Tiger alumus, history teacher recalls his homecoming years

Former students cheer on the tigers at the 2017-18 school year homecoming.

History teacher Jeremiah Longnecker remembers his high school homecoming years differently than they are today. “It wasn’t just about the football game. Homecoming was all about the people who have and are going to graduate. It was a community thing. That was the tradition,” he said. 

The parade used to be a “huge deal,” according to Longnecker. Students would even get out of school early to attend, as it included the whole community. 

“It’s more of a small town thing. Small towns around us still participate and make it a big production,” Longnecker said. 

Homecoming used to include traditions as a Sadie Hawkins dance, parade, decorated store windows of local businesses and snake dancing, but Longnecker had a definite favorite that’s no longer practiced. 

“What stands out for homecoming to me was that we used to create class floats for sophomores, juniors and seniors. I think it would be neat to do something like that again.” 

Students now are unaware of most past opportunities high schoolers previously had. “A couple weeks beforehand, we’d make a few groups of each and get together to build your float,” Longnecker said. 

He said students had freedom on their float designs as long as it was school appropriate. One particular time during homecoming week, Longnecker recalls that was not the case, and it is also one of the leading reasons Sadie Hawkins is discontinued. 

It started with the bathrooms. “Sadie Hawkins ended because of some shenanigans that were pulled in the school,” Longnecker said. “People dressed up in school, as was common, but a group of people specifically dressed up as a big toilet and the corresponding pieces to it. They were supposedly the same people that actually blew up the toilets in the men’s restroom. That is why Sadie Hawkins is gone. That I know for sure.” 

It turns out, Sadie Hawkins has been discontinued for longer than just our own high school years, “By the time that I came through the school, Sadie Hawkins was gone,” Longnecker said.  

Though the traditions are different every year, Longnecker said that dressing up has always been a focus for the week. “I think it revolves around that now,” Longnecker said.