Milestones on Mainstreet – See you at the Curb!

“See you at the curb” is the motto for the revived homecoming parade in Sparta this year. When I read this it made me think of the fun we had, during homecoming week, when I was in high school in the early 1970’s.

We would gather, weeks in advance of homecoming, in someone’s barn and build our float. Boxes and boxes of Kleenex would be used to fill in yards of chicken wire that would become, we hoped, the winning float. I don’t remember what our float theme was for my senior year, but I remember the junior class (the class of 1974) won first place and we came in second. I remember using tempera paint, from the art room, to decorate the windows in the cafeteria, and we even painted our car windows. (Our parents must have loved driving those cars around that week.) On Thursday night, we would have a huge bon fire in the high school parking lot and on Friday a pep rally complete with skits. The marching band led the parade downtown where, it seems, everyone in town joined the celebration and the Homecoming King’s name was announced. I also remember the huge white mum corsages, from Ostman’s Floral that were ordered in advance for all the girls to wear to the big game where we learned, at halftime, who would be our Homecoming Queen. I can still remember the scent of those mums!

Homecoming was always an exciting time in Sparta when I was a girl. I was unable to determine when homecoming was first celebrated in Sparta. It seems we began consistently celebrating it in the early 1950’s. My mom remembers that there were no celebrations, such as homecoming, for the duration of WWII.

For a few years in the early to mid 1950’s “Mr. and Miss Citizen” were chosen to represent their class. James Gardner, principal at the time, told the Grand Rapids Herald, in 1957, that the idea of having a Mr. and Miss Citizen “originated a few years ago because faculty members thought something different from the usual King and Queen be thought of for homecoming.” The thought was that not enough recognition was given to qualities of cooperation, leadership and high standards of conduct and loyalty. By 1958 Mr. and Miss Citizen and a King and Queen were chosen. It seems 1958 may have been one of the last years that a Mr. and Miss Citizen were chosen.

It was also during these years that the “snake dance” was popular. The student body would hold hands and “snake’ their way from the High School, then located on N. Union Street, to Balyeat field, usually on the Thursday night before the big game.

In 1953 a very special program was held during halftime of the game. Sparta marked the 50^th anniversary of high school football by dedicating a new “lighted” scoreboard, a gift from Mr. and Mrs. William Schaefer in honor of Mrs. Shaefer’s father August Johnson. Homecoming was, indeed, special that year with many of the team members from the 1903 team in attendance. Our team won the game that night as they won every game that year!

Over the years, it seems, there have been a few changes made during homecoming week, but it seems the spirit of Sparta Homecoming is still intact. Students still celebrate the week, the marching band still plays the Fight Song and the big game will be played. This year will be special, however, thanks to the efforts of Christine McKinley and Kim VanDusen. The homecoming parade is back! Businesses can have their windows painted or decorated by Sparta students just like old times. Get out the tempera paint and let the fun begin, and I’ll “see you at the curb” on October 14!

Jayne Heath Paasch

Sparta Township Historical Commission