Homecoming is a big deal in Alva

 

November 2, 2022



Downtown Alva was shiny clean. Street markings were bright and clear. There was no litter to be found. It was NWOSU Homecoming weekend when my husband Lynn and I visited Alva to look at a radio station for sale. Alva was putting her best foot forward.

After my father-in-law sold his radio station in Rolla, Missouri, where both my husband and I worked, he offered to help us buy or build a radio station. Lynn and I visited three towns, one in Arizona and two in Oklahoma, with stations for sale in our price range.

We knew about KALV in Alva from Charles Wood, a real estate agent and a relative on my husband’s side of the family. Charles wisely set the visit on Homecoming weekend. The downtown area was full of activity. Neither of the other two contenders had colleges, which was a big factor in our choosing Alva.

Since that time, I’ve experienced many Northwestern Homecomings, but I keep learning more about the event. Last week Dr. David Pecha said he could provide me with some history, and I was glad to learn more.

No one is quite sure when Homecoming began. I’m using the capital “H” because this homecoming is a big deal in Alva. Perhaps the celebration began in 1908 before a football game with Central. Male students, wearing red socks on their right feet and black ones on the left, did some riotous yelling as they followed the band downtown and around the square in a mobile pep rally, according to “NWOSU: A Centennial History” authored by Wayne Lane.

Lane writes that Northwestern’s athletic teams came to be known as the “Rangers” in 1909. The football team had a high degree of success that year, the first squad losing only to the University of Oklahoma which had never been beaten by another state team. The Rangers were said to have become known for their grit and power of endurance.

The modern Homecoming at Northwestern is a joint effort of students, college staff and members of the community. Dr. Pecha said about $20,000 is raised each year through the sale of Homecoming buttons to fund the event. He credited Karen Koehn with the idea of adding incentive to button sales by tying it to special pricing in local businesses. Despite inflation, button prices have remained at $10 for a long time.

In addition to specials among retailers, those buttons give the wearer entrance into all the Homecoming events. At the football game on Saturday, there will be a drawing for $1,000 in Alva Chamber bucks to go to some lucky winner who has the correct number on the back of their button. The winner must be present at the football game to win.

Miss Cinderella History

2022 is the 70th year of the Miss Cinderella Pageant which began in 1952. It was not held in 2020 due to the pandemic.

In 1951, five individuals from Alva went to Arkansas to view the Ark-a-la-la celebration. They included local photographer Glen Hendricks, general homecoming chairman Brooks Bicknell of the Alva Review-Courier, Alva Chamber manager/secretary Rufus Gordon, Art Magnuson of Magnuson Grocery, and local jeweler Bob Reneau. They watched the parade and noticed queens representing area towns riding in the parade. They agreed this was something they could incorporate into Homecoming.

Since Reneau owned a jewelry store, he was selected as the coordinator because he could secure gifts at cost. Early in 1952 after he received no response to letters sent to area high schools, Reneau began telephoning them. Eleven schools entered, and Bonnie Rauh, Miss Alva, won the first contest. The organizers were worried having the local contestant win would discourage entries, but the next year 14 schools were represented. Known as the “Queen Contest” in the beginning, it became the “Miss Cinderella Pageant” in the late 1950’s.

Over the past 69 pageants, Miss Alva has won six times, but Woodward contestants have taken the top honor 11 times. Entries from Burlington and Mooreland have won four times each. However, winners have been spread over a large number of area communities.

The most famous Miss Cinderella was Jane Jayroe of Laverne who won in 1963. In 1966 she was crowned Miss Oklahoma, and in 1967 she was named Miss America.

This year there are 19 contestants for the Miss Cinderella Pageant, down from the peak number but more than last year. Each of the young women will have a chance to showcase their talent Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium.

The Miss Cinderella Pageant is set for Friday at 8 p.m. in Herod Hall with a handful of the top talent presentations. The winner receives eight semesters of tuition and a one-year room waiver to attend

NWOSU. Other winners receive scholarships, and each contestant receives a one-year tuition scholarship. All contestants will also make appearances riding in the Saturday morning parade.

Homecoming Schedule

In addition to the Miss Cinderella Talent Show at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and the Miss Cinderella Pageant at 8 p.m. Friday, several events are planned for Saturday.

The Ranger Run, a 5K and a one-mile fun run, begins at 8 a.m. downtown in front of the Rialto Theatre.

The Homecoming Parade starts at 10 a.m. and will proceed around the downtown square. The parade includes the Ranger King and Queen and Freshman Queen as well as floats by campus organizations and local entities. Bands from area schools will be featured along with Miss Cinderella contestants. Following the parade, there will be lunch available on the courthouse lawn.

Those playing in the Alumni Band will rehearse at 2 p.m. on the third floor of Ryerson Hall.

At 3:30 p.m. there will be a massed band performance on Ranger Field. At 4 p.m. is the Homecoming football game with the Northwestern Rangers hosting Arkansas Tech University.

You can find more information about Homecoming now and throughout the year on the Northwestern’s website at http://www.nwosu.edu/homecoming.

 

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