From Woody's Couch

1928

Homecoming is a time for celebration, not just for alumni, but for current students as well. Over the years, there have been all kinds of activities in which students have expressed their school pride:

1960

Since at least the 1920s, students at OSU have decorated their houses and dorms in honor of the event. Some of the past decorating themes have been: Huckleberry Hound (a character associated with Yogi Bear, 1959), Disneyland (1960), Heroes (1979), and “Grimm’s Buckeye Tales” (1963). Such themes have produced some truly theatrical decorations, including a giant boot and “Joe Ohio,” inspired by the giant gorilla in the 1998 Disney movie, “Mighty Joe Young.” As parade floats became more popular in the 1970s, the art of decorating Greek houses declined. However, and other campus venues continue to decorated with scarlet and gray.

"Fog Raiser", 1924

Other festivities have included bonfires, dances, and in the 1920s a “Fog Raiser circus” held at the Coliseum at the state fairgrounds. The 1922 event included performances by the Men’s Glee Club, and the Scarlet Mask (a campus theatrical group), as well as dance numbers. Notably, since the venue is suitable for livestock, horses were used in several of the performances, including a jousting competition between several of King Arthur’s knights (the members of Sigma Chi). The military department concluded the event with a mock battle and a chariot race. Unlike the famous scene from “Ben Hur,” there were no reported deaths or injuries.

Filed by C.N.