We all know of homecoming. The dance and the football game at the beginning of the year to start the semester off right?  But does anyone know why we have a homecoming, where it originated from? It couldn’t have just randomly began, so where and when did this strange tradition begin?

It has been debated on who first came up with the idea, but it is known the origins  of homecoming definitely began in America. Early homecomings all had a football game, and fun activities such as rallies, parades, speeches and dances. All of these events were put together for students of a certain school, typically colleges at first. It was created mainly to display and increase pride in one’s school. Quickly the tradition began to spread to other colleges, and eventually to high schools.

The most popular game that is claimed to be the first official homecoming was the 1911 Kansas vs Missouri game, which means homecoming has been going on for longer than a century. There are many, many traditions that go along with homecoming.  These traditions include pep rallies, tailgates, parades, dress-up themes, dances, and a homecoming court. These traditions have just formed over the years, and continue to follow through in colleges and high schools throughout the United States.

The goal of homecoming is to welcome old students back, and to excite the new students for what is to come. Generally it’s a very fun event the school holds at the beginning of the year to display school spirit. At modern homecoming dances, the women generally wear shorter dresses, and the men wear cheaper suits. It is a more casual event than prom, but still a formal event. Generally, at the dance, the homecoming king and queen are announced. Homecoming has been a tradition ingrained into American society.  No one knows exactly who started it, but it is a fun tradition for students to show school spirit and get a break from studying and difficult exams.