halls to see who could collect the most wood to keep the fire burning.

For years, students would also have tug-of-war competitions in the mud as part of the festivities of the bonfire. 

On top of these traditions, it’s clear to see how some have evolved. For years, each hall would participate in a “lawn display competition” to match the theme of the year — perhaps that’s how we have arrived at the current office decorating competition that occurs now. The rose planting that the Homecoming queen takes part in was a tradition started by Jessica Todd in the early days of Oregon Normal School. And the homecoming dance has always been around — though, in the ‘60s it was deemed the “All-American Ball,” and students also attended a “Grubby Dance” where they were asked to look filthy. 

Some traditions didn’t make it to 2019. For years, the school put on a homecoming concert, often with a talent show preceding it. They’d bring speakers to campus — in 1986 the speaker was Adam West, the original “Batman.” For several decades, a much-loved tradition existed: the noise parade. Students would decorate their cars and ride all through Monmouth, making as much noise as possible until they reached the bonfire, and in later years, until they reached either the powderpuff game or the football game. Then, before the games began, fireworks would go off in Western’s colors to signal the start. 

Homecoming has been around this campus for longer than a good number of the buildings. 

While some traditions didn’t last too long or simply disappeared, some became an essential part of the week’s celebration. And each year, new history is made as new traditions are created and revered.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of WOU Archives