100 Years of Pride

Watertown marks century of homecoming


Members of the 100th Homecoming Royalty of Watertown High School

 

One of the costumes from Watertown’s first homecoming parade is on display at the Codington County Heritage Museum

The number one-ranked Watertown Arrows soundly defeated the Mitchell Kernels, 47-14 Friday, Sept. 20. The victory was a fitting conclusion to the school’s 100th homecoming celebrations. Let’s take a look back at Homecoming Memories from the last century of Purple and Gold.

Legendary Coach Harry Roese envisioned Watertown’s first homecoming in 1924

Ethel Lawrence was the first Homecoming Princess

The first homecoming celebrations were held in Watertown on Oct 24, 1924, although Watertown High School’s football history dates to 1906. Long-time coach Harry Roese was trying to drum up support for his Purple and Gold football team ahead of a playoff elimination game against rival Brookings High School, who had beat Watertown for the seven previous years. The idea was based on homecoming festivities at area colleges and was approved by the high school student body on Oct 16. The students named this celebration “Kiyi.” The first Kiyi Day parade started at the high school, where 200 Maple Place and the Town View Apartments now stand. It moved west on Kemp Avenue, where local merchants decorated their storefronts in purple and gold- a tradition still observed by many downtown. Crowds cheered as the parade was led by Princess Ethel Lawrence and Chief Clayton “Dinty” Doyle. The parade ended at Fletcher Field, east of the current Watertown Stadium. Here, the spectators witnessed the Purple and Gold defeat Brookings 12-0.

General Mark Scheafe gave the Arrows their name.

In November 1926, the Purple and Gold became the Arrows. As the South Dakota High School Activities became more formalized, team names needed to be single nouns. The Arrow name was put forth by the school’s Normal Club. The club’s homecoming float that year was based on a story written by General Mark Scheafe. Scheafe had written a story about Lake Kampeska which saw two Native American tribes coming together, after a time of struggle. The Arrow was a prominent feature in Schaefe’s story and the Normal Club’s float. Thus, Arrow Pride was born.

 

WHS Art teacher Florence Bruhn wrote the homecoming legend still used today.

For several years, the homecoming royalty were announced in fairly simple fashion. This changed in 1939, when Superintendent D.D. Miller approached first-year art teacher Florence Bruhn and asked her to craft a presentation for the school royalty. Bruhn looked to Schaefe’s story and turned it into a theatrical pageant. Prior to 1939, “KiYi” had really no meaning or story behind it. However, in Bruhn’s Legend, the Purple Kione and Gold Yiwawa joined together at Lake Kampeska to form the Ki-Yi. Over time, Native American references were dropped and in 2016 “Ki-Yi” was changed to Arrow Days.

WHS Band teacher Armond Pappone wrote the original music for Watertown’s school song

In 1952, came another source of Arrow Pride- the School Song. Prior to this, the school had been using the University of Minnesota’s fight song with altered lyrics. Again the task of creating something original fell to a new teacher. High school band instructor Armond Pappone composed a melody still used today. Lyrics were written by seniors Mary Ann Peterson (Field) and Nona Marquardt (Ridder-Whittenberg). Even after 100 years of homecoming memories, those lyrics still ring true:

We will be true to you, dear Watertown,
and we will cheer you onto fame.
And to our colors we’ll be loyal
in bringing honor to your name.  
Rah, Rah, Rah!

So come and sing a song for our school,
a school inspired by loyalty.  
And we will promise truly, Watertown,
that we will fight for Thee!