Record #:

23402

Author(s):

Kammerer, Roger

Abstract:

ECU has had many memorable homecoming celebrations throughout its history. Homecoming can be tracked back to Founder’s Day celebrated on Mar. 5, 1932 and a sort of Homecoming took place thereafter every year on the Saturday closest to March 8, the day the school was founded in 1907. November 20, 1936 marked ECTC’s first Homecoming to include sports. A parade was added to the usual festivities of sports and dances at the Homecoming of March 1941. ECTC held no Homecomings between 1941 and spring 1946 because most of the boys were fighting in WWII. The first Homecoming Queen, Mrs. Kitty Gerringer Brinson, was crowned at the Homecoming of October 10, 1953. This same Homecoming, the Veterans Club gave the “victory bell” to East Carolina in honor of students who served in the military during WWII and the Korean Conflict. Hurricanes threatened the Homecomings of both 1954 and 1962. The theme of the 1961 Homecoming was “Dixie Days” to commemorate the Civil War Centennial. The Homecomings of 1962 – 1972 included famous guests such as Ray Charles (1964) and the Beach Boys (1972).

Source:

Greenville Times / Pitt's Past (NC Microforms), Vol. Issue , Nov 8-21 2006, p7, 12

Subject(s):

East Carolina University--Homecoming