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Homecoming 2012
- Thread starter Jason Svoboda
- Start date
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Is it just me, or do you never see video or pictures of the floats in the parade anymore? Not having attended this year's parade, I'm gonna chalk that up to the fact that the floats barely qualify for that name nowadays. I remember the masterpieces that used to be constructed for the Homecoming parade. We worked on those things for weeks, and some were truly beautiful. The last parade I saw, I was actually embarassed by what passed for a float.
Maybe I'm offbase, or just in a bad mood...
Maybe I'm offbase, or just in a bad mood...
No, you're right.
However, there are a couple reasons IMO and it started back during my times at State. First, a majority of the floats come from the Greek organizations. With dwindling numbers and WAAAAAY too many events, the chapters are spread thin on who participates on what. For instance, if you're riding Trike, odds are you're not doing the float. Further, if you lose a couple people to the Homecoming committee, you lose them as well because they must disaffiliate during that time.
Toss in the fact that today's generation is ME, ME, ME and it gets bad quickly. I've been disappointed with the floats I've seen as well for the last 5-6 years.
However, there are a couple reasons IMO and it started back during my times at State. First, a majority of the floats come from the Greek organizations. With dwindling numbers and WAAAAAY too many events, the chapters are spread thin on who participates on what. For instance, if you're riding Trike, odds are you're not doing the float. Further, if you lose a couple people to the Homecoming committee, you lose them as well because they must disaffiliate during that time.
Toss in the fact that today's generation is ME, ME, ME and it gets bad quickly. I've been disappointed with the floats I've seen as well for the last 5-6 years.
When I was in school, trike riders always were involved with the float. I remember nights where they'd show up out at the fairgrounds (where we built our floats) after trike practice. There were a lot of people out there working on those things. They were the best thing about the Homecoming parade. It's sad that it has been allowed to dwindle to nothing...
In the late 70's, ISU was nationally known as having the largest student organized Homecoming parade in the nation. I believe it was Bob Hope who did the tv special on it. How far we have fallen. Once again, goes back to ISU not doing enough to engender school pride among students or alumni...
In the late 70's, ISU was nationally known as having the largest student organized Homecoming parade in the nation. I believe it was Bob Hope who did the tv special on it. How far we have fallen. Once again, goes back to ISU not doing enough to engender school pride among students or alumni...
Well God forbid that any one group do better than any other. Hey, if the students want to spend lots of time and money on the float, that's their business. They'll pay the price if they let grades slip. It's really funny how our group never had grade slippage during the buildup to Homecoming. Hmmm, wonder why that is???
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IMO there are way too many factors at play in the Homecoming Float situation.
1. Location to build the floats is a concern (though if I remember right the Union Board tried to find locations over the past few years).
2. Availability of trailers
3. Cost of floats, materials, etc.
4. Time it takes to build a float
5. Only Greeks are really doing it (some res halls will try to do something or RHA will)
6. When considering themes for homecoming, floats are not first in mind rather the statement that the theme makes in general
7. Lack of sponsorship (it is harder and harder to get discounted or donated items for floats and the like)
8. Lack of Greek students involved in Union Board
9. It just isn't viewed as important anymore...the parade is viewed by the students and the Greeks as "something we have to do" not something they want to do
10. Politics -sounds silly as this has always been the case with any parade (especially one that is 1 month prior to an election) but the parade has become a political mess with candidates and their supporters going nuts with signs, floats, cars, candy, etc. It is literally like every other float is related to a candidate for office
You want to get the parade floats back to their former grandeur? Go to the business community, have them pair up with student organizations. So for example you may have the Sigma Kappa, FIJI, Rhoads Hall and The Ballyhoo float. You may have Ross Elliott Jewelers paired with a sorority, fraternity and the paintball club. If you get a local company to be involved (or 2 or 3) where they can put their name on the float too, you will have some 'responsible" people involved...it may be a headache but I believe it would work.
1. Location to build the floats is a concern (though if I remember right the Union Board tried to find locations over the past few years).
