The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-12-09
NORMAL HOME COMING FEAST
(From the Normal Leader)

OtduSlltS III LAS arena u Si-SAi~->-i
Coliseum.
Fifteen hundred. notices OF the
event had been sent out and plates
vera lad for SIX hundred, tia nusn3s<
Of former students, their friends and
present students expected % guests
at tie banquet. Net al the piece
were taken which IS probably due c
the fact that Thanksgiving : &-a-
eral home day. Many schools are n
.ugurating Thanksgiving Day as trc-E
yearly Homecoming. whsa -Aia.-,.--
gather from far and near to DO ho:a-
age to th-ir Nina 1l4ter. IE.-- =
only cur second event CT Jllis na-u-e
and these who had charge cf sffa--s
DO not feel disappointed tl.at T.S1s
former students did rot respond.
Fort Hays Normal Alumni hive &c.
yet formed the habit OF giving then
school the same right to home ties
that they give to their homes.
Those who are working for the best
interests of the school feel that one
day should be set aside when the
graduates return to help keep up the
.spep" of their Alma Mater. This
annual meeting will benefit not only
the school, but also the Alumni, be-
cause their relationship with the out
side world is measured to a great ex-
tent by the bigness of their college.
Institutions that are making
Thanksgiving Day their regular home
coming time, and that expect stu
dents to stay over part of the vaea-
ton, are giving an extra day of vaca-
ton so that students can still spend
the same amount of time at home and
the home dinner usually awaits their
coming.
It is the plan of the Fort Hays
Normal to make the day on which is
played on home grounds the last
game of the season, its regular
Homecoming Day. In the football
schedule for next year the last game
staged on the Normal field will come
on Armistice Day. Preparations are
already being made for the big event.
Faith in the Alumni is strong, that
when they catch the spirit of what
the Homecoming means, each year
will find more of them gathering in
the great arena of Sheridan Coliseum
where six hundred banquet plates can
be laid.
1t is thought fitting that entertain
ments of the day should be conferred
around the final football game. Foot
ball is recognized as the leading col
lege sport. It is an activity that has
grown from a test of mere brute
strength to test of self-control and
mental alertness. While casualties
sometimes go with it, the mental and
moral development of the players out
weighs the injuries. Those who are
good sports in college will be good
sports in the game of life; the habits
we form here will be followed after
we leave school.
Miss Agnew says the whole school
should be complimented on the fine
spirit shown by the voluntary help
given in preparing for the Homecom-
ing this year. The father, mother,
aunts and uncles and younger chill
dren all shared in the preparations
made to welcome home the older chill
dren who have left the paternal roof
and have gone out into the world.
The Faculty Mems Club put up the
tables and transported the food from
the Cafeteria to the enormous dining
room. The Faculty Womens Club
arranged the plates, and students
served the guests. The Cafeteria
cooks prepared and cooked the food
Six tables reached the length of the
Coliseum arena Streamers Of black
and gold extended the full length OF
each table. Trays of fruits and nuts
were the centerpieces.
The Alumni classes beginning with
1902, had been assigned sections in
the amphitheater. When the tables
were ready President and Mrs. Lewis
followed by the visiting football
teams, led the march to the banquet
hall. The classes followed in the
order of their years to the strains OF
'eThe Stars and Stripes Forever
played by the college orchestra. Al
soon as all the guests were seated the
Thanksgiving turkey with all the
goodies that follow in his wake, wa
served.
Immediately after the dinner al
interesting program was given.
President Lewis toasted "Turke!
Call'' in which he spoke of the futurl
organization of Fort Hays Normal.
1t has been impossible to secur'
President Lewis speech in full. H
said in part that not only was it hi
privilege to give the Turkey Calf
for the Homecoming feast, but als'
to tell US of the good things in stor'
for this institution.
The Union Pacific Railroad ha
made an offer to this school whereof!
all their employees will be trained
here. This means the addition of a
least four hundred more students, be
s;6os a vast amount of equipment 70