Queen Helen Cummins Hargis

•September 26, 2018•

Ninety years ago, in 1928, most of the country was feeling the first rumblings of the coming Great Depression. In Sullivan, however, the high school students and alumni were planning their first homecoming celebration.
Numerous committees were formed to plan and organize the pep rally, homecoming play, the parade, banquet and football game. It was a momentous undertaking and over 190 invitations were mailed to the alumni. SHS Student Council was the chief sponsor of the event. It was so important that all the stores closed for the day so everyone could participate.
The events of the homecoming day were reported in detail in the Sullivan Progress. From this account the pep meeting began at 11 a.m. with the band playing and “yells” being screamed. The parade followed at 1:30 from the high school and was led by Wenzel Nedder on horseback to Poland Field on the south side of town. Behind Nedder were the queen candidates and class floats decorated in class colors. Teachers and alumni joined the procession.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.