The
Gowrie News
Covering the communities of Farnhamville, Callender, Somers, Moorland, Harcourt, Paton and Dayton since 1889
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 GOWRIE, WEBSTER COUNTY, IOWA VOL. 131 NO. 38
First Ever Gowrie Homecoming
Dates Back to 1963
By Shari Everhart
Prairie High School of Gowrie’s first homecoming
dates back to Friday, November 1, 1963. That inaugural
year saw festivities start at 2:00 p.m. with a parade to the
downtown area where a pep meeting was held.
Each of the high school classes furnished a parade entry in
addition to several other organizations who also constructed
floats for the parade.
A giant bonfire and a pep meeting was held north of
what was then the new gymnasium at the school facility.
A “Snake Dance” followed the rally making its way to the
football field where the hometown team, the Prairie Panthers,
faced a strong Dows team at 8:00 p.m.
During the game’s halftime, the homecoming king
and queen were crowned and presented to the fans assembled
at the game. The royalty reigned over the semi-formal
dance held from 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight in the
old gym with high school alumni invited to attend.
Judged as the winning parade float was the senior
class entry which featured a large birthday cake featuring
a single candle with the accompanying signage of “Our
First Homecoming.”
Crowned King and Queen at Prairie High’s first
homecoming were Mike Hunter and Kay Fredrickson. A
write-up describing the homecoming couple noted “Kay
is the daughter of Mrs. Lucille Fredrickson of Callender,
while Mike is the son of the Marvel Hunters of Gowrie.”
Homecoming attendants included Jane Swenson, Jennifer
Sorenson, Sandy Cathcart, Mary Allice Johnson, Bob
Headlee, Douglas Piltingsrud, Tom Nordstrom and Gary
Kaufman.
In 1965, the homecoming king and queen were
crowned during special halftime ceremonies at the Prairie
High School versus YJB (Yale/Jamaica/Bagley) game.
They were high school seniors Paul Culver and Sandra
Cathcart.
Candidates that year were selected during homecoming
week, as members of the school’s student body,
which, according to the write-up following the festivities,
“cast an apprehensive eye at rainy skies which have
prevailed for the past couple weeks and went ahead with
plans for the school’s third annual homecoming.” The
schedule noted there would be a big bonfire and a pep
rally, weather permitting. Ushering in the homecoming
activities that Friday, included a parade through Gowrie’s
streets. Crowning of the king and queen took place that
evening during halftime at the game. A dance was held in
the old gymnasium which concluded homecoming festivities.
Vying for the homecoming crown of king and queen
were six seniors, three boys and three girls. Candidates
were selected by the football squad. The royal couple was
chosen from this group by a vote of the student body.
The 1965 candidates for queen included Sandra Cathcart,
Betty Nordstrom, and Mary Taylor. King candidates
were Jack Vosika, Paul Culver and Ed Roy Woodruff.
Serving as homecoming attendants were Louise
Tracy and Greg Moe, Sophomores, and Pat
Creger and Doug Bloomquist, Juniors.
The Prairie High School
marching band led the Friday
afternoon parade that featured
floats from the three high
school classes as well as
other organizations.
The parade began
at the school and
First
Homecoming
Continued on
page 6...
Kiersten Fisher and
Hunter Sorenson
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