by McKayla Holson, Editorial Editor
Homecoming is quickly approaching, and preparations for the annual celebration have begun.
Two of the most popular facets of homecoming are football and royalty.
How did homecoming start?
The homecoming tradition began on college campuses. It started as a celebration of the first football game of the season. Now, homecoming is celebrated in many types of schools, and it is not always centered around the first game of the season.
The date of the first homecoming celebration is unknown.
The University of Missouri claims to have invented homecoming in 1911, but the University of Illinois says it started the celebration in 1910. Baylor University of Texas is also in the debate: It claims to have started the event in 1909.
While there is a debate over which school actually started the celebration, games such as “Trivial Pursuit” and “Jeopardy!” use the University of Missouri as the answer to the question of which school pioneered the tradition.
Date of first NWOSU celebration unknown
It is unclear when Northwestern first celebrated homecoming, and when the first Ranger Queen was named.
The NWOSU website’s Ranger Royalty list begins in 1920, with Mae Sutton of Winchester holding the title of queen.
A 1957 article in The Northwestern News said that year’s celebration was the 38th one the school had held. That would mean the first celebration occurred in 1919. It is unclear if there was a queen then. However, conflicting evidence can be found in a 1988 Northwestern News article, which says the first Ranger Queen was elected in 1924.
The history of the Ranger King and Freshman Queen history is less murky.
The same 1988 Northwestern News article says the first king was elected in 1926, and the Freshman Queen tradition began in 1931.
Ranger Royalty is still a major part of Northwestern’s homecoming, though is has changed through the years.
In the past, candidates for the title of queen were selected by various clubs and groups on campus. An organization would sponsor a woman to be their candidate. Those organizations could be residence halls, swim clubs, and classes of students.
Today, students are encouraged to submit applications to be a member of Royaly. Students are not selected to represent individual groups as they once were.
The process of selecting winners of the crown is different also. Today, candidates campaign for the position they want, and then students vote for the winner online. The winners are announced at the football game.
In the past, students voted for the candidates in the student center and in dorms. Winners were still announced at the football game.
Events changed over time
The festivities of homecoming have also changed.
In 1933, homecoming included a band concert in Herod Hall, several meetings, a homecoming parade, and a Phi Sigma Dinner at the Teacup.
The 1958 homecoming celebration featured Weems Band with Molly Bee, Jean Carter and Phil Maraquin at a dance. Like this year’s homecoming parade, the majority of homecoming celebrations included the Miss Cinderella competition.
A large band performance is also a part of homecoming. Bands from high schools around the area march in the homecoming parade and perform music at the halftime of the football game.
In 1930, a “massed” band of 186 players from area high school bands played before and after the coronation ceremony of that year’s queen, Zelma Fisher. Three thousand people watched the football game.
The 2018 massed band consisted of 450 students. One thousand registered, but inclement weather the day of the parade caused the number to decrease.
The massed band in 2017 consistedhad approximately 1,000 students. This year, around 500 students have registered, and the number is expected to increase.
For more information on homecoming, visit the NWOSU website at https://www.nwosu.edu/homecoming.
Homecoming wil be held Oct. 24 – 26.