2. Availability of trailers
3. Cost of floats, materials, etc.
4. Time it takes to build a float
5. Only Greeks are really doing it (some res halls will try to do something or RHA will)
6. When considering themes for homecoming, floats are not first in mind rather the statement that the theme makes in general
7. Lack of sponsorship (it is harder and harder to get discounted or donated items for floats and the like)
8. Lack of Greek students involved in Union Board
9. It just isn't viewed as important anymore...the parade is viewed by the students and the Greeks as "something we have to do" not something they want to do
10. Politics -sounds silly as this has always been the case with any parade (especially one that is 1 month prior to an election) but the parade has become a political mess with candidates and their supporters going nuts with signs, floats, cars, candy, etc. It is literally like every other float is related to a candidate for office
You want to get the parade floats back to their former grandeur? Go to the business community, have them pair up with student organizations. So for example you may have the Sigma Kappa, FIJI, Rhoads Hall and The Ballyhoo float. You may have Ross Elliott Jewelers paired with a sorority, fraternity and the paintball club. If you get a local company to be involved (or 2 or 3) where they can put their name on the float too, you will have some 'responsible" people involved...it may be a headache but I believe it would work.
Just another example of an outstanding tradition that ISU had, that the powers that be at ISU let go (or led) down the drain. Nothing is important at ISU. Nothing that speaks of excellence, bonding, tradition. It's disgusting. It really is. I know he wasn't perfect, but it seems like the University went to hell after Richard Landini retired. Dan Bradley has been trying to dig out of the hole, but some people at ISU don't seem to get the idea that when you've dug yourself a hole, the first step to getting out of it is to stop digging...
Bally #50
The JSW Level
I agree with your comment about Landini and certainly feel that Dr's Moore and Benjamin sent the university heading abruptly in the wrong direction following his retirement, but to make a blanket statement that "nothing is important" at ISU is not only grossly exaggerated and over-stated, it is frankly flat out incorrect. Dr. Bradley knew exactly where the campus was when he arrived, recognized MANY issues that needed attention and "dug in". He didn't create the mess that he inherited but he has done so much to return credibility to ISU. Since I haven't been at an Homecoming parade in a decade or more, I have no idea what it has become. Frankly, although I was in it all four years when I was at ISU, I can say that it was HUGE then and I can only imagine how it has evolved over the years. This administration hasn't done anything but GROW homecoming since he arrived in Terre Haute. If the parade has slipped, it is because it is mostly irrelevant and has been for years. Do you really think that ISU is the only school where homecoming parades are a dying breed? Dr. Bradley is not the issue here. Relevance is. After I graduated, they started driving Mayflower moving vans in the parade. Every fricking brownie and girl scout troops marched in it. Grandma's old Chevy and lawn tractors were added. Throwing candy was deemed unhealthy and 10-15 bands became 5. My guess is that in the next years to come, it may be dropped altogether. Then maybe you could blame Dr. B. but let's face it, he had nothing to do with it. Times have changed and the priorities are different. Now I will be pissed if tent city is shut down and that tradition is allowed to die. Look at the numbers out there before the game this year. Record numbers. I would simply state that Dr. Bradley and his homecoming chairman (who I know VERY well), have shifted priority.
I do agree Bally. It is NOT Dr. Bradley or even old Benji's fault that the parade is less than it used to be. Lets be honest, Bob Hope, Clark Gable, and many other very famous people were in town for the homecoming festivities back in the day. But that is just not what happens anymore. I haven't been to a parade since 2006 and I know that it is poor in comparison to parades of the past. The students do try very hard and commend them for it. You have to remember that the Parade (for the most part) is completely student run...only students and an advisor (staff person) helps, organizes, etc. And there are just sooooo many factors involved in it-route, lack of businesses in downtown TH, the list of 10 things I gave, what Bally said, etc. The parade just isn't considered important to students IMHO. Love it or hate it, it is what it is. Ticker-tape parades are not the same as they were. Look at the Thanksgiving Day parade put on by Macy's...it is THE parade in our country and it is not what it once was...it is all about performances and commercials and making money....it is not about simply celebrating something (though Macy's marketing team likes to make you think it is
I am not saying let the parade end or die, I am saying that it just isn't viewed as something that is as important as other events. Which brings me to one more thing...the length of Homecoming now vs. what it was back in the day.
Back in the 50s and 60s Homecoming was 3 events, 4 once the Trike Race started. Now it is an entire week with an event every single night. These organizations have to prioritize due to lack of membership and they focus on Trike and Sycamore Sync...the float is an afterthought because the Parade is not attended by students anymore-they are on the walk.
I am not saying let the parade end or die, I am saying that it just isn't viewed as something that is as important as other events. Which brings me to one more thing...the length of Homecoming now vs. what it was back in the day.
Back in the 50s and 60s Homecoming was 3 events, 4 once the Trike Race started. Now it is an entire week with an event every single night. These organizations have to prioritize due to lack of membership and they focus on Trike and Sycamore Sync...the float is an afterthought because the Parade is not attended by students anymore-they are on the walk.