Homecoming: Now and Then

Class of 1972 celebrates Homecoming Week by decorating a float for a parade. Picture taken in 1970.
Photo Credit: The Dixie 100 Blog, Dixie High School

Homecoming: Now and Then

by Stefani Johannsen

Flyer Flash, Editor

ST. GEORGE - The first homecoming in of Dixie's next 100 years has come and gone. But the memories of the first 100 years of Dixie and homecoming games and dances will live in the hearts of Dixie alumni forever.

Science teacher Jason Brooks says that even though we're in a new building, the feeling is the same from when he went here, “There's something different about Dixie, the spirit is really here.” Mr. Brooks has been teaching at Dixie High School for 6 years. 24 years ago he was in his senior year at Dixie High School.

Mr. Brooks started playing high school football in his sophomore year and he usually played tight end or receiver. Dixie was small, only about 1000 students for all four grades of high school at that time just as Pine View was opening. "Homecoming isn't as big of a deal as it was then," Mr. Brooks remembers. Although most of the traditions are the same, it seems Homecoming has lost some of its excitement. Perhaps it was the feel that football season was coming, the first game, the first big dance, things like this could probably give most kids a lot of excitement.

Twenty-four years ago, homecoming was accompanied by a homecoming parade. The football, the dance, and the voting for royalty are pretty much the same now as they were then.  Football games took place at Hansen stadium over at Dixie college. The football team would usually play a team that would guarantee them a win. Mr. Brooks' senior year homecoming game was against Hurricane High School with the Flyers trouncing the Tigers 35-0.

Today, the day after the game still has an air of excitement about it. Girls wait in anticipation for the first dance and boys buy corsages much as they did 24 years ago. Day Dates have been added to the mix though. "We didn't have day dates," Mr. Brooks says, "Usually it was just a nice dinner before the dance." There weren't many restaurants at the time so dinners took place on top of the Dixie rock or in a nice park.

When it came time for the dance, most people came. There were few sophomores at the dances because most of them weren't sixteen yet. The dance attire was semi-formal, just like now.

1987 seems like a long time ago. However, the students now at Dixie are much like the students then, it seems, when it comes to Homecoming. The fun and traditions have come along, and will hopefully be here for the rest of time.

This article is from The Flyer Flash: September 2011. Published on Friday September 23, 2011.