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Homecoming Has Beauty, Excitement - Hear Mayor Talk
Tribune photo published Nov. 9, 1954

The glamour of a high school Homecoming could not be entirely dimmed even by the Little Cyclones' defeat on the field Friday night.

The excitement was comprised of teenage anticipation of the game, a balmy fall night, a pretty Homecoming queen and her attendants, lots of band music, cheerleaders and an after school pep assembly followed by a downtown parade.

Queen Shirley Stevens rode in a blue convertible in the parade that proceeded down Fifth street and back up Main street and then down Kellogg to City Hall where Mayor Joseph Lawlor addressed the group.  Behind her in another blue convertible rode her attendants, Mary Louise Taylor and Marcia Wilsie.  All were selected by popular vote.

Members of the football team rode in the parade on a tractor-drawn flat rack, and scores of pep club girls and the Ames High school marching band marched in the parade.  Almost all of the rest of the students snake-danced at the rear of the exuberant parade.

Douglas Shepherd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Shepherd of 3425 Oakland, fell down while snake dancing and was slightly stunned.  His collegues rushed him to the McFarland Clinic.  X-rays were taken with no serious injuries reported.

Queen Stevens, 17 year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Stevens, 1523 Roosevelt, was officially crowned by Jack Hyler at the halftime of the Waterloo-Ames game.  For the event she wore a gray suit with box jacket and knife-pleated skirt, a sheer white blouse and a white mum corsage.  Her crown was a tiny gold one adorned with stars.

Attendant Mary Louise Taylor, 17, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J.D. Taylor, 2925 Arbor, wore a dusty rose suit and a white mum corsage.  The other attendant, Marcia Wilsie, 17, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.P. Wilsie, 2337 Donald street was costumed in a brown fall suit with which she wore a white blouse and gloves and a white mum corsage.

Escorts for the royal seniors were Francis Judge with Miss Stevens, Billy Morrow with Mary Louise Taylor, and Derry Kaufman with Miss Wilsie.  The Royal couples also reigned over a Homecoming dance at the school after the game.

Music was provided for both the parade and the halftime of the game by the Ames High school band under the direction of Richard Day.  The Waterloo band was also here.

The white dog could have possibly been a West Waterloo spy so vociferously did he attempt to drown out everyone else during the after school pep parade.