Hollister, 1949: The town’s population hasn’t reached 5,000
people, the mini-skirt is a far-off phenomenon and the most
exciting thing to do on a Friday night is go to a ‘Baler football
game.
San Benito High School alumna Marian Hagins, class of 1949,
remembers the thrill of getting out of school, rushing home to put
on her cheerleading uniform and returning to join her classmates,
as well as the entire town, at the football stadium to root for the
home team.
Hollister, 1949: The town’s population hasn’t reached 5,000 people, the mini-skirt is a far-off phenomenon and the most exciting thing to do on a Friday night is go to a ‘Baler football game.
San Benito High School alumna Marian Hagins, class of 1949, remembers the thrill of getting out of school, rushing home to put on her cheerleading uniform and returning to join her classmates, as well as the entire town, at the football stadium to root for the home team.
Today, the homecoming celebration and football game is one of the biggest events at the high school, however 55 years ago homecoming was a far cry from the hoopla of today.
“The week of the game there were posters all over the halls, and everyone really got into the spirit of it,” Hagins said. “But it was such a small school.”
The entire school consisted of about 500 students, a football team of 30 players and three cheerleaders.
On the Friday before the homecoming game, the students would be let out of school a little early to go to the homecoming parade down San Benito Street. While the parade did draw some small crowds congregating on the sidewalk, it was nothing like it is today.
“The extent to our homecoming was a few kids would take their pick-ups and other kids would climb on them,” she said. “We didn’t have floats… perhaps a few trucks with crepe paper streamers.”
The games drew all the local residents and packed the stands. There were not a lot of other forms of entertainment because not many people owned TVs, so it was the big thing to do, she said.
During halftime the cheerleaders would perform for the crowds, just like they do now, but on a much smaller scale.
“We just got out there and we thought we knew it all,” she said. “(One of the cheerleader’s) mothers made our skirts and we were so afraid of them getting too short.”
After the game all the students would run home to get ready for the homecoming dance, held directly after the game.
The cost of admission was either a quarter or 50 cents, and it was exciting, Hagins said.
“You got cleaned up, either changed your sweater or stayed in your uniform,” she said. “We had it in the auditorium and almost always had a band.”
At this time some students, many who came from farming households, weren’t able to go to school because they had to work, said Jim Horn, also a San Benito High class of 1949 alumnus.
“The high school was a big deal back then,” he said. “But now it’s 10 times bigger – and the girls don’t dress anything like the girls did back then.”
The change in dress is one of the biggest differences the two alumni have noticed in the 55 years between when they were in high school and now.
While homecoming is celebrated on a much grander scale, the underlying principle is still the same.
“High school is a wonderful time,” she said. “It was very exciting, it really was.”
