EXHIBITS

Where the Sagebrush Grows: A History of USU Homecoming Traditions: Pageantry

Pageantry

Pageants have long been associated with Homecoming. What is known today as the Miss USU Pageant began as the Harvest Queen Pageant during the first part of the twentieth century. By 1950, Homecoming Royalty had replaced the Harvest Ball Queen to become one of the longest-running traditions of USU Homecoming history. Uncertainty over the appropriateness of beauty pageants led to a cessation of the event between 1998 and 2002. The recent Miss USU competition has since replaced selection of Homecoming Royalty. Although Miss USU is selected each year in April, she is still honored the following fall at the Homecoming Parade and Game.

The Homecoming Royalty on their parade float in 1969.

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Utah State University Student Activity Photographs collection, P0312, Box 2, Image 222.)

Questions about the appropriateness of the event referred to practices like these: women being measured by male judges in preparation for the event.

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Photographic Services collection, P0376, Box 11, Image 4258a)

SCAUA-25p05s08-1992-10-21combo.pdf

This article from the October 21, 1992, The Utah Statesman highlighted that year’s Homecoming Queen, Marquessa Bullock [click image to enlarge; click again to browse all pages]

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, University Archives, Record Group 25.5/8, October 21, 1992)

These women were the Homecoming Queen and her attendants in 1972.

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Photographic Services collection, P0376, Box 63, Image 11340g)

The Homecoming Queen from 1950 riding in her parade car.

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Homecoming Photograph collection, P0387, Box 1, Folder 1, Image 1.)

The Homecoming royalty from 1955.

(Utah State University Historical Photo-board Collection, photo no. USU-A0414b.)

In 1961, all of the Homecoming Queen candidates posed for this group photo. Of all of these women, only three would be recognized as the Homecoming Queen and the first and second attendant.

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Homecoming photograph collection, P0387, Box 1, Folder 9, Image 14.)

The Homecoming Queen competition was usually fierce: anywhere from ten to thirty women would participate each year. Before the pageant even began, there was an application which had to be approved for each contestant, narrowing the field from an even bigger group that wanted to compete.

SCAUA-25p05s08-1956-10-19combo.pdf

The October 19, 1956, edition of the Student Life newspaper featured all of the Homecoming contestants for that year. [click image to enlarge; click again to browse all pages]

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, University Archives, Record Group 25.5/8, October 19, 1956)

Regina Heaton was voted the Homecoming Queen in 1948.

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Homecoming photograph collection, P0387, Box 1, Folder 14, Image 1.)

Melanie Poole was one of many Homecoming Queen contestants in the 1960 pageant.

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Homecoming photograph collection, P0387, Box 1, Folder 6, Image 7.)

Linda Dives competed for the Homecoming Queen title in 1959.

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Homecoming photograph collection, P0387, Box 1, Folder 5, Image 2.)

Ruth Cooley competed in the 1959 Homecoming Queen Pageant.

(Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Homecoming photograph collection, P0387, Box 1, Folder 5, Image 1.)

Mr. USU

DNO-0041-Mr. USU.jpg

Kaho Fiefia was crowned Mr. USU in 2011.

In the spirit of equality, students have held a Mr. USU competition during Homecoming Week since the early 2000s. The popular event fills the TSC Ballroom, and USU honors Mr. and Miss USU together at the Homecoming Game.