The REPORTER
The Sheridan football team will celebrate its 100th Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 16.
The Blackhawks will play Clinton Prairie that evening, and it will be part of a big day of celebration in Sheridan. Among the activities planned by the Blackhawks are a parade Powder Puff football game, kid zones and an alumni dinner.
Sheridan was the first Indiana school to celebrate a football Homecoming. More information about that day appears in this article from the Sheridan Football Book, which was provided to the Reporter.
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First Homecoming
For the first time ever, the Athletic Alumni Association planned a big homecoming celebration to take place in conjunction with the game on November 10, 1923. The festivities took place on November 9 and 10 in an effort to get old graduates to return and it all culminated with the game against Wabash on Saturday. The program began on Friday night with a “Stag” smoker that was held at the Red Mens Hall. Club president Moreland made a welcome address and Dr. A.C. Newby talked on the beginning of football in Sheridan. Cecil Pierce of Albany, Wisconsin and Coach Kingsolver both gave football talks. Bradfield’s orchestra provided the music. The Sheridan News, said, “About 75 members of the Sheridan High School Alumni Association attended, including the present Black and White squad…the squad, by the way, did not smoke and were sent home by the coach at 9:30…the old graduates were pleased and anticipated having the program again the next year.”
On Saturday morning, Mrs. Lou E. Wimborough, Mrs. Fred Davis, and Mrs. Vera Couden selected L.C. Kercheval as the winner of the store front decorating contest. The prize was a silver cup donated by the high school and appropriately lettered. At 1:30 a general assembly of more than 100 alumni, high school students, and general townspeople met at the public library to form a parade that marched to the field. Headed by the Flora band and organized by Colonel Miller, R.P. Williamson, and C.V. Norman, the parade included decorated automobiles and floats. When the assembly arrived on the field, seats were reserved for alumni and old Black and White teams ran through signals. Color schemes also decorated the field; purple for alumni, black and white for Sheridan High School and old gold and black for Wabash. A record breaking crowd of 1,000 were in attendance to witness the competition on the gridiron. Some alumni recognized at the game with Wabash were J.E. Kercheval (’89), I.H. McMurtry (’97), A.C. Newby (’97), J.M. Thistlethwaite (’97), Roscoe Williamson (’98), G.M. Laughlin (’00), Walter Scott (’04), James Dragoo (’04), and Gus Dragoo (’05). After the game, which SHS won 29-0, a big dance at the opera house was planned with special orchestra music to close out the weekend’s festivities.