Can someone explain Homecoming ribbons to me? (Odessa, Sonora: school, living in)

[iceshots]

[quote=ROY DUBOSE;11467389 so many school aged kids today don't know what it's like to be part of a community [/QUOTE]

I think that has been the biggest impact for us since moving down here. My daughter went to a private school in Canada, and since it was a smaller school, there was a larger sense of community than in a larger public school. However, even though she had friends, participated in voluntary and mandatory school activities and productions, there was not the sense of community. Every one went to a play or musical to see their kid. Rarely did you go to see the "school" accomplish something.

One of my posts on another thread was about how the Friday night football games were more of a community event than a school sports event. I think the way the community supports the school teams is excellent. My daughter is completely captured by school spirit and would never consider going back to high school in Canada. We have even joined the ranks of parents who have our daughter's name, and school activity plastered on the car. I thought that was strange when I first started coming to Austin.

[capcat]

I remember spirit ribbons, and when homecoming mums were real mums.

I was surprised when my own daughters reached that age and found that they are now made with an artificial flower.

One girl at my high school, very pretty head cheerleader, always had at least 7 mums. She would run out of places to pin them. I don't even know if she wore all that she received. It was so over the top that it was comical, but she graciously walked around all day wearing them and tried to sit in class covered with mums, ribbons and cow bells.

[maadimom]

Oh, my, forgot about the cowbells!! The noise was almost deafening in the hallways during break. And yes, we had spirit ribbons and beat cards each week. One positive to build team spirit, and one against the opponent. Sometimes I miss those Friday Night Lights...hmmmm....

[ROY DUBOSE]

Originally Posted by maadimom

Oh, my, forgot about the cowbells!! The noise was almost deafening in the hallways during break. And yes, we had spirit ribbons and beat cards each week. One positive to build team spirit, and one against the opponent. Sometimes I miss those Friday Night Lights...hmmmm....

and most of the time, the school principal/staff supported the effort by allowing the wearer to chew gum during the day -- the cheerleaders were the "delivery device" for the spirit tags so even us goofy, out of the popular group guys could be in the aura of school celebrities for the 10 cent price of a tag -- then it was 25 cents, 50 cents, but still worth skimping on lunch money to get done

[FalconheadWest]

I used to be a buyer for Michaels Arts and Crafts, and Texas was the only state we did a Homecoming Isle for. Not sure if no other state does them, but they are HUGE in Texas.

I had to wear 6 my senior year, and from experience of the previous years, I learned to pin them to my school jacket as that material holds the weight much easier than clothes.

And the teachers HATED the cow bells and whistles and other stuff that made clanging noises. I've been out of school for way too long, but I still have them all nicely wrapped in my closet. Some of the ribbons have faded, but I can't seem to give them up and throw them away.

[passionatearts]

One of the weirdest things about Texas is that they show HIGH SCHOOL football games on TV! I told this to my friends in Boston and they definitely thought that we're strange.

[maadimom]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

One of the weirdest things about Texas is that they show HIGH SCHOOL football games on TV! I told this to my friends in Boston and they definitely thought that we're strange.

I went to THE "Friday Night Lights" school, Odessa Permian just a few years before the book came out. The weirdest thing people think I've told them is about the chartered planes and buses along with extremely long convoys of fans going to the playoff games. One of my favorite memories is half of Texas Stadium being filled with Permian fans at the playoffs. That's a LOT of fanatical fans! I took my son to a Permian playoff game at the Texas Tech stadium while we were living there. There were more Permian fans there than Tech fans at a Tech game at that time anyway (not a great tech team then)

It was fun at the time, but now I see how ridiculous most of it was. But I, too , still have the ribbons, bells, whistles, footballs, etc. still from my mums. The flowers have long since died and gone, but I can't find it in my heart to part with them either.

[capcat]

Odessa Permian was the place. One of my friends was a cheerleader there before moving to Austin during high school. She said you had to be from there to love it, but she really did.

[Ketabcha]

Originally Posted by Salgal1113

Ok, here's one that may date me. . . back in "my" day, there were ribbons (slightly larger than a bookmark) that were sold each week, usually by the pep squad (they were maybe 25 cents). They were the school colors, and featured "bash the Broncos" or "spear the Tarpons" or something like that for the week's opponent. We wore them pinned to our school clothes, and sometimes had friends sign them. Homecoming brough much larger ribbons, that cost $1 or so. Anybody else remember those?

My kids look at me like "poor Mom" when I mention them. . .

Yes. I remember them. As a matter of fact I have a scrapbook up in the attic that is filled with them. I moved from Kansas to Texas right after the 10th grade. In Kansas we wore wheat jeans, our father's white dress shirts (hanging out) and saddle oxfords to the games. What a shock when I got to Texas (which, BTW, is where I was born) and the girls wore hose and heels to the football games. LOL. Yeah, this was in the mid 60s. But, it was fun and those mums with all the ribbons and trinkets weighed a ton and set my boyfriend back mucho bucks.

What great memories. Thanks, OP, for asking your question and starting this thread.


GO ABILENE HIGH EAGLES!

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

One of the weirdest things about Texas is that they show HIGH SCHOOL football games on TV! I told this to my friends in Boston and they definitely thought that we're strange.

Why would that be weird?

I'd rather watch local HS games than 99% of what's on TV...& I'd definitely rather watch HS (or college) than the pros.

In fact, i'm shocked (& disappointed) they don't put a couple of local games on TV every Friday (or late night for Tivo purposes). Friday Night Lights....now THAT'S reality TV.

There's 200+ channels on cable....it's crazy how LOCAL events gets the shaft....every channel is some big corporation nationwide snooze show (or dumb reality show). Right now as i type, the HS State Tennis Final Four are being played at Lakeway. I'd love to see an edited hour (or two hour) long show of great local tennis players (or basketball players or golfers, etc.......)