This week is the homecoming dance. My grandson will be attending for the second time. There is much hoopla surrounding this event. Now I graduated in 1971 and don't remember ever having a homecoming dance. I am somewhat puzzled by this. I keep asking myself, did we ? I really don't know the answer. I recall the senior Banquet, the junior prom, the soph hop and the freshman frolic. No homecoming dance though. Could be I just wasn't paying attention. I wasn't much on going to dances and such. I didn't hang out with the "in " crowd. I wasn't in a clique, more like a clack ! I also do not recall having ever attended a pep rally, although I know such were held. It is my understanding a large bonfire was lit and the Southampton " player " burned in effigy. I'm thinking that isn't politically correct anymore. I wonder when that tradition ended, if indeed it has ended.
When it comes to this tradition of homecoming I am woefully uninformed. I read on Wikipedia about it. Spirit week generally precedes the homecoming dance. I think my granddaughter has mentioned this. From reading that article I can assume there is to be a big football game this Friday night. I guess it is like when my school played our biggest rival Southampton. I'll have to ask about that. My grandson Mark plays soccer, not football, so I don't know anything about that either. Guess I am living in a different cloud than most. Well, some things never change. I was never too much on the social scene. That I believe is the result of not participating in after school activities. I'm not certain why I didn't, but have a few theories about that. I view the past as I would read a book, to understand it. You can't change the story though. I don't spend much time lamenting what could have been. And my recent pet peeve is those that want to blame the past for what they do today. You know what I mean ?
So much depends on where you were raised. The local traditions and activities that you take for granted. Food, language and to a degree dress are all effected. Farmers, fishermen, tradesmen and businessmen are all dependent upon the environment. Do you love the country or does the city excite you ? In more recent years the popularity of the " redneck " has enjoyed favor. " Rednecks " are the true Americans. That is the message being sent now. Of course those same " good ole boys " engage in all sorts of activities that years back would be considered very wrong. Even the music has changed to a more contemporary beat ! Oh they still sing about Momma, but Momma is riding a motorcycle ! So right now it is good to be country. Where I was raised the city folks had all the money and were a necessary evil. They were handy for getting money, but not worth much else. The city was a dangerous place to go but filled with illicit entertainment. It was a temptation to a country boy. I expect that hasn't changed a great deal in some parts of the country. My " country " isn't country anymore by all accounts. Do they have a homecoming dance ? Is it a continuation of a tradition or did that begin after '71 ? I'm sure some of you will know the answer. I'll wait for it.
When it comes to this tradition of homecoming I am woefully uninformed. I read on Wikipedia about it. Spirit week generally precedes the homecoming dance. I think my granddaughter has mentioned this. From reading that article I can assume there is to be a big football game this Friday night. I guess it is like when my school played our biggest rival Southampton. I'll have to ask about that. My grandson Mark plays soccer, not football, so I don't know anything about that either. Guess I am living in a different cloud than most. Well, some things never change. I was never too much on the social scene. That I believe is the result of not participating in after school activities. I'm not certain why I didn't, but have a few theories about that. I view the past as I would read a book, to understand it. You can't change the story though. I don't spend much time lamenting what could have been. And my recent pet peeve is those that want to blame the past for what they do today. You know what I mean ?
So much depends on where you were raised. The local traditions and activities that you take for granted. Food, language and to a degree dress are all effected. Farmers, fishermen, tradesmen and businessmen are all dependent upon the environment. Do you love the country or does the city excite you ? In more recent years the popularity of the " redneck " has enjoyed favor. " Rednecks " are the true Americans. That is the message being sent now. Of course those same " good ole boys " engage in all sorts of activities that years back would be considered very wrong. Even the music has changed to a more contemporary beat ! Oh they still sing about Momma, but Momma is riding a motorcycle ! So right now it is good to be country. Where I was raised the city folks had all the money and were a necessary evil. They were handy for getting money, but not worth much else. The city was a dangerous place to go but filled with illicit entertainment. It was a temptation to a country boy. I expect that hasn't changed a great deal in some parts of the country. My " country " isn't country anymore by all accounts. Do they have a homecoming dance ? Is it a continuation of a tradition or did that begin after '71 ? I'm sure some of you will know the answer. I'll wait for it.
